Mixed feelings trail South East Vision 2050 launch

People of the South East are divided over the prospects of the recently launched South East Vision 2050, unveiled by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

Speaking at the launch of the 25-year development blueprint for the region, the Vice President described the South East as “the central pillar of Nigeria’s economic future.”

To this end, Shettima disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the establishment of the South East Investment Company Limited, designed to mobilise resources from the diaspora, capital markets, and development finance institutions for the development of the region.

Convincingly underscoring the practical importance of the South East Vision 2050 at its launch in Enugu last Wednesday, Shettima stated: “This forum reflects foresight, responsibility, and a shared understanding that the future is not something we wait for, but something we must deliberately design.”

He further noted: “In recognition of the distinctive character of the South East — its entrepreneurial spirit, its global diaspora, and its long-standing relationship with international capital — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the establishment of the South East Investment Company Limited.”

“Let me be clear: this is not another layer of bureaucracy. It is a delivery institution, focused on tangible outcomes that translate into jobs, productivity, and growth,” he added.

Influenced by Shettima’s well-tailored address and his confidence in the advantages and workability of the South East Vision 2050, a section of Ndigbo has expressed optimism about the project.

Engr. Nicholas Iwuji described the initiative as forward-looking.

“The project is a good idea in the sense that it targets the future. The future holds the key. From what the Vice President said, the project will work harmoniously with the already established South East Development Commission (SEDC) and provide it with technical support for the overall purpose of driving growth and development in our region,” he said.

An economist and social affairs commentator, Dr. Kelechi Chukwudi, opined that the establishment of South East Vision 2050 could open up economic opportunities for the zone and place it on the path of socioeconomic recovery and industrial revival.

“From a future prism, I see a South East that is on the path of socioeconomic recovery and industrial revival, reminiscent of what existed during the Dr. Michael Okpara era,” he said.

According to him, “For too long, we have suffered from lack of planning. We have focused solely on surviving immediate challenges rather than deliberately preparing for the future of our people.”

“What we have always had are palliative initiatives. However, this scheme provides opportunities for us to strategically develop the enormous economic potential of the South East. This is a welcome development,” he added.

Similarly, Chief Paul Ndukaku stated that if implemented according to its design, the Vision 2050 project would guarantee job creation in the region. He appealed to South East leaders, particularly governors, to ensure effective monitoring of the project to guarantee quality control and desired outcomes.

However, many residents remain sceptical, viewing the South East Vision 2050 as political and potentially a white elephant.

Describing the initiative as a jamboree, media consultant Dr. Afam Echi said:

“This is not the first time we are witnessing such a spectacle. Recall the post-civil war programme of Reconciliation, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (3R). Did the Federal Government reconcile Ndigbo with the rest of the country? No.”

He argued that instead, federal policies worsened divisions and economic hardships for the region.

“Did the Federal Government rehabilitate the South East? The answer is no. Most of the obnoxious economic policies that stifled Igbo economic life were introduced after the launch of 3R,” he said.

Dr. Echi challenged former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who served as Federal Commissioner for Works after the war, to name any major federal reconstruction project executed in the South East during that period, insisting none existed.

“Just as 3R failed in 1970, and just as the South East was neglected during the tenure of the Petroleum Trust Fund under late General Muhammadu Buhari, so also Tinubu’s South East Vision 2050 stands little chance of making meaningful impact,” he concluded.

Speaking in a similar vein, historian Nwamadi Njoku argued that it was difficult to believe that a government which had persistently marginalised the South East could suddenly develop a genuine vision for its progress.