₦airaland Forum

OBJ was said to have boasted that Orji Kalu will be jailed like Ibori.
Eunice Kalu according to our source hinted that Kalu's mother declared that his son is on the path of destruction with his stupid behaviour. He infact called his son a thief. He begged OBJ to forgive him

PICTURES OF HIS EXCELLENCY, GOV. T.A ORJI OF ABIA STATE ACTIVITIES IN GHANA FOR SECURITY WATCH AFRICA LECTURE IN ACCRA, GHANA ON THE 18TH OF OCTOBER, 2012

LECTURE DELIVERED BY HIS EXCELLENCY, CHIEF T. A. ORJI (OCHENDO), GOVERNOR ABIA STATE, AS A GUEST SPEAKER, ON THE OCCASION OF THE 9TH SECURITY WATCH AFRICA AWARD LECTURE, HOLDING AT LA PALM ROYAL BEACH HOTEL, ACCRA, GHANA ON THE 18TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2012

PROTOCOLS

DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!
It is my pleasure to be here today, in this great city of Accra, Ghana to talk about the sustainable security of Africa, and the experience of my own State of Abia in Nigeria. This great and ancient city of Accra which endured series of colonial powers’ intrigues, has for more than six centuries prevailed as a shining star in promoting African historic interests. There is no better place to talk about the sustainability of the security of Africa, - of a people, and - of an enduring idea, than here in Accra. Africa will certainly endure despite its conflicts - just as Accra, Ghana has endured and prevailed.
I salute the people of Ghana; I salute the African Union (AU), which through its organizational activities has collectively given hope to Africa that its conflicts will be managed, if not totally resolved. I also salute the Board of Trustees of Security Watch Africa, for its indomitable spirits of survival and concern that Africa should enjoy a sustainable peace and security, so that our people will devote more energy to developing our human and material resources for the benefits of generations of Africans.
I salute every person here who has not given up hope that Africa will get its acts together and take full responsibility to harness its abundant resources for the development of human security and improved democratization, rather than continue to support despotic and fragile regimes, that promote more conflicts. These search for solutions and optimism that Africa will survive must continue.
I bring good tidings from the people of Nigeria, and especially from the good people of my State of Abia, God’s Own State – which is now living out the true meaning of its captioned name, because we braved all odds to bring sustainable peace to our citizens and made it a haven of peace in Nigeria.
Our country Nigeria presents a clear case of many nations inhabiting one country, and we have been through and survived a series of conflicts arising from our complexity as a multi-ethnic Nation, welded together. We are still searching for sustainable peace and security, and despite an emerging democratic ethos, serious conflicts, including ‘boko-haram’ terrorism still remain parts of our daily challenges, especially as democratization has a tendency to generate its own series of demands and conflicts,
My own State of Abia was for several years locked in violent crisis and criminal kidnapping, which almost crippled our State, our economy and our governance institutions. But through an integrated approach of security framework that focused on maximum policing, military force, improvement of the welfare of citizens, application of judicial and correctional measures, application of the rule of law and collective participation of the stakeholders in issues of conflicts, we have been able to restore peace and sustainable security in our State.
Today, and for close to three years, Abia State is ranked as the safest State in Nigeria. We are now rewarded as the fastest growing economy in Nigeria, with growing internal and external inflow of investments. Our confidence has been renewed in the belief that peace and security must necessarily precede, and re-enforces sustainable development of any State.
It is my belief that even the invitation to speak in this forum is a clear indication that our efforts to achieve human security and sustainable development in our State, is now getting the attention of peace watchers and peace lovers. I am happy to be here to share our experiences, and to further contribute to the sustaining of improved security of our continent. I therefore sincerely thank the Board of Trustees of Security Watch Africa for this rare opportunity of a continental exposure.
You have asked me to speak to this distinguished audience on ‘Building a Sustainable Security Structure in Africa – Abia Experience. I will say that our experience in Abia State insecurity has not been on a straight line, but show a curve in learning process. We first re-learned to review our own understanding of the desirable approach to maintaining security of a State in a volatile environment. We came to know that the ‘control paradigm of achieving security though maintaining the status quo, cannot always produce a reliable security.
We learned that a better security framework can be achieved through a structure that focuses on integrated approach, seeking not only to control the consequences of insecurity, but attempting to galvanize the resources and interests of all stakeholders in a participatory framework to fight the symptoms of the conflict. This approach combines both the rule of law, application of strategic force, and commitments to the welfare of the citizens, to reach a sustainable peace. This is just what we did in Abia State.
We will approach this Lecture in six segments. First, we will look at the state of Insecurity in Africa – what are the drivers? We then address the dominant aim of African security structures and the approaches to dealing with the challenges.
This is followed by a look at the alternative approach, i.e.: Sustainable security framework – ‘what difference does it make’? We then attempt to project the future of African security within the sustainable framework paradigm. This is followed by our review of our Abia State experience; our security challenges, and how we responded to that. We finally conclude the lecture with our recommendations on the way forward for African security.
THE STATE OF INSECURITY IN AFRICA: WHAT ARE THE DRIVERS?

Africa’s security challenges are characterized by a great diversity; and these range from conventional challenges such as insurgencies, border conflicts, resource and identity conflicts, post conflict stabilization crisis, violent extremism, and terrorism (See, African Center for Strategic Studies, 2005).
In recent times, these challenges have become more complex and dynamic. As major transitions begin to reshape African economic and political development, especially after the decades of military rule and authoritarianism, the new democratic institutions, have on their own generated new types of conflicts and violent situations. Also, rapid urbanization in Africa have brought with it, competing socio-political disruptions, that encourage domestic militancy, and other new violent criminal activities, which now challenge domestic and continental security.
Suddenly, militants of all shades and diverse beliefs, kidnappers – political and criminal, and terrorist groups, have added to the lexicon of security discuss in Africa. These, together with the management of State natural resources, markets, illicit goods movements, border administration, and many other subtle factors, have now become new drivers that shape Africa’s regional security challenges.
These major drivers that determine the state of insecurity in Africa, have been properly articulated by Chris Abbot and Thomas Philips (See Chris Abbot and Philips, Beyond Dependence and Legacy: Sustainable Security in Sub-Saharan Africa), as follows:
1. The Nature of the State
2. Legacies of War and militarism
3. Resource Management Issues
African States emerged as creations of European colonial powers, which shaped the nature of the new States.
From the period of independence, the new States bore within them the seeds of conflict, especially as many diverse Nations were fused into incompatible unions of one State. These new and weak States were further characterized by weak institutions, poor governance, and predatory leadership in the post-independence era. This is why the initial spate of ethnic based and border conflicts dominated the African region in the first two decades of independence in the 1960s and 70s. The postcolonial interests and the ideological divide of the cold war era further fueled these conflicts.
The initial ethnic based conflicts in Africa, and the divisive power struggle that followed the politics of the new States, on their own, created legacies of wars and militarism in Africa. Since power struggle and conflicts always rewarded the strongest, African States acquired the tendency to employ counter violence to settle all issues of disagreement, even where dialogue can subsist. This favored the ruling and despotic elites
The implication was felt in the militarization of Africa, increased arms trading, and obtrusive resort to force, even in the midst of decay and underdevelopment. The emergence of military regimes in Africa merely compounded the problems of regional violence and the promotion of conflicts, especially in the development of war economies. The struggle for control of the resources of the State, which had been heightened by militarization, further stressed the African conflict environment to the neglect of its increasingly decaying economy. Many analysts, that this period when African States were enmeshed in violent conflicts constitutes a major factor in its low economic, have observed it political and social development.
It is also a known fact that Africa is richly endowed in many natural resources, which include large deposits of oil, gold, diamond, and many other rich minerals and exploitable resources. Ordinarily, these and its abundant human resources should make Africa the most developed, peaceful and enviable continent.
Instead, these natural endowments have become the curse of Africa, as the poor management of these resources has become major drivers of conflict. As despotic States and their cronies appropriate common resources of their States, for personal enrichment, and often supported by foreign powers, regional arms race escalated and conflicts became more endemic in Africa.
Many African States that are endowed in resources, have also failed to use them to promote the welfare of their citizens, thus creating internal divide that encourage militarism as alternative politics. As Africa acquired a perception as a conflict prone environment, both local and foreign investors, refused to invest in Africa in the long term, living the region to remain perpetually a haven for extractive investment and suppliers of raw materials. These contribute to further underdevelopment Africa.
In recent years, African population has been growing exponentially, and under severe Malthusian threat. This is heightened by the threat of climate-change, which devastates agricultural activities and impoverishes the land. The cross migration of African people in search of arable lands for agriculture and cattle rearing have equally produced violent conflicts in the continent.
All these and many other drivers, now shape Africa’s regional security challenges, and attract diverse approaches in managing the challenges.
THE AIM OF AFRICA’S SECURITY FRAMEWORK, AND APPROACHES TO DEALING WITH CHALLENGES

The security objectives of Africa and its interests, especially after emerging from the clutches of colonialism, should ideally be focused on enabling Africans to go about their daily lives, - freely and with confidence that their lives and property are secured, in a stable and just State of self-rule; that ensures their prosperity in an environment and beyond. This was expected to be the essential first principle for the emerging States and their governance in a post independence status. But ironically, this was not to be in the consideration of the security framework of post independent African States.
The truth is that African security doctrines have focused mainly on the security of the ruling elites, and the maintenance of the status quo, in what has been termed as the ‘control paradigm’. This approach, very often relies on military force to produce compliance of conflicting parties, while ignoring the underlying issues that caused the conflict in the first place.
In this framework, the security of despots, their governments, and those of the collaborative elites, have been foisted on the national Interest of States, and become the defining character in resolving conflict challenges.
A major characteristics of this concept and its perception of security, is that it relegates to the background, the issues of global justice, equity, and people centeredness in the analysis and pursuit of security challenges. This approach has been witnessed where despotic rulers exploit ethnic divisions and neo-colonialism to remain in power while crushing all forms of opposition as security threats. Equally, the growth of military dictatorships with false legitimacies, touting themselves as purveyors of the national interest, have resulted in the acceptable use of force to eliminate all challenges to ill-conceived insecurity. The results have been in more internal disagreements, more conflicts, more violence and more insecurity in Africa.
It was also in the pursuit of a status quo based security, that African corrupt leaders and regimes were protected and supported by western democracies during the cold war era, while prevailing conflicts and violence were forcefully suppressed. These were only to re-appear in other forms to the greater damage of African security.
It is informative to note that over the years, some attempts have been made at the regional and continental levels to address the ‘control paradigm’ of Africa’s perception and approach to dealing with its conflicts, especially through the efforts of African Union (AU), the ECOWAS and the South African Development Community (SADC), through its various more people centered interventions.
These interventions have been well reflected in the Organizations’ Guidelines on democratic free and fair elections, and the collective approach to security management and peace keeping interventions, as well as norms setting for dealing with conflict situations. The AU has equally established a peace and security Directorate, to provide enhanced institutional capacity for achieving security and stability in Africa, beyond the control security structure that aims at only maintaining the status quo (See, Peace and Security Organization, AU Untitled Document, 2004).
But change and implementation of security structures in Africa continent, remain the prerogatives of individual African States, which very often lacked the will power to implement them. But of greater significance in the security management of African States, has been the prevalence of excessive corruption, weak leadership, and poor institutional capacity of States, which all combine, to encourage the State centered ‘status quota conception of security in Africa. These issues define why the interchange between endemic conflicts and economic development in Africa, remain difficult issues to deal with, and demands alternative approach for effective management.
ALTERNATIVE STRUCTURAL APPROACH TO SECURITY CHALLENGES IN AFRICA: WHAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE?

While the ‘control paradigm’ has dominated security thinking and management in Africa in the past six decades of African statehood and independence, many conflicts continue to fester. The United Nations Development Programme Agency links these conflicts to the declining and low economic, infrastructure and social development of Africa. This has combined with other changing political, economic and security circumstances, to force most African governments to begin to consider some forms of reform in their security institutions, funding and perception, especially how security can integrate with civilian constituents and other stakeholders (See, Eboe Hutchful and Kayode Fayemi, Security System Reform in Africa).
This need to move to a new security paradigm in Africa has been driven by a variant of trends, some of them conflicting. These include reforms in the external securities of foreign Nations, globalism and the end of the cold war conflicts, the process involved in the rebuilding of States and the demands of Donor Agencies. All these now impose the imperatives of change in the old military oriented structure of African security perception.
The drivers to leading to this desired alternative approach to security challenges in Africa have been extensively discussed in Eboe and Fayemi (Ibid), to include the followings:
1. The peace agreements, which brought an end to some African conflicts, also, imposed some changes in security perceptions and the way forward.
2. The growing democratization and dismantling of African authoritarian regimes and political structures, most of them military, began to suggest expansion of security views and new perception.
3. The drive to fiscal restructuring and monitoring of public expenditure, now becoming mandatory in African security structures, now call for reduced weapon accumulation and use as dominant approach to conflict situations.
4. Changing strategic environment brought about by end of the cold war, and its associated conflicts, equally suggest changes in the attitude of developing countries in dealing with their conflicts.
5. The growing importance and reach of regional and sub-regional collective security mechanisms, also suggest the need for new strategies in conflict reduction.
6. The deteriorating security conditions of many African States in the face of global and State economic meltdowns, have induced the need for collaborative consciousness in managing all forms of conflicts.
Under these new conditions, dialogue over security issues have become more acceptable as a strategy, and the need for reform of old thinking and application of security principles in Africa, has become both urgent and imperative.
NOW ENTER SUSTAINABLE SECURITY!

This new approach and reform to African security structure, in which focus is more on ‘human security’ is being given prominence of new thinking, and is acclaimed to be the basis of building a sustainable security for Africa.
Sustainable security in Africa and indeed in any other part of the world is built on the premise that we cannot successfully control all consequences of insecurity, but must work to resolve the causes. In other words, fighting the symptoms will not work, instead, we need to focus on curing the disease, and focus our analysis of security threats on an integrated approach that seeks to prevent the causes of conflicts. Such an approach will need to deal with long term drivers of insecurity, including competition over resources, marginalization of minorities, and even management of climate change and its implications to Africa (See Ben Zala, Looking for Leadership, Sustainable Security in Latin America and Caribbean, Oxford Research Group, Norwegian Peace-Building Center).
Sustainable security in Africa will also take into consideration the justice and equity issues in African States and shift defense spending to human needs, including creation of jobs, and food security. As African States imbibe the concept of sustainable security, they will begin to focus on the root causes of our domestic threats, using the most effective means of doing so, and making cooperation and collaboration with citizens, the police, military and intelligence agencies, the new basis of building trust in a people centered security.
This approach is equally in recognition, that the protection of individuals is critical to both domestic and international security, and implies that the security needs of citizens for their development are not always enforceable through military means. Therefore, national defense, law and order, need to incorporate the broader political, social and economic issues that daily affect citizens’ lives.
Within this wider focus, sustainable security structure, will in responding to security challenges use the instrument of force, only in a manner that is consistent with democratic norms and supportive of human development (See, Security System Reform and Governance, OECD, 2005).
African States, in adopting the sustainable security structures that focus on the entire security of their citizens, suggest agreement:
1. That the security structure must reflect local needs and priorities of all stakeholders
2. That security must be seen as a policy issue that invites input from a larger population, beyond the needs of the elites.

3. That security must move beyond the use of force, and develop integrated policy approaches and responses that cut across other sectors of public action and interests.
4. That application of security, both operational, capacity and design must be accountable to the people, if it will provide lasting solutions.
THE FUTURE OF AFRICA SECURITY WITHIN THE SUSTAINABLE FRAMEWORK
We have tried to demonstrate here, that sustainable security does not mean preserving a ‘strong-man State’, where stability lasts as long as the leader is in power. Just as African leaders were supported in power during the cold war, and gained ideological advantage that gave false impressions of security and stability, but ended as fragile weak States, prone to more conflicts. Africa’s survival in the next century will depend on its ability to conduct its security challenges within the sustainable security structure.
This requires that African States, through collective actions, seek first to identify the risks of many State failures, through early warning of conflicts, and know where collective regional intervention will make the difference in resolution. This is because the ECOWAS and the AU in Africa’s security system management, has been important in the collective security approach of the region, especially in containing military coup de tat, peace keeping, and humanitarian intervention, and also in norms setting of Africa’s security system.
But it is also important to further drive these concerns to protect the poor, women and other vulnerable groups, through the collective improvement of governance of African States. This will not only improve the weak States, but also equally assist in the area of poverty reduction (See, Security Reforms System and Governance, OECD, 2005).
Also, both the African States and the regional organizations, need to develop strategies to reduce the pressures on at-risk States, by both addressing urgent problems that affect such States, especially in the building of long term capacity and institutions in ‘the core five areas’ of State policing, modern military, strong Civil service, effective judicial system, and responsive leadership (See Pauline Baker, Fragile States, Not destined to be Failed States, Courier, George Town University, 2012).
It is time that African Peer Group Monitoring, begin to track conflict potentials of the region, by recognizing how individual States fulfill their functions in providing ‘human security’ through protection of human rights, insuring the rule of law, fighting corruption, reducing poverty, growing their economies and fostering the well-being of the population. These are required to operate a people centered security, prevention of conflicts, and achievement of sustainable security (See, Pauline Baker, Ibid).
It is also evident that poor application of the democratization process, in many African States, has in itself encouraged political violence in the continent, and the resort to physical security to provide order. Attainment of sustainable security, will on its own strengthen and re-enforce democracy, through the attainment of social justice, safe environment and economic development.
SUSTAINABLE SECURITY AND OUR ABIA STATE EXPERIENCE

Abia State is one of the 36 States of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, excluding the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja. It is located in the South East region of Nigeria, and inhabited by the ethnic Igbo race. It is a core State of the defunct Biafra of the Nigerian civil war of secession, which ended after three years of violent and destructive crisis, on the basis of ‘no victor, no vanquished’. But this was after more than one million lives were lost. The implication of this is that the people of Abia State are no strangers to debilitating conflicts and its security challenges.
Abia State is a peripheral oil producing State, and its people are mainly dependent on agricultural activities and commerce, they are also considered as the major trading and middlemen in the merchandizing of local and foreign goods in Nigeria and throughout the West African Coast.
The State’s major commercial city of Aba is reputed as ‘the Japan of Africa’, and the base of ingenious entrepreneurs, whose locally manufactured goods, comparing with world standards, are famously marketed all over Africa and the world; often under foreign labels. As naturally restless and well-travelled people, Abians constitute the major traders in the ECOWAS States and value freedom of movement.
All of these, make a peaceful environment extremely important for the survival of the people of Abia State of Nigeria, and underlies our perception of security threat.
The entire South-East Region of Nigeria, including Abia State, has a long history of security threats. These have been allowed to fester and remain unresolved, over the years. The watershed of these many threats came in the period of the Nigerian Civil War, when the South East Region, for three years, was locked in a war of secession with the Federal Government of Nigeria. Until that period, other minor threats were not considered threatening enough.
During the Nigerian Civil War, the South-East Region was able to survive the Federal might through the collective use of ingenious forces for both offensive and defensive action, until secession was defeated by the Armed Forces of the Federal Government of Nigeria. This resulted in the break-up of the region into smaller ethnic States, and re-absorption into a 21 State structure of a post war Nigeria.
In a post-civil war reconstruction of Nigeria, the proclamation of ‘no victor no vanquished’ was only partially applied, as whatever remained of the people of the South East region, was further marginalized and relegated to the background.
The struggle for ‘individual security’ and resource competition, which emerged in the post civil war South East Region, foisted on the region, violent activities ranging from armed robbery, massive fraud syndrome, and collapse of the values of integrity and enterprise, for which the region was known.
Further balkanization of the region, through the creation of more new States, of which Abia State was a beneficiary in August 1989, became the source of heightened conflicts in the region. All these were further allowed to fester, until tension grew in dimension in the region.
But it was the extended search for social and economic justice in the major Nigerian oil producing areas of the Niger Delta, which created the massive security challenges in the South-South region, and filtered into Abia State. This created the security challenges that tested our ability to create a sustainable security environment for our people.
In the search for social and economic justice in the Niger Delta Areas, militant youths contested the exploitation and utilization of the resources of oil available in their area, and this promoted the massive use of force and political violent agitation in the region. This subsequently degenerated into the use of kidnapping of foreign oil workers and multinational collaborators, as a form of political protest. The later demands for ransom money became the untidy extension of this justifiable political agitation.
In no distant time, this misguided use of violence and kidnapping for ransom money, spread like a wild fire into Abia State, even though our peripheral position as an oil State could not justify any political coloration. In our State, kidnapping and other forms of violent crimes soon became exaggerated to obsession, and as the latest avenue for rapid wealth creation, for both amateurs and professional criminals. Even our unemployed and partially employed youths were ensnared into the business, constituting a complete collapse of social values and massive insecurity.

Our cities, especially Aba, became dreaded and deserted areas, as foreign and local businesses fled the towns and relocated to other areas. The circle of poverty and unemployment grew larger in the land. For close to three years, Abia citizens lived in fear of kidnappers, as people went into hiding. The State governance was helpless in providing security and performing its developmental functions, as citizens cried out for rescue.
WHAT WE DID!
In our attempts to address these security threats facing our State, we were conscious of the fact that security threats, no matter their magnitude, do not emerge over-night. They arise as results of accumulated stresses and unsavory developments, some of them long ignored. In Abia State at that time, we were aware of accumulated public policy failures of past governments, and their implications to security threats.
More than in any other region of the Nation, public policy failures were glaring in our State, as evident in the poor infrastructures and social services, abandoned government projects, especially roads, massive youth unemployment, and declining educational standards. In fact, the self help attitudes of the Igbo man, which in the past provided safety bridges for our citizens, had itself been stretched to its limits, and the belief that individual citizens can do everything for themselves, had imploded into self and societal exploitation, and sometimes, desperate criminality.
It was these realizations that drove our State Government to do its duty to provide ‘human security’, and directly attack those issues that we saw as causing our security threats:
1. We sought to first re-unite the divided political elites of our State, both within and outside the State, and renewed their confidence and trust in Government. We insisted on inclusion of all citizens in the affairs of the State, based on equity in the sharing of State legacies, devoid of interventions of godfathers.

2. We then adopted dialogue as a security approach, by engaging kidnappers and all those involved in criminal violence. We called for the trading of kidnappers’ weapons in exchange for money, and eventual amnesty, re-training and re-integration into the society.
3. We chose to collaborate with all stake-holders in the society, including Traditional Rulers, Religious Organizations, Active Youth Groups, the Police, the Military and other security agencies, through the sharing of intelligence information, and monetary rewards for information leading to arrest of kidnappers and violent criminals.
4. We embarked on inter-State collaboration in the monitoring and tracking of kidnappers and other criminals, with the aim of isolating them, for apprehension and legal prosecution.
5. We applied social reform in the State to check gun production ad weapon running, popular in some of our areas, and assisted them to find other areas of gainful employment.
6. We chose to embark on massive developmental projects that target the youths for self-employment, and creation of recreational facilities to engage them to re-invent their energies.
We did all these to re-focus our security challenges on the protection of human beings, and these may have led to the massive cooperation we received from citizens. But in some quarters, it may have given the impression that some crimes do pay.
This perhaps was what encouraged some kidnappers to renew their boldness and callous approach to the level of intimidation of the entire citizenry of our State. This led our State to introduce the collective use of Federal military force in dealing with our security threat. This special moment came, when 15 innocent and vulnerable pupils of our Abayi International School in Aba, were kidnapped, and this worsened the exodus of our people from Aba. The exalted fear was that nobody was safe in the State.
It then dawned on our Government that beyond all measures taken to deal with our security threat, we needed to do our first and most basic job as a government, which is to protect our citizens, their property and their ways of lives.
We honored that contract and successfully collaborated with our Traditional Rulers, the Armed Forces of the Federal Government of Nigeria, our Police and the support of all the willing members of our society. We waged a decisive attack on all the known dens of kidnappers and violent criminals, successfully capturing many of them, while the most notorious kingpin ‘Osisi ka’nkwu’, died in the process. Our inclusion of military force in dealing with our domestic security challenges, merely addresses the perceived weakness of the Nigerian Police, which is under-equipped, poorly trained, and often incapable of withholding the challenges of well-armed criminal kidnapping gangs. But even the raid of kidnappers’ enclaves enjoyed the collaboration of all stakeholders of our State, who both supported and complemented the efforts of Government.
Since this post conflict era of our insecurity in Abia State, our State Government has adopted the strategy of further building the peace by directly contributing to the funding of the Nigerian Police in our State, and providing equipment and logistic supports in vehicles and other movements. These have contributed to the maximum policing of our State and improved joint surveillance of both police and military detachments. The result is that since 2010, Abia State has enjoyed a predictable peace and security.
We are proud to say that both local and foreign investors have returned to our State, and economic activities, including nightlife and hospitality industries are now booming in Abia State commercial cities, which were dreaded areas in the past.
The people of Abia State, especially the youths, are the guardian angels of our new security. We continue to work hard in streamlining and refining the politics of our State, into a merit based standards, where all our citizens can aspire to the highest positions in the State, without mortgaging their conscience to godfathers’ support.
Our merit-based system in the State has marked us out as the pillars of support for democracy and security in Nigeria, and attracted support of the Federal Government and the Nation’s Ruling Political Party, the PDP. Today, our State is the number one safest State in Nigeria, a complete 180 degrees turnaround from three years ago.
Our lessons from what we have achieved in sustainable security of our State, is that Nigerians and any other African nationals, will always be frustrated with governments, which fail to do what governments do, which is to protect their lives and property; their ways of lives, and their environment, for sustainable development of their economies.
We may not have achieved a completely free and non-violent environment in Abia State, but it is our dream that our children will inherit the same free, safe and prosperous State, that we have tried to create in Abia State.
This will only be possible, if we continue to make policies that ensure ‘human security’, that is, the welfare, safety and prosperity of our people, especially the youths, vulnerable women and children. This will not only restore the care value of our society, but also deal with those issues that sometimes make kidnapping and other violent crimes, preferred options.
But more important, we need to ensure an elective democratic system that is honest, accountable, accurate, just and equitable. If we are able to insist on these, we will certainly build a State, where all stakeholders feel obligated to support both the government and security Enforcement Agencies in promoting a sustainable security framework for all citizens. The same goes for all African States.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Sustainable security structure for Africa must of necessity, combine three approaches (adapted from Gayle E. Smith, In search of Sustainable Security):-viz.
1. National security, or safety of the States
2. Human security, or the well-being and safety of the citizenry
3. Collective security or the shared interests of the entire African continent
None of these should focus only on the preservation of the status quo, where the interests of a few elites are dominant.
Our analysis of the security trends in Africa, and review of what we did in Abia State in attempt to achieve sustainable security, leads us to believe that reform in African security can equally be achievable and sustainable African security attained, if pursued within the above three-pronged integrated approach.
But African States must have the confidence to move beyond the control paradigm of security framework, and reduce emphasis on the State, individual leadership, and on military strategy. They need to begin to see security as an all encompassing condition in which individual citizens live in freedom, peace and safety; participate fully in the process of governance, enjoy the protection of fundamental rights, have access to resources and the basic necessities of life and inhabit an environment not detrimental to their health and well-being (See, South African White Paper on Defense, cited in Hutchful and Fayemi, op.cit).
Equally, effective leadership and governance of African States will serve as the best prop for improving African security framework. While we cannot eliminate conflicts and violence in Africa, the quality of leadership and governance of African States, will dictate the extent that adopted security management approaches can move from the ‘control paradigm’ to a focus on human security and sustainability. Where there are strong and committed leaderships, reduced corruption, strong State institution s and political will to reform, African States are capable of creating a sense of cohesion that can reduce interminable conflicts and violence. The benefits can be in the improved development and social growth of Africa.
But by and large, sustainable security structure of Africa can be attained through the followings commitments of African States:
1. Collaboration between the major civilian stakeholders and relevant security agencies, especially in the sharing of soft human intelligence information, appropriate and well funded State policing, and policy dialogue at all levels ( local, national and regional).
2. Increased regional cooperation across Africa to provide integrated trade, strengthening of regional and domestic institutions, and improved legitimacy. Intra regional cooperation in transportation will also facilitate job creation in member States, and reduce internal frustrations of citizens that lead to violence.
3. Implementation of regional collective security as provided in the Peace and Security Directorate of the AU, should be applied on specific objectives that are African driven, with the cooperation and assistance of non-African bodies, tailored only towards the areas of capacity building, training and security reforms of States. This will reduce the direct externalization f African conflicts.
4. Also, the role of the AU in providing a common vision of defense and security of Africa, which include recognition of human security and promotion of mutual trust and confidence, as stated in the AU’s Inaugural Assembly of July, 2002, and passed in February 2004, in Libya, must be fully pursued and implemented by member States.
5. Nations like South Africa and Nigeria need to sustain their regional leadership roles, by strengthening their domestic institutional mechanisms, and through that, drive a more coherent approach to Africa’s sustainable security.
6. African States need to formulate sustainable economic policies that address the growing poverty of their population and other issues that impact on their population, especially the creation of jobs to absorb the youthful and idle minds of Africa. This will be necessary in attaining a demilitarized polity and reduce continuous reliance on military solutions to conflicts.
7. Widespread availability of dangerous weapons among the African public, do lead to the massive response of use of force by security agencies, any time African security is breached. This must be addressed, to enable sustainable security of Africa focus on long-term drivers of conflict.
8. Democratic reforms and accountability of African States should equally reduce corruption and other unsavory tendencies that create inequity and produce resource conflicts. Also with democratic improvement in the rule of law, reform of the essential process of security will equally follow.
9. Climate change and other environmental issues, are new emerging threats to Africa’s security, and must begin to attract adequate collective African attention to address them. Otherwise, these will put greater pressures on African lean resources, escalate competitions, and produce more violence in the region.
Violence and conflicts represent grave threats to life, security and prosperity of Africa, just as sustainable security precedes and re-enforces development. That is why the last decades of low economic, social and infrastructure development in Africa, have equally witnessed concomitant deteriorations in the internal security of many African States.
The above problems may be pressing, but African States can only have the security they deserve, if their security structures are accompanied with changes in thinking; and when that new thinking transcends the status quo, and focus less on the use of institutional privileges to secure the positions of only the minority elites. Instead, all security structures and emphasis, should be on the building of a socially, politically and economically just Africa that focus on human security and other real drivers of Africa instability.

I THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.
TAO

http://thejuristlaws..com/2012/10/9th-security-watch-africa-award-lecture.html

WORKERS SECRETARIAT UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN UMUAHIA, ABIA STATE

Vogue50: bullshit ! The lazy fool improved on his predecessor's dismal governance to impoverish Abians , making the state more vulnerable to insecurity.
Thanks to the FG for intervening through the military , who fought Relentlessly to prevent Further mayhem. The chief of army staff , Ihejirika , who hails from isiukwuato local government in Abia state played a key role in restoring peace and security. T.A orji was totally inept , clueless and undoubtedly naive on how to govern the state at that point in time. He lacks the morality to condemn our colonial masters.

You talk like someone who eats through the anus and defecate through the mouth. What part of the report do you not understand? That the governor was given an award for his track record in security matters and you are going crazy about it. Don't tell me that Africa that gave him an award in this regard is a fool. Watch your tongue

The journey for the creation of The recent article written by former Nigeria Ambassador to Congo, Chief Greg Mbadiwe titled “2015 Igbo Presidency: Where Kalu got it wrong” which was published in several national dailies was quite revealing, instructive and timely especially for the people of South-east zone in their quest to produce president of the country in 2015.
Frankly, there were some missing links and several hidden truths in the article. It is a public knowledge that all the acclaimed successes that brought Chief Orji Uzor Kalu to limelight was more of undertaking and the handi-work of his mother who used her earlier contacts in government circle, especially during the military era to project him. Not that Kalu has been or was outstanding in his endeavours per se.
His emergence as Governor of Abia State in 1999 was not without the assistance of his successor, Governor Theodore Orji who was then an administrative secretary at National Electoral Commission (NECON) where he played a vital role in ensuring that the road was clear for him against overwhelming forces against his candidature.
It is now obvious that outside the corridor of power, people like him has nothing much to offer the society. Even as acclaimed master strategist, Nigerians have not seen his input either in the economy or politics of the country since he lost out of power equation, both at his state and national level.
Against the postulation by Mbadiwe that Kalu went into political hibernation and orphanage after being betrayed by his erstwhile trusted protégés, nobody betrayed him rather it was Kalu that betrayed the people, especially those that assisted him in the rainy day.
If not, how would one explain that the now dead party, Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) which was formed by Kalu and others in 2006 with two states Abia and Imo under its control after 2007 general election were lost to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before 2011 general elections, due to Kalu’s political shenanigan.
That single political incident was enough evidence and eye opener for the Igbos to know what the man who has decided to use his false crusade on Igbo Presidency to re-launch himself back into political relevance ahead 2015 is up to. But unfortunately for him and his allies, their political tricks were old and out-dated and cannot help his political fortunes and that of the Igbos in 2015 rather it will complicate it.
Have Nigerians forgotten that PPA and ACN were both registered as political parties in 2006 with ACN winning only Lagos State in 2007 general election? But today with Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s political sagacity, ACN is in control of five states in south-west and one in South-south zone and has remained the most vibrant opposition party in the country today.
It is obvious that Kalu’s lack of political vision and the quest to build a political dynasty at expense of the people without a solid foundation led to his political failure after 2007 general election. It was due to his overbearing attitude that somebody like the former Governor of Cross River State, Chief Clement Ebri in 2010 suddenly and angrily resigned his chairmanship position of PPA at a time his leadership has repositioned the party as a strong opposition party.
If truly Kalu meant well for Igbo Presidency in 2015, what stopped him from nurturing the political platform he had before now in preparation for the realization of the dream? Has he forgotten that political power is not given on a platter of gold or through noise making?
It was Kalu who hurriedly took PPA in 2007 to join the Government of National Unity (GNU) of late President Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar Adua-led government for what he would selfishly benefit from the deal alongside his family. Before Yar Adua’s demise, he was one of those calling the shots in the Presidency hiding under the guise of (GNU) without considering the interest of the Igbos or the need for Igbo Presidency in 2011 or 2015.
From all indications, it is crystal clear that Kalu has no political relevance now to champion the quest for Igbo Presidency in 2015. This is because, apart from having no political structure on ground to even win any election in his home state Abia, his sudden campaign for Igbo Presidency in 2015 appears to be suspicious and at the same time a smokescreen to seek political relevance and rehabilitation again.
So, there is urgent need for the Igbos to be wary of his latest antics via aggressive and grandstanding campaign, before it alters political calculation and equation for the zone ahead 2015. This is why no prominent Igbo person has lent his support or identify with him since he started the charade.
Besides, where was Kalu during the last Igbo Day Celebration in Asaba where the issue of Igbo Presidency 2015 and other issues affecting the Igbos were discussed by the people of the zone? Or is Kalu working at crossroad with the people he claimed to have been championing their cause?
As Mbadiwe rightly said, Kalu had always made mistakes in translating his vision into reality by being too aggressive and abrasive in approach. Obviously, a leopard can hardly change its colour, so Kalu is at it again, but this time without a vision to be transformed into reality, but has only one aim which is looking for political relevance and rehabilitation that is almost impossible for him to realise.
According to Mbadiwe, Kalu’s argument is predicated on the assumption that the issue of rotational presidency is a settled one. But apart from Mbadiwe’s analysis on how Kalu breached rotational presidency in the past due to his inordinate ambition and politics of domineering, lets take a look at his support for such breach in his state for selfish political reasons.
After being governor of the state for two terms, Kalu was succeeded by Governor Theodore Orji from Abia Central Senatorial zone, because Kalu hails from Abia North zone. But because of his political differences with Orji ahead of 2011 general election, Kalu provided all the needed support for Orji’s impeached deputy, Comrade Chris Akomas from Abia South zone who was his party, PPA governorship candidate in the state during 2011 general election to dislodge Orji from office and alter the political equation in the state as rotation of power among the three zones in the state.
Some people from the Abia South zone were incited against Governor Orji who was seeking for second term in office. It took the political understanding and wisdom of the people of the state to vote wisely for Orji in 2011 knowing full well that Kalu was on political vendetta mission against Orji for liberating the state.
No wonder Kalu was also humiliated in the 2011 Abia North Senatorial election by Comrade Uche Chukwumerije and his younger brother suffered the same fate in Aba North/South Federal Constituency election.
This is because our people knew him and his people very and will never give them chance for any political abracadabra neither in the state nor in the country. It was for the same reason he got the baptism of fire from my people when he recently visited my village, Abriba in Ohafia Council Area of Abia State for a burial, but was allegedly booed by my people for the role he played as a governor by plunging the community into crisis for years in his forceful attempt to imposed a wrong person on my people as the traditional ruler of the community.
If not for the timely intervention of his successor, Governor Orji in the crisis which has returned peace in the community, I wonder what would have given Kalu the courage to step into the community by now.
I learnt that he has been freely moving in and out of the state without any molestation unlike during his tenure as governor, when the state was always in front burner for political crisis because of his aggressiveness and flair for creating political tensions in a bid to subdue his political enemies at all cost. I know that if the opposite is the case now, I don’t think Kalu will allow Governor Orji into the state without molestation.
Finally the quest for Igbo Presidency in 2015 goes beyond failed politicians using the project to seek for political relevance and make unnecessary noise, rather it demands constructive engagements, consultations and dialogue as being done by the South-east governors, leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and other prominent Igbo sons and daughters both at home and abroad.
So it goes beyond one-man show or rabblerousing to avoid the mistake of the past.

Dr. Caleb Uwammadu, a management consultant and co-ordinator Igbo Presidency 2015 Networks wrote from Toronto, Canada.

The Senate of the Abia State University, Uturu (ABSU) on the 17th of October 2012 held a meeting and below is their decision:

The Abia State university authorities has decided to allow final year students of the institution to write their exams.

They Final Year students of the Institution are expected to come back to school starting from next week 22nd October to start preparing for their examination which is expected to begin in the next two weeks.

The ABSU Senates arrived at this decision to ensure that the final year students meet up with their counterparts in other universities across the country especially in posting for NYSC.

However, all the finalist of Abia State University are expected to complete their school fees payment before they will be allowed to sit for their examination.

Please share this information with our friends on twitter and facebook, also if you know anyone who is a Finalist in ABSU, please inform them.

Ghana’s former President, Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings has lamented the over-reliance on physical security to enforce peace on the African continent and called for investment in identifying the root causes of insecurity.

He said: “too often we invest in physical security but that creates more enmity and stress. We should invest more time in political security. Physical security subordinates us and brings the worst out of us instead of the best.”

President Rawlings made the call when the Governor of Abia State of Nigeria, Chief Theodore Orji paid a courtesy call on him at his Ridge office in Accra.

Chief Orji is in Ghana to participate as Guest Speaker at the 8th Security Watch Lecture Series and 9th Annual Africa Security Awards Ceremony organised by Security Watch Africa.

President Rawlings commended the organisers for the choice of subject and said lack of security was a problem confronting the continent. He said during his tenure as leader of Ghana his government invested more in reaching the sources of problems and empowering the people, dwelling a lot more on education and doing away with social injustices.

Governor Orji who received an award for instituting exemplary security policies in Abia State said he called on President Rawlings because of the special relationship Nigeria has with Ghana.

He said the state government had invested a great deal in boosting security inAbia through the empowerment of the people and involvement of every citizen in governance. Loans, he stated had been offered to the youth to start their own businesses, the security forces had been equipped not only with weapons but in the area of intelligence gathering and the state legislature has formulatedlaws that facilitated the policies implemented by government.

President Rawlings expressed his gratitude for the courtesy call and prayed that all efforts will be made to explore the root causes of the situation in Mali so its resolution will serve as an example of how Africa can resolve its own problems.

He commended Chief Orji for his outstanding leadership and said Africa needed a few more of his ilk.

http://southeastnewsonline..com/2012/10/we-need-to-invest-in-root-causes-of.html[i][/i][url][/url]

Ogoni born Reagan Ufomba who adopted Abia as his state has come under serious trouble again as Diamond bank is set to seize his property he illegally acquired as he can't raise money to pay the millions of naira he borrowed from the bank for his election.
This news online gathered that Reagan has been pleading with Babangida to come to his rescue but the Minna born general has continued to shun him as he described him as a 419 politician. Babangida it was gathered told off Reagan whom he claimed duped Nigerians with his fake Reagan cement. For Babangida Reagan is a fox who cannot be trusted. He attributed the failure of Reagan in the last election to his deceitful nature and urged Abians to reject him in 2015.
Meanwhile the bank says there is no going back in it.

Reagan Ufomba was Sepcial Assistant on Integrated Rural Development to former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu. Part of his brief was to strategically develop a workable formula that would checkmate rural – urban drift, which at the time depleted human resources necessary for the development of rural communities. He was the Government’s Chief Advisor on issues bothering on the improvement of farming, the preoccupation of most rural communities in Abia. He denied ever being in charge of fertilizer distribution to rural farmers. When the Special Assistant on Rural Integration denies being in charge of distribution of agricultural inputs, he would need to tell us who was. He seems to be good with dates and records. Let him also tell us if he is familiar with the document on this wall.

Reagan, “Mr. Value Chain” would do well to tell us on this thread what Value Chain policies he was able to cause the government to impact on rural dwellers. He should also tell us as the Special Assistant on Rural Integration which Governor’s Assistant at the time was in charge of agricultural inputs, especially fertilizer in rural communities. I want to give him another opportunity to lie.

The letter attached to this piece specifies in simple terms that REAGAN UFOMBA was actually assigned an official vehicle which he criminally told the government was involved in a ghastly motor accident. There is no record anywhere that he returned the vehicle. Let him proof that to us. Reagan as a Harvard ( I wonder) trained graduate should please show us evidence that he actually returned that vehicle after resigning on grounds of principle (how ridiculous). I am also sure he has no short sense of history and knows the difference between resigning and being asked to exit. May be, just may be; he would publish on this wall further evidence to proof he resigned voluntarily.

I would not have gone this far if Reagan did not start ascribing to himself the status of a superstar. He has made so much noise about being principled and being grounded on the rudiments of VALUE CHAIN. He would need to reconcile for us the relationship between his existing criminal records, abysmal performance as a political office holder and his new song of being the Messiah.

Just what is there to value about Reagan Ufomba. Somebody should please tell me. I will give up my ambition of becoming Governor if Reagan Ufomba can convincingly refute any of the points above.

Wislet: WHICH CELEBRATION??

Did you read that at all?

THEY WILL SHIP ALL THE COLLECTED USED ITEMS BACK TO GERMANY FOR THEIR OWN INDUSTRIES TO RECYCLE.

THEN I GUESS THE EMPLOYMENT THEY MEAN FOR ABIANS IS JUST LABOUR (MAN POWER) TO HELP COLLECT THOSE ITEMS.

So, Abians will only be paid for going to the smelliest of places (cos I can't see the white men soiling their hands as such) to collect the wastes anh hand them right over to the company?

WHY CAN'T THE COMPANY ESTABLISH IN ABIA STATE, EMPLOY THE YOUTHS AND TEACH THEM HOW TO RECYCLE?

Talk about a Business suggestion.


unbelievable.

I think you yourself need to read in between the lines. What is your problem with establishing a recycle factory in Abia. There's one thing that you disgruntled critics of Abia should take note, the state governor is determined to take the state to a greater height, that's why you see project work going on in the state like never before. Also for your information, the plant will be sited in Abia. Abia youths of course will be gainfully employed. If the Oyibo man feel say the scrap waste will be transported abroad, fine. At least revenue will be made from its sale

TAA is a huge joke. Forget it, they got nothing to offer I tell u

Despite his denial that he is not an indigene of Ogoni land, APGA man Reagan Ufomba has been advised by his kinsmen to leave Abia and come back home. Since the revelation by an Ngwa prominent indigene Chief Chukwu Wachukwu that Ufomba is from Ogoni land, the embattled politician has been running from pillar to post.

Ufomba who is enmeshed in debt controversy our investigation reveals is fighting tooth and nail to distance himself from his kinsmen from Ogoni. It was learnt that his original name is Koloku Oborokumo, and the name of his village is Tonki. His people said that since he has been rejected in Abia he should be proud to be identified as a brother to Ken Saro Wiwa. They insisted that at least he can come and vie for a councilorship position rather than kill himself to be the governor of a state that he is a stranger element.

http://thejuristlaws..com/2012/05/apga-man-reagan-ufomba-advised-by-his.html

For me, Airtel and Glo becos they have a wider coverage on 3G-3.7G, if we have up to that in Nigeria. Meanwhile, if u hv a 3G phone, u dont hv to bother. With it, u can connect to any GSM network where 3G is available

Successive administrations both military and civilian have come and gone without making any impact at infrastructural development. At the outset of democracy in 1999, many Abians looked forward to a better society that would witness a remarkable improvement in its level of development. But that hope dimed because after eight years nothing appears to have changed. Today, Abia has been able to rediscover itself and is marching towards achieving greater heights courtesy of the administration of His Excellency, Chief T.A Orji. Just within the first year of his second term in office, Governor Orji has pursued the implementation of his programmes with greater vigour and has demonstrated his love for the people of Abia in so many ways. For instance, in Umuahia alone, he is building a multi-million Naira workers secretariat, an International Conference Centre and a new Government House. The two new ultra modern markets have reached completion stage, while three new housing estates have been constructed. The same feat is being replicated at Aba and other areas. In this interview with a select Journalists in Umuahia, Chief Orji promises not to leave behind uncompleted projects. He also gave reasons why his government has refused to borrow money from the Capital Market, saying that he does not want to mortgage or burden the next administration with debts because of his sad experience when he inherited a N29 billion debt. Speaking on the status of Aba, Chief Orji disclosed that he has created the right environment for business to thrive. CHIKA NWABUEZE was there for Business Hallmark. Excerpts

Although Abia State has been on the claws of vulture political godfathers who, for so many years, drained God’s own state of the much-needed resources to build critical infrastructure for accelerated development.
But by pulling the State out, the incumbent governor, Theordore Orji, has laid the desired foundation for Abia to grow again and take its place as the business hub for the entire South east and indeed, Nigeria.

His Excellency some of us have toured round Abia State on fact finding mission, particularly Umuahia and Aba to see some of the completed and ongoing projects initiated by your administration, some of us are impressed. Is the revenue that accrues to the state coffers enough to sustain the current development?
This things have to do with our allocation profile which is there for you to use to assess our performance. The Accountant General told me this morning that he went for FAC allocation, any month we get N3.5 billion we thank God; before the N18000 minimum wage was approved our wage bill was N1.6 billion. After the new minimum wage came into effect in Abia we are paying N20100 to every civil servant which pushed up our wage bill to N2.9 billion and we have to service the government and carry out all the statutory functions required of us. Aba-Owerri road contract is N1.8 billion; Port Harcourt-Aba road-the contract is N1.7 billion and I am only talking of Aba alone. I have not talked about our internally generated revenue because before now people collect the revenue and divert it. Now that we hired consultants who manage it we strive to reach N500 million every month, whereas in the past it was N250 million maximum. When I came on board it was N150 million before I took it to N200 million. So I want you to assess us from that background in view of the fact that the revenue profile has not changed.
Now since I started my second tenure I have not accessed any facility from the bank or gone to Bond Market to issue bond. The only loan I have collected is the N1 billion agric loan which the federal government received from the Central Bank and the CBN has conditions attached to the loan in respect to how to spend it. So, even that one is deducted from the state's allocation at source. Now compare this with what we are in Abia State, the numerous projects we are executing and tell me if we don't deserve commendation. I'm sure the Journalists went only to Aba and Umuahia. Did you visit Arochukwu, Ndiochi, Ndiokereke, Ozuabam; you have not gone to Nunya, Isikwuato where I am constructing about 4 roads at the same time. Then you should think about it and how we were able to confront the security challenges we faced initially. You have to equip the security operatives very well for them to be able to combat kidnapping and other forms of criminality in the state, all that we did and mind you information is not free.
I know sometimes people will visit Akwa Ibom or Rivers State and they will start to compare us with such states. Go and cross check it, all the governors both military and civilian that governed Lagos State all did well, none of them is a write-off. This is so because they have the funds, Dr. Peter Odili did well in Rivers, Rotimi Amaechi is doing well. So I will like people to assess us based on the peculiar situation we found ourselves into, by what we get as allocation and IGR. If you don't have money will you perform?. I want to tell you that why we are able to do what we are doing is due to prudence in the management of our resources. Go and verify it, before I came to office there is no public building in the entire state capital. I challenge anybody to come and show me any structure that was erected in the capital before my administration was inaugurated. Today, I can count on my fingers the big projects we are doing in Umuahia. We are building a state secretariat, the international conference centre, we are building a new Government House; we are adding more structures to the Commissioners quarters that we have here. The new Diagnostics hospital and Dialysis centre in Umuahia has come on stream; then you visit the Amarachara Specialist Hospital, the House of Assembly Complex; the office block under construction at the Broadcasting Corporation of Abia(BCA). Then we have built the Amaokwe housing estate, Amoba, Ishieke housing estates; the two markets that are being constructed simultaneously in Umuahia within this my second tenure because these things I could not do them in my first tenure due to circumstances which most of you are familiar with.
What I am doing now within the first year of my second term if I had the liberty, if I was allowed during my first tenure you would see the wonders I would perform in Abia state. I met no foundation here, I am starting to build Abia State from the scratch. If I have a Government House I won't be talking of building one. All my colleagues surrounding me have foundations laid for them, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Imo State have a Secretariat etc. So that is the problem, our revenue profile can be obtained online for you to understand what is happening.
What about the Golden Guinea Brewery Umuahia, what is the government doing to resuscitate it?
Then on the brewery, there was a time the place exploded which brought production to a stop. The company was about being liquidated because of a loan they took from First Bank. When I came on board I asked questions and was told that the place has been mortgaged sort of thing. There was a business tycoon that brought money and invested and wanted his money back. I brought investors and any investor you bring they will make inquiries after which they will leave. They were afraid of litigations. So we assembled major stakeholders to discuss the way out. There are investors who are showing interest, but the last team that came and assessed the place said that all the equipments are obsolete, they can't work again. That to revive Golden Guinea Brewery the investor must bring in new equipments. So as a government we will prefer to use that money to build structures for my people who elected me than sink it in the revival of GGBL.
Your Excellency you said that you are able to carry out these projects because of prudence management of meagre resources. Can you tell us how you did it?
This question about the magic I did in plugging holes and ensuring that we utilize the meagre income very well is our secret. If you think it is easy go and try it, so I know what we did. It is like during the period we faced serious security challenges in Abia we knew what we did.
You did say that your government has not borrowed any money to fund development projects, but other states are issuing bonds. Is there any particular reason why you are against leveraging?
The first thing we must realise before anything is that you must cut your coat according to your cloth. It doesn't mean I am not going to borrow money to complete the projects that we started because I do not want to leave behind uncompleted projects. I will leverage, but let us manage what we have judiciously since I don't want to put the state into debts because we have suffered a lot. I inherited a debt of N29 billion, while my predecessor told the world that he left behind money in the state's coffers until I went to the ministry of finance to produce the documents including N26 million which we owed Sun Newspaper, he never replied again. The Transition Committee Chairman that left with my predecessor left behind a bill of N2.9 billion as unpaid salaries for me. It was only debt that I inherited and I am paying all of them. So I don't want to burden the person coming after me, even if I leave behind any debt it is going to be a manageable one. We are in debt, if I did not inherit N29 billion debt that amount can solve a lot of problems for us. I am not only a manager of human beings, I can also manage resources and that is what I have done, it is there for everybody to see. Even stakeholders of Abia State are urging me to go and access funds to raise the level of development in the state. I will take a loan that I can be able to liquidate before I leave office, and it would be used to complete projects that we have started and initiate new ones for the man who is going to take over from me may continue with. So, I will issue a bond or raise money from the banks at the right time.
We appreciate your efforts with regards to the infrastructural development of Abia State, however, there are other sectors that equally need attention, especially youth empowerment. What other programmes do you have for Abians?
I will tell you the ones we have done and also those we will do, while we are concentrating on roads is because the average Nigerian is so passionate about roads. To them it is the standard measurement for performance of any chief executive officer of a state. They seem to forget other sectors which are also essential. Like here we give priority to health, like I always say it is a person who is healthy that will be excited about good roads to enjoy life. So, health is important to us. As at today we have constructed about 250 health centres, we did it under partnership with the MDG's of the federal government through counterpart funding. There is no local government in Abia that you will not find about two or three functional health centres, to take care of the health needs of our people at the grassroots. Apart from that you have seen the Diagnostic Centre which we are expanding, the Amachara hospital, the Abia State University Teaching hospital etc. If you talk of education, we have the Abia State University, the College of education Technical and the Abia state Polytechnic. And we are funding them adequately, paying their salaries. Today we have rehabilitated more than 400 schools. We have equipped them through ASOPADEC, that is part of the money we get from derivation. Our students are among the best winning laurels for the state. In fact the UBE award fetched us N70 million. We also give scholarships to our students to study at home and abroad.
In the area of agriculture, everybody knows that we produce high quality cocoa and we have a school for manpower training in the production of cocoa. Oil palm, we are now trying to revitalise the farm settlements that late Dr. M.I Okpara built. We have the oil palm in Ohambele which we are doing in partnership with an Italian company to produce enough oil. We are also trying to boost our rice production and we are in partnership with ADP to achieve that. So we are doing very well in that area and I told you that we have gotten agric loan which we will disburse soon to genuine farmers. Then in youth empowerment, we also realised that one of the things that make people to go into kidnapping and armed robbery was lack of jobs. We have youth programmes where we buy vehicles and give out, before now it was wheel barrow and shovel that was been given to youths as empowerment. I stopped the use of Okada in this state, and we moved on to Keke NAPEP. We have given out thousands of it to our people. We recently employed 4500 youths the highest in the country. I am touching all sectors, but the one that makes our people happy is the roads.
What effort is your government making to transform Aba to a sort of African-China and make it the pride of Nigeria?
What dragged us behind was the kidnapping, we had made tremendous efforts before the incident of kidnapping crept in. And because of it all the small enterprises we have in Aba folded up. And for that period that kidnapping was on businesses were slow, nothing was working. It really took us back, but now it is no more so these entrepreneurs have returned. We have started again, the market we are building in Umuahia, we have asked the Aba shoe manufacturers to extend to Umuahia if the place is tight. We have a common facility in Aba which we built in partnership with the federal government where these skills are impacted to our people. Leather works, shoe works, etc so we are doing everything possible to make the environment friendly for businesses to flourish. We have created the enabling environment for business to thrive, so businessmen are welcome. That is the most important thing that we have achieved. We also help them to obtain facilities from banks and other things.
You actually said that the projects you are executing now are what your predecessor could have done. Considering the fact that you played a very active role in that administration, at what point did you see things go wrong in Abia and what did you do?
This is a question that should be asked to all Abians, at what point did you see things go wrong and what did you do. Every person saw it at his own time, there are people who saw these things very early. I wasn't governor then because as chief of staff I was only taking directive, but now that I am governor I am accountable to anything that happens under my watch. We believe in loyalty but when it is misused and misinterpreted and people want to mess you up, you have to show that you are a man. For 8 years that I served him if I didn't do well he could have sacked me as chief of staff. That relationship was there and it continued but then at a stage I don't know what happened to him so that he wanted to disgrace me. I don't know if there is any governor in this Nigeria that can be issued a query. That was the height of insult, if I had done anything wrong you could have invited me for a discussion. It got to a level where I was brought to public ridicule that was when it dawned on me that it was time for me to change the course of Abia State, to separate with my predecessor. What I endured I don't think anybody can do so. This is a free world and there is freedom of association, with many political parties. You are living witness that PDP came to this place to beg me to join PDP, I first went to APGA when I left PPA. But PDP in their wisdom saw something in me that made them to come to woo me. By then my predecessor had tried to return to PDP and they rejected him.
During the last election, PDP won all the seats in this state, three senatorial seats, 8 federal House of Representatives; presidency and governorship we won. The 24 house of Assembly members are PDP, so when these parties are making noise on what basis are they making it. He sponsored people to run against us and was bragging that if he sponsors a monkey it will win and the monkey eventually failed. So I had to choose between my people who voted me and the people who do not want the progress of the state.

http:///index.php/permalink/7009.html

• They want kidnapping to continue
• Killing Osisikankwu and other kidnap kingpins means no NGWA can successfully rig elections again
• BINEZ HOTEL ABA, ROWMAY HOTELS AND OWERRINTA the OPERATIONAL headquarters of Abia Awakening
• They plan to approach the Governor for settlement or they incense further hate
• Patrick Onwuka, Abaribe, Nkechi Nwogu, Okey Ahaiwe, Uzor Azubuike, Ufomba meet on how to take over the collective wealth of NDI OHUHU (non – NGWA people who live in NGWA LAND)
• ABANDONED PROPERTY plan hatched by NDI NGWA

Recently, they gathered at the Anglican Church at Owerrinta under the auspices of NGWA YOUTHS, deceived Bishop Nwoaobia into believing they were for real. They converted the church into a dangerous plot arena. An unsuspecting banker who they invited was shocked to notice they were discussing how they would OCCUPY the collective wealth of NDI OHUHU. He was brave enough to confess what these youngmen have been planning. His confession was what alarmed the Bishop that he had been deceived. This is a group of half baked graduates whose only occupation is politics, whose only source of income is blackmail, kidnapping and mudslinging. We ask: Why would a people meet to thwart the lifelong efforts of others? This is another attempt to reactivate the criminal business of ABANDONED PROPERTY. By the way, a lot of people abandoned their property for NDI NGWA as aftermath of the kidnap saga. Now, they want more.

They masquerade as The Abia Awakening, Abia Post and Abia Tower. They have been promoting blackmail, thuggery and hate against the person of the governor and institution of the State. T.A Orji busted their kidnapping camps, closed their flourishing business of ransom and chased them into oblivion. Those of them who lost elections had approached the Governor for settlement. Let Reagan Ufomba swear by anything he holds scared that he did not beg to be settled?

TA Orji has proven to be a hard nut to crack. He refused to settle them and to make matters worse; he has refused to be a part of their criminal conspiracy to make Abia unsafe. The Governor’s worst offence is to close the business of kidnapping.

Look at their identities

Patrick Onwuka, former Chairman of Isiala Ngwa South using his hit man SMART is spearheading the group who lives permanently in BINEZ HOTELS. They are mostly half – baked graduates whose only business is politics of settlement. They are selfish and criminally minded. No one person in that group has ever done anything outside hanging around in the corridors of power. While Onwuka was Chairman, (he was later impeached on proven cases of financial impropriety, incompetence and ineptitude) he criminally acquired a twin duplex and a printing press while owing contractors and LG staff months of salaries. TAO quickly distanced himself from him. Hungry and frustrated, he has been sponsoring this rash, wicked and unwarranted politics of acrimony against the Governor. We ask: If NGWA PEOPLE are not selfish, why have they not reprimanded ONWUKA and his group of disgruntled elements? This is further proof that NGWA are merely crying wolf.

Okey Ahaiwe, the insensitive President of NGWA PEOPLE is a corporate beggar. His stock in trade is to negotiate for settlement. We ask: Does not having the government approve contracts inflated criminally for an individual mean that the government is not performing? Okey Ahaiwe should tell us what favor he asked the governor for and why the governor’s refusal infuriated him?

Maxwel Nwadike lived in Cotonou Benin Republic but quickly returned to his NGWA domain in 2007 to take over a kidnap camp. He did not see anything bad about TAO until 2009 when he was chased out of the bush. Check his profile and see if there is any meaningful thing he does to earn a living. Abusing the governor and encouraging youths in his OBINGWA area to go back to kidnapping are his current love. Maxwell is STONE’s first cousin. We ask: If he truly stands for justice, why did he not help to turn STONE in when, he kidnapped; raped, maimed and killed innocent people?

Susan N.Uzoma approached the government in 2010 for funds to run her phantom NGO. When she failed in her bid to swindle government, she took to mudslinging. We ask: What is Susan’s real business? What if the government had given her the Ten Million naira she asked for in 2010? What concrete evidence can she give as somebody who advocated for people in the past apart from organizing NGWA people who lost out to cast aspersions on the person of the Governor? Why did Susan approach SUUSU (the once dreaded kidnap kingpin in OBINGWA area) for financial help? Why did Susan return to the village at the wake of kidnapping? How come her entire village experienced the most gruesome murder of innocent citizens and not a single day did she report any of her kinsmen to the police? We are waiting for Susan Uzoma’s reply.

Patrick Emeka Amalaha, Lawrence Ehilegbu, Chinedu Nwogu (the UNN graduate who writes and speaks two a penny grammar) and Ubani Charles thrived while ABALA supplied arms to kidnappers. Why did they relocate to ABALA during the kidnapping saga? Why is ROWMAY HOTEL their home now? How many criminal elements in their villages did they report at the heat of the spate of insecurities in Abia?

Enyinnaya Abaribe is jittery that with the death of Osisikankwu, he would not rig himself again in any elections in Abia. Was it not Abaribe who used Osisikankwu to smuggle arms into Aba Stadium during the Senate elections primaries in 2007? Who paid Osisikankwu to conceal arms in a sack supposedly Mr. Biggs packs of rice? Abaribe! Why then would he love TA Orj? TAO killed Osiskankwu meaning NGWA and especially Abaribe has no chance of rigging to win again

OCHENDO should face the business of governance in the most prudent manner like he has been doing. He should ignore these nincompoops. They are hungry and want to eat deep into the government purse. If we have lied, let them publish their businesses and sources of income. No amount of blackmail should cause OCHENDO to join the group of Governors who are engaged in Razzmatazz. History will vindicate the just. Soon, we will know those who governed and those who mortgaged the future of their unborn children. OCHENDO! Do only what the resources available to you can permit. Please, do not box Abians into a tight corner.

Independent and genuine observers attest to the fact that you have executed novel projects in Abia and that gradually; you are fixing the rot of the past twenty years. These criminal elements cannot be more creative, intelligent and honest than the eighteen journalists who recently toured projects in Abia and returned a verdict of excellent work.

Any person from OLD BENDE who is the Awakening group is simply blind to reality. Do not let them use you to exhume kidnapping and insecurity in Abia

[url][/url]http://thejuristlaws..com/2012/05/confession-of-ngwa-banker-real-reasons.html

scammers, keep deceiving yourselves

TAA is fraud

Facts are beginning to emerge on those behind the Abia Awakening and its members. In the past few months this news online, has been investigating members of this group which has been masquerading on the internet as advocate of so called good governance in Abia state. Our careful investigation revealed that the former governor of Abia state Orji Uzor Kalu is the sponsor of these boys whose identities showed are kidnappers from the Ngwa axis of Abia state.

These boys we learnt are Osisikankwu’s boys who are not happy over the killing of their master. They have vowed not to give up fighting Abia governor for flushing out kidnappers in the state, especially the killing of Osisikankwu.

In days ahead we will profile the identities of these blood thirsty boys and their relationship with late kidnap king pins. Its shocking!

thejuristlaws..com/2012/05/ex-kidnappers-behind-abia-awakening.html

This is not the best of times for the ex-governor of Abia state Orji Uzor Kalu. Kalu is broke and he is not hiding it any longer.

Investigation by this online news revealed that Kalu's posh house in Gambia is now on sale . The house whch was built four years ago it was learnt was put at a ridiculous price as Kalu is in dire need of money as his trial by EFCC begins. Kalu is also facing serious problem in Gambia where he cited his businesses following his face off with Obasanjo. The Igbere born politicians Slok Airline has been grounded for months having failed to pay airline charges running into millions.

His bank is also collapsing as workers are being owed 10 months salary. The SUN newspaper is not spared as staff are owed salaries. No bank in Nigeria is willing to assist him. His house in Maryland USA which has been on sale for one year has witnessed no buyer. He is in a big financial mess, it’s factual.

http://thejuristlaws..co.uk/2012/05/orji-uzor-kalu-many-woes-putting-up.html

THERE comes a time in the history of a people when God blesses them with a leader with a particular mandate. For the people of Abia, aptly called God’s Own State, there is every indication that the supplication of the people unto their Maker for a divine lifting of afflicted yoke caused by long period of political and economic slavery has attracted divine intervention.

The result today is a true reflection of the Biblical saying that when the righteous are on the throne, the people rejoice. For Governor Theodore Orji, under whose administration the state has seen the total paradigm shift in both governance and content of service delivery, the abundance of God’s mercy upon him and the mandate cannot be over-emphasised.

From a fluttering beginning due to known consequence of deceitful political alliance akin to the kind of marriage between the cow and the butcher, governance and service delivery in a democratic setting had a huge question mark. However, with determination and rare courage though not without pockets of adulterated opposition, the Governor was able to rescue the state from the chambers of dark forces. Then came his vow and promise to the people of the state to hold him accountable for all actions and inaction(s) of his administration. With just a year into his second term of office, Governor Orji has left no one in doubt that indeed some dark forces were the cogs on the wheels of the progress of the state.

Within the period under review, the proportion of infrastructural development in the state has witnessed a high commensurate yield which has also left few opposing scoundrels in the state with no other option than to merely haul sand to give the impression that it is fulfilling all righteousness. From the massive infrastructures being put up in the state capital city Umuahia, to the courageous tackling of the infrastructural challenges in Aba the commercial heart beat of the state and the entire East, the present administration has left no one in doubt of its mission.

Just recently, Governor Orji etched his regime’s name in gold when it took care of a perennial problem that had defied solution to previous administrations in the state in the last 20 years. The popular Ukwu-Mango leading into Ariaria which had before now turned into a forest due to its impregnable nature, has today become a beautiful thorough fare for commuters. Hate or like him, the impact of the actualised dream will for a very long time remain evergreen in the minds of the residents of the city. The glory, of course, knows its destination. The residents of Aba have never had it so good.

Under the same period, the Governor had rehabilitated the Ama-Ogbenna, Okigwe road, the Osusu- Omuma Road, which roads were in the year 2000 “politically” commissioned by the then Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. From Osusu, the story moved to Danfodio by East, to Our Lady of Lourdes, and the Old Express by Samek. The government in response to the welfare of students and staff of the Abia State Polytechnic Aba, constructed an over-head bridge to reduce the rate of vehicular accidents in front of the campus.

Coming to the state capital, the story has truly changed. People of Amaeke where burials are held only during dry seasons have heaved a sigh of great relief. The non-existing Amaeke road that could better pass as a slave-trade route has been fully rehabilitated and commissioned. It is even an unbelievable story for people of Ukome and Mbom where Nwa-bekee (local reference to development) has eventually visited. For the years that they had existed, Mbom has never seen a tarred road since creation. Same story is now told in Emede who for many decades have survived through “jump and pass” infrastructural development. Still counting, it is positive turn-around for the World-Bank-Agbama Road, Umuafai-Lodu-Ahiaeke road, Okwuta-Isieke, Okwoyi-Iyienyi as well as the Nkata-Alike Umukabia-Ohuhu road.

In the Southern Senatorial Zone, the century-old adage that there is no short route to Aro (an acronym for Arochukwu) is no longer obtainable. Under Ochendo, the long stretch Arochukwu road from Ndi-Uduma Awoke in OhafiA Local Government is now being constructed.

This is in addition to the Amaekpu-Okagwe road in same Ohafia. It is equally a historic account from Ndi Okorie Abam down to Ndi- Itu. One striking feature in Abia is that the road constructions are carried out by contractors who upon the award of the jobs get instant mobilisation. This is a sharp contrast from the reigning college manual labour roads in some neighbouring states.

As we read this, the state government is very responsive of the need to ensure that all arms of government are functioning optimally, hence the need for human and capacity building. The state workforce is patiently waiting for the completion and commissioning of the State Secretariat with a complete over-haul of the old one. This is just as the two cities of Aba and Umuahia are seeing the eloquent presence of the judiciary made manifest with the dual construction of two gigantic High Court complexes.

The health sector record is a positive statement already made, hence it would be trite to begin fresh enumeration.

It is nothing to the residents of the State that despite all the efforts of the State government, the government is still under the attack and bad press of a few. It is also quite amusing that some whiff of criticism comes from some ignorant sections outside the state. This is essentially from those who felt they should join the fray because there is a bandwagon rush.

[url][/url]http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/05/raising-abia-from-bended-knees/

Am surprised EFCC has not arrested him since

crackhouse: With peanuts as their monthly takeaway. Employment indeed.

Half bread is better than nothing at all. This initiative whether you agree or not is definitely going to have great impact on the target audience on the long run. It will also provide room for modification as time goes on. We need more of these empowerment programs carried out by Federal, State, Local goverments, and other Institution saddled with carrying out such initiative. We as youths should know what we want and go for it. With an opportunity to participate in a green initiative my brother is worth recommendable. There's alot we can gain through this 21st century compliant program.

Good concept. Engaging the youths in this way will take them off the street to something meaningful. it will actually reduce crime rate and unemployment. I pray the state government will continue this program until a good number of our youths are gainfully employed

That is what is expected of the youths in Aba and Abia state in general, I want to also use this opportunity to thank the governor for ensuring that Abia state is in the fore-front in the presidency's SURE programme. I commend the governor for supporting the subsidy removal of Mr. President, which has surely paved waay for launching of the programme first in Abia state. Now youths in Abia are going to be empowered through this programme. Abia will be great!

Despite the devastation and setback the Nigerian Civil War of the late 60s inflicted on Nigeria and her people, it has been identified as one milestone in the nation's history that emphasises the values of peace and unity.
Abia State governor, Theodore Orji, noted this on Friday in his address at the special memorial lecture in honour of the former military governor of the Old Eastern Region of Nigeria, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, by the River State government in Port Harcourt.

Also speaking at the event, former governor of Rivers State, Dr Peter Odili, who served as chairman of the occasion, recalled his memories of the late Ikemba of Nnewi, as Ojukwu was fondly called, describing him as a visionary, who "never had problems with decision-making and following through with such decisions."
To Governor Orji, Nigerians should not regret the events of the civil war and the devastation it visited on them, as the experience had been instrumental in keeping the nation together till today.

Host of the event, Rivers State governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, who gave the opening remark, said Ojukwu lived to resist injustice, just as he charged the Igbo nation and other Nigerians to be proud of him
Former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Chief O.C.J Okocha, who deliver the lecture entitled "The Eastern Region: Reminiscences," recalled that the late Ojukwu fought against injustice in the system.

http://thejuristlaws..com/2012/02/ojukwu-civil-war-has-taught-us-to-value.html

Chief Odumegu Ojukwu, the Eze Ndi Igboe Gburu, the sole leader of the defunct Republic of Biafra even in death propagates the doctrine of united Nigeria especially now that the entire country is tested with different shades of unrest by ethno-religious groups.
The warlord who led a regional war against Nigeria returned after thirteen years in exile to clamour for peaceful coexistence of Nigerians irrespective of regional or religious affiliation. It was therefore a dream come true for the Ikemba in Zungeru, the city of Nigeria’s amalgamation in 1914 to continue to hold firm to the values of unity.
Forty-two years after the Biafran war and twenty- nine years after his return from exile, the ‘Peoples General’, returned a changed man. Ojukwu was not changed from his conviction for the emancipation of the common Nigerian but changed as a result of a transformed Nigeria, that which was elusive in the 1960’s.
Ojukwu who was adequately misunderstood later in life revealed himself as selfless Nigerian who did not only exist to fight ethnic battles but a champion for the common Nigeria irrespective of affiliation or multiplicity.
Ojukwu whose decision to split Nigeria along ethnic divides decades ago was tested by the tide of time suggesting a breakaway which many prominent Nigerians today would have led if they had the opportunity. Allowing trend of a renewed Nigeria heal the wounds of the past, the warlord turned a peace messiah.
The commencement of his funeral service which started in Zungeru last Saturday, 18th of February the birth place of the Biafran leader witnessed encomiums from different personalities at the first Nigerian capital city. Those in attendance to eulogise the hero were, the host of the day, Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu, Governor Peter Obi of Anambra and Theodore Orji of Abia state.
While various speakers expressed their respect for the selfless and people oriented life of the great Igbo leader, every single one of them made strong emphasis on the need for a united Nigeria with specific mention of deriving strength from our diversity.
The collage of personalities from different parts of the country especially the presence of leaders of regional forums of governors (Northern Governors Forum and Eastern Governors Forum) took another dimension reflecting a campaign for one Nigeria.
Indeed Ojukwu the Nigerlite who spoke Hausa more than his own mother tongue the Igbo language before leaving Zungeru wouldn’t have wished for more especially as the entire nation struggles along the challenges of ethnic and religious unrests tearing the core of our unity apart.
On the account of the funeral service the Governor of Niger state Dr Muazu Babangida Aliyu has vowed to maintain the tradition of treating all Nigerians equal in Niger notwithstanding the ethnic issues taking its centre stage in Nigeria which is turning from bad to worse.
The Chief Servant and Chairman Northern Governors Forum called on his counterpart Peter Obi, the Chair of Eastern Governors Forum to join hands with him in maintaining the balance of unity for a greater Nigeria. Alas the meeting placed the bastion of unity in the firm grips of the Peoples General reflecting peace and unity at the very town northern and southern Nigeria amalgamation took place almost a hundred years ago.
Ojukwu is indeed our true son- the Chief Servant and the Talban Minna expressed smashing off the boundaries of region, ethnicity and religion. If in the north of today a southerner is proudly called the son of Niger state then the healing process from the aching wounds is near.
The Chairman Northern Governors Forum has even concluded plans to set up a befitting monument to honour the Eze Ndi Igbo Gburgburu, just the way the state earlier deed for Dr Nanamdi Azikiwe who is also one of the founding fathers of Nigeria born in Zungeru.


Others fortunate to be born in Zungeru include the prominent writer Cyprian Ekwensi, Chief Mbadiwe and many others. All these personalities are of the Igbo extraction and on the list for immortalization is Cyprian Ekwensi, who may soon get a library in his honour in the town of amalgamation.
Niger state is indeed living up to its expectation as the land which has miniaturised the entire country. It is indeed the best place to start the true moves for a renewed Nigeria free from all forms of pains and struggle. A Nigeria united to stay in peace and collective development.
The oracle is speaking again but only this time the crystal ball shows a greener Nigeria free from all the carnages and pictures of death and pains. Most speakers at the occasion irrespective of which part of the country they came from called for one Nigeria a show that suggests we all need each other.
Most of the speakers maintained at the occasion that it is impossible for Nigeria to splinter on the grounds of the violent agitations. Difficult as their assertion is especially going by the violent trends in parts of the country one is forced to go along with their submission as the occasion took the dimension of a spiritual call to sanctum for a united Nigeria at a place where the country got its foetal life.


The Ikemba who called a section of Nigerians to arms four decades ago is now throwing the olive branch of unity for all irrespective of tribe religion or political affiliation. In death, his call for an amalgamated mind among Nigerians sounds louder than he managed to achieve after he returned from exile.
As his human flesh eclipse from this existence a new illumination heralding an immortal Ojukwu rises just like the Biafran rising sun insignia. This time the ‘Peoples General’ rises to immortal peace, unity and progress for all.

http://thejuristlaws..com/2012/02/ojukwu-holding-bastion-of-unity-in-city.html

The Abia State Government is not owing its workers, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Ugochukwu Emezue, has said.
Emezue also said the new minimum wage of N20,100, which Governor Theodore Orji, approved has been paid to all workers.


He said those who have not been paid were from some local governments, whose accountants refused to submit their lists before salary vouchers were prepared.
The aide said those who are saying the government owed its workers are not telling the truth.


Emezue said the workers, who have been paid are those who were captured with the biometrics machine.
He said the exercise has helped the government to identify over 558 ghost workers.

http://thejuristlaws..com/2012/02/abia-not-owing-salary.html

The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has called on residents of Aba, Abia, to receive the body of the late Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu en masse on Feb. 28.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who died in a London hospital on Nov. 26, 2011, is slated to be taken to the Abia commercial hub to fulfill one of his life ambitions.
MASSOB’s Director of Information, Mr Uchenna Madu, told newsmen on Tuesday in Aba that the late Ikemba Nnewi personally wished that his remains be brought to Aba before burial.
Madu urged the residents of Aba to come out en masse “to pay their last respect to the Eze Ndigbo Gburugburu.
“It was the personal wish of Ojukwu. He said that whenever he will be buried that he should be taken to Aba. That is why MASSOB has kept this wish to honour the great hero.”
Meanwhile, Abia chapter of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) is organising a concert and a hero’s candle light vigil for Odumegwu-Ojukwu on Feb. 27 at the Aba Recreation Club.
Prince Nnanna Ukaegbu, the Chairman of the chapter, told newsmen in Aba on Monday that the event was part of its activities to receive Ojukwu’s remains on Feb. 28.
In another development, Gov. Theodore Orji of Abia has assured the people that a befitting burial had been organised for the late Biafran leader. Odumegwu-Ojukwu is slated to be buried on March 2 in Nnewi, Anambra.
Mr Ugochukwu Emezue, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, quoted him in a statement as saying that the South-East governors planned a befitting programme to celebrate the exit of the legend.

http://thejuristlaws..com/2012/02/massob-enjoins-aba-residents-to-troop.html

GOVERNOR Theodore Orji of Abia State has charged Muslims across the country to use the occasion of the Eid el Maolud to pray for peace and stability in the country.
Governor Orji in a goodwill message said peace is one of the major ingredients that sustain development and democracy in any society.
Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Ugochukwu Emezue, Orji said efforts must be made by Nigerians irrespective of religious leanings to maintain peace at all cost in their various areas.
Referring to the killings in some parts of Northern Nigeria by the notorious Boko Haram, the Governor noted that life is sacred, and cautioned those involved in the killing of fellow citizens to desist from such acts which constitute a threat to the corporate existence of the Nigeria.
Assuring Muslim community in the state of their safety and protection, Orji urged them to peacefully go about their businesses.

http://thejuristlaws..com/2012/02/eid-el-maolud-orji-urges-muslims-to.html

At the completion of the workers biometric exrecise in Abia state, the state government has reinterated its effort in ensuring their are no ghost workers in the state. The SEC has resolved that any govt official caught cheating , especially in the area of salary peddling shall be dealt with,