By Valentine Amanze
The Catholic Archbishop of Owerri, Most Rev. Anthony J. V. Obinna, has commended the former governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, for handing over schools to the original owners – the missions, while he was the governor of Anambra State.
The cleric said that for that singular act that changed the face of education in Anambra and accorded the Church its due, that Obi would forever remain the hero of the Church and humanity in that regard.
He gave the commendation Tuesday during the Education Week 2018 Summit held at the open field within the Assumpta Cathedral, Owerri.
Noting the improvement in education brought forth by what he termed, “Obi’s revolution” to education in Anambra State, the cleric called on all those that govern state to look and study Obi’s template as the sure and affordable way to restore the glory of education nationwide.
He frowned at the claim of some people of doing wonders for the education sector when they have refused to abide by necessary things as Obi did in Anambra State.
In his remarks, Obi said that the problem with Nigeria was neither Mr. Ideology nor Mr. Planning, but the inability or lack of courage among the leaders when it came to putting plans into action without minding whose ox is gored.
Recalling the war he waged when he returned schools to their owners in Anambra State, Obi said that virtually all interests were mounted against him, but that being convinced on the rightness of his course, he did not relent.
It will be called that Obi returned schools to the Church in 2010 and backed it up with billions of Naira in grants with which the owners of the schools rehabilitate them. Obi also directly provided schools in the state with buses, INTERNET connectivity, generators, sporting materials, boreholes, computers, libraries, laboratories such that under his watch, Anambra schools came first in NECO and WAEC throughout the country for three consecutive years.