FULL TRANSCRIPT of The Inaugural Address By Hon. Oluchukwu John Ilogbenu, Mayor Of Idemili South Local Government Area.
3rd October 2026
Local Government Secretariat, Ojoto
IDEMILI SOUTH RISING: A NEW ERA OF GRASSROOTS DEVELOPMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL RENEWAL, AND ACCOUNTABLE GOVERNANCE
PROTOCOL
Today, I stand before you not as a stranger, but as one of your own—a son of Umuikechem, Ndam, Ngo Nnobi, who has walked these streets, interacted with our people, and worked with our communities, ward by ward. To be entrusted with the responsibility of serving as Mayor of Idemili South Local Government Area is one of the greatest honours of my life. I accept this responsibility with humility, gratitude, and a clear understanding that leadership must ultimately be measured by service and results.
First, I give all glory to God Almighty for making this day possible.
I thank my dear wife, Chizoba, and our children, Chiemelie, Chisimdi, Kosiso and Munachi, for their sacrifice, patience, and support throughout this journey. Public service is rarely carried by one individual alone; our families often carry its burden quietly with us.
My Deputy, Hon. Mrs Ifeyinwa Ejiofor, and I express our profound appreciation to our Governor, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, CFR, for his leadership of Anambra State and for providing a clear development framework through the Solution Agenda. Mr Governor has demonstrated that governance must be intentional, disciplined, measurable, and focused on building communities where people can live, work, invest, and prosper.
Idemili South will align strongly with that vision. We will work to translate the state government’s development agenda into practical results at the grassroots.
I equally acknowledge our First Lady, Dr Mrs Nonye Soludo, for her contributions towards healthy living, social development, and the well-being of families across our state.
I specially acknowledge my predecessor, Hon. Mrs Amaka Obi, Iyom Ifeabata. Her administration recorded important interventions in Idemili South, particularly in community development and the empowerment of women and youths. Her cooperation throughout this transition has also helped to ensure continuity in governance.
Iyom, on behalf of the people of Idemili South, I say Daalu.
I equally acknowledge all former chairmen and leaders who have served this local government. Every administration leaves lessons and foundations upon which succeeding administrations can build.
Our approach will therefore not be to discard what works.
We will consolidate what works, improve what needs improvement, introduce innovation where gaps exist, and extend development to communities that require greater attention.
As Councillor representing Nnobi Ward 2, I approached public service as an opportunity to demonstrate what focused grassroots leadership could achieve.
In Ngo Nnobi, working with our people and partners, we implemented the Light-Up Ngo solar streetlight project across eleven roads, supported the powering of Umuagu Model Health Centre, sponsored WAEC registration for students, supported school renovation, and attracted road interventions through community partnership.
Those experiences taught me an important lesson: When the government listens to the people, sets clear priorities, and works with communities, even limited resources can produce visible results. That community-first and results-driven approach will now be expanded across Idemili South.
Our administration will be guided by a simple philosophy: Idemili South Rising—From the Grassroots to Greatness. It means that development must begin where our people actually live—in our villages, streets, markets, schools, health centres and communities. Our people should expect structured governance rather than improvisation; measurable targets rather than endless promises; accountability rather than excuses; and continuity combined with innovation.
One area where our administration will move immediately and decisively is the environment.
Governor Soludo has already placed Anambra State on an emergency footing regarding environmental degradation, flooding, erosion, blocked waterways, indiscriminate waste disposal, and other practices threatening our communities. Idemili South will fully domesticate and drive this environmental emergency response at the local government level.
From the first days of this administration, environmental sanitation, waste management, drainage clearance, erosion prevention, and protection of waterways will become major priorities of the Council. We cannot build a prosperous Idemili South on blocked drainages, heaps of refuse, uncontrolled runoff, dirty markets, encroached waterways, and preventable flooding. Therefore, our administration will initiate an Idemili South Environmental Emergency Action Committee.
The Committee will focus on:
First, Drainage and Waterway Clearance: We will undertake a rapid mapping of critical drainage channels and flood-prone locations across our communities. A Drainage Clearance and Desilting Taskforce will be strengthened and deployed strategically, particularly before and during the rainy season.
Second, Improved Waste Management: We will engage communities, markets, transport unions, landlords, businesses, and relevant state agencies to develop a more coordinated system for waste collection and evacuation. Indiscriminate dumping of refuse, particularly into drainage channels and waterways, must become unacceptable.
Third, Community Environmental Teams: Working with our Traditional Rulers, Presidents-General, villages and wards, we will encourage functional environmental teams that can identify blocked waterways, emerging erosion threats, illegal dumping points, and other environmental hazards and report them for early intervention.
Fourth, Flood and Erosion Prevention: We will identify erosion and flooding hotspots across Idemili South and develop a documented priority list for local interventions and engagement with the State Government and other relevant partners.
Fifth, Runoff and Catchment Management: In line with the environmental direction of the State Government, we will intensify public sensitization on proper management of stormwater and the provision of appropriate catchment pits. Water from private compounds should not be carelessly discharged onto public roads and drainage infrastructure.
Sixth, Cleaner Markets and Public Spaces: Our markets, motor parks, schools, health facilities and other public spaces must reflect the standard of the Idemili South we want to build. We will work with market leaders and other stakeholders to improve sanitation and establish clear responsibilities for maintaining public spaces.
Seventh, Greening Idemili South: Our environmental programme will also encourage tree planting, preservation of existing trees, and community beautification. Our ambition is not merely to remove waste but to build cleaner, greener, and healthier communities.
Environmental sanitation will not be treated as an occasional ceremony. It must gradually become a culture and a shared responsibility. The government will do its part, but every household, landlord, business owner, market leader, church, school, and community also has a role. Our approach will combine public enlightenment, community participation, infrastructure intervention, and lawful enforcement.
Our internal roads are critical to commerce, mobility, and community development. We will work with communities and relevant state government institutions to identify priority roads requiring intervention while paying particular attention to drainage because constructing roads without adequately managing stormwater only postpones the problem. We will encourage genuine community-government partnerships and pursue interventions based on need, impact, and available resources.
Our Primary Health Centres must function as genuine first points of care for our people. We will undertake a PHC functionality review and identify immediate gaps in basic equipment and service delivery. Particular attention will be given to maternal and child health. We will provide essential maternal equipment where necessary and fully support Mr Governor’s Local Maternal and Child Health Support Programme. Our objective is simple: every mother and every child in Idemili South should have reasonable access to functional primary healthcare.
Our children represent the future of Idemili South. We will conduct a school condition assessment to identify critical infrastructure and learning needs within the areas where the local government can intervene or advocate effectively. Our experience supporting WAEC registration and school renovation in Ngo Nnobi demonstrated that targeted educational interventions can make meaningful differences in the lives of families. We intend to build upon that experience.
Development cannot flourish without security. Our administration will convene a Security Stakeholders Summit involving relevant security agencies, traditional institutions, town unions, and community security structures. We will strengthen cooperation with the state’s Homeland Security architecture and lawful local security structures while identifying strategic locations where solar street lighting and other practical interventions can improve visibility and community safety. Security will be approached through collaboration, intelligence sharing, prevention, and community participation.
We will not govern Idemili South based on assumptions. Within the early period of this administration, we will commence:
- A comprehensive infrastructure audit;
- A Primary Health Centre functionality review;
- A school condition assessment;
- Revenue and economic opportunity mapping;
- Environmental and drainage mapping; and
- A security stakeholder’s assessment.
These exercises will provide the baseline upon which our programmes, budgets, and interventions will be built. Every serious administration must first understand where it is starting from before determining where resources should go.
Idemili South is strategically located and commercially vibrant. Our markets, entrepreneurs, artisans, traders, professionals and young people represent enormous economic potential. The role of the Local Government is to create an enabling environment—cleaner communities, safer streets, better access, responsive administration and systems that encourage enterprise rather than frustrate it.
We will engage the private sector, our diaspora, development partners and successful sons and daughters of Idemili South in identifying opportunities for sustainable community development.
This administration will remain accessible to the people. Our Traditional Rulers, Presidents-General, religious institutions, market associations, youths, women, professionals and community organizations will be important partners. Our civil servants and Local Government workforce will equally be central to our success. We expect professionalism, discipline and accountability, but we will also provide leadership and an environment that encourages effective service.
And to the people of Idemili South, when we do well, support us. When we fall short, hold us accountable constructively. Accountability will make this administration stronger.
OUR DECLARATION
Idemili South is too strategic, too commercially vibrant, too culturally rich and too blessed with human capital to operate below its potential.
This administration therefore begins with a clear declaration:
- Our environment will receive urgent attention.
- Our communities will have a voice in governance.
- Our Primary Health Centres will receive attention.
- Our schools and children will remain important to us.
- Our internal roads, drainage and community infrastructure will be pursued systematically.
- Our security partnerships will be strengthened.
- Our resources will be deployed with greater discipline and accountability.
- And above all, our administration will be judged by measurable results.
The task ahead is enormous, but so too is the potential of our people. Government alone cannot build the Idemili South we desire. It will require the cooperation of our communities, traditional institutions, town unions, churches, markets, businesses, professionals, youths, women, civil servants and our brothers and sisters in the diaspora. We invite everyone to become a stakeholder in this new chapter.
To Iyom Ifeabata, thank you once again for the foundation.
To our Governor, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, CFR, and our First Lady, Dr Mrs Nonye Soludo, thank you for the leadership and the development template.
To my Deputy and our incoming team, the responsibility before us is clear.
And to the good people of Idemili South, thank you for the privilege to serve.
The time for rhetoric is over. Now is the time for work. Now is the time for service. Now is the time for delivery.
Together, we will build a cleaner, safer, healthier, more productive and more prosperous Idemili South.
Idemili South is Rising — From the Grassroots to Greatness.
God bless Idemili South!
God bless Anambra State!!
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!!!
HON. OLUCHUKWU JOHN ILOGBENU
Mayor, Idemili South Local Government Area
3rd October 2026