Gov. Obiano
Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra has granted amnesty to 25 prisoners serving various jail terms in the state as part of activities marking Nigeria’s0 55th independence anniversary.

Obiano, in a broadcast in Awka on Thursday, said the amnesty was to give ``hope to the hopeless.’’

``I see hope for Anambra. I see hope for Nigeria. It is along this line that I have decided to give hope to the hopeless among us by exercising my prerogative of mercy.

``I see nothing but hope for our school children, who represented Nigeria at the last World Schools Debate Championship in Singapore.

``Hope for our industrialists, who shall soon begin to enjoy the benefits of the independent power plant being built by UDIPPCO in Umerum.

``I see hope for our teeming youths, who shall soon begin to get good jobs from the projects of the various investors, who are beginning to settled down in the state,’’ he said.
 
Obiano, however, said the anniversary called for a sober reflection.

``Our founding fathers had rightly hoped and prayed for the sun to rise on Nigeria and for a moment, their wishes seemed granted.

``Fifty-five years after independence, our country has survived successive waves of pogroms and a bloody civil war.

``We have repeatedly danced on the edge of the cliff and experienced harrowing moments of civil disturbances, religious and ethnic violence and widespread uncertainty and doubt about our corporate future.

``Right now, the dark clouds of insurgency hover over the North-East zone of Nigeria and all over the country, a general sense of insecurity reigns. 

But Nigeria is stronger than all her challenges and Nigeria will survive,’’ the governor said.