Anambra State Unveils Rebirth Programme to Restore Igbo Values

Anambra State Unveils Rebirth Programme to Restore Igbo Values

Awka, Nigeria – June 17, 2025 — The Anambra State Government has announced the launch of the Anambra Rebirth Programme, a bold new initiative designed to restore the cherished Igbo values of integrity, enterprise, and hard work.

The programme was formally approved during the 11th meeting of the Anambra State Executive Council (ANSEC), held on Monday, June 16, 2025, at the new Government House, popularly known as the Light House, in Awka.

Addressing journalists after the meeting, the State Commissioner for Information, Dr. Law Mefor, said the Rebirth Programme is aimed at promoting an ethical renaissance in Anambra by discouraging the growing culture of seeking wealth without work.

Quoting the Igbo proverb, “Aka aja aja na-ebute onu mmanụ mmanụ” (hard work brings fulfillment), Dr. Mefor explained that the initiative is a values-based campaign focused on behavioral change. It seeks to counter the rising influence of easy money, corruption, and nefarious practices among young people and re-instill traditional Igbo principles that reward diligence and integrity.

“This programme is part of our administration’s long-term vision to build a better homeland, where success is celebrated on the foundation of hard work and not on fraud or shortcuts,” Dr. Mefor stated.

The announcement comes on the heels of Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo’s keynote address at The Platform, held in Lagos on Democracy Day, June 12, where he spoke on the theme “Rebuilding the Nation.”

In his speech, Governor Soludo condemned what he described as a “freebies culture,” warning of its dangerous link to criminality and moral decay.

“There is a powerful connection between this culture of expecting something for nothing and the surge in criminal behavior,” the governor said. “We now live in a society where those who acquire unexplained wealth and phantom titles are celebrated while honest labor is mocked.”

He blamed part of the problem on societal institutions that now propagate the idea of wealth without work—including native doctors, marabouts, and certain prosperity preachers—who lure youths with promises of miraculous riches without sacrifice.

Governor Soludo also raised concerns over the increasing number of young people entering politics with the sole aim of looting public funds.

“To rebuild this nation, we must intentionally break this toxic culture and embrace an ethical rebirth,” he said. “Nigeria cannot make sustainable progress until we uproot the value system that promotes corruption and idolizes easy money.”

The Anambra Rebirth Programme will feature public education campaigns, school-based initiatives, community engagement, and strategic partnerships with religious, traditional, and civil society institutions to reorient the mindset of the populace, particularly the youth.

The programme is expected to roll out across the state in phases in the coming weeks.