I'm not even from Igbo land but I miss it. My family really exposed me to other people when I was there.

Dawgpound:

I'm not even from Igbo land but I miss it. My family really exposed me to other people when I was there.

You claimed in one of your posts yesterday that you and EzeUche are from the east. Which east were you talking about? East Africa?

Aigbofa:


You claimed in one of your posts yesterday that you and EzeUche are from the east. Which east were you talking about? East Africa?

Naw man. East Virginia to be precise.

I'm Ogoni. I think Ogoni land is situated in the East. Isn't it?

Dawgpound:

Naw man. East Virginia to be precise.

I'm Ogoni. I think Ogoni land is situated in the East. Isn't it?

Yes, it is. Where in Ogoni are you from? Khana, Gokhana, Eleme etc.

afam4eva:

Yes, it is. Where in Ogoni are you from? Khana, Gokhana, Eleme etc.

I'm Eleme .

Dawgpound:

I'm Eleme .

Eleme Man, Wanenu. Good to see somebody from Eleme. Are you from Onne, Ebubu, Aleto, Alesa, Agbonchia or Alode? I lived in Onne and Aleto for a number of years. Do you know ''Jesus Saves'' (that Igbo man that used to have one of the biggest building materials store at Aleto?).

Topic: Someone has sent an email to the author of the article to clarify some of the issues he raised here. You will be kept posted.

Nchara,
My fam is from Onne bro. Are u Ogoni?
I never really grew up in Ogoni land tho. Spent most of my years n the states and outside River state. When we were getting killed my dad relocated many of his family to Enugu capital where he had some property so for years I never went back.

Thank you very much.

Dawgpound:

Nchara,
My fam is from Onne bro. Are u Ogoni?
I never really grew up in Ogoni land tho. Spent most of my years n the states and outside River state. When we were getting killed my dad relocated many of his family to Enugu capital where he had some property so for years I never went back.

Thank you very much.

No I am not Ogoni but have traversed virtually all the Ogoni towns and villages. I have been to uncountable villages in Khana, Gokana and Tai, not to mention Eleme. I was around when Okrikas and Ogonis fought the last internecine war in which one UNIPORT prof from Okrika was killed by Eleme boys. Good to see you, cyberly speaking.

Nchara:

Topic: Someone has sent an email to the author of the article to clarify some of the issues he raised here. You will be kept posted.

I really like your brand of comedy,

Which Owerri and Ohakim are we talking about here? Know this, whatsoever a man soweth that he shall reap.

I KNOW IT IS ONLY IGNORANT INTERNET CROOKS OR TOUTS LIKE nchara THAT CAN COMPARE OHAKIM TO FASHOLA. ITS JUST LIKE COMPARING nchara to NELSON MANDELA
THE GAP IS WIDE

THE FACE OF A LIAR: GODSON OFFOARO---- THE COLUMNIST






Recent Articles


America
from the sidelines

Godson Offoaro did not have formal Secondary education. He studied privately and passed the GCE O & A Levels before proceeding to the University of Lagos, Akoka where he read Modern History. He holds two Masters Degrees, one, in International Relations and the other in Mass Communications.

Offoaro's journalism career spans two decades. He was a cub reporter with Imo Television Owerri (ITV) 1983-85. He covered the Imo House of Assembly for ITV and presented a weekly program called "In the Lobby." He edited a monthly magazine called Mega Star from where he moved on to join the Editorial Board of Champion Newspapers as one of its pioneer staff.

In 1983, he covered Nigeria's presidential campaign of the Right Honorable Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe for Imo Television. Later, in 1989 he covered the Namibian Independence elections for Champion Newspapers and the British Broadcasting Corporation.

A fellow at the Washington Institute of World Politics, Offoaro is a poet and author of two books: "Zik - the Last Campaigns" released in 1994 by Spectrum Books and "America From the Sidelines," released February 2003 by Publish America, USA. His collection of Poems, titled "Down Lagos Marina," is now with a publishing company.

Currently Offoaro sits on the Boards of Black Charities of America, Afrilife International and Africa AIDS Watch. He is the Chairman and Chief Operating Officer of Eastern Union Corporation, USA.

A member of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, and Nigeria Institute of Personnel Management, Offoaro immigrated to the United States in 1990 with his wife. They have three children. His hobbies include singing, soccer and cooking. He prepares Goat Head (Isi Ewu) and Suya, - better than the professionals.

The fact remains that Ohakim is the most maligned Governor in Nigeria.

The guy is not as bad as folks want to paint him to be. Thats my opinion though.

And by the way anybody who suggests that Umuahia is finer than Owerri must have been bamboozulled by that tower in Aba-Enugu express way.

i gues he is,

[img]http://s07.flagcounter.com/count/DymW/bg=ffffff/txt=ffffff/border=ffffff/columns=1/maxflags=1/viewers=3/labels=0/[/img]

Nchara:

No I am not Ogoni but have traversed virtually all the Ogoni towns and villages. I have been to uncountable villages in Khana, Gokana and Tai, not to mention Eleme. I was around when Okrikas and Ogonis fought the last internecine war in which one UNIPORT prof from Okrika was killed by Eleme boys. Good to see you, cyberly speaking.

I see. Its sad how we minorities complain about the big majorities but then turn around and kill each other. Its like we are our worst enemies. I confess that I'm actually more threatened by the Ijaw than I am by the big Igbo neighbors. I can't remember neighboring Igbo communuties attacking our communities like we have done to each other so in essence they dont need whatever we accuse them of wanting.

Thank you for the warm reception tho.

@dawg, now thats the most objective post i ve read on this site in a long time, i ve lived amongst your people for more than 20yrs, and there r many times i wish you guys were the majority in rivers state,

seanet02:

I KNOW IT IS ONLY IGNORANT INTERNET CROOKS OR TOUTS LIKE nchara THAT CAN COMPARE OHAKIM TO FASHOLA. ITS JUST LIKE COMPARING nchara to NELSON MANDELA
THE GAP IS WIDE

If you weren't an utter buffoon, you would have seen that the article was written by someone with a face and a name (Godson Offoaro). I even provided his email. Why I am I not wrong about your foolery?

Kobojunkie:

Well, fine that you have your personal preference there BUT again, there is no comparing Umuahia with Owerri. Even Uturu sef. If not that Umuhia is the seat of Government, I bet it would have been worse than Aba.

You're WRONG.

phantom:

@dawg, now thats the most objective post i ve read on this site in a long time, i ve lived amongst your people for more than 20yrs, and there r many times i wish you guys were the majority in rivers state,

I apprecite that.
Are u Igbo? I wish we could be but I always say that being a majority or minority dont mean nothing if we aint got the human resources and talents.

yeah, talent is more important, but my bother lets face it,there is strength in numbers.

There is no basis to compare Owerri and Umuahia. One was the capital of a state when the other was a rustic urban centre. Owerri saw it all before Umuahia and so should be more ''developed''.

@nchara, i think owerri is more developed,but umuahia is more organised and serene.

phantom:

@nchara, i think owerri is more developed,but umuahia is more organised and serene.

Gbam!

Nchara:

There is no basis to compare Owerri and Umuahia. One was the capital of a state when the other was a rustic urban centre. Owerri saw it all before Umuahia and so should be more ''developed''.

Actually it is the other way around. Umuahia was the first industrialized town in Alaigbo if I am not mistaken. Even before Enugu. When Umuahia was industrialized, Owerri was just a backwaters town.

phantom:

yeah, talent is more important, but my bother lets face it,there is strength in numbers.

U got that right too man. Knowing that we dont have the population compared to others it will make sense if our leaders play smart with their immediate big neighbors. The more we find a common ground the more we'll even feel big not so small. If an Ogoni man shares the same or similar aspiration like the Igbo or Ijaw or Calabar he should be able to get support win votes therefore his minority status wouldnt be a disadvantage

phantom:

@nchara, i think owerri is more developed,but umuahia is more organised and serene.

That you percieve Umuahia to be more organized and more serene DOES Not in anyway mean you can generally compare the two. I already explained earlier why it would not work. By the way, I actually think it is the other way around. Owerri, even though I didn't stay there long and I try to move on as soon as I am there seems more organized for a town that Umuahia seems to be.

EzeUche22:

Actually it is the other way around. Umuahia was the first industrialized town in Alaigbo if I am not mistaken. Even before Enugu. When Umuahia was industrialized, Owerri was just a backwaters town.

Umuahia has never been more industralised than Enugu. Enugu was the main reason why Umuahia had any significance at all, because Umuahia was a railway town and the railway was built in the first place because of the Coal mines in Enugu. (No coal in Enugu, no railway in Umuahia - simple)

Umuahia, Enugu , Owerri and PH started urban lives at about the same time, circa 1908. They were all railway towns except Owerri, which was a junction town that also started life at about the same time, but railway was the advantage the other towns had over it.

Umuahia was a major commercial hub before the war with the likes of John holts, UAC doing business there and it was bigger than Owerri before the dynamics shifted in favour of Owerri when  Imo state was created.

Sam Mbakwe tried to develop Owerri, Umuahia and Aba simultaneously and was doing a good job before Buhari and co struck. Owerri was well planned cos it was built from the scratch. There is extensive underground (deep under)sewer system in Owerri all linked together and I don't know of any other place in Nigeria with same system. He built something similar in Umuahia but not as extensive.

Everywhere in Owerri looks like a housing estate and all houses are in line , ordered and the streets are mainly straight and broad. Next to Abuja, Lagos and maybe Enugu and PH, I doubt there is any other place in Nigeria with more good hotels.

Umuahia is my roots and it has the potential of being finer than Owerri if you like houses on hills and valleys like me but not today.

@kobo, true!devt wise,owerri takes it, but the owerri i visited a few months ago was far from organised, infact at some point i thought i hadnt left ph at all, lol

FACE:

Enugu was the main reason why Umuahia had any significance at all, because Umuahia was a railway town and the railway was built in the first place because of the Coal mines in Enugu.

No, Umuahia, as even indicated by it's name was and always was a busy trading post in the area as a home to a host of trading communities, the railway itself bends for Umuahia, the planners could have had other places more important if Umuahia was not significant.

ezeagu:

No, Umuahia, as even indicated by it's name was and always was a busy trading post in the area as a home to a host of trading communities, the railway itself bends for Umuahia, the planners could have had other places more important if Umuahia was not significant.

I know Umuahia was a trading post, afterall I am from Ibeku and my house is between Old Umuahia and Umuahia Ibeku train stations and the railway crosses our ama.

The railway gave Umuahia a boost in trading and made the town to flourish.

Enugu also had significant trading (orie Emene) but it was the coal mines that defined the town and the railway traversed Enugu because of the Coal. The railway did not bend for Umuahia.

Take a look at PH -Enugu express way and you would notice the same pattern. Umuahia is along the part from Enugu to PH. If anything at all, the railway bent for Afikpo junction which was an emerging town at the time.

FACE:

I know Umuahia was a trading post, afterall I am from Ibeku and my house is between Old Umuahia and Umuahia Ibeku train stations and the railway crosses our ama.

The railway gave Umuahia a boost in trading and made the town to flourish.

Enugu also had significant trading (orie Emene) but it was the coal mines that defined the town and the railway traversed Enugu because of the Coal. The railway did not bend for Umuahia.

Take a look at PH -Enugu express way and you would notice the same pattern. Umuahia is along the part from Enugu to PH. If anything at all, the railway bent for Afikpo junction which was an emerging town at the time.

The railway had to go through Umuahia to collect agricultural produce, as this was a major place for this type of trade, nothing Enugu had to offer compared to Umuahia in terms of market, there are other towns like Okigwe and co the railway could have gone straight past.