₦airaland Forum

Ore is also a nightmare to Yorubas travelling to their various towns and villages passing through Ore. So it is not an eastern or Niger Delta problem alone

Since Nigeria is rooted in tribalism, kidnappers should only do so to people of their tribe. So far only Yoruba and Delta kidnappers have done so to peoples of other tribes. The Igbo ones have managed to restrict their job to their own people only.

Photo 4: A cross-section of Senior Counsels to the Respondents at the tribunal, covering their nose due to the poignant odour emanating from the amputated leg of Mr Segun Ajayi inside the Tribunal room.

Photo 3: Mr Segun Ajayi, in the witness box, displaying his amputated leg to the members of the tribunal panel.

Photo 2: Mr Segun Ajayi, in the witness box, displaying his amputated leg to the members of the tribunal panel.

Anambra politics is heaven on earth compared to Ekiti

Photo 1: Mr Segun Ajayi was amputated after gunshot wounds as a result of the violence during the last governorship re-run election at Ido-Osi Local Government Area of Ekiti State, coming into the tribunal premises to give oral statement concerning the mayhem during the election. His amputated leg was being carried by one of the security men.

Eko ti baje oh!

wonderful wonderful Eko!

News is different than its manifestation. We wait and see, as always.

KoBO,

Flooding has nothing to do with nearness to ocean; otherwise we won't read of flooding in the North which is a recurrent phenomenon. In any case, there is a River (Aba River) which also overflows each year. Like the gov of Abia, if Fashola leaves office without solving the flood problem, then all the noise about achievements is fraudulent. He is making millions compared to Abia, and so needs to work harder.

Pens (at least three of them) in the mouth in a public function?

Those on Aba should come here and comment. You will have to choose weather to have bad roads or to be swept of your feet by flood

KoBo,

See below why Abia might have stopped all the contracts on fed roads:


Question:
Aside these federal roads, there are others like the Bende/Abam, Uzuoakoli/Ohafia and Ikwuano/Ikot Ekpene. Is the state liaising with the Federal Government to see that these roads are also repaired?

Answer:
You can understand why the governor decided to award contracts for the two roads in Aba, in the first instance. It was the same consideration that gave rise to the award of those contracts because the state government did not want to fold its hands and say the roads belonged to the Federal Government when it is Abia people that ply them. But we must all agree that the situation is taking its toll on the resources of the state given that the Federal Government had stated that it would not compensate any government that decides to embark on federal roads project. Government is still trying what it can do within its limited resources to tackle the issue of roads in such a way that it would not cripple other sectors. You know there are many areas demanding government
http://www.independentngonline.com/news/ndig/article03

This is Lagos, the centre of excellence

Kobo,

So what is your personal conclusion from the articles you sent me? I have read them but would like to hear from you. Thanks.

Moreover, I have not lived in Abia state more than 5 years in a stretch, in all of my 1000 years of existence.

KoBo,

I am from Abia but not from Aba. I am from Umuahia the state capital. Although I know Aba, I do not remember ever having slept there for a night; meaning I am not a homeboy of that city

Clearly not everywhere in Aba is in shambles, although the govt has a lot of work cut out for it.

ENYIMBA CITY
Aba is Nigeria Taiwan, Dubai and Singapore, all rolled into one
By Jossy Idam (jidam14@yahoo.com)
Sunday, April 12, 2009
A market scene in Aba
Photo: Sun News Publishing
Living index

It is not for nothing that it is called Enyimba City. In its ordinary, literal meaning, Enyimba means the “people’s elephant.” But in metaphorical or idiomatic rendition, it means the “elephantine city.”

That Aba is called the Enyimba City is not a misnomer. It qualifies, by whichever criteria you use. It is the business district or if you like, Nigeria’s Taiwan, Dubai, Mumbai or Singapore, east of the Niger. A melting pot of small scale industries, businesses found here range from textiles to footwear to electronics, and many others.

A local wisecrack says: Aba ma ndi Aba, meaning “Aba knows those who truly belong to Aba.” That must be businessmen or people with business acumen. If you don’t have, then you don’t really belong. You are a misfit. If you don’t have the business savvy to survive in Aba, then your days in the city would have been numbered. Take it or leave it.

But how did Aba township start before it grew up to be what it is today? A historical insight provided to Sunday Sun by Eze Dr. S.N. Njoku, Eze Udo II of Ama Asato Autonomous Community, Osisioma Ngwa Local Government Area, shows that what we know today as Aba used to be a wide expanse of forest land belonging to an Ngwa son known as Aba.
Ngwa, one of the largest homogeneous cultural and dialectal clans among the Igbos of Nigeria occupies an area of 1328 square kilometers that share common boundaries with Ikot Ekpene and Ikot Abasi in Akwa Ibom State, Port Harcourt in Rivers State, Ngor Okpala in Imo State and Umuahia in Abia State.

In those good old days, the areas that make up what we call Aba today was a virgin thick forest which Ngwa people, the original owners of Aba, used to call ukata. It was used to refer to a virgin forest, a no-man’s land, so to say, where those who have the physical strength and are willing, could carve out large expanse of farmlands and even build living quarters, made of thatched mud houses in those days, for themselves by just walking into the place with their cutlass and clearing as much space as they could. The place so cleared then became theirs forever.

It was through that “clear-and-claim” way that an Ngwa son known as Aba inherited the place or area we know today as Eziukwu, Aba. There, he not only built homesteads for his extraordinary large family made up of many wives and sons and daughters, he also developed the area into a large expanse of farmland where food crops like yam, cocoyam, cassava and vegetables and cash crops like palm trees, raffia palms and bamboos were grown. In a particular part of the large farmland, a river creek ran through.

According to oral history, one day, some white men who were engaged in territorial/trade exploration from either Calabar or Ikot Ekpene area found themselves in the portion of farmlands belonging to Aba. They were said to have arrived through the mouth of river creek at the place Aba residents know today as Waterside, located at Ogbor Hill, Aba. Aided by a local interpreter from Ndoni, Rivers State, who could speak passable Igbo, the white men who were said to be interested in trading in oil palm produce soon entered into negotiation talks with Aba who they perceived had a lot of palm trees, a plantation of them, on his farmlands.
With time, they came to set up not only trading outposts but also colonial military presence to protect their oil trade.

“Aba is the first Ngwa man to receive the white man, hence today, Aba is known as Aba Ngwa, ” Eze Njoku recalled in an interview with Sunday Sun at his palatial home located on Njoku Avenue, off Aba-Owerri Road, Umungasi, Aba. “They used to hail him Baba (Lord). He was the one in charge of Aba Ngwa. I was not there but that’s what our forefathers told us. He was the man that the white people first met and who received them at the mouth of the river, what we know today as Aba Waterside. That’s why we insist on having a state, Aba State, named after him.”

Though Njoku was unable to provide dates on the events that preceded the creation of Aba, the business/commercial heartland of Nigeria, available written historical records show that the current location of the city is based on land conceded to the British crown by the Eziukwu - Aba community. With time, it became an administrative center of Britain’s colonial government.

In 1901, the British founded a military post in it, and in 1915, a railroad was constructed to link it to Port Harcourt, which transported agricultural goods such as palm oil and palm kernels. In 1929, it was the site of revolt by women historically known as “The Aba Women Riot”, in protest against the colonial taxation policy. But Njoku insists that apart from the 1929 riot in which Ngwa women carrying cassava stem leaves walked round the colonial quarters of the city to protest the proposed imposition of tax, there were two other protest marches organized by the women, one on account of low pricing, and cheating by the local dealers in cassava products then used to make starch for use on the uniform of British soldiers fighting the world wars, and another on account of scarcity of table salt.

Before its expansion to its present state covering Aba North with its headquarters at Eziukwu and Aba South Local Governments with its headquarters at Aba Town Hall, it was the original white settlers that planned out Aba city and assigned roads and streets to it. The first road to be created was Aba-Owerri, said to be lined up on both sides with oil bean trees, from Aba to Owerri, to provide shelter to pedestrians in sweltering heat periods.

But according to Njoku, frequent cases of fatal automobile accident resulting from reckless drivers running into the stationary oil bean trees prompted a government order to have the trees hewn down as a part of traffic safety campaigns. All the same Njoku recalls with nostalgia how one white man who he could not recall the correct spelling of his name would ride a bicycle from Aba to Owerri, and they, children at that time, would come out to the main road, to watch in apparent amazement. Sunday Sun’s investigation reveals that the whiteman’s name is Mr. J.A.C. McCall, a colonial oil production officer.

He also recalled how one Johnson, an indigene of Eziukwu Aba and a local driver to the white people would ride Rolls Royce through Aba-Owerri Road and they would come out to watch and to wave at the passing wonder on four wheels otherwise known by the locals as “Motor Nwaolongbo” (“nwaolongbo” being the name that some parts of Igbo land call necklace, in this case, “Motor Nwaolongbo” simply put would mean the motor car that is so long that it has its body divided into units or compartments like necklace)

In those colonial days, he recalled, you dared not urinate anywhere within the vicinity of the white men quarters, except in designated places. Otherwise, you stood the risk of being apprehended by the local colonial law enforcement officers known as “Kotma” (for court messengers) and charged to court where you would either be jailed or heavily fined.

Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, today sits on what used to be the starting point of Government Residential Area (GRA) of those days. From there, it extends to the portion of land occupied today by Aba Sports Club, up to Railway lines and even beyond it. They were all part of GRA. Economic trees planted in those days can still be seen standing on both sides of the road.

But residents like Davis Offor, alias “Clarus” of Nigeria’s
popular soap, The New Masquerade, insists that there is nothing like GRA any more in Aba as every space has been take up by business outfits.
“There is no GRA in Aba”, the ace actor comedian who lives somewhere off Aba- Owerri Road and who has lived in Aba since 1976 (he comes from Bende, Umuahia), said. “Everywhere is market stalls and small businesses. All this Clean and Green Initiative that Ohakim is talking about in Imo may not work in Aba. Aba people have no time to leave their businesses and begin to think of where to plant trees or flowers.”

“Aba used to have GRA in Ekenna area, some 25 years ago”, Rev. Shola Ayesuwa, from Ilutitun, Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State, recalled. “But now it has been bastardized. What you find now is hotels everywhere. So, you cannot say that Aba has a GRA for now. The government has to do a lot to improve things.” Speaking further the reverend minister who has lived in Aba for 26 years and who runs an extra-pastoral ministry, RESCUE THE PERISHING, an NGO (non-governmental organization), located at 149 Okigwe Road, Aba, noted sadly that “in some places people build their houses even on the main road without respect for the layout of the city’s streets.”

Emerging from the colonial times, Aba city was to later expand from Aba-Owerri Road where till today you have relics of colonial buildings like John Holt, BYC, G.B. Ollivant, CFAO, Mandilas, P.Z. Cusons, Dunlop that belonged to white colonial masters, still standing. Factory Road, Milverton Avenue, Hospital Road, Faulks Road, Tenant Road and other adjoining streets up till today showcase the old colonial architectural type of buildings such as you see in some parts of Yaba, Ebute Metta, Tinubu Square and Idumota in Lagos. All these have since come to be joined with other city layouts made up of popular streets like Nnamdi Azikiwe, Asa Road, Clifford Road, Okigwe Road, Cameroon Road, Eziukwu Road, Ngwa Road, St. Michael’s and Uratta Road, showcasing modern state of the art architectural buildings. We can say therefore that in Aba the old co-exists, side by side, with the new.

In 1967, during the height of Nigerian-Biafran War, Aba became the capital of the short-lived secessionist state of Biafra after Enugu its former capital fell into the hands of federal troops. Today, the city of Aba has a current population estimate of 4 million hardworking inhabitants, ranging from Abriba people who are said to dominate the commercial activities of Aba and, who through the introduction of importation helped to turn the city into an international business district, Efiks, Ibibios, Annangs, Hausas, Yorubas and other people from other parts of Igbo land.

Aba is a town that makes Abia State (a name said to be originally formed from the acronym derived from Aba, Bende, Isikwuato and Afikpo which ceased to be a part with the creation of Ebonyi State), tick. If not for anything at least for its products such as dresses, bags, and shoes which are known as “Aba made”. Although many people view these products as being cheap and not well-made, so far it has managed to hold its own against all odds and cynicism. In fact, Aba-made products are getting better by the day. Places where these products can be purchased include Ariaria International Market and Ahia Ohuu (New Market) where sale of hand-me-downs holds sway every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

“Aba made”
Traders come from places like Cameroon, Gabon, Ghana, Equatorial Guinea, etc come to make purchases at Ariaria International Market which boasts of a motley of fashion items like wrapper laces, cloths of various kinds, traditional African and Western-imported fabrics and locally-made footwear.
As you enter the shoe factory line, a signboard welcomes you to Umuehilegbu Shoe Industry Line where most of the shoes, ladies and men’s, are made. Artisans and skilled workers could be seen working furiously at designs, coupling this and that, looking at the work they have done, looking for possible angles that needed retouching here and there.

At Ariaria Market, goods and items are ranged in orderly fashion or manner so that you have each part, unit or line dealing with one line of products. For instance, there are areas where you can buy beautifully-woven beads of various kinds, shapes, sizes, colours and makes. This is followed by seemingly unending line of stalls dealing in clothes and clothing materials, ranging from industrial/corporate wears to individual. Clothing materials sold here are of top grades and also relatively cheap. Sunday Sun was told that most of top Nigerian designers and corporate institutions such as banks come to Aba to buy clothing materials.

Many of the “packet shirts” emblazoned with foreign labels are actually sewn and packaged at Aba before being taken to other parts of Nigeria and West Africa for distribution and sales. There are sections dedicated to sale of books, ranging from textbooks to novels, and religious books. Closely following them are stalls selling various stationery.

There are sections dealing in clothing accessories like jewellery, beads, as well as sewing machines,etc. There is a section that deals in manufacture and sale of foams for bedding and such things, Just as there are sections that deal in sale of chemicals, industrial and agricultural. There are sections that deal in sewing threads of all kinds just as there are sections that deal in electronics, electrical parts and fittings, shoes, men and women footwear.

Sources say that shoe accessories like Nora soles, shoe gums and other fanciful fittings are imported from China, Italy and Spain. There are also sections of the market dealing in drugs and other pharmaceutical products. The result is, for someone who has the money, a walk into Ariaria International Market presents one with an opportunity of something akin to one-stop shopping that could take you from one part of the big market to another.
Many buyers of men’s shoes, ladies shoes, children shoes, wholesale and retailers, could be seen trooping in and out of the showrooms either to make purchases or to place orders for designs that are very much in demand in their parts of the business world.

The other side of “Aba made”
Aba made? Popular Nigerian film makers and script-writers like Dr. Ola Balogun (who was born and bred in Aba), home video actors and actresses like Osita Iheme of Aki and Pawpaw fame, Benita Nzeribe of Street Life fame and Nkeiru Sylvanus famous for her realistic interpretative role in the popular film A Cry for Help and world-class artist-painter like Olu Oguibe who were either born or who grew up in Aba and whose stars can still be seen in the entertainment/art firmament, have combined to give that much vilified phrase “Aba Made” a different meaning.

With the showcasing of their artistic skills, together they have ensured that you don’t give that phrase an inferiority hue or casting any more. Neither in your mind, nor in your mouth. Therefore, in saying “Aba Made”, today you might need to differentiate between its products and its prodigies.
With constant improvement and standardization, not even its products can be termed inferior any more. They can conveniently compete with others made elsewhere insists Chijioke Nwaehie, Managing Director of Chiji Blessed Shoes (CBS) and one of those whose footwear sells like hot cake in Aba, on account of its high quality, almost comparable to shoes made in Italy or Brazil.

Aba in the eyes of residents
Aba used to be tough in time past, observes Davis Offor, “Clarus”. “In those days,” he recalls, “you would be watching and a motor park tout would get hold of Inspector of Police, beat him up very well and break his baton or whatever. Even if you raid their hideouts, before you know it they are all out of the cell. Whatever transpired at the police station is known only to them and the police.

“Somebody reliably told me that in those days, one day a so-called gentleman dressed in three-piece suit was walking along the street with a briefcase when somebody snatched it from him. He started pursuing the man. Somewhere along the line a policeman joined in the chase around Milverton Avenue.
“The moment the owner of the briefcase sighted the police, he disappeared from the scene. Eventually, they caught up with the thief around Milverton Avenue/Asa Road. They asked him the owner of the briefcase. He claimed to be the owner. They asked him what was in it, he mentioned some things. They insisted on his opening the briefcase. He did and lo and behold, it contained human parts.

‘No, I am not the owner of the briefcase’, he suddenly changed his story. ‘Shut up,’ the bystanders shouted at him, ‘you told us just now that the briefcase belongs to you.’ Suddenly, they descended on him and began to beat him. But for the presence of the police, they would have lynched him. Pleading innocence of the crime, he said, “My people, I thought all of you here know me as a bag snatcher and pickpocket. When did I graduate to a ritual murderer? Believe me, I picked this one up in the course of my usual bag-snatching and pick-pocket business.’ But the angry and blood-thirsty mob would hear none of that. That is Aba for you. You see and hear all sorts of things.”

“Aba is everybody’s town”, says Ayesuwa who calls himself an ama-ala (omo-onile or son of the soil), on account of his fluency in Igbo language. “It is a city that loves strangers. It is a city in which you can move about without molestation, a city that doesn’t discriminate against strangers, wherever you come from, once you are not into anything incriminating or criminal, nobody bothers you.”

Alhaji Abdullahi Abubakar, from Sabuwa Local Government, Katsina, who is the chairman of Hausa elders in Abia State Central Mosque located at 92, Hospital Road agrees with Ayesuwa’s observation about Ngwa people’s hospitality to strangers. Abubakar who had lived in Aba for over forty years revealed in an interview with Sunday Sun, an interview in which in which Alhaji Idris Bashir, the Chief Imam of Aba Central Mosque, graciously acted as his interpreter, said over the years he had made many Igbo friends, some dead, some alive, and can even speak Igbo language a bit. Abubakar who originally came to market onions at New Market in the 70s eventually decided to build a house and to settle down at Aba for good.

Hotels and restaurants
They say all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. In Aba, all business and no relaxation turns one, perhaps, into a mere money machine. Hence, there are hotels and eateries here and there to cater for the bodily needs of businessmen. From Milverton Avenue to Umungasi, from St. Michael’s Road to Umuahia Road, relaxation spots exist. They are places where you can go and unwind after the day’s Herculean business runs. From the look of things, hotels and restaurants are one of the most thriving businesses in Aba.

On the Aba-Owerri Road, one of the most popular and busiest roads in Aba besides Nnamdi Azikiwe, Faulks, Ehi Road and Okigwe Road, Asa/Factory Road, Hospital Road, and Milverton Avenue, there is Appolonia Hotels as there is Benize Hotels right after it. Right opposite it is the Emanet Hotels. On the same road that stretches from Osisioma Junction to join Asa Road at the other end are Hotel Enitona said to be one of the oldest in Aba as there is Elca Crest Hotels Limited. Their services are complemented by the ones rendered by such eateries as Mr. Bigg’s, Sweet, Terminus Fries, Crunchies, located along the same route.
There are Hotel De La Paix, Mount Mentabel and Micky Guest House located on Brass Stree/Faulks Road as there are Jevinik, a popular eatery and Mr. Fan’s and Hotel De Ville located on the adjoining Okigwe Road. On the other side of Aba called Ogbor Hill, there are Rowmay Hotels, South Asia Hotels and Spelling Garden Hotels.
NEXT WEEK: Abeokuta, beyond the political rumbles













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Ok. Share what you got, unconvincing or not. You are not dealing with babies here.

Kobojunkie:
Any supporting document to back up this claim? This is one thing I hate about many of the Eastern states. Limited access to information.

I read that on the internet sometime back. Some googling can help, perhaps

Kobo:

read my post before your last one. I have told you that Faulks road is fed road. My brother with links in govt just confirmed, although I know this already. If you think otherwise, it is for you to show proof.

Kobojunkie:
The above was over a year ago. I wonder what happened to that project. Anyone have any updates for us on the state of the project?

As I heard, the contract was withdrawn because the feds say they won't pay for work on their road that they did not approve in the first place. So it will be unrefundable money if Abia goes ahead to fix those roads. That money should have been used for the state roads. I only hope it is still intact.

Kobo,

The govt of Abia should be held responsible for the state roads, while the feds should tackle their own roads. Faulks road is fed, but again, that is not the only road in Aba. There is no reason for the seeming neglect of that otherwise great city by both parties (fed and state).

Other eastern states are fairing far better than Abia in terms of road infrastructure and the govt of that state should better sit up or ship out.

I do not believe that all the roads in Aba (be they fed or state) are bad. Why do you guys not balance the story by posting fotos of the good ones?

Yes Kobo; Faulks road is fed road. Just confirmed this

Udezue,

2 million naira is far more than 2000 USD. It should be something like 10,000-12,000 USD

morpheus24:
The ony thing that will compensate is one dead northern NYSC student.

Where you go see the hausa corper to kill? May be its even Kanuri (since the incidence took place in Maiduguri). How many of them go to school to begin with?

Kobo,

I think Faulks road, just like Aba-PH road (not the Enugu-Aba-PH express road oh!) is a fed road. This is not to mean that the gov should not work on clearly state roads. Those Aba rich merchants should be taxed to pay for services

Are those roads federal or state roads? Please try and distinguish betwwen those because I do not expect the gov to be building/repairing federal roads with state funds. I fully understand what he has to do for state roads. I know that, for e.g., Aba-Owerri road (Umungasi) is fed road.

If the federal roads in Lagos are not Fasola's business why should Federal road in the East be the business of eastern governors? Most of those bad roads in Aba and Onitsha are federal roads. Not so?