Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has urged Anambra indigenes living in Lagos to return and help in the development of their home State.
According to a statement signed by Christian Aburime, the governor’s principal press secretary, Soludo made the call during a town hall gathering with ‘Ndi Anambra people in Lagos state’ on Friday.
He said that Anambra residents must participate in making the state a viable investment destination, adding that the indigenes have what it takes to develop it State but what is lacking is home consciousness.
He also said that the state’s indigenous people must work hard to make Anambra a “livable and prosperous homeland” in order to gain the respect of their” host.
“I urge Ndi Anambra to take that resolution and return to join hands in the development of the state, including okada, keke riders, and petty traders, among others.
“Part of our mission in Anambra is to make our place to become a departure lounge. We must turn Anambra to become a destination point.
“This is the same question I ask myself every day. And we have a responsibility to leave Anambra state better than we met.
“Your host will never respect you if you don’t have a livable and prosperous homeland.
“We must change the narrative; we must change the story for our place to become a point of departure, and all of us have something to do in this mission,” the governor said.
“I recall how past nationalists like Nnamdi Azikiwe and Michael Okpara succeeded in creating a sustainable economy in the region in the 60s through investments in agriculture, industry, education, and human capital.
“We have all it takes to develop the state, but what is lacking is home consciousness.”
The announcement comes just a few days after the Lagos government started tearing down multiple structures at the massive Alaba International Market.
The majority of the people living in Alaba market are from the southeast.