Service to Humanity: Nsukka LGA Chairman, ENGR. Jude Chinedu Asogwa Calls for Inclusive Development Policies
By Nkem Ossai
He made the call while responding to questions from members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Nsukka Chapel who paid him a courtesy visit in his office recently.
Addressing the journalists, Engr. Jude described his experience of one year in office as fantastic and full of activities, challenges, ups and downs. He said, “one of the major things is that we in public office need to work hard to earn and regain the trust of the people because a whole lot has happened.”
However, he added, people are beginning to believe in what we are doing and what the governor, Dr. Peter Mbah is doing.
Continuing, he said, “our people are good people but there are still a few politicians who believe that once they are not there, everything should collapse. Our people are beginning to understand that we have come actually to serve the people noting, that his experience has been wonderful. He said that he met challenges but with God’s grace, it has been subdued because of support from the people. “Of course we have seen people that didn’t believe but right now, they are beginning to believe in what we are doing.” He said he will continue to thank God and our people for the massive support saying, “I will continue to assure them that governance is service to humanity.”
The Chairman of the Union’s Chapel, Comrade Ike Okenyi congratulated him first as the Chapel’s host Chairman noting that since the elections, the Union delayed paying him this courtesy visit in order to give him a breathing space as the central Mayor of Enugu North (Igbo Nsukka) people. He said, that on behalf of members of the Union, he is at the same time consoling him for the tragic passing of Rev. Fr. Dr. John-Martin who is said to be his mentor, adding that the death of John-Martin affected a lot of people especially those who were educated at the famous St. Theresa’s College, Nsukka and you who had ample opportunity of living with him for 13 years.
The NUJ Chairman further added that the Union has come to interface with him and possibly create a partnership that works as the society’s watch dog, noting that the visit is important to enable them be acquainted with his achievements in one year in office. In that way, he added, the public will be duly educated.
Responding, he thanked God for the grace to be here as the Chairman of Nsukka LGA. He said, by September 30, 2025, it will be exactly one year that he assumed office adding that all the glory and honour will be given to God Almighty.
On the death of his mentor, Rev. Fr. John-Martin, Hon. Jude said it was a rude shock to him noting that Father Martin has always been very sound. He described him as a fulfilled man having impacted humanity very positively. He further added that whatever positive values he has today is attributable to late Fr. Martin. He impacted on the life of many people, emphasizing that six LGA Chairmen out of seventeen currently, passed through him. He said the love students showed at his burial says it all . He prayed that God will show him mercy because he worked very hard adding that he cannot take for granted what he gained from him. He noted that they are working on how to immortalize him because, it’s worthy.
On what is happening in the media, Hon. Jude said that his mantra, remains, “we are too focused to be distracted.” He said that the new Cyber laws will help curb the excesses in the media space noting that his policy remains, “after politics comes governance.” He observed that governance is all about service to humanity, as such, concentration is required.
He reasoned, “when I came on board as the local government Chairman, I called a meeting in ‘Obu Nsukka’ where all the political parties were invited and I said, “election is over, let us begin to speak as a people because irrespective of our political parties and ideologies, the endpoint is service to humanity, welfare of our people and reverence service to God. I also emphasized that being in different parties does not take you away as my brother.” He reminded everyone that even the President of Nigeria said that Governor Peter Mbah is his friend irrespective of their different parties. He queried , “why are we now fighting.”
Speaking further, he said he believes in people-oriented politics, noting further that when they came on board, he set up a committee that did ‘Community Engagement’ in the 52 communities in Nsukka LGA. The communities, according to him, were asked to bring out three projects for them to choose at least one, noting that it is important to find their priority before embarking on the project. He added that the approach is yielding results. For instance he said, in Ibagwa Agu and Okparigbo communities who have never had electricity before in the local government, we were able to do a three kilometer stepdown of electricity. Today, there is electricity in the communities. This, he emphasized is the result of the community engagement. He pointed out that if not for the community engagement, people will not know that there is a community that has never experienced electricity in Nsukka LGA. At Owere Lejja, we discovered that to fetch a bucket of water, it takes a whole day. We were able to drill a borehole there. In fact, a Dozer was engaged for four days in order to have access road there. At Lejja, we had two transformers at Nkwo and Ejuona since 2012 that were not energized but now, they have now been energized
One of the things His Excellency, the governor did was to commission two roads that we did. The one leading to the LGA headquarters which is about 1.6 kilometers and the one leading to the Bishop’s Court.
When we realized that Nsukka Market was touched to give way for a ‘Business Terminal’, we started pushing to have an international market and this is one of the things the governor did for us: a five thousand capacity market which is just a stone throw to Ogurugu Jetty.
Whenever the Ogurugu Jetty is dredged to the sea port, anybody can travel from any of the LGA’s in Nsukka zone to anywhere in the world, buy anything and then take it down to Ogurugu Jetty and from there to the international market which has all the features of an international market.
The Chairman continued, weeks ago, we flagged off 5.6 km road for Nguru, Ede-Oballa and Lejja. We also flagged off 4.2 km road at Amajiala, Umuabia, Umueze, Umuakashi road. We also have a project, 1.5 km, Odoru road.
It will also interest you to know that, as big as Nsukka is, we do not have Corpers Lodge. We have just mobilized a contractor a few days ago to give us a Corpers Lodge that will contain between 40 to 60 Corpers because security is upper in our minds. The contractor has just 90 days to deliver the project. We are also giving our Secretariat a facelift. You can see that work is going on, on the Secretariat.
There were two individuals that made first class in their studies, a man and a woman, without jobs for a very long time. They were given jobs. We also appointed 52 youth leaders as LGA Laison Officers. This is because we want our communities to have a feel of governance. All the things we a doing is because His Excellency, Peter Mbah gave us the enabling environment.
The governor is engaged in 2000 roads going on right now in Enugu State. By 21st of this month (September 2025), our kids will start school in the ‘Smart Schools’ courtesy of His Excellency. We’re not talking of ‘Type Two Hospitals’ and 44.1 km road. We’re not talking of a curse he helped us to break: for 65 years, Nsukka man couldn’t become a VC of the Premier University, the University of Nigeria Nsukka. When His Excellency asked why, we told him that although, Nsukka man has always done better than many others but, at the end of the day, the person who may have scored lower will emerge and that all we have always wanted and pledged was for the authorities of the institution to be fair.
However, this time around, there was a level playing ground and Nsukka man emerged and was sworn in as the VC for the first time after 65 years. We do not take all these for granted.
It does appear, as if Nsukka LGA is favoured by His Excellency because when examined closely, it was not only in Nsukka that markets were demolished for bus terminal. It was also done in Abakpa and Gariki. He came to flag off our own: came back again to hold a stakeholders meeting and the third time to commission the bus terminal. There is no doubt that Nsukka remains the only LGA that the governor has visited three times within one week. This is again, not taken for granted and this is why we are appealing to everybody to support His Excellency.
The Chairman went on: I’m happy that people of your caliber are saying, “we want to partner with the government.” We welcome it because, if you do not blow your trumpet, nobody will blow it for you. To us, we still have good people that will look at what you are doing. We’re not perfect. Perfection is of God. We still have our own weak points. We thank God that we have people like you who can say, “do this things this way or that way.”
