By Adichie Izuchukwu
In the heart of Anambra State lies Okpoko, the largest slum in West Africa, once synonymous with despair. For decades, it was a place where raw sewage flowed through open drains, children played on piles of garbage, and hope seemed like a distant memory. But today, Okpoko has risen from the ashes, reborn under Soludo’s compassionate governance. This story is not just about the 15 km of newly constructed internal roads, reticulated Solution pipe-borne water, newly installed solar-powered streetlights, and a brand-new general hospital; it is a story of restored dignity, transformed lives, and a community resurrected from death to life.
From “Hell on Earth” to a New Heaven:
When Soludo took office in 2022, Okpoko’s plight was a moral stain on Anambra’s conscience. About 99.9% of its residents live in a waste dump area, and face numerous health and environmental risks, including exposure to hazardous materials and poor living conditions such as unsafe water, land, and air pollution soared while crime festered in the shadows. Flooding and erosion rendered roads unusable and dangerous, leaving residents feeling abandoned. But Soludo’s coming didn’t see a slum; he saw people waiting for a chance to live again.
On his second day in office, the governor made his first move by walking the streets of Okpoko,pp listening to mothers, traders, youths, and children. What followed was a radical and compassionate intervention:
1. The Great Clean-Up: Bulldozers cleared mountains of waste and sakamori, while modern drainage systems replaced stagnant pools of disease.
2. Pleasurable Roads, Not Dangerous Pathways: A network of 15 km of newly constructed internal roads has been built to last a minimum of 20 years, connecting the community safely and enjoyably.
The Human Face of Transformation:
Residents marvel at the new General Hospital, the first-ever hospital in the community. Previously, children died from cholera; now, pregnant mothers can deliver babies safely and for free, including cesarean sections. Throughout the town, the sound of piped water flows—a far cry from the polluted sources that once dominated the slum.
Soludo’s greatest achievement in Okpoko was the first-ever tarred roads leading to people’s homes. For 60 years, residents waded through mud, but now, students can ride bicycles to school.
A Blueprint for Inclusive Governance:
Soludo’s Okpoko miracle is no accident. It is a deliberate strategy to demonstrate that no underserved area is beyond redemption. By partnering with the United Nations Development Program, landlords, religious leaders, and Okpoko’s residents, the administration transformed beneficiaries into stakeholders. He didn't simply resurrect Okpoko; he revived it from death to live, in collaboration with its people.
The Road Ahead:
Okpoko’s resurrection is still unfolding. New recreational and entrepreneurship centers will soon be built, and solar streetlights now illuminate the previously impenetrable darkness. Solar streetlights and community policing have ended nighttime crimes encouraging businesses to stay open later. Soludo’s message is clear: “This is just the beginning. Every Anambra community deserves to see, feel, touch, and walk on the dividends of this government.”
As Okpoko’s children now attend school, taught for free by 8,115 qualified teachers, public school enrollment in Okpoko has risen since free education began,their joy echoes a truth long ignored: their future is now bright because education is a bridge to opportunity. Even those who were forgotten have risen. In Soludo’s Anambra, resurrection is not just a metaphor—it is a policy. The Daily Independent Newspaper recently hailed Okpoko as “a blueprint for slum rehabilitation in Africa.