ABIA AT 25: A SYNOPSIS OF THE JOUNEY SO FAR BY END OF YEAR 2016

By Adimchinobi Abraham Onyenso

At the country's independence in 1960, Abia was part of the then Eastern Region. The creation of Abia State in 1991 was borne out of the spartan spirit of Abians; the traditional, religious and economic leaders who had realized that there were unjustifiable and intolerable imbalances in the conduct of the affairs of then Imo State, especially as regards to strategic appointments in the public service while in the old Imo State.
Notable among the many of them in that struggle for creation of the new state include;
1. Dr M.I. Okpara
2. Dr Anagh Ezeikpe
3. Dr Agbara
4. His Eminence, Eze (Dr) B.O. Enweremadu
5. His Imperial Majesty, Eze Isaac Ikonne
6. His Royal Highness, Eze (Dr) Roland Asobie
7. Chief Paul Ogbonna
8. Chief. B. A. Wachuku
9. His Royal Majesty, Eze Eberechi Dick
10. Chief Bob Ogbuagu
11. Chief Nnanna Kalu
12. Chief Obewu Ukaegbu
13. Chief Ogbulafor
14. Chief Jaja Wachukwu
And many others

The struggle culminated in the creation of the geographical entity known as Abia on August 27, 1991 by the General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida led military regime out of the then Imo State.

The first thing the founding fathers did was to choose a nomenclature that would be adjudged suitable and appropriate for the State of their dream. Thus, the name "Abia" was carved from the initial letters of the four political blocs, namely: Aba, Bende, and Afikpo. Isuikwuato which was a district in Okigwe division was later added for convenience. These constituted the major groups in the State at its creation. The people speak Igbo.

In respect to the vision upon which the State was built, making its bedrock remain solely on God, the State earned its acronym "God's own State". It is pertinent to note that this is the only State with a name in the scriptures. See 1Chronicles 3:10 and Mathew 1:7.
Having found out the name of the State in the scriptures, the acronym, God's own State was officially pronounced by Dr. Ogbonaya Onu on April 26, 1992 during a special thanksgiving/dedication service at Umuahia Township Sports Stadium.

In the spirit of "Onye Aghala Nwanne Ya" and to forestall the inequality which they had condemned, the forerunners of Abia State proposed for themselves the Abia Charter of equity. The aim included among other things; to allay the fears of domination of one senatorial zone/district over the other.

They believed in the rule of law, fairness and equal opportunity in the administration of affairs of Abia State and in the distribution of the basic amenities to all the zones. This declaration of principle was meant to be binding on all persons of Abia State who may be holding public offices, especially elective and appointive offices in the running of the government affairs inasmuch as its provisions does not violate the constitutions of the federal republics of Nigeria.

The rotational principle of the chatter of equity applies that public offices shall not be held at one and the same time by persons of the same zone;
a. Governor and the Deputy Governor
b. Governor and the Speaker of the State House of Assemble
c. Governor and the Secretary to the State Government
e. Chairman, civil service commission and the Head of Service
f. Chief Judge and the Attorney General of the State
g. Chairman, Local Government Service Commission and the Chairman of the State Electoral umpire.
h. Head of Service and the Secretary to the State Government.

The creation of Abia State was indeed considered a step in the right direction as regards bringing government nearer to the people resident in this part of the clime, alongside the concomitant benefits of development and progress witnessed. There is no gainsaying the fact that this laudable vision paid off handsomely especially in other contemporary States and Abia.

Abia State has had about nine governors/administrators since its creation which are; Frank Ajobena who made the Abia Development blueprint. (August 28-January 1992 under military administration). The keenly contested general election in 1992 produce the first executive governor of Abia State in the name, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu whose tenure was interrupted in 1993 by a military coup.

Col. Chinyere Ike Nwosu followed suit and had his share from December 1993 to September 1994. Col. Temi Ejoor took over from September 1994 till 1996. Col. Moses Fasanya, took a administered the state in (1996-1998) while Col. Anthony Obi took over from August 1998 to May, 1999.

Abia had a new lease of life with the birth of the fourth republic. Since then have the State continued to enjoy uninterrupted democratic rule. The State produced Chief Orji Uzor Kalu from Bende local government who served two terms from between 1999 to 2007.

The Governor did the best he could to reposition Abia to the limelight but may have been handicapped as a new player in the Nigerian politics.

Meanwhile, there were some structural changes, restructuring and developmental strides done in every parts of Abia State. Some roads, hospitals, stadia and other public utilities were fixed. The State also witnessed tremendous achievements in sports with Enyimba football club of Aba winning CAF trophy back-to-back and thereby earned themselves the name; Enyimba Internationals football club.

The speed at which development was spread across every strata of the State earned the then Governor, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu the acronym "action governor".

Also, the democratically elected Governor T. A. Orji did some other restructuring of the State though bedeviled by some pockets of distractions. He laid the major administrative foundation for the development of the new state with many legacy projects at Umuahia and beyond. Some institutions were remodeled, revamped and reinvigorated.

It is on record that the governor on assumption of office promoted civil servants to one-grade level above their then status.

Edifices housing civil and public servants were rehabilitated and new ones built to enable for comfort in carrying out administrative functions. The State also assumed some aesthetic features with the decongestion of Isi gate in Umuahia and Osisioma Ngwa junction in Aba which has rubed off in free flow of traffic.

Abia State lies within approximately latitudes 4? 40' and 6? 14' north, and longitudes 7? 10' and 8? east. The state shares common boundaries to the north with Enugu State; to the Northeast with Ebonyi State, to the south and southwest with Rivers State; and to the east and southeast with Cross River and Akwa lbom States respectively. To the west is Imo State, and to the northwest is Anambra State. This makes it the only state that has boundary with all the southeastern State as well some south south States. This is one reason it remains a hub for commerce for all States within the region.

The state covers an area of about 5,243.7 sq. km which is approximately 5.8 per cent of the total land area of Nigeria. Abia has its capital at Umuahia, and seventeen LGAs, namely: Aba North, Aba South, Arochukwu, Bende, lkwuano, Isiala Ngwa North, Isiala Ngwa South, lsuikwuato, Obingwa, Ohafia, Osisioma, Ukwa West, Ukwa East, Umuahia North, Umuahia South, Ugwunagbo, and Umunneochi.

According to 2006 census, Abia State had an average of 2, 833, 999 million people and with annual population growth rate of about 2.9%, by 2011 projection, its population may have risen to 3,500,818 million people (NBS).

Abia State was bequeathed a robust economy upon its creation. The State has one of the highest potentials for independent private sector-led economic performance. Apart from the large deposit of crude oil in Owaza in the Ukwa axis of the State, it has other mineral deposits such as zinc, gold, kaoline and limestone. There are lots of oil palm settlement in the State; estates built by the then Michael Okpara, premier of the defunct premier region. There are lots of cashew and rubber plantations in Abia State.

The State also had a fabulous commercial activities especially in the Aba area with pockets of other towns like, Omoba springing up which makes for its economic viability in the comity of States.

Albeit, after a while into its journey, the State seems to have been jinxed. 24 years after creation, the State lags behind in a number of economic performances indices. Indeed, the initial headwind that Abia, through its industries and trade activities, had over other states in the Federation, were lost. In its place, the State has had lack-lustre economic performance. Much of the gains made in establishing industries in the days pre- and post-1970 were eroded as the State's enterprises got grounded for varying reasons. Inability to provide leadership in planning and complementation, which government traditionally provides to the private sector, has meant that the latter have had to battle bitter odds in the bid to remain competitive. Over time then, Abia lost its position as premier destination for production and trade through infrastructural and environmental decay.

Some administrations in the past either paid little or no attention to revamping and repositioning its institutions; there were infrastructural decay especially in the city of Aba that was and still is the economic and industrial nerve center of the south eastern States. Roads were either left to dilapidate without at least any cosmetic face-lift that could stand the test of time.

Investments in the city of Aba was played down and went into extinction. Companies like golden guinea breweries, modern ceramics, Standard Poly, Aba textile mill, Uniliver, PZ were as matter of negligence and no creation of enabling environment forced to run aground and laid off numerous families bread winners; a situation that would have abetted the scourge of unemployment now ravaging and grueling the State. At a time, security situation in Abia, especially Aba became so precarious that firms that had used the city as their cottage industrial layout, investors and some other business and enterprises fled the city in droves. The resultant effect of this is that the state became a shadow of what it was before the creation of Abia State.

There are many indications that buttresses the fact that had Aba been given a face-lift all these years, it would have taken its place of pride as truly the economic nerve center of the eastern region. Suffice it to say that the economic crunch that is being witnessed today as a result of the downturn in the oil revenue is largely owing to the utter neglect of the potentials of the city Aba. Gone are the days of the much orchestrated japan of Africa, the Abia Palm went into the oblivion, the Bende rice died, the rubber plantations became a mere forestation.

Instead of seeking ways of revamping the dwindling state of the economy through exploiting the potentials of the Enyimba city, opportunities were wasted through witch-hunting and series of litigations aimed at grinding the government machineries to a halt.
It is in this light that series of litigations against the incumbent government should be seen, but that does not mean inauspicious as it is one of the flavours of politics that makes democratic institutions stronger.

The present government, led by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, has however made a blueprint to really drive home the genuine restructuring and revamping the economy of the State. This document adopts an integrated, multi-sectoral grassroots development approach to economic empowerment of the people. Apart from the written documents, there are on-going moves in changing the narratives of the State. The speedy reconstruction of roads in Aba is targeted at bringing back the investment interest of various investors who may have left in drives owing to various reasons not excluding bad road network. The State is today enjoying appreciable security of lives and property unlike what was obtainable in the kidnapping era.

The State has recovered lots of the farm estates in Abia State with a view to making them viable and useful once again. One of the dreams of the present Abia State government is to have a EPZ in Azumiri blue river which will rekindle the light of businesses in the eastern region and reduce the weight and risk of transporting imported and exporting goods through farther locations. Abia/Bende rice has now got a boost with the production and de-stoning of the rice in Attani, Arochukwu LGA.

In respect to the importance of power, the State has concluded plans to generate and supply uninterrupted power through the geometrics to the enterprising people of Aba. While the State has gone into supporting the lather and garment production in the State to assume the form of international standard and recognition, it has started reconstruction of companies like Golden Guinea and International Glass Industry, Aba.

Abia has towered high in the education sector as it has produced the bests in WAEC, jamb and other disciplines lately. Discovery of lots of solid mineral resources in the state has repositioned the State to a mining State.

Though bedeviled by paucity of fund for operations, the determination of Governor Ikpeazu to see to the welfare of the citizenry, including the workers cannot be overemphasized as the State is working hard to installing an electronic tax system, the first of its kind to help shore up the revenue as well regulate the tax system for the betterment of all Abians.

The Abia State law makers in few days to the end of the year 2016, precisely on Thursday the 29th day of December 2016 played out what people had described as "legislative drama" with the impeachment of the 6th house speaker; Rt. Hon. Barr. Martins Azubike representing Isialangwa North State constituency and the inauguration of a new speaker thereafter, Rt. Bishop Kenedy Njoku representing Osisioma Ngwa North State constituency with allegations bordering on gross misconduct and financial recklessness.

Jaw-droppingly, another speaker of the 6th State house of Assembly emerged in less than 24hours to the inauguration of Rt. Hon. Bishop Kenedy Njoku, Rt. Hon. Barr. Chikwendu Kanu who replaced Hon. Njoku after his resignation "on personal grounds".

Abia is God's own State and will Stand in the lead. Therefore, her people should behave as God's own people, avoiding bribery and corruption, discrimination clannishness, nepotism, witch-hunting, rumor mongering and anything that will bring about our division rather than uniting us.

The land of grace and faith, that's Abia, God's own State. The home of trade and enterprise, Abia State we hail. We shall rise and remain at the tower.

Abia shall be great. And on equity will stand. Together we can.

Help make Abia truly number one.

God bless Abia

Wishing you a prosperous new year.

Will be back to comment



Anyways




Drabeey was HERE

I don't like how the government handles education in that state......Am a serving corps member deployed to that state

OK but could you fix In happy new somewhere there?