After Rivers State, Enugu should rank next in terms of presidential traffic. In the S/South flank, the former easily stands out as the most visited by President Olusegun Obasanjo in the last seven years. In the S/East, it is the latter. Naturally, this has given rise to varied interpretations with many tempted to conclude that the governors are Obasanjo’s favourites in their respective geo-political zones.

But the publicists of the affected governors are quick to explain that the frequency of Obasanjo’s visit is only indicative that they’re “working” and indeed have a handful of projects to commission each time. Well, the past few days were quite eventful in Enugu with yet another presidential visit. The media, for instance, was awash with tons of goodwill messages from friends and well-wishers saluting Governor Chimaroke Nnamani on the “bountiful harvest” of completed projects.

At the end of his tour, Thursday, Obasanjo’s parting words were flattering indeed: “It’s easy for human beings to say that nothing is being done but at least na koro koro eye I take see dis one. It doesn’t matter what you say, Enugu is working. But I see and I believe what I see rather than what they tell me.” Were Nnamani (a.k.a Ebeano) a first-term governor, such statement would certainly prove useful for his media minders as marketing sound-bite for the next electioneering campaign.

But all said, one thing is clear: Nnamani’s place is already assured when next the Enugu legend is updated. We may indeed disagree with Ebeano in terms of tactics in some respect, but can’t deny him credit for the depth of thoughts and clarity of vision. Among the projects, the one I for instance, find most appealing is the permanent site of Enugu State University Teaching Hospital located in the ancient coal city. I happen to have visited there myself. It is truly a monumental offering to scholarship. It should rank as the most up-to-date in the country today.

Were the governor himself not academically-inclined, it definitely would require more than a passing interest in medicine to commit such quantum of scarce resources into that kind of venture.

In a fit of his usual intellectual romanticism some-time ago, Chief Ojo Maduekwe propounded the theory of “monumentalism” as a fitting epitaph to the institution of leadership. Epochs are recognized by monuments bequeathed by leaders who inhabited the era. In the old Western Region, Awo altered the Ibadan sky-line with the Cocoa House. Up North, Ahmadu Bello gave Kaduna the Arewa castle. In the case of Enugu, future historians would certainly experience no difficulty in locating monuments to define the Ebeano years.

But the challenge really is how to preserve them. A good example is the marble coated tunnel under the rail-line. Let us hope there is a good maintenance policy in place. Enugu’s picturesque topography makes it the delight of home-video makers. Let us hope the walls are not soon defaced with home-video posters. In Edo State, so much was promised when the Federal Government embarked on the ten-kilometre by-pass conceived to relieve the chaotic traffic in Benin metropolis. As Works Minister between 1999 and 2003, Edo-born Chief Tony Anenih brought his weight to bear in ensuring that work was put on the fast track. But no sooner he left than the job was abandoned such that today, the highway has more or less turned a den of robbers.

Let us hope whoever succeeds Nnamani is not a prodigal, who will destroy the kaleidoscope of monuments instead of building on them.

Odion is the Editor, Sunday Sun.