By Josiah C. Nnamani
 May 30, 2025.

When the 38-year-old Sen. Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani emerged as the Governor of Enugu State in 1999, I was a teenager.  But even then, I could sense that something had shifted. His campaign mantra, Enugu Dreams is still alive; the power we seek is the power to do good," was a new energy in the air, a sense that the ordinary could become extraordinary, that the sons and daughters of market women, artisans and roadside barbers could aspire to greatness. Indeed, it manifested fully before the completion of his tenure.

Today, as he marks his 65th birthday, I find myself reflecting on just how deeply he shaped the consciousness of an entire generation of  mine. His impact was not only in roads and hospitals, as we witnessed in the construction and dualization of rural and urban roads and the establishment of cottage and district hospitals across the three senatorial districts, but in something far less visible, yet far more powerful: He gave the young people the audacity to dream. In Enugu he would charge the young people, “Dare to dream and find the power to make them real.” Sen. Nnamani wasn’t a conventional politician.

He was a medical doctor, an American-trained obstetrician-gynecologist, a cerebral figure, and a man who brought intellectual rigor and progressive thinking into public office. But what set him apart was how he made young people feel seen as citizens, as stakeholders, as part of the future. For many of us, he became proof that leadership could be visionary, bold, and even compassionate. He walked the streets of Enugu on foot, identifying with young people and appointing them to key positions; he is, in true essence, the man who resonated with the downtrodden and alleviated their suffering.

In public schools across Enugu, we watched as our classrooms got furniture, our library  got updated with books, and our teachers felt re-energized. In rural communities, boreholes sprang up and basic healthcare returned. But perhaps most unforgettable was the sense that someone cared about young people, our futures, our potential, and our voices. He didn’t just build infrastructure. He built confidence and gave us the audacity of hope. One of his greatest but often unsung legacies is his gift for discovering raw talent in obscurity.

The number of people who were given opportunity in government not because of their last name but because of their capacity is a long and inspiring list. Many of them are today’s leaders in public service, academia, and business. It is worthy of note that our dear Governor Barr. Peter Mbah was his mentee, and served as his Chief of staff at 31 years and commissioner for Finance and Economic Development at 32 years. That ability to look beyond the surface and see promise is a rare kind of vision, and it’s why the Ebeano political family continues to thrive long after his tenure. It’s not just a structure. It’s a school of thought, a movement of possibilities.

Sen. Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani is also the proud grandson of the Rt. Hon. D.O. Nnamani, a member of the Eastern region constituent Assembly and a man whose name carries gravitas in our political history.  It is no surprise, then, that Chimaroke inherited both the intellect and the deep moral weight of public duty. As he turns 65, we do more than celebrate a man. We honor a legacy of service and a legacy of transformation, of belief in youth, and of courage in the face of adversity. We adore the man who, unknowingly to him, taught many young children like me that we too could dream and find the power to pursue our goals with a possibility to rise to prominence, that our background didn’t define our future, and that dreaming was not foolish; It was essential.

Even amid political storms and controversies that often characterize Nigerian politics, Sen. Nnamani has remained resilient. His voice continues to resonate as thoughtful and deliberate counsel, rooted in experience and genuine concern for the people. His politics are people-centered, and his presence in the polity is a nightmare for dysfunctional elites. At 65, many begin to wind down, but for a man like him, the journey of service is lifelong; it is a weighty responsibility that must continue. His ideas, his influence, and his legacy continue to shape public discourse not only in Enugu but in Nigeria’s broader political landscape.

Twenty-six years later, the echoes of his leadership still reverberate across the length and breadth of Nigeria; he remains the Governor who motivated and inspired my generation to dream and find the power to make them real. As the father of modern-day Enugu state, he has remained resolute in his convictions.  Nigeria needs more leaders like him, who are visionary, grounded, and unafraid to challenge the status quo.

I thank you for inspiring a generation and giving us the courage to dream. It is still morning yet on the creation day, nothing mega!

Josiah C. Nnamani, MA. International Affairs, writes from Amakpu Agbani.