By Eddie Onuzuruike
The founding fathers of Abia State had good reasons to initiate Abia State movement which eventually yielded the desired result in the creation of Abia State by the Babangida Administration in 1991.
It took 24 years for another vital clause of their enabling charter the Abia Charter of Equity to come to reality by the political sagacity of Chief T. A. Orji now a Senator in the National Assembly, Abuja. As he insisted, Abia North and Central through OUK and Himself respectively have governed Abia, why not Abia South?
On May 29, 2015 Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu was historically sworn in as a 4th democratically elected governor in Abia State and spectacularly of Ukwa Ngwa Extraction. Having achieved this feat and broken the jinx of ‘no Ukwa Ngwa can make it,’ there is the urgent need to go ahead to institutionalize the equity standard through an act of parliament due to its numerous advantages, like reducing the heat in the polity, saving money and materials on the side of the aspirants and candidates, reducing thuggery to the barest minimum, giving the upcoming zones time to plan and source the best candidates and many more.
The book written by Prof Nwagbara which captured the complete activities of Creation of Abia State Movement, went further to give economic templates on how Abia can be safe sustained as if he knew that the oil money is not for ever and that states will need resources to survive hard times.
Based on a foresight survey, Abia can sustain itself in trade and industry based on the foregoing in page 54: ‘The Abia State Movement of August 1991, had more to say on markets. The blueprint continues. She is in the oil palm belt. From the earliest times, the areas comprising Abia State have been centres of historical markets in which most of the products sketched above exchanged hands with traders, not only from all over the present Imo, but also Rivers, Cross Rivers, Bendel and Benue States. Among the early markets were Agbagwu (Uzuakoli); Ogo-Bende (Bende); Uburu (Ohaozara); Nkwo-Egwu (Okahiuga); Orie-Ntigha (Ngwa) and Orie-Ndu (Isuikwuato), to name but a few. Their importance attracted the attention of European commercial adventures as early as 16th century when, through the medium of these markets they exchanged copper, cowries, fire-arms, gun powder, tobacco and clothes for slaves and later, palm produce. By the turn of the 20th century, following the penetration and colonization of Igboland and building of the Railway from Port-Harcourt to Enugu, European stations were established along the Railway lines, resulting in the growth of markets and towns as Aba, Umuahia and Afikpo Road.’
The blueprint continues to examine Abia State economically and asserts that she is blessed with natural resources.
‘She is in the oil Palm Belt of the former Eastern Nigeria. The oil Palm, like the present Oil Industry, earned foreign exchange for Nigeria. In addition, there are limestone deposits in Arochukwu, Ohafia, Ozuitem and perhaps gold at Ishiegbu Ozuitem; mineral oil and natural gas in Ukwa and Isiala Ngwa; clay deposits in Umuahia, Isuikwuato being illegally mined today. There is still Iron in Isuikwuato, glass making and building sands in Aba. The State also abounds in vegetable resources and foods. As Nwagbara stated, importantly, Abia State has the manpower for harnessing above resources. It is without exaggeration to say that hardly any other State in the Federation has at its disposal more manpower resources than Abia. All that is required now is the meaningful utilization of this human capital.’
Abia State is still gifted. Aba poses an indefatigable industrial hub. In September 2016, Abia State had a bilateral understanding with Turkey through many studies and visitations which culminated in a gathering in the Turkish embassy in Abuja where Dr Ikpeazu and the Turkish Ambassador jointly addressed the world in the company of all Abia senators and other notable dignitaries. Much of such should be encouraged with many other countries.
This cannot be achieved by mere wishes and prevarications that result in bureaucratic bottlenecks.
Dr. Ikpeazu should now strike the iron when it is red by assembling men and women of noble means and brains to inaugurate an economic think-tank as to register into the 21st Century industrialization and Commerce.
Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu is God made. He can lead Abia into multiple advancements, productions and the realization of digital world ideals. That he is an academic and now in politics is a great advantage to limitless dreams and achievements.
With transparency, pragmatism and scientific doggedness, the sky for Abia is only a starting point.