APGA’s “NKEA BU NKE ANYI” SLOGAN,
A FALSEHOOD CLOAKED IN SENTIMENT
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has for years chanted the slogan “Nkea bu nke anyi”, selling it to ndị Anambra and the South East as a rallying cry for regional identity, political ownership, and development. But beyond the emotional appeal, this phrase has functioned more as a political sedative, one that dulls scrutiny, suppresses accountability, and masks failure.
A Slogan for the Few, Not the Many.
“Nkea bu nke anyi” has never translated into widespread ownership or benefit for the people. Rather, it has been a slang of convenience wielded by a small political elite to legitimize personal ambition. Those in power wave it like a flag, but it’s implementation has been shallow and self serving.
APGA’s long grip on Anambra has not yielded revolutionary changes in core areas such as industrialization, security, healthcare, infrastructure, or education. Despite the slogan, the average Anambra youth still chases opportunities outside the state. The roads remain poorly maintained outside urban centers, public hospitals remain under-equipped, and universities operate under heavy strain. What, then, is truly “ours” if the dividends of governance are not shared?
Now let’s take a closer look at the core failures of “Nkea Bu Nke Anyi” in Delivering Tangible Results.
1. Infrastructure Decay
Despite 18 years of APGA dominance (since 2006), infrastructure development remains uneven and grossly inadequate:
Awka, the capital city, still lacks the urban layout and modern transport system of a proper state capital.
Major roads in towns like Awka, Nnewi, Ihiala, and parts of Anambra North remain riddled with potholes, sometimes impassable during rainy seasons.
Rural electrification and water supply projects are completely abandoned with scratches coming up during election period. Compare this with Ebonyi State, which under governors like Dave Umahi saw rapid transformation through road construction, flyovers, and improved urban planning, without the crutch of a sentimental slogan.
2. Youth Development and Job Creation
With the state’s high literacy rate and entrepreneurial spirit, Anambra ought to be a tech and innovation hub. Yet: The unemployment rate in Anambra stood at 44.2% (2022) among youth, according to NBS data. No significant state backed tech or industrial park exists to support small businesses or startups.
Rather than create jobs, the APGA government has been dependent on federal allocations and token entrepreneurship schemes that barely scratch the surface.
3. Education and Health: Missed Opportunities
While APGA takes credit for sustaining public schools and hospitals, their performance is mediocre by global standards. No recent APGA administration has launched a signature policy or infrastructure project to lift Anambra into global competitiveness in these sectors.
Why Ndị Anambra Must Embrace a Progressive Alternative
1. Sentiment Without Substance is Dangerous
Politics should be about performance, not parochial emotion. The slogan “Nkea bu nke anyi” implies that loyalty to a party or tribe is more important than competence or results. This is a dangerous precedent in a region that needs innovation, efficiency, and vision.
2. Regional Pride Must Translate to Global Standards
Being proud of our roots is important. But pride without development is hollow. It is time to move from “nke a bu nke anyi” to “ka anyi dozie anyi” (let us fix ourselves). That means holding leaders accountable, voting based on progressive manifestos and antecedents, not recycled slogans.
3. We Deserve Better Than Political Hand-Me-Downs
Youths deserve data driven policies, not emotional blackmail. Women deserve inclusion, not tokenism. Entrepreneurs need infrastructure, security and credit, not endless praise of past glories. Anambra’s future lies in embracing competitive, modern, progressive and results oriented leadership.
“Nkea bu nke anyi” has become a shield for failure, a lullaby to silence criticism, and a crutch for those afraid to compete on merit. It has lost all moral and political currency. Ndị Anambra must awaken to a new political consciousness, one rooted in progress not propaganda.
Let us rise above the shadows of a worn out slogan and demand leadership that speaks the language of growth, justice, and excellence.
© IKUKUOMA MEDIA OFFICE
