In the past couple of days, i have been working in Calabar, Nigeria's tourism capital and the fastest developing tourim hotspot in Africa.

I was humbled by the level of development and the determination of the state government to turn calabar into an international cetre of attrction.

One of the major things the government did was a re-orientation of the core values of the state.

Calabar as indignes testify used to be as dirty as Ibadan (no offence meant) but with constant media attention onm this issue and the necessary laws against defaulters, a re-orinetation of calabarians have occured and nthings have changed.

Before i came to Calabar, we were informed that if you drop a piece of litter on the street, you will be subsequewntly arrested and fined a 500naira, but that is not the case anylonger...the citizens have adapted.

A couple of nights ago, i was moving with some of my friends when infront of us, we saw a young lady bend down to pick a use water sachet and walked to the nearets roadside bin to drop.

To other passers-by, it was a simple act, to me it means that, Calabar has transformed and the effort of government to make it tourism friendly is not lost on the citizens, because neatness has become a share state value.

I hope that the whole of Nigeria can be like this. I see a change coming. One day we shall be there.!

Over the week, i attended a symposium put together by a group called the Association for Change in Nigeria. The symposium held in Ibadan, Capital of Oyo state in Nigeria and it acted as a forum to disect why change as alluded Oyo state in recent times.

It is painful to note that Oyo state can boast of hosting the premier University in west africa, the first television station in west africa, the first stadium (liberty stadium) in west africa, the first sky scraper in west Africa (cocoa House), the first teaching hospital in west africa amongst several other things that is too numerous to mention.

All this was attributed to good leadership displayed by past leaders of the state and the region.

However, in recent times Oyo state has been known for thuggery, gangsterism and Godfatherism which has thrown the state several steps backward in the scale of developments as far as Nigeria is concerned.

Oyo state boast as capital, Ibadan, which is reputed to be the largest city in Africa, second only to Cairo, but the state has not been able to harness the potential of its huge population and industrious people to the benefit of the state.

It is high time Oyo state rise from the doldrums. It is high time the egg heads in the state pull mind and resources together to once again make Oyo state the pride of the nation.

Cheers

News filtered in late yesternight about the resignation of Nigeria's best and brightest Finance Minister since independence and Chair of Nigeria's world acclaimed Economic Team.

I was shell shocked when i listened to the news on NTA yesternight and confirmed through the PUNCH today about her sudden exit.

I am still short of words.

Okonjo Iweala will be remembered as the vibrant woman who brought her over 20 years of experience at the world bank to bear in sanitising Nigeria's finance ministry, she was responsible for putting together a tight economic reform program for the Government that is helping to lift Nigeria out of the doldrums.

She was hailed for spearheading Nigeria's debt deal resulting in the largest debt relief for Africa (a princely sum of 18billion dollars).

Okonjo Iweala works round the clock everyday (sundays inclusive) she is rumored to put in 20 hours of wiork daily all to make Nigeria a better place.

She started publishing in 2003 what each state government and local government were earning as revenue from the federal government ensuring transparency and integrity.

Nigerians hail her as the reformer, TIME honoured her as one of the 100 people for 2005, Euro Money named her finance Minister of the year 2005. I simply call her Nigeria's role model for young people.

She has taught us what it is to be a public servant, and she will be dearly missed.

Okonjo Iweala, well done!