•Community honours Ukiwe, Anya, Okafor, others, launches building project
•Gov Ikpeazu urges Abians to think home
By Gilbert Ekezie
The Abiriba in Abia State are known for their industry. They are exceptional in black smith and sculpture and artifacts production. But they excel a lot more in merchandising their main stay.
The larger Abiriba clan is made up of three main communities: Ameke, Agboji and Amogudu. Known for their traditional monarchial system of government, they are governed by an Eze called Enachioken.
Because the Abiriba people are predominantly merchants, they are expectedly widely travelled within and outside Nigeria. As exposed and prosperous people, they know much about trends. They also have access to lots of money with which they have transformed their locality from a rural to a model sub-urban community boosting some of the most exotic buildings in the country. The people take great pride in the serenity and aesthetic nature of their land. So they shun attempts by individuals and even government to set up factories in the town to avoid pollution.
In 1959 it would be recalled, late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, was so enamoured by the sheer beauty of Abiriba community that he nicknamed it “Small London,” – a name that has survived the times.
Daily Sun was told that over the years, the community had experienced little, direct impact of the government. In some instances government was said to have got involved in the life of the town only with the agreement that the environment impact should be minimal. That explains why the people have always been actively engaged self-help projects.
In furtherance to their strides, the people under the aegis Abiriba Communal Improvement Union (ACIU), Lagos branch, recently converged on National Arts Theatre in Lagos to launch a N1billion multi-purpose Abiriba House project and to hand awards of excellence in business and leadership and recognitions to some deserving people. The event was well attended by many prominent Abiriba indigenes, and their friends and well-wishers. You have guessed rightly, the famous Abiriba war dancers aka ‘Ikirikpa Ogu’ were present and endlessly entertained all and sundry.
Those who were given awards on the night included former military governor of Niger and Lagos states, Commodore Okoh Ebitu Ukiwe (retd); Professor of Zoology and first Director of the School of Post Graduate Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Anya O.Anya; Chairman of Honeywell Group, Oba (Dr) Otudeko; Executive Chairman, Chicason Group, Chief (Dr) Alexander Chika Okafor, Dr Ernest Azudialu Obiejesi, Elder Urum Kalu Eke, Prince Christian Odinaka Igwe, Elder Ekeoma Eme Ekeoma, Eze (Amb) Damian Obianigwe, Chief Onuma Nkpa and Elder Ogbogu Kalu.
In his speech, President of ACIU, Lagos branch, Mr. Ogbonnaya Odim Ukariwo Ndukwo, extolled the vision, foresight, industry and entrepreneurship of the forefathers of Abiriba Kingdom, who established solid foundations of achievement upon which the present leadership of the community strives to build.
He expressed joy that the present generation of Abiriba people had ‘exported’ the virtues of the community everywhere around Nigeria and the world. And this now had made every Abiriba person exemplary wherever they found themselves.
Ndukwo recalled that the people of Abiriba were bound by their long history of industry and cosmopolitan outlook as a result of their well-documented global footprints, and had continued to transforming the locality from the traditional village setting to a model, urban town with enviable infrastructure.
He further recalled that ACIU founded in 1947as a developmental organ of the community, had over the years, been at the forefront of promoting the aggregate quest of Abiriba people for human capital and infrastructural development, thus ensuring the well-being of the community and the society at large.
According to him the distinguished statesmen, achievers, corporate and institutional leaders were being rewarded to encourage the younger generation to pursue its vision and dream with enterprise, resourcefulness, excellence and integrity.
Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, commended the people of Abiriba for their developmental strides and called on Abia people resident in any part of the country and beyond to think home in their major investments.
He explained that more investment in Abia by the indigenes would create employment, thereby reducing the criminal activities being witnessed in the state.
Ikpeazu who expressed joy for the bold step taken by the people of Abiriba noted that such programme was a sign of unity and development strides of the business-minded people of Abiriba.
“I commend you for the efforts you are making here; but it is very important that you should think home and make more investment there in order to create more jobs for the unemployed youths which will at the same time, reduce crime rate in the state.”
Chairman of the occasion, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, expressed joy at being part of the epoch-making event, describing the people of Abiriba as committed, united and business minded.
He noted that the proposed Abiriba House in Lagos would go a long way in promoting business activities as they were known for commerce.
Ohuabunwa therefore appealed to all to join hands in ensuring that the proposed Abiriba House was completed.
In a keynote address titled: Building better communities for a better world; the Group Managing Director, First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) Holdings Plc, Elder Urum Kalu Eke, said education determines the height an individual or community can ever attain. He noted that the aspiration of everyone should be to build a sustainable, learning environment and platform for learning and education, otherwise fundamental and strategic thinking for self actualisation and human dignity could not happen. He observed that investment in education holds the key to a bright future.
Eke also informed that the proposed Abiriba House in Lagos would create employment, increase purchasing power and contribute to the internal revenue profile of Lagos State. He projected that the income generated from the house would go into funding and maintaining projects back home including scholarship awards.
Responding, two of the awardees, Professor Anya and Chief (Dr) Okafor commended Abiriba people for the honour done to them, assuring that they would continue to play the leadership, philanthropic and developmental roles they are known for. `
