From Uche Usim, Abuja
It was a dream come true for Amaelu Abam community in Arochukwu Local Government Area, Abia State, when a philanthropist and businessman, Chief Chijioke James Umeh, recently pledged to rebuild the dilapidated, 83-year-old customary court building that has defaced the area for decades.
To match his words with action, Umeh visited the community, accompanied by a contractor hired to execute the project.
Penultimate Tuesday, a foundation-laying ceremony for the new court building was held, which provided the community a chance to appreciate the gesture.
The old court building was built by the colonial masters in 1939 and had gone so bad that the staff of the Abia State Judiciary, Customary Courts Division, abandoned the place and relocated their operations to Ozu Abam, another autonomous community.
Performing the ceremony, the traditional ruler of the area, Eze Ogbuka Origa, described the project as a long-awaited dream that will soon become a reality, judging by the pedigree of the man funding it. He said the community has secured the contractor’s assurances of delivering the project within two months, using the best materials available.
The traditional ruler committed the project and Abam as a whole into God’s hands, even as he prayed for more developmental projects to spring up in the entire Abam clan.
He added that the foundation-laying ceremony was an indication that God had finally answered the prayers of Abam by elevating its sons and daughters to positions of financial authority and philanthropy.
Eze Origa, who performed the ceremony with the chairman of Ndi Ezeogo, Chief Uka Oji, and members of the Ezeogo Abam-in-council, expressed gratitude to God for “touching Umu Abam, especially, Chief Chijioke James Umeh (Ike Abam), who has not relented in using his God-given resources to develop Abam.”
Origa prayed fervently for God’s protection over those who will see to the realisation of the project.
“We’re also praying heartily for the grace of God all through the time the project will last and also for our son Chief Chijioke James Umeh, Ike Abam, who has shown enough benevolence, for all Umu Abam. May God bless us all,” the monarch said.
In his prayers, Ezeogo, Uka Oji thanked God who gave Ndi Abam such a gallant father like Onyerubi Atita Akpo, and prayed that the light that has been witnessed in Abam Onyerubi will never be extinguished.
The new executive of Abam Development Union (ADU), led by Mr. Michael Onwuchekwa, the president of the Customary Courts, assured Ndi Abam that, as soon as the road was rehabilitated and a befitting court building provided, all the staff that hitherto relocated to Ozu Abam would return to Amaelu Abam to continue their duties.
“The ADU made a series of appeals to Umu Abam and, to the glory of God, our untiring son, Ike Abam, on Sunday, April 17, 2022, promised to build a totally new court for Ndi Abam.
“About two weeks ago, Chief Chijioke James Umeh mobilized the contractor and without waste of time the contractor commenced work. This is great,” Onwuchekwa stated at the foundation-laying ceremony.
President-general of ADU commended the efforts of Prince Dan Kalu, who earlier started a court hall project and pleaded that he should not relent until the project becomes a reality.
According to him, “The number of projects sited at Amaelu Abam will show our respect for the efforts of our ancestors.”
Onwuchekwa equally thanked Kalu for coming to the rescue of the community by addressing some road challenges
He pleaded to the government to construct the road between the Ozu Ndi Oji Arochukwu to connect Amaelu Abam.
The 83-year-old building has yearned for a comprehensive remodelling but had not witnessed that in over eight decades, until Umeh took up the challenge.
The ceremony attracted many illustrious sons of Abam, including Peter Ojugo, His Lordship Agwu Kalu Igodo, Chibueze Njoku, Peter Okereke first deputy president-general of ADU; Mr. Jacob Okere Kalu, second deputy president-general of ADU; and Pastor Iroy Chinemerem Orji, a Federal House of Representatives aspirant on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC) for the Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency who is a native of Amannagwu in Arochukwu.
They described Umeh as a very good man determined to make better the lives of those around him.