In a time when many wait for the government to fix every pothole, High Chief Anthony Ikenna Obele (popularly known as the “7-Star General”) has flipped the script. He didn’t just donate bags of rice; he single-handedly built and commissioned a 5-kilometer asphalt road in his hometown of Ezinifite.
This wasn’t just a “paved path.” The multi-billion naira project features:
Standard Drainage Systems to combat the region’s erosion challenges.
Solar-Powered Streetlights for 24/7 security and night-time commerce.
Strategic Connectivity, linking Aku village to several neighboring communities and the main interstate highway.
The “Soludo Approval”: Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, who personally commissioned the road, described the “Ezinifite Model” as the gold standard for his administration’s PPCP initiative. The Governor’s message was clear: “At the speed we need to move, government alone cannot achieve development.” He issued a standing challenge to all “illustrious sons and daughters” in the diaspora: if you build it for the public good, the Governor will personally come to commission it.
Why this matters: The “Ezinifite Model” is about Dignity Restored. It proves that when private conscience meets public need, the result is instant economic relief. Traders in Aguata are already reporting easier access to markets, and the “Ezinifite blueprint” is now being discussed in town union meetings across the state as the best way to develop “Home” without waiting for a federal budget.
