November 2013 is a peculiar month. On the celestial level, it is the month of partial and full eclipse for different nations and regions of the world, with its spiritual and physical climatic implications.

On our national level, it is the month our President, the first to formally go for spiritual rejuvenation in the Holy Land of Israel, came back and pounced on the ASUU strike with the prowess of a gifted prophet against a ravaging demon, giving us all hope that our young ones will go back to their studies soon. It is the month Stella Oduah will know her fate after the car scam.

This month will prove the hollowness of the Sure-P with billions claimed to have developed wings from their account. The demon of corruption will receive some bad-mouthing this month. It is a month that will decide the fate of the nPDP, and if well handled, the fortunes or challenges of the APC.

On a personal level, it is the month, my Oga, Admiral Mike Okhai Akhigbe( rtd), GCON, a fine, gentle, disciplined naval officer and ardent believer in the South-South and the Nigerian project, passed on, almost same time  with his good friend, Prof.Omo Omoruyi, both of beloved EdoState. We have a lot to learn from the lifestyles of these two men.

As an Igbo man, November also offers opportunity for the correction of a bad notion AnambraState has created in her politics.

AnambraState is easily reputed to have a repository of the finest brains, the smartest and richest entrepreneurs, the boldest of men that the South East can boast of. The financial resources of Anambrarians alone can change the face of the whole of the South East if they choose to harness and apply it positively. But that the state still has poor infrastructural facilities and is struggling like most other states of the South East, is a reflection of the bad political practices of her leaders.

Anambra  keeps the worst record of political brigandage in the politics of the South East, has the record of being the first state where an incumbent governor was held  hostage by his political “kingmakers”, and these men are still throwing their weight around in all aspects of the political life of the state.

It was also in Anambra that violence, rigging, and ballot box snatching of unprecedented levels occurred during gubernatorial elections of the past. Same Anambra politicians never let any elections results go uncontested in the court of law. Anambra will be the first and perhaps only state, where Governor Peter Obi ruled for two terms of eight years without elected local government chairmen.

Same governor wants APGA to win when he pulled the carpet under the feet of the party by this action! One had thought that APGA will be elevated to the level of an Igbo party, but selfishness and intrigues will not let them do so.

When Pope John Paul of the Catholic Church visited Nigeria in 1998, he came to AnambraState, and the then State Government announced that they would build an InternationalAirport at Oba, among many other plans. It was reported later that private transporters came together and blocked that project.

Though some tell me it is not the case, then why has that project not taken off? While the politicians were busy deceiving and chasing themselves, blocking each other, Governor Uduaghan commissioned the AsabaAirport, and now most of them rush down to Asaba to board planes they would have boarded at Oba. Soon there will be a deep seaport in Bayelsa, while they will continue to kid themselves.

On November 3, just 13 days to the gubernatorial elections, no fewer than 28 persons who attended the weekly crusade at the Holy Ghost Adoration Ministry, Uke, in Idemili North local government area of AnambraState, lost their lives during a stampede at the end of the ceremony.

The crusade, organised by Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Obinma for prayers, healing and spiritual retreat, attracts thousands of people, but because this one was held on the Feast of All Saints and it was the first Saturday of the month, an estimated 100,000 worshippers reportedly attended the crusade.

Governor Peter Obi who attended the crusade in company of 10 persons, including the National Chairman of All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Victor Umeh, the candidate of the party in the November 16 governorship election, Chief Willie Obiano, as well as two siblings of the governor, was said to have left the crusade ground around 3.30am, before the tragedy. Obi and APGA will want us to believe that Ngige and APC were responsible, and they all are trading blames.

Whose report shall we believe?  If a witch cries in the night and a child dies in the morning, who killed the child? Politicians have gone there with their bad behaviours, spoilt a good crusade for the servant of the Most High God, and now instead of blessings, the people received death and heart aches.

Ndigbo as a whole criticised Governor Babatunde Fashola’s government for deporting 28 Igbo indigenes from LagosState, what shall we do to these men who by their conducts have caused the death of 28 Ndigbos?

The report did not say that Chief Ngige of APC was at the event, but the air waves in Anambra State is awash with government propaganda that APC was responsible. What has Ngige done to these people other than he delivered on his electoral promises in spite of all challenges from his oppressors in state politics.

Nigerians and lovers of peaceful democracy are watching Anambra State to see if they will pass the November 16  test of good and credible polls, devoid of violence, ballot snatching, court cases and the rest. Ondo and Edo states have passed this test in flying colours, will Anambra  be able to pull through this one successfully ?

Mr. CLEMENT UDEGBE, a legal practitioner, wrote from Lagos.