By Chima Nwafo

The eventual emergence of Dr. Alex Otti of Labour Party as Governor of Abia State is a good example of Victor Hugo’s idea whose time has come. And his elevation of Aba to a mayoralty – 67 years after the emergence of the first two mayors in Eastern Nigeria – is equally matched by the choice of a Harvard-trained industrialist boasting over four decades of residence in the town as mayor. These, alongside his other positive policies, seem to confirm the electorate’s adulation that a messiah has come to deliver Abia from inept and corrupt administrations of the past 24 years. Such a displacement will naturally attract hostile opposition.

Aba’s cosmopolitan status is not in question. Although the original indigenes are now scattered, they are within their ancestral lands. And when the colonists were said to have visited Aba from Akwete in 1896, they met with the elders of the land, notably, from Eziukwu, Umungasi, Obuda, among others, with whom representatives of Queen Victoria of England later signed a pact. Venue of the meeting is honoured as location of The Museum of Colonial History on Ogborhill, Aba (EN Akwaranwa).

However, the settlement that formed the nucleus of Aba Township was around Eke-Oha Market (destroyed by fire in 1976) and Motor Park area opposite Aba Town Hall. So, trading activities and physical development began from this axis. As a result, Aba urban had pipe-borne water by 1927. But Colonial officers chose suitable locations in the wide expanse given the friendliness of the natives and conducive physical environment.

For administrative convenience, and partially influenced by stranger elements including the Yoruba and Hausa, the “Township Ordinance of 1923 aimed to carve out Ngwa communities from Aba Urban; it intended that the town be separate and headed by a Colonial Administrative Officer with the advice of a Board whose membership was selected by the Resident.” (Ibid).

Consequently, when the Eastern Protectorate created local councils in 1954, most of the Aba communities like Eziukwu, Osusu, Obuda and Aba na Ohazu area, among others, were in the defunct Southern Ngwa County Council (current Osisioma LGA).

Municipal administration

In the developed world most municipalities are administered by mayors with democratically-elected or selected councils. In The Mayors’ Role in Municipal Government, Michael Roberts posited: “In a mayoral form, the Mayor is the elected chief executive of the city and is in charge of running the government. There is usually also an elected city council, which is in charge of laws, budget, etc. City managers, sometimes known as city administrators, are generally appointed by mayors or councils, based on their education and experience in local government administration. Mayors are elected by their constituents or selected from among members of the council through an election or rotation.”(Details in my soon to be published book, Nigeria In The Grip of Floods, Flames & Fumes).

If Aba was a mayoralty, its status and global rating would have improved. Besides, milestone events like the 1896 pact, 1923 ordinance, 1912 rail connection and 1929 Aba Women’s Riot would have enjoyed centennial commemoration and visual landmarks.

Ide John C Udeagbala, 5Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Udeagbala Holdings (Nigeria) Limited, Aba, Abia State, is a Harvard University-trained Economist and immediate past President of National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), after completing his term as First Deputy President, and earlier presiding over ACCIMA, he currently serves as an ex-officio member of the over a 100-nation International Federation of Chambers of Commerce and World Chambers of Commerce (IFCC-WCC) from January, 2023. This qualifies him as a global advocate of Medium and Small scale Enterprises (MSMEs) as major driver of industrial growth. Udeagbala was honoured in 1996 with the National Productivity Merit Award and later appointed member, Board of Nigerian Customs, among others. Before elevation as mayor he was the Chairman of Abia State Environmental and Sanitation Committee.

Udeagbala by virtue of his membership of the IFCC-WCC will be working with Chamber executives globally in supporting MSMEs in collaboration with ICC; contributing to the development strategy to reinforce the chamber community. Above all, he will be representing Nigeria and Africa at the international level to promote growth and spread of MSMEs. Therefore, Aba mayoralty now has its CEO discussing MSME development, among other issues on behalf of Nigeria at the global level.

Against the foregoing backdrop, both the decision to elevate Aba to a mayoralty and choice of candidate are well-informed and beyond reproach. But the consequent bickering is partly political and also attributable to the unprofessional headlines announcing the offer: “Otti appoints Anambra billionaire Mayor of Aba….” as reported in various online platforms, giving it a clannish perspective. Being an “Anambra billionaire” did not earn Udeagbala that noble office. Under Zik’s government as Premier of Eastern Region, when Enugu and Port Harcourt attained municipal status in 1956, Umaru Altine and Okwuosha Nzimiro emerged first mayors of Enugu and Port Harcourt respectively. While Altine hailed from Sokoto Nzimiro came from Oguta just as his successor, Francis Ihekwoaba, also hails from today’s Imo State. None was an indigene. No print media would report or identify Mike Adenuga and his ilk in Lagos as Ogun State billionaire in matters of appointment or representation. Such clannish identification diminishes the individual. On the contrary, the Ide is a billionaire because he has spent the last 40 years or more working hard at Aba, and succeeded in building a business empire that has earned him national and global prominence.

Nonetheless, this is part of the challenges of Udeagbala’s new office as Mayor of Aba. The Aba business community still lags in modern approach to entrepreneurship. Aba Club/Golf Course dates back to mid-20s, but no news of events in such upper class relaxation centres, including Aba hotels, filters into the national news landscape. Enyimba business men/women need lessons in Branding, Advertising, Public Relations, Corporate Governance, Urban beautification and Corporate Social Responsibility. Sport and social commitment seem to be missing in their business lexicon. In collaboration with relevant state ministry, the Mayor can set the pace. He should also take advantage of3 international exposure to embrace inclusive city development and diverse environmental demands of urban planning.

Strategic location

Aba is strategically located as a centre of commerce. It has played that key role in retail and bulk purchases of palm produce for export and imported commodities for distribution to neighbouring Niger Delta communities right from the era of Oil Rivers Protectorate to the coming of the Royal Niger Company, which morphed to United African Company (UAC). From Aba the merchants easily moved their produce by road to Abonnema Wharf, Port Harcourt or Egwanga-Opobo (now Ikot Abasi in Akwa Ibom State) for shipment by sea to Europe and Americas. The extension of the rail line to Aba in 1912 became additional boost to trade, which attracted merchants like UAC, John Holt, Patterson Zochonis (PZ), Indian traders, etc. Later, manufacturing outfits like Nigerian Breweries, Lever Brothers, Nicholas, Pfizer (1962), Aba Textile Mills (1963), etc.

The central location to the northern and southern ends of the Region earned it siting of the Eastern Nigerian Television Service (later NTA, Aba), which facilitated reception in the riverine areas of present Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom as well as neighbouring towns of Abia and Imo states; ditto head office of the defunct Cooperative Bank of Eastern Nigeria, commercial banks and insurance companies.

Birth of Dr K O Mbadiwe (1912) and one-time Minister of National Planning, Dr Chu Okongwu, in 1934 at Aba, among others, confirms the early presence of non-indigene settlers. An encounter with one urbane Dr Balogun in 1983 as Features Sub-editor in The Guardian also merits mention. After introduction during which he asked where I came from; I said Osisioma, Aba; he softly responded: I was born at Aba; my father was a magistrate there. Instantly, his mood altered, and rather than the initial anger over an editing error on his Art piece, he began to counsel me like an older colleague, attributing the mistake to inexperience.

Alafia Tayo was the business name of a Yoruba man that introduced and transformed the Ajo daily contribution into an organised daily savings syndicate at Aba. He engaged young men whom he gave branded bicycles and assigned routes across the city. His reputation might have been so impeccable, because after the war some of his experienced staff who started a similar business was inundated with enquiries as to when their boss would return.

Ace NTA Newscaster, Sienne Allwell-Brown of Rivers extraction, is an “Aba girl” because her father owned an emporium, Allwell Brown Stores just as another Kalabari man, Solomon Simbi, a former Assistant Editor, Eastern Nigerian Guardian, Port Harcourt, relocated to Aba where he published The Statesman.

In 1934, when Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe returned from the USA, the committee that received him at Aba was chaired by one Sigismund Macaulay, a lawyer, supported by Montacute Thompson, “whose ability as a lawyer and an advocate was renowned in this part of the world,” wrote Zik who also named some notable Ngwa men present at the reception. When the first Ibibio lawyer, renowned Justice Egbert Udo-Udoma, returned from United Kingdom in 1945, he set up his legal practice at Aba even as K O Mbadiwe chose 111/113 Azikiwe Road as Headquarters of his short-lived Democratic Party of Nigerians and Cameroons.

Ochi-Agha Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu (Ikemba Nnewi) penned Aba among a few places his body lied-in-state. Part of his reasons could be seen from 3rd Senate president (1964-66), Dr Abyssinia Akweke Nwafor-Orizu’s presentation during his 1946 visit to Aba. His words: “Aba was famous as a centre of palm produce trade. Situated on the railway line between Enugu and Port Harcourt, it was a political hot-bed of the East. It did not boast of high schools or newspapers, but it certainly had men and women of Enlightenment, Culture and Patriotism. Aba is in Ngwa land and the Ngwas are a great and virile people. It was, therefore, no wonder that Aba became one of the most prominent centres of revolutionary ideologies and activities in the nation… Being near Ibibios and overwhelmingly populated by Arondizuogus, Ohafians, and Nnewians of the Ibo, the cycle was complete.”

Fire brand activist, Chief Margaret Ekpo (OFR); born in Creek Town, Calabar, was Proprietor, Windsor Domestic Science/Sewing Institute, Aba. Her legendary mobilisation of Aba Market Women earned her recognition as spokesperson for women/NCNC delegate during the various constitutional conferences. She was elected Member of Parliament from Aba to the Eastern House of Assembly (1954-66). Mr F I Okoronkwo (from Mbieri, Owerri) succeeded her in 1966. In 1999, Mr Silas Wanganga represented Aba urban in the House of Representatives while Aba South and Aba North State Constituencies were won by non-indigenes, Gideon Atulomah and J N Nwobbi respectively. Not much changed from 1999 to date as-stranger elements continue to share elective positions with indigenes.

Mayoral events

On October 2nd and 3rd there was a gathering of mayors from Europe and beyond in Switzerland – The Third UNECE Forum of Mayors 2023 with the theme “Urban Regeneration Towards 2030” – was organised by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNICE). It attracted mayors from across Europe and other parts of the world, including Africa where mayors from six countries attended. They discussed projects to achieve more inclusive, resilient and sustainable urban development.

On November 9, Marrakech, Morocco, hosted “Africa Investment Forum 2023” described as “high level mayoral event leveraging cities and municipalities on national development.” But, Nigeria’s only presence was Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State. Ironically, because Lagos has no mayor to represent the mega city in such an important international concourse.

As Aba joins world family of mayors, it is also important to draw the attention of both Abia State Government and the mayoralty to global events already marked for 2024. For example, the United States which boasts the largest number of cities with high profile mayors has several events designed to equip and empower mayors next year.

World Conference of Mayors is slated for January 26-28 in Eastonville/Orlando, Orange County, State of Florida, USA, with the invitational appeal: Let us face 2024, and the Future, as Family; We are one; We are Together.

And from Russia comes the invite to International Conference of Mayors, Moscow, September16-17, 2024. According to the planners, mayors of more than 100 cities of the world and heads of international organisations are expected at the Russian capital. In Athens, 2022 confab, “functions of the chairman of the conference were handed over to the Mayor of Moscow, Yuri Luzhkov,” as host of the 2024 version. Such events help to unite the world.

Finally, it is important to note that much as constructive criticism and opposition is healthy for democracy, but for efficiency and good governance, merit must be given preference in the choice of candidates for core public institutions. As auto advert says, “Good product, good thinking.” Otti should be commended for his choice of a good product for the office of first Mayor of Aba City. On his part, Udeagbala is challenged to exceed the expectations of right thinking members of the public who appreciate his candidature. All parties must unite to move Aba forward as a growing 21st Century industrial hub.

Nwafo, a veteran Journalist and Public Affairs Analyst, can be reached on: chi_dafo@yahoo.com!; +2349065225130.

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*Says, Come May 29 Presidential Inauguration, the world will be agog

The King of Fuji Music, Olasunkanmi Ayinde Marshal, popularly known as K1 De Ultimate, has endorsed a live-streaming application developed by a Nigerian startup, Imprxx, created by Ayo Ileesemi.

The music maestro, in a press briefing at his Mayegum Royal Resort in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, said Imprxx will open a lot of eyes to what most people probably believe will be too hard and impossible to get done.

His words: “I volunteer myself, and I know that within a short period of time, a lot of people will follow suit. We have the grace of having a transition, and when we witness the benefit of it plus what we have done together with imprxx, we want to showcase the whole thing to the world, to let the world know you have the word next to you right in your sitting room, wherever you are in Australia, China or America, wherever you are. You can have the feeling like everything is happening next to you. That's the essence of it—to be able to beam the May 29 presidential inauguration in Abuja live, and let everybody know that all these things they've been keeping away from us from afar can be truly brought nearer to us.

“Imprxx will define how we will receive live shows in music or live theatre. It makes us understand that we should be thankful for the innovations that are available to us now. When they used to say the world ‘global village,’ one might not quickly recognise what we're trying to talk about. I can be here in my office, passing music to the rest of the world, and everybody will enjoy it. You don't necessarily need to be at every venue before you get things done.

“This innovative idea is to tell us that the world is moving. The world is not static; it's moving, and we should move. If you don't move, then you've lost it. I don't want to be one of the losers. I want to be in the moment and enjoy the benefits.”

In appreciation of the partnership to be the brand ambassador for Imprxx, K1 enthused: “I give glory to God Almighty. I've always been a supporter of every good initiative that comes the way of entertainment so that every entertainer and the people will see the very best of what everybody expected. I am also grateful to Imprxx for considering me worthy of such a partnership. And it will help others take a cue from me to better their lives too. It is not going to be only me; before you know it, within the first month, I believe the whole world will be feeling good about the initiative we're talking about.”

In his remarks, the soft-spoken creator of Imprxx, Mr Ayo Ileesemi, explained that Imprxx is a digital platform that's going to handle content from a very broad angle, and one of those angles is keeping a playlist of whatever content we have.

“Be rest assured that K1’s content, the old schools, and the new ones —everything — will be accessible on Imprxx. In content creation, there's something they call reel on Facebook, and I think in Tik Tok, we are disrupting that by adding a broad thing to reel in Imprxx. So new things are coming to the field of the reel in Imprxx, and every content of K1.

“Imprxx is going to serve all content creators. So once you create your content, the rest comes from live streaming. From wherever you live stream on Imprxx, it will automatically be on Imprxx. So it opens you up to anybody in the world to have that on Imprxx, which is also a platform where once you live stream from there, you have your content, and you can still bring old content, put it on a waitlist. And that content is what they used to do on the reel. Reel means that if I want to do a live video, I have a playlist of songs that I can put in an interface with the live video, and two of them come out together as live content.

On generation of employment by Imprxx, which is going to interest so many people, Ayo noted: “What we are bringing to the entertainment industry is the creation of almost 500,000 jobs from the angle. Content creators should be ready. Videographers should be ready. Musicians should be ready; the Central Bank of Nigeria should be ready, Nigeria and the world should be ready for this disruption and new innovations that are going to create so many opportunities for the world.”

Talking of live streaming, how possible will it be for K1 to interact with people who are not physically at an event? Ileseeni said:

“It's possible because Imprxx is creating a dedicated interface in the space of live streaming. If he’s onstage doing his music, what we've seen before is people consuming what he's doing from any part of the world that has existed. But he has not created a chance for an engrossing entertainer to also interact with people in the digital space. Imprxx is bridging that space right now.

“We are bringing a dedicated interface whereby no matter how engrossed he is on the stage he can still briskly interact with people in the space. What that means is that if you are having a birthday elsewhere in Nigeria and KI is here in Ijebu-Ode, he will be playing from the studio. We are interfacing you with him because there’s going to be a dedicated interface in your house and his studio. As you're in your house, you will interface with him, and he will sing for you, and everyone will see it.

“Then you also have the chance to live-spray K1. Because, normally, these are the things we know as our own lifestyle in this part of the world. So we are turning that into another means of monetization; so that comes in as digital monetisation for entertainers. This is one of the unique factors of Imprxx to the world. Every spray is digital, which means we are helping the Central Bank of Nigeria solve the problem of abuse of the naira, because they've been looking for a solution.

The Imprxx founder thanked K1 for his support for the innovation given his fatherly figure and inspiration, even as he promised that in a short while, “we are going to approach CBN in solving a problem. In a short while, we're also going to approach job creation that's going to come in the next two weeks, because we are planning collaborations with the National Institute of Film Technology in Abuja.

“We're also partnering with Pefti, a leading brand in the production of LED screens. And in the next two weeks, we should be talking about creating 120 jobs for anchors; we call them Imprxx Anchors. These are the guys that will bring the dedicated interface to your house to interface you with K1. From June, people can book for K1, bringing affordability to his services. You can have the best of K1 for five minutes or 30 minutes in the comfort of your home.”

Culled from http://www.gatmash.com

TORDUE SALEM: NUJ issues police 24-hour mandate for missing journalist

Following the disappearance of an Abuja based journalist, Mr.Tordue Henry Salem, the Nigerian Union of Journalists FCT Council, has given the Nigerian Police, the Department of State Security (DSS) and other security agencies a 24-hour mandate to produce the journalist.

The mandate was handed down at a World Press Conference organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Chapter, in conjunction with some Human Rights Organizations, including Human Rights Writers Association (HURIWA), Men Against Rape Foundation and others.

The FCT NUJ Chairman, Comrade Emmanuel Ogbeche said that the Council promptly informed the Police and other security agencies immediately the case of Salem was made known to the Council and that he has been following the matter up to today.

He lamented that the Police and other security agencies have so far, not done anything to unravel the whereabouts of the missing Vanguard newspaper reporter who covers the National Assembly.

Ogbeche stated that in this digital age, it takes little or no serious efforts to locate a missing person who has mobile telephone and other facilities easy to track.

“We challenge the security agencies to prove us otherwise.

If it were not so, as at this moment, they would have been able to tell us what efforts they have undertaken in locating the whereabouts of Mr. Salem.

We want to say that there will be consequences for Mr Salem’s disappearance,“ Comrade Ogbeche said.

He also said the onus is on the security agencies to produce Mr. Salem or prove to the Council and the Nigerian public that the journalist is not in their captivity.

The chairman also said that the issue of kidnapping has been ruled out as no one has made any contacts whatsoever.

On his part, the Chairman of Human Rights Organizations, including Human Rights Writers Association (HURIWA), Comrade Emmanuel Onwumbiko, said that the Civil Society Organisations have been raising alarms over frequent disappearance of citizens.

He cited similar cases where citizens have been reported missing, only to be produced by the Police after some months and in some cases, years, like in the case of Jones Abiri, a journalist who was detained by the Police for two years without the knowledge of his family and the public.

He called on the government to scrap underground cells in the country.

He said that the disappearance of the journalist in front of the force headquarters was shameful.

https://von.gov.ng/2021/10/20/nuj-issues-police-24-hour-mandate-for-missing-journalist/

A Vanguard Newspaper National Assembly, correspondent, Tordue Henry Salem, has been declared missing.

Tordue was last seen on last Wednesday, October 13, 2021, at Garki, Abuja, between the hour of 8 and 9 pm.

General public are hereby begged to contact 080 36176698 or 0817 9179901 for any information if found.