TheCable

Chukwuma Soludo, governor of Anambra, has told the state’s indigenes residing in Lagos to return and invest in their homeland.

According to a statement signed by Christian Aburime, chief press secretary to the governor, Soludo spoke on Friday during a town hall meeting with ‘Ndi Anambra residents in Lagos state’.

The governor said Anambra indigenes must contribute to making the state a viable destination for investors.

He added that the state’s indigenes must ensure Anambra become a “livable and prosperous homeland” to gain the respect of their “host”.

“I urge Ndi Anambra to take that resolution and return to join hands in the development of the state, including okada, keke riders, and petty traders, among others.

“Part of our mission in Anambra is to make our place to become a departure lounge. We must turn Anambra to become a destination point.

“This is the same question I ask myself every day. And we have a responsibility to leave Anambra state better than we met.

“Your host will never respect you if you don’t have a livable and prosperous homeland.

“We must change the narrative; we must change the story for our place to become a point of departure, and all of us have something to do in this mission,” the governor said.

“I recall how past nationalists like Nnamdi Azikiwe and Michael Okpara succeeded in creating a sustainable economy in the region in the 60s through investments in agriculture, industry, education and human capital.

“We have all it takes to develop the state, but what is lacking is home consciousness.”

The development comes a few days after the Lagos government commenced the demolition of several buildings at the multi-billion naira Alaba International Market.

Alaba market’s population is predominantly people of south-east extraction.