Aba Reunion, a platform floated by three US-based Nigerians for the generation of men and women, who grew up in Aba, Abia State, in the 1970’s to late 1980’s, are planning a homecoming for December 2024.
In the post-civil war era, Nigerians of diverse origins flocked to the then South East town for work and commercial engagements. The town soon grew to become a melting point for trading, attracting traders from all over the former East Central State and the Mid-West, to take up residence and grow their families.
Some of those whose parents made Aba their base have now become adults and dispersed to different parts of the globe.
Bishop Ogbonna Ugwuozor of Church of Anointing, Los Angeles, California, Chuddy Ambassador, a Dallas, Texas-based entrepreneur and Chief Okey Ibeneme, Maryland, came together to found the group, with an objective to create a forum for social and business networking among those who had their formative years in Aba, aka, Enyimba City.
Ugwuozor explained that in the years ahead, the group would put to use the professional skills and wealth of members to renew the town where they all grew up: “Over the years, our Aba has lost its lead as a business hub that attracted huge commercial interest from Nigeria and West Africa.
“Aba Reunion has been established to recover the lost commercial and social status of the Aba that we chose to call Enyimba City. An inaugural convention will hold in Dallas in March 2024, to set up the Homecoming Planning Committee.”
Chuddy added: “We have done a lot of spade work to link up a lot of members in different parts of the world. The last six to seven months have been spent on membership drive and sensitisation.
“We have been able to bring together, hitherto, young boys and girls, some of who left Aba for greener pastures abroad and in other Nigerian cities. The idea is to have a great homecoming and interrogate the challenges of the town to possibly work with the Government of Abia State to recover the town from the decay it has slumped to.”
Ibeneme, said: “The next phase in our steps to actualise the plans to rebuild Aba is to mobilise members for the inaugural convention and, so far, the feedback has been very positive. The success of the membership drive has resulted in over 500 subscribers to the WhatsApp platform, where we are exchanging nostalgic stories.”