In every age, bold visions of progress have faced a predictable obstacle. This obstacle is called cynicism. Cynicism is easy; it requires neither sacrifice nor imagination.
Today, Governor Peter Mbah’s new development narrative for Enugu is confronting this age-old resistance. Some critics dismiss it as elitist, while others oppose it simply for mischief’s sake. But facts are stubborn things: in education and health, the two pillars of human capital development, Mbah is rewriting the story of Enugu State with uncommon courage.
Consider education. For decades, our schools have been plagued by infrastructural decay, rote learning, and outdated teaching methods that left our children poorly prepared for a competitive world. Mbah’s Smart Green Schools initiative is not a cosmetic renovation of dilapidated school buildings; it is a revolutionary leap.
By infusing digital learning, environmental consciousness, and skills for the workplace of tomorrow, Enugu State is saying that her children will not be trapped in the shadows of yesterday.
Critics who call this elitist should ask themselves: is it elitist to insist that every child, from Udenu to Awgu, from Isi-Uzo to Owo and Amagunze deserves access to 21st-century learning tools? Is it elitist to replace chalk-and-talk stagnation with critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving? If it is, then Enugu must proudly wear the badge of “elitism in excellence.”
The story is the same in health. From strengthening primary healthcare centers to deploying technology for better patient management, the administration is refusing to gamble with the most sacred asset of society—life itself.
Preventive medicine, maternal care, and access to quality services in rural communities are no longer distant promises but realities in the making.
To trivialize these efforts as “elitist” is to trivialize the lives of ordinary citizens whose only demand is to live healthy, dignified lives.
The hypocrisy of cynicism lies in its double standards. Those who sneer at Smart Schools would, without hesitation, send their own children to private institutions that already embody these same ideals.
Those who pour scorn on health reforms would, in private moments, travel abroad or patronize high-end hospitals while denying the poor the right to comparable services at home. Such cynicism is not principled opposition; it is sabotage by envy, inertia, and fear of change.
Governor Mbah’s mission is not to pamper elites, but to democratize access to excellence. His vision is clear: to lift Enugu out of mediocrity and place it on the path of knowledge-driven, health-secured, and globally competitive growth.
What he asks of Ndi Enugu is simple: faith, patience, and collective ownership of this new narrative.
No society has ever leapt into modernity without confronting resistance. The choice before Ndi Enugu is stark and simple: to wallow in cynicism and stagnation, or to buy into a vision that promises their children the skills to thrive, their families the healthcare to live, and their communities the dignity to flourish.
The call, therefore, is urgent: let cynicism give way to courage, let mischief bow before reason, and let all Enugu people rally behind Governor Peter Mbah’s transformative agenda.
The future belongs not to skeptics, but to builders. Enugu State cannot afford to stand still. Governor Peter Mba’s transformative agenda is real. Let’s rally round him.
