Umu Abia, olee otu unu mere? Ekeleem unu nile.

I think that it's about time that we Abians congregate to discuss the welfare of Abia State. Through our discussions, we can raise ideas, suggestions, and questions that we can carry to the right ears.

It is through platforms like this that information is spread and possible solutions to our many problems can be found. So let us, Abians and Abia well-wishers, congregate to discuss the affairs of our dear state.

Ndeewonu o.

hm . . . I told you of the meeting here only last weekend, right? The organization claimed to be 10,000 strong.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/100-Igbos-USA-INC-Ama-Ndigbo/132009473509323

Abia State is a beautiful state. We are; filled with strong and industrious people; blessed with abundant natural resources; and engrained with a strong working mentality.

Our state is among the richest in Nigeria, our people among the most numerous, our students among the best educated, but our government among the least performing.

Why is this so?

Kobojunkie: hm . . . I told you of the meeting here only last weekend, right? The organization claimed to be 10,000 strong.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/100-Igbos-USA-INC-Ama-Ndigbo/132009473509323

That page seems as if it's geared for cultural events. I believe that it will be better for us to discuss here since we are already here. Besides the page only has 349 or so members.

Anyway, Kobo, are you an indigene of Abia? What do you think about Abia?

Personally, I think the main issue with Abia state is poor management which all started in the tenure of Orji Uzor Kalu.

Kalu introduced the trend of mass corruption in our government by embezzling funds and creating one fake committee or another in order to squeeze out more of our state's money.
In addition to this, he is also responsible for the rigging of the 2003 and 2007 elections. In 2007, he dashed the governorship to his colleague from Abia North, T.A. Orji.

Two words: Bad leadership

And Abia needs to get rid of this rotational system for governors. It is just as bad as the North/South rotation for the presidency.

Nebeuwa: Two words: Bad leadership

And Abia needs to get rid of this rotational system for governors. It is just as bad as the North/South rotation for the presidency.

Exactly.

We have a rotation-style governorship in Abia because corruption has forced us to make things "fair" for each Senatorial District. Personally, I don't like it but the truth is there are sides of Abia that fear domination from other sides if the governorship were a free-for-all. I think this mentality arose as people started losing hope in the governorship since they do little work outside of their immediate localities (if at all they do do something).

This is the type of mentality that we Abians must rid ourselves of.

odumchi:

Exactly.

We have a rotation-style governorship in Abia because corruption has forced us to make things "fair" for each Senatorial District. Personally, I don't like it but the truth is there are sides of Abia that fear domination from other sides if the governorship were a free-for-all. I think this mentality arose as people started losing hope in the governorship since they do little work outside of their immediate localities (if at all they do do something).

This is the type of mentality that we Abians must rid ourselves of.

I do not understand this fear of domination amongst the different zones in Abia. What did Orji Uzor Kalu do for Bende? What has T.A. Orji done for Umuahia, except for buying up property and building expensive homes?

Abia could be one of the richest states in Nigeria. It is not only blessed (or cursed) with oil, but it has the industrial might of Aba within the state.

maybe a micheal okpara like brain is needed to do the 'magic'.

Our poor leadership has brought about rot and decay in everything.

Take roads for example.
In parts of Abia, the roads are just poor. In northeastern Abia, there is a saying that goes, "no roads lead to Arochukwu". This is simply becasue of the poor state of roads in that area of Abia. Most of the roads in that area haven't been serviced in decades. I remember, some time back, when T.A. Orji said something about starting road construction in northeastern Abia, but that has clearly faded away.

If you take a look at this map, you'll see how Abians travelling to Arochukwu, Abam, Ohafia or Abiriba have to diverge from Abia and pass through Ikot-Ekpene in Akwa Ibom just to reach northeastern Abia.

The roads in central Abia used to be very dangerous due to armed robbers, but I must admit that they have gotten much safer due to the recent police presence.

asha 80: maybe a micheal okpara like brain is needed to do the 'magic'.

This is what is wrong with Abia State, and every other state. Instead of the indigene, like this 100 Igbo USA inc, taking it on themselves to fix the state and get other people who live 100% in the state to come together and push the trash out, people are still suggesting that there are messiahs out there to MAGICALLY make it all good. When will the people bring the magic?

Nebeuwa:

I do not understand this fear of domination amongst the different zones in Abia. What did Orji Uzor Kalu do for Bende? What has T.A. Orji done for Umuahia, except for buying up property and building expensive homes?

Abia could be one of the richest states in Nigeria. It is not only blessed (or cursed) with oil, but it has the industrial might of Aba within the state.

Unhealthy competition and years of misunderstanding and shortcomings are the causes.

Abia is dually blessed with both Aba and Umuahia, but poor leadership has failed to lead our state to blossom to its full potential.

Kobojunkie:

This is what is wrong with Abia State, and every other state. Instead of the indigene, like this 100 Igbo USA inc, taking it on themselves to fix the state and get other people who live 100% in the state to come together and push the trash out, people are still suggesting that there are messiahs out there to MAGICALLY make it all good. When will the people bring the magic?

actually what i meant was that abians should find someone with the developmental mindset okpara(because seriously abia is in dire straits) had,convice him to aspire for governorship and then push the trash guys out.just pushing the trash guys out is no guarantee that the replacement is not going to be an equal trash.however abians should show a whole lot of seriousness in their state.luckily for abia they are among the few states that are regarded as still financially healthy debtwise so who comes in will not have that excuse of being debt burdened.

Abia mma mma nu o!

Eze Onlytruth na ekele unu nile!

Abia is the legs upon which we Ndigbo stand! Enyimba is the spirit of the Igbo! We used it to conquer Africa in the African Champions League and we did it TWICE!
It is the spirit that motivated us throughout the Biafran war.
It is the CORE of the Igbo essence!

I say arise and shine umu Abia!
Ndigbo cannot move forward without you!
Remove EVERY obstacle in the path of progress ( BY ALL MEANS NECESSARY), and reclaim your place in the East!

A lion can never chew grass. Abians are lions!

Umuigbo are waiting for you.

O ga adiri Abia State mma!

Isee !
Isee !!
Isee !!!

All right

asha 80:

actually what i meant was that abians should find someone with the developmental mindset okpara(because seriously abia is in dire straits) had,convice him to aspire for governorship and then push the trash guys out.just pushing the trash guys out is no guarantee that the replacement is not going to be an equal trash.however abians should show a whole lot of seriousness in their state.luckily for abia they are among the few states that are regarded as still financially healthy debtwise so who comes in will not have that excuse of being debt burdened.

And that is why I said rather than looking for SOMEONE with a developmental mindset, Abians instead seek to be the change that they want. Someone with a development . . . the people have been chasing after that dream for too long. I watched the situation decay to the level that it did back during the Orji before this Orji, and the one thing I know that has remained is that rather than get involved, people take the same nonchalant approach to government there, that you find in most of Nigeria. And it certainly hasn't been to the good of the state.

Is this already dead? @Poster, I applaud your opening this thread. I believe that each and every state/community, needs to, at this point look for ways to get it's own people involved in the re-build project. The division in the nation today demands that this be the approach for the meantime.

Look, don't converge here and discuss kolanut and abacha issues. You all definitely know that the governor is the main problem. Once you can kick out T.A Orji, then I will join the movement.


Pdude of Amaekpu, Ohafia.

^^ You said "When you kick out Orji" ... who is the "you" that you are reffering in your post to kick out the governor? If you are an Ohafia dude, why wait for "you" to kick him out before you can join to improve your state?

At topic, the mindset I have, and i think for a lot of Abians both home and abroad is to gain personal success and subsequently a place where we can help effect change, by impacting peoples olives, directly and indirectly; and ho wit usually happens is people start from their villages If the Lord hears my cry and blesses me as Jabez that cried unto the Lord, heaven knows how much I want to do to help, starting with people with disabilities.
I believe I can be the Messiah, and as Asha80 said, we hope that whoever gets in the place of effecting chang will be a person with the heart of M. Okpara as he said. abia is God's own State, unu anugo!

remark D: ^^ You said "When you kick out Orji" ... who is the "you" that you are reffering in your post to kick out the governor? If you are an Ohafia dude, why wait for "you" to kick him out before you can join to improve your state?

At topic, the mindset I have, and i think for a lot of Abians both home and abroad is to gain personal success and subsequently a place where we can help effect change, by impacting peoples olives, directly and indirectly; and ho wit usually happens is people start from their villages If the Lord hears my cry and blesses me as Jabez that cried unto the Lord, heaven knows how much I want to do to help, starting with people with disabilities.
I believe I can be the Messiah, and as Asha80 said, we hope that whoever gets in the place of effecting chang will be a person with the heart of M. Okpara as he said. abia is God's own State, unu anugo!

Do you realize that this is the typical story every one of those Abians abroad today told so many years when they first started? Some of them over 30 years ago. How many of them have TRANSFORMED their villages, after acquiring all the wealth they have today? In fact, how many of them will tell you have acquired enough wealth and can now help?

If you are not serious about change, say so. Not come with the same nonsense talk that helps maintain the condition in Nigeria, in Eastern and non Eastern states. . . ME FIRST, everyone else later!

Again,
At topic, the mindset I have, and i think for a lot of Abians both home and abroad is to gain personal success and subsequently a place where we can help effect change, by impacting peoples olives, directly and indirectly; and ho wit usually happens is people start from their villages If the Lord hears my cry and blesses me as Jabez that cried unto the Lord, heaven knows how much I want to do to help, starting with people with disabilities.
I believe I can be the Messiah, and as Asha80 said, we hope that whoever gets in the place of effecting chang will be a person with the heart of M. Okpara as he said. abia is God's own State, unu anugo!





That others might have said the same thing and not done it doesnt mean another saying the same won't do it...

remark D: Again,
At topic, the mindset I have, and i think for a lot of Abians both home and abroad is to gain personal success and subsequently a place where we can help effect change, by impacting peoples olives, directly and indirectly; and ho wit usually happens is people start from their villages If the Lord hears my cry and blesses me as Jabez that cried unto the Lord, heaven knows how much I want to do to help, starting with people with disabilities.
I believe I can be the Messiah, and as Asha80 said, we hope that whoever gets in the place of effecting chang will be a person with the heart of M. Okpara as he said. abia is God's own State, unu anugo!
That others might have said the same thing and not done it doesnt mean another saying the same won't do it...

Like they say "Only a mad man will continue doing things the same old way thinking each time that something different will come of the exercise" . . .

I walked into a meeting of Ibos in diaspora only last week, and this group boasted of 10,000 members. When you look through their brochure, there were named in their doctors upon doctors. Some families bought a whole page to celebrate themselves, yet in all of that brochure, there was not much in the way of actual accomplishment by this group when it comes to rebuilding any part of iboland, even the villages. I don't think it makes sense to wait till when you are rich to help. In fact, the fight requires more participation and less of wealth as this point, and this is for all of Nigeria. Oyinbos don't wait till they are rich to help africa, why do we think that is the only time we can?

Once again,
At topic, the mindset I have, and i think for a lot of Abians both home and abroad is to gain personal success and subsequently a place where we can help effect change, by impacting peoples olives, directly and indirectly; and ho wit usually happens is people start from their villages If the Lord hears my cry and blesses me as Jabez that cried unto the Lord, heaven knows how much I want to do to help, starting with people with disabilities.
I believe I can be the Messiah, and as Asha80 said, we hope that whoever gets in the place of effecting chang will be a person with the heart of M. Okpara as he said. abia is God's own State, unu anugo!





That [b]others [/b]might have said the same thing and not done it doesnt mean another saying the same won't do it...

Kobojunkie:

Like they say "Only a mad man will continue doing things the same old way thinking each time that something different will come of the exercise" . . .

I walked into a meeting of Ibos in diaspora only last week, and this group boasted of 10,000 members. When you look through their brochure, there were named in their doctors upon doctors. Some families bought a whole page to celebrate themselves, yet in all of that brochure, there was not much in the way of actual accomplishment by this group when it comes to rebuilding any part of iboland, even the villages. I don't think it makes sense to wait till when you are rich to help. In fact, the fight requires more participation and less of wealth as this point, and this is for all of Nigeria. Oyinbos don't wait till they are rich to help africa, why do we think that is the only time we can?

I'm not sure what the standards of education is at the moment, but I doubt it is as competitive when compared to international standards. I really think education is the place to start, especially childhood education, since tey say a person learns most things in life between the ages of ... 0 - 8(8(? have to look it up again) ...
I mean compare our rulers from the time of Zik till now... its just going do When I played one of Ojukwu's speeches to a Ghanaian friend of mine, he was shocked and asked me if this was a Nigerian and what year it was... (1960s) ... even Gowon and ATB expressed themselves quite well....
But today when our leaders are speaking... either its that house speaker that blows big words only he understands, or they're expressing themselves with much ambiguity and leaving people to draw coclusions from right left and centre.
Change is coming. I believe it is. As the world is changing rapdily with improved technology, things can only get better.

Events happening in Abia should make all of us sad. Do we have to wait till the next election? I think no. We can do something before then. we can demand performance from our demented governor. The save Nigerian Group no matter what you feel about them helped in changing the equation when the former president died. A similar body in Abia state can change things.

Anybody with a blueprint should come out. I am game.

It's rather unfortunate that the two most industrous states in Igboland are not doing well. I've been hoping that someday, Abians will have a leader in the mould of Okpara. It's unfoirtunate that good leaders never come out to see power in that state.

remark D: I'm not sure what the standards of education is at the moment, but I doubt it is as competitive when compared to international standards. I really think education is the place to start, especially childhood education, since tey say a person learns most things in life between the ages of ... 0 - 8(8(? have to look it up again) ...
I mean compare our rulers from the time of Zik till now... its just going do When I played one of Ojukwu's speeches to a Ghanaian friend of mine, he was shocked and asked me if this was a Nigerian and what year it was... (1960s) ... even Gowon and ATB expressed themselves quite well....
But today when our leaders are speaking... either its that house speaker that blows big words only he understands, or they're expressing themselves with much ambiguity and leaving people to draw coclusions from right left and centre.
Change is coming. I believe it is. As the world is changing rapdily with improved technology, things can only get better.

Yes, change is coming when you eventually get rich enough, in the next 3 to 4 years, right?

afam4eva: It's rather unfortunate that the two most industrous states in Igboland are not doing well. I've been hoping that someday, Abians will have a leader in the mould of Okpara. It's unfoirtunate that good leaders never come out to see power in that state.

Become the leader that you need . . . why don't you step up with others and form that leader . . . team up with others who have some of the characters you want in your ideal leader. By the way all the individual sticks, with their unique skill set come together, they form that unbreakable broom, the leader, you all seek.

lol are you mocking me?
it takes money to build schools and most of the things i want to do for my community and country. So why not let me be if i express my ambition of what i plan to do when I get the money? Hopefully it wont take 3 to 4 years, or hopefully someone, others will be moved to effect these changes thats so desperately needed.

Kobojunkie:

Yes, change is coming when you eventually get rich enough, in the next 3 to 4 years, right?

You said it requires more of "participation and less of wealth..."
care to explain?I am willing to learn how to effect change without a kobo spent.

Kobojunkie:

Like they say "Only a mad man will continue doing things the same old way thinking each time that something different will come of the exercise" . . .

I walked into a meeting of Ibos in diaspora only last week, and this group boasted of 10,000 members. When you look through their brochure, there were named in their doctors upon doctors. Some families bought a whole page to celebrate themselves, yet in all of that brochure, there was not much in the way of actual accomplishment by this group when it comes to rebuilding any part of iboland, even the villages. I don't think it makes sense to wait till when you are rich to help. In fact, the fight requires more participation and less of wealth as this point, and this is for all of Nigeria. Oyinbos don't wait till they are rich to help africa, why do we think that is the only time we can?

remark D: lol are you mocking me?
it takes money to build schools and most of the things i want to do for my community and country. So why not let me be if i express my ambition of what i plan to do when I get the money? Hopefully it wont take 3 to 4 years, or hopefully someone, others will be moved to effect these changes thats so desperately needed.

But the money to build those schools are included in the budget every other year, but because the people are not paying attention, they do not notice this. Take this example . . . In this year's budget N 5 million has been allocated for "CONSTRUCTION OF 2 CLASSROOMS BLOCKS AT COMMUNITY SCHOOL NNARANBIA, AHIAZU MBAISE LGA", Now I know this is not in Abia, so bear with me. N 5 million has been allocated. Will these classrooms be built and built right? Only God knows because in the past, similar projects have gone unimplemented , and allocated funds disappeared.

You can always make your plan IN ADDITION to what you need to do RIGHT NOW. That is what I am trying to get you to see. Your contribution, your effort is needed NOW, not in 3 to 4 years, when you make your riches or decide you have made enough.

remark D: You said it requires more of "participation and less of wealth..."
care to explain?I am willing to learn how to effect change without a kobo spent.

Yes, the money exists for much of what work needs to be done at this time. However, the people need to take control in order to see the work is done and done right. If you want to build world additions later on, you are free to do that then.