From Uchenna Inya, Abakaliki
The condition of Azuituma, Oshiegbe in Ezza North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State is rapidly changing following the intervention of the state government and some members of the community.
Daily Sun had visited the community on April 2024 and published a story with the headline- Ebonyi neglected community surviving through self-help. The story highlighted the plights of the community. The community hitherto, had no road, electricity and other amenities that enhance standard of living.
But the condition of the community is changing so fast. The community now has electricity. In addition to this, the area can be easily accessed following the grading and construction of some of the roads linking the community.
The amenities were made possible by Governor Francis Nwifuru and one of the illustrious sons of the community, Chief Henry Omaka, an industrialist. While Nwifuru graded and constructed some of the roads in the community, making the area accessible, Omaka installed electricity. The two amenities have lifted the community.
Before the intervention of the governor and Omaka, it was so difficult for the people of the area to access other communities, including Abakaliki, the state capital. Omaka had built a Catholic Church for the community and a house for the parish priest as well as a secondary school to promote literacy in the area.
A stakeholder of the community, Prof. Humphrey Nwobashi, said the community was blessed with hardworking sons and daughters, who have been remembering the community by contributing to it’s development.
He said: “This is a place we have very hardworking sons and daughters and they have to be harvested. I believe that all we need is development, deployment and development.
“Government has no money. Those who go to government for development have nothing to achieve. If you encourage individuals, if you mobilize their minds to see the reasons why they should invest, normally, they do better.
“If you go to Anambra State, individuals construct roads, individuals builds schools and invest in human beings. So, this is what we are trying to encourage here and lucky enough, our sons and daughters are all living outside this place and outside Ebonyi State.”
Recently, the people rolled out their drums and celebrated their traditional ruler, Vincent Nweke, and some members of the community, including Omaka, Nwobashi and the member representing Ezza North/Ishielu federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Joseph Nwobashi, enthronement of peace and development of the community.
The event attracted people from within and outside the state. The chairman of the occasion and state commissioner for information and orientation, Jude Okpor, described the traditional ruler as a man who has brought dignity and experience to the traditional stool.
“Today, Oshiegbe community is celebrating their traditional ruler and the monarch is also using this opportunity to recognize the illustrious sons of the community that have contributed in one way or the other towards the development of the community.
“Eze Vincent Nweke is a fine gentlemen, he is somebody that has brought dignity and different levels of acumen to the royal stool; somebody who got to the zenith of civil service as a teacher and got to the position of head teacher before he bowed out from civil service.
“So, the traditional ruler has brought a lot of experience to the throne and it is my prayers that the testimonies that we are hearing here today that he is a traditional ruler who does not exploit his subjects. Rather, he gives out from the little he has. God will continue to bless him,” Okpor said.
His capital city vevelopment counterpart, Sunday Inyima Elechi, commended the monarch and some members of the community for their contributions to the development of the community.
He said: “Let me congratulate the traditional ruler for bringing all men of goodwill from far and near across the length and breath of this country. I am also using this opportunity to appreciate sons and daughters of this community who have actually done very well in line of providing for humanity.
“Oshiegbe community is a border community to my own community and my village, Amodvu Izhia, Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. We share a lot in common and that’s why I am here. I have my very special friends, our elder and leader as far as peace in this border line is concerned, Prof. Nwobashi and my friend, Henry Omaka, who invited me to this event today.
“I congratulate them and I urge all others to find how to do well so that maybe in subsequent time, they will also be found worthy to be recognized,” he said.
Samuel Igboke, one of the stakeholders of Oshiege community, said the people celebrated the monarch because of his leadership style which has brought peace and tranquility in the community. He opined that three other members of the community have complemented the efforts of the traditional ruler and were rewarded for their role in the development of the area.
“We are here to celebrate the traditional ruler of Oshiegbe community.We are celebrating a man of humility, a man whose leadership has heralded peace in the community, a man who has always worked together with all the stakeholders to ensure that this community enjoys development from the government and most importantly, peace and tranquility in our land.
“There are others who have actually made impacts in the development of the community but for now, the community has identified three of them. For today, three of them were selected for conferment of chieftaincy titles, including Prof. Humphrey Nwobashi, the member representing Ezza North/Ishielu federal constituency, Hon. Joseph Nwobashi and Chief Henry Omaka. So, we are here to celebrate these men who have made a lot of impact in this community,” Igboke stated.
Another stakeholder of the community, Nwokpo Haggai, described Oshiege as “one of the luckiest communities in Ezza North local government area because they have produced leaders who are productive. It is a very progressive and peaceful community in Ezza North local government area.”
Omaka, one of those honoured by the community for contributing to its development, said with the present status of the area, he was planning to bring all his businesses to the community to provide jobs for teeming youths and reduce restiveness. He disclosed that he has acquired 200 hectares of land that will house all his business in the state to enable him employ the people.
He commended Nwifuru for setting the pace for the development of the community by grading and constructing some of the roads linking the area which has changed its deplorable state.
He said: “I will continue to do good work in my community; I will never disappoint my people. By God’s grace, I want to bring many factories to my place, Oshiegbe, to reduce unemployment and youth restiveness.
“I have already installed electricity in the community and I have acquired and fenced 200 hectares of land to bring all my businesses to Ebonyi State so that I will employ Ebonyi people. I have started negotiating with my Chinese friends for the process of bringing my industries home to employ our people and by God’s grace, it will soon happen.
“I want to contribute my quota in reducing unemployment. I want to develop my community. I want to thank our dear governor, Nwifuru, for his efforts in our community. Our community is now motorable, he has started constructing the road to our community.
“Our road was in deplorable state and impassible but the governor is doing a wonderful work on it. He has started constructing the road and we believe he will finish it. Hope is rising in Azuituma, Oshiegbe in Ezza North local government area following the intervention of the state.”