Editorial
On September 3,2026,Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State was honoured with the Daily Times newspaper’s “Governor of the Decade Award” at the newspaper’s 100th anniversary ceremony. According to the newspaper, the selection of Governor Uzodimma followed an extensive nomination and public voting process and was in recognition of his leadership, public service, and contributions to national development.
The conferment arrives at a moment when public trust in sub-national leadership is being keenly tested across Nigeria. Awards, by themselves, do not pave roads or pay salaries. But when they reflect a pattern of verifiable work, they become a mirror through which citizens can interrogate progress, ask hard questions, and set the bar higher. The Daily Times recognition, which featured Governor Uzodimma among select Nigerians in a national commemorative volume with a foreword by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, therefore, deserves more than applause. It deserves scrutiny, context, and a conversation about what it means for Imo and for governance generally.
First, is the record that earned the attention. Since the assumption of office in January 2020, Governor Uzodimma inherited a state grappling with infrastructural decay, insecurity, and economic stagnation. His administration’s response was anchored on the 3R mantra of Recovery, Rehabilitation, and Reconstruction. In concrete terms, that has translated to over 130 major roads completed, including the dualization of Owerri–Okigwe and Owerri–Orlu corridors, plus the state’s first-ever flyover at Assumpta Avenue/Control Post. Federal highways long neglected have also been reconstructed at state expense, linking Owerri to Umuahia, Orlu, Okigwe,Port Harcourt,and beyond. The Assumpta Twin Flyover and the Orashi Energy Free Trade Zone were specifically cited by the South Carolina House of Representatives as signature projects.
Second is the economic dimension. Beyond asphalt, the administration pursued investor confidence through security reform and revenue restructuring. Security agencies and local vigilantes were empowered to flush out criminal elements – a move credited with restoring business operations and investor confidence. On revenue, the state moved from about ₦400 million to over ₦3 billion monthly in Internally Generated Revenue(IGR) through an automated digital collection system. That fiscal space helped fund capital projects and underwrote initiatives like the Light Up Imo Project for 24-hour power, the Orashi Electricity Project, and the expansion of Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, which exported over 500 tonnes of agro-produce in 2025 alone.
Thirdly, the human capital story can not be ignored. Imo’s health insurance coverage leapt from zero to over three percent, with thousands of safe deliveries and caesarean sections facilitated. Over 300 primary and secondary schools were renovated and equipped, with free education from primary to secondary level and the recruitment of over 5,000 teachers and health workers. The SkillUp Imo programme trained about 55,000 youths in AI, robotics,and other digital skills, positioning Imo within the federal government’s ICT Human Capacity Development awards. Workers also saw the implementation of a ₦104,000 minimum wage, among the first in Nigeria.
Fourthly, the award raises matters of perception and recognition beyond Imo. The South Carolina House of Representatives honoured Uzodimma for “extensive investments in road infrastructure, urban renewal and digital transformation”, and described him as a leader dedicated to inclusive governance and economic revitalization. Vanguard Newspapers earlier named him “Infrastructure Governor of the Year 2024”. Former Commonwealth Secretary-General Chief Emeka Anyaoku called him the “infrastructure governor” a sobriquet “well understood and well deserved”. Such external validation matters because it signals to domestic and foreign investors that Imo is open for business.
Fifthly, there is also the need to address the “matters arising.” Recognition should not mute accountability. While roads are being built, citizens will ask: What is the maintenance plan? While IGR has risen, how transparent is the deployment? While 55,000 youths were trained, how many have secured jobs or started enterprises that survive beyond grant cycles? That is precisely the standard to hold.
Sixthly, the political economy of awards in Nigeria demands caution. Awards can be earned, but they can also be lobbied. The credibility of the Daily Times newspaper’s volume rests on independent verification of claims: the 120+ strategic roads, the four NUC-approved universities in the state,and the digitised land administration. Citizens deserve a public scorecard that matches headlines with data, contracts with completion rates, and budgets with outcomes.
Seventh, the security turnaround deserves nuanced praise. Moving from “Red Zone” to relative stability has restored nightlife and commerce in Owerri and beyond. In spite of this, lasting peace requires more than enforcement. It requires jobs, justice, and community buy-in. The One Kindred, One Business(OKOBO) initiative and agricultural value chain development must be scaled to ensure that young people see a stake in peace.
Eighth is on infrastructure as a legacy. Infrastructure is not glamorous until it fails. The dualized roads, urban renewal, and airport cargo operations are intended to make Imo a logistics and industrial hub. The dredging of the Orashi River to the Atlantic and the gas reserves – the largest in West Africa – point to a long-term bet on energy and trade. If executed with discipline, these projects can outlive any single administration.
Ninth, leadership style matters. Vice President Kashim Shettima described Uzodimma as a “game-changing revolutionary” for whom “governance is not theatre, but duty”. Ekiti Governor Biodun Oyebanji called him a reference point for service delivery. Whether one agrees or not, the test will be continuity: can institutions, not personalities, sustain the 3R agenda? Can civil service reforms, biometric payrolls, and e-governance survive political transitions?
Nigerian Horn believes that the award is both commendation and charge. To Imo people, it is an invitation to demand more: more transparency in project costing, more inclusion in decision-making, more attention to rural LGAs beyond the capital. To other governors, it is a challenge that development-focused leadership can attract national and international notice. And to Governor Uzodimma, it should be fuel, not a finish line. As the Commissioner for Information,Declan Emelumba noted, when receiving an earlier honour in London, such recognition should spur doing more for the state, Nigeria, and the continent.
A decade is a long time in politics, but a short time in development. The Governor of the Decade Award,therefore, asks us to look back with honesty and forward with resolve. If the roads last, if the lights stay on, if the skills translate to jobs, and if institutions grow stronger than individuals, then the title will not just be an award. It will be history.
