It was a day of reward for nine Awka indigenes, as they were garlanded by a group of young professionals for their contribution to the growth and development of Nigeria, especially their homeland.

The awardees included the former United Nations Peacekeeping Commander, Lieutenant General Chikadibia Obiakor, a Senator of the Federal Republic, Senator Ben Obi, Special Adviser to the President on Petroleum, Dr. Emmanuel Egbogah, a seasoned administrator, Mr. Lawrence Anwunah, a retired Justice, Mrs. Ayo Onejeme, Mr. Obi Orogbu, Isaiah Nwosu, Chief Emeka Okafor and Mr. Mike Uche Ezenna.

The Okwanka, a group of Awka young professionals and businessmen, decorated them with the gold bracelets and anklets as they conferred with awards of excellence in their various fields.
According to the President of the Okwanka, Mr. Kenneth Adigwe, the award was to celebrate the excellence of Awka sons and daughters in all fields of life.
Adigwe, an engineer, said the awardees have brought honour to themselves and glory to Awka town by their hard work, honesty and selfless services.

Apart from discussing the awardees, the developments of Awka, the Anambra State capital, took centre stage during the event. The group reeled out some development misnomers in the town.
According to Adigwe, successive governments in the state have continued to rape the town and deny its indigenes their rights. He explained that most of the lands in Awka have been taken over by government without any form of compensation. Such lands, he noted, are later handed over to individuals to carry out personal projects.
He explained that most of the lands have been secured following a stiff fight by the Awka Youth Congress, another organization fighting for the common good of the Awka indigenes.

He said: “When Awka was made the state capital, we were happy. When you look at Anambra State, it is the smallest state among the states in Nigeria, and in terms of revenue, the state generates a lot from Onitsha and even Awka. But it is unfortunate that after several years of creation, we are yet to have a befitting state capital.
“I believe it is the least developed state capital in Nigeria, because I have visited many state capitals and I have seen the level of development there. Awka being the least developed state capital in Nigeria is worrisome to us. We don’t know what the government has done with the lands already provided by the people. And it baffles us when people in government make such comments as, ‘Awka people refused to release their lands for development.’ The question is, the land already released, what have they done with it?

He charged Awka indigenes to engage in sober reflection on the situation of the town. “The absence of people of character in various leadership positions has left a very deep gorge. Unless you have spent the last few years in Mars, it won’t have escaped your notice that something terrible is wrong with our town.

“From the time Awka became the capital of Anambra State, the government has acquired more than 80 per cent of our lands. Yet they go about carrying out propaganda that we refuse to release our land for development,” he added.
A legal luminary, Mr. Kenneth Nwanna condemned the indiscriminate sale of Awka lands by the indigenes. He also wondered why top indigenes of the town would fold their arms while things go awry.
“I don’t want to believe that Awka is now a paradox like Nigeria, in the sense that Nigeria is blessed with both human and material resources but what we lack are leaders who do not think right,” he added.
Larry Ekeh, a pharmacist, urged the people to come home and assist in rebuilding the town in order to restore its lost glory.
The awards, Daily Sun learnt, were for sons and daughters that have distinguished themselves in their chosen careers and by so doing have brought glory to Awka.
“This year’s award is in four categories: community service award, public service award, career excellence award and entrepreneurship award,” Adigwe explained.


http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/citysun/2011/dec/14/citysun-14-12-2011-004.html


Over to you chino11 and your pay master.

i Don't beleiv this! Have u been to lokoja,kastina,dutse,gusau,ado ekitiosogbo. The problem with awka is lack of road planing awka host one of d highest number of hotels in nigeria beside lag,abuja,ph,owerri,enugu,

There are worse capitals I've been to. Lokoja, Ado-Ekiti, Gusau, Lafia, Oshogbo, Birnin-Kebbi, Abakiliki are all terrible, and it is illogical rating them above Awka. However, that still does not remove the fact that Awka is a gigantic stone-age waste pile - agreed.
If this is intended as a jab at the ignorant, dumb, hateful, arrogant, miserable illiterate bigot known as Chino, then I am in full support

if there is one state that nigerias unitary system has faled woefully it is anambra state. ordinarily if nigeria where to practice federalism anambra could easilly be the most vibrant states with two major cities outside it's capital, but today it has just like abia one of the least developed capital cities,it's major cities are still yet to receive any boost from the govt.

The major problem Awka is facing now as regards to development is poor condition of roads. Its nt a mater of unavailabity of land. Awka has no gud road network, and this present administratn is nt helping mater at all. A govt dat cannot put it capital in order is a failure

If this is intended as a jab at the ignorant, dumb, hateful, arrogant, miserable illiterate bigot known as Chino, then I am in full support.[img]http://www.demama.info/hjk[/img]

No pls, Awka is far more developed than Ai(Abakaliki), lokoja.

so this made the front page?Another prove that nairaland moderators are silly,masturbat!ng tribalist.

Not far from the truth a bit backwards, yet people would still be praising Peter Obi. Rochas of Imo has changed the state from a low life state to a state almost at the same level as Rivers, Lagos , Kano and Abuja. Imo is definatly a distination to be after those states

Owerri is good and so is Onitsha which has the largest market in West africa but Awka is a bit off. Nnewi too is not bad

so this made the front page?Another prove that nairaland moderators are silly,masturbat!ng tribalist.

manchy7531: so this made the front page?Another prove that nairaland moderators are silly,masturbat!ng tribalist.

Dude f off if you can't have a mature decision.

pple,how can Awka develope when the political godfathers in Anambra wants 70% of the states allocation and revenues to be given to them? its a reflection of the state of the nation.

Considering the enviable human resources at its disposal, Nnewi is a total failure.

[b]Awka is nt bad at all, it jst lacks good roads dats all. Bt aroma junction, towards ifite 1 nd 2 and the govt. Area, the roads are gud.

manchy7531: so this made the front page?Another prove that nairaland moderators are silly,masturbat!ng tribalist.

are you on drugs? whats has tribalism got to do with this making frontpage

enron1(m):
if there is one state that nigerias unitary system has faled woefully it is anambra state. ordinarily if nigeria where to practice federalism anambra could easilly be the most vibrant states with two major cities outside it's capital, but today it has just like abia one of the least developed capital cities,it's major cities are still yet to receive any boost from the govt.


What does Abia have to do with this discussion?

Mind yourself enron1 (

i they laff.

While i think this thread was intentionally created to take a jab at Chino. I also think Awka is one of the most backward state capitals in Nigeria. Not that other state capitals are something to be proud of anyway. But i think it's an insult to give Awka the title of "most backward capital". Where then do you place state capitals like Ado-Ekiti, Lokoja, Oshogbo, Abakaliki, Umuahia, Lafia and other local councils in the north.

I think i agree with op....I served in Awka and its in a pretty bad shape...even UNIZIK sef...its a shame

Been saying this long before now.. If not because of Nnamdi Azikiwe University awka which is actually speeding up the development of that town i wonder how it would have been like if the university was not there

why don't you worry about your own backyard before putting your nose in another man's town.

this country must divide.

I have been busy in the office since morning reading and laughing all over una gibberish, well am off from work lets face it. There is no point responding to people whose states has been consider broke and bankrupt.

Awka hosts some of best housing estates, some of the best hotels even enugu hotels cannot compete with. As much as we know that Awka is an emerging model state capital in Nigeria, as a government consultant am privileged to have some classified information which none of you dudes who have refused to name your state so that we can compare and contrast. Presently Awka UN Master plan is presently being implemented to make Awka to further make the city a befitting home to live and work.

Government is attending to so many roads within and around the city, even in Udoka estate where I live can compete with some of best estates in Abuja and Lagos. While other estate are seriously emerging with the road networks:viz a viz ( Abuja estate, Ngozika estate, Light of the Nation estate etc.).Arthur Avenue, Zik Avenue dual carriageway is presently adorning the city with street lights, Federal government has since awarded Onitsha-Awka highway presently under construction by RCC. For us to has a healthy argument to learn, I implore anybody who is interested in this thread to throw his hat on floor by name his state of origin.

...and this made it to the front page.Nairaland moderators,you guys need to change.Your Igbo hatred is getting too deep

One the fools mentioned the great UNIZIK in a negative way. FYI: UNIZIK is not only to the Anambra people, its a model university in Nigeria and Africa. Its among the very best citadels of learning in Nigeria and Africa as a whole. Its the only University in Nigeria which Chinese government found worthy to establish their edifice for the study of Chinese language and culture. Its a feat no other university has achieved. The citadels boasts of some of the best lecturers and professors in Nigeria. The architecture and landscaping is out of this world.

iykay4455: ...and this made it to the front page.Nairaland moderators,you guys need to change.Your Igbo hatred is getting too deep

There's no hatred anyway ojae!As long as you guys continue to throw your 'weights' around this platform you always gonna get front page honour.

@iykay4455, it doesnt matter anyways whether its on front page or not, what is important is that its an avenue for people from other states here now on this thread to shoot themselves on the foot. Lets allow the thread to go on.

Siga: I think i agree with op....I served in Awka and its in a pretty bad shape...even UNIZIK sef...its a shame

[color=#990000][/color]
I totaly disagree wit u,,Unizik is 1 of d best Uni in nigeria...d structures dia nau are massive..as 4 d town awka,trust me its natin 2 write home around..take d students away nd awka will be left wit natin..Obi is doin natin!!

So with all the civil servant/students cities except Abuja, Lagos, Onitsha and Port Harcourt

Soundmind: No pls, Awka is far more developed than Ai(Abakaliki), lokoja.

guy, Abakaliki has a master plan,don't know about Awka.

have you been to Ai before?

achi4u: guy, Abakaliki has a master plan,don't know about Awka.

have you been to Ai before?

This is not about masterplan, rather it's about most developed, whether with masterplan or otherwise.

Its not only Abakaliki. Most states capital down east, Awka has over taken them in terms physical development and influx of people when you consider when it was created. I think we can classify: Abakaliki, Umahia, Yenogoa, Lokoja, Ado ekiti, Osgbogbo in the same ranking when it comes to physical planning and development, Awka is well above all this states in all the parameters and indices of development.

I will not consider enugu developed because its growth has been stunted over the years despite all that has been given to it by the eastern region.

Awka is among the youngest state capitals in Nigeria, but visitors are usually amazed at the speed of its urbanization and expansion. Hospitality in Awka is among the best in Nigeria, hotels and eateries adorn every corner of the town with its serenity and quiet nature. Atimes it seems like number of hotels and relaxation points in the city is greater than living apartments.

chino11: Its not only Abakaliki. Most states capital down east, Awka has over taken them in terms physical development and influx of people when you consider when it was created.

I will not consider enugu developed because its growth has been stunted over the years despite all that has been given to it by the eastern region.

Awka is among the youngest state capitals in Nigeria, but visitors are usually amazed at the speed of its urbanization and expansion. Hospitality in Awka is among the best in Nigeria, hotels and eateries adorn every corner of the town with its serenity and quiet nature. Atimes it seems like number of hotels and relaxation points in the city is greater than living apartments.

Chino, it amazes me why you just like telling lies to yourself. Is this some kind of ego tripping or what exactly? What urbanization is going on in Awka? Will it hurt you to say the truth once in a while? Awka is just an average city like Abeokuta, Umuahia, Asaba et al. Stop comparing Awka to Enugu because it makes you look silly.