Isuikwuato should produce Abia gov in 2023 – Abia founding father, Nze POP thunders * Says ‘Ukwa la Ngwa’ political deceit to suppress Ukwa clan

Isuikwuato should produce Abia gov in 2023 – Abia founding father, Nze POP thunders

* Says ‘Ukwa la Ngwa’ political deceit to suppress Ukwa clan

* Scores successive govs low

* Blames greedy pol cabal for non passage of charter of equity into law

Nze Paul Onyemaechi Palagbo Ogbonna, popularly known as POP, is one of the few surviving founding fathers of Abia State. The 84- year-old Ukwa-born elder statesman and furniture maker was the Deputy National President of the Abia State creation movement led by the late Dr. Michael Okpara. In this explosive interview with veteran Journalist, Steve Oko, the Octogenarian expounded the concept of Abia Charter of Equity and unequivocally declared that power should shift to Isuikwuato District representing the letter “I” in the Abia acronym in the spirit of  Abia Charter of Equity.  He also described “Ukwa la Ngwa” slang as a mischievous coinage  for the political dominance of the Ukwa clan by their Ngwa neighbours. Ejoy it!

 

Papa may we know you sir?

My name is Nze Paul Palagbo Ogbonna. I’m 84 years old and by December 2021 I will be 85 years.

What were you doing for a living before retiring?

I’m not retired. I’m a furniture maker, a wood worker. I build the highest casket that could sell for N500,000. My workshop is at Ukwa. I have trained a lot of apprentices, and they are all doing well.

We understand that you are one of the few surviving founding fathers of Abia State that drafted the much-talked about Abia Charter of Equity. Can you tell us what this document is all about and how it all happened?

When there was quest for creation of Abia State, a few of us came together and made the request for the creation of Abia State out of the Old Imo State. On October 14, 1979 we wrote a letter to the National Assembly Lagos requesting that Abia State be carved out from the Old Imo State.

So, we began to meet from time to time on how to actualise the dream. On how we got the name Abia for the proposed state, it came after our meeting at Methodist Church Afougiri, Umuahia on Sunday, October 18, 1992. That was when we coined the name Abia for the new state.

The then Local Government Areas that made up the proposed state were: Afikpo Local Government Area, Ohozara LGA (representing the letter “A” for Afikpo Division); Bende LGA, Arochukwu/Ohafia LGA, Umuahia/Ikwuano LGA (representing the letter “B” for Old Bende); Aba LGA, Ukwa LGA, Obioma Ngwa LGA, Isiala Ngwa LGA (representing another letter “A” for Aba Division, and then Isuikwuato/Okigwe District including Umunneochi (representing the letter”I”). These four letters ” A-B-I-A” formed the acronym Abia.

Dr. M. I Okpara

What exactly informed the enactment of Charter of Equity?

Charter of Equity is “Onyeaghana nwanneya” ( don’t forsake your brother/ be your brother’s keeper). We wanted to ensure mutual trust and gurantee equity and fairness in distribution of political offices among the divisions and district that make up the proposed state. We wanted to ensure that no one is cheated. We said that we would start from the letter “A” (Afikpo division) in distribution of political offices and start coming down. You know that the major sponsors and facilitators of the state creation movement were people from Old Bende.

Going by this arrangement, Isuikwuato District is the only letter that has not taken its turn at the seat of power which has rotated among other Divisions. Afikpo Division took a turn before leaving for Ebonyi State. The first Executive Governor of Abia State, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu is from that Division. Old Bende has also taken its turn. Aba Division where the incumbent Governor hails from is taking its turn. Equity demands that Isuikwuato should produce the next Governor of the state to balance the equation.

Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, 2nd Executive Governorovernor of Abia State.

 

 

Do you think that too many people especially the political class share this idea with you?

They have no choice because it was written and it’s an open document. We in the state creation movement came together and agreed to produce the document called “Onyeaghara nwanneya”, therefore, it’s binding on all.

But there are arguments now among the Ngwa extraction in Abia Central senatorial zone otherwise known as Umunneato, that the governorship should move to them come 2023. What’s your take on that?

You know politicians can do anything or push forward any argument just to win a vote. But when the chips are down we know what to do.

 

Remember that this political coinage called ” Ukwa la Ngwa” was a new thing just to take political advantage of the Ukwa people. Ukwa was never part of Ngwa. We are Ukwa clan; we are different from Ngwa. We are not the same people. The name Ukwa la Ngwa is wrong! If they really wanted an Ukwa man they could have said “Ukwa na Ngwa”, “Ukwa la Ngwa” is Ngwa dialect.

So, when did the coinage according to you start, and why did you people (the Ukwa clan) not oppose it until now?

Like I said it began recently, and I wanted to go to the media then to say there is nothing like that. The truth is that we are not one people and we don’t associate as one other than that we are just neighbours.

Dr. Uche Ogah, another governoship hopeful from Isuikwuato

Are you saying there is no blood link between both clans?

There is none! We marry from them, and they marry from us. We are not the same people!

But why didn’t other enlightened Ukwa stakeholders understand the implications of your analysis and perhaps move to oppose the idea?

 

An Ukwa man is a soft going fellow. We don’t quarrel over things. But that’s why I’m here now to refute the assumption that we are one people. There is nothing like “Ukwa la Ngwa”; it’s only a coinage to politically take advantage of Ukwa people because of our nature.

 

So, what exactly is your take on the growing agitation by Umunneato in Abia Central to grab power in 2023 when juxtaposed with the clamour for power to return to Abia North particularly Isuikwuato District?

They want to use Ukwa la Ngwa coinage to make up their population. They sought Aba State and it didn’t work out and now they want to retain power by this new tune. But we are saying no to that. It can’t work. We want the Abia Charter of Equity to prevail. We want power to move to Isuikwuato District first before going elsewhere.

The Ngwa clan should not be greedy. Recall that all the Deputy Governoship positions until 2015 have gone to Ngwa people. All through the 16 years of Govs. Orji Uzor Kalu, and Theodore Orj, Ngwa people have been their Deputies. What then is the lot of Ukwa clan? So, power must shift to Abia North and Isuikwuato precisely come 2023. If Isuikwuato produces the Governor, Ukwa clan should be considered for the Deputy Governoship slot, and that is equity and fair play!

Have the Abia founding fathers played any role in determining power shift so far since the creation of Abia State?

Yes! We give advice. Even in our individual capacities we talk to the politicians. In 2015, one of us from Abia North, Ezeogo Anagha Ezeikpe, was key in power shift to Aba Division/ Abia South.

 

As one of the founding fathers of Abia State, are you satisfied with how the state has faired so far? Can you say this is the Abia of your dream for which you spent time and resources to get?

To be honest with you I’m not satisfied. At my age, 84 years, I’m getting closer to my grave, and I should be able to speak the truth. Out of stress they presented me with this Toyota Camry car parked outside there in 2018 but I can’t drive this car from here to Aba because of bad road. This place is not motorable, and it’s the responsibility of the state government.

Do you think the efforts of the founding fathers to get Abia were worth it?

Not at all! Each governor that came on board instead of developing the entire state focuses only on his area. When Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu was Governor he concentrated his development strides in his Igbere community. When Senator Theodore Orj took over, the same thing, and he said Ngwa man would develop Aba. This is not a good mindset.

In the charter of equity, we said that dividends of democracy should be evenly spread across the entire state to promote brotherly love but unfortunately politicians don’t tow that line.

Do you think there is really much the founding fathers can do should the political class decide to violate the Charter of Equity?

We may not stop political parties from taking any decision but we will not fail to speak out. It also depends on the disposition of the sitting Governor.

Is it not surprising that 30 years after the creation of Abia State, and the enactment of the much-talked-about Charter of Equity, the document is yet to be passed into law by the state?

We have put pressure on the Abia State House of Assembly to pass it into law but because of the cabal, it has not scaled through. We are just like the voice in the wilderness.

What do you think is the reason for the resistance?

Selfishness! They want to get rich so quick and an individual control so much money meant for the whole state.

What kind of political future do you foresee for the state if the Charter of Equity were truncated in 2023?

The reason I’m alive till today is to ensure the right things are done. I will live to tell the next Governor of the state to ensure that the Abia Charter of Equity is preserved.

But what do you think will be the likely consequences of violating the Charter of Equity?

Are we moving forward? We are not moving forward at all. Nemesis is catching up with us. Things will only go well when we follow the charter of equity. Abia should pray very hard for God to give us a leader.

Look at me, somebody from oil producing area but living in a squalor. There is nothing to show for the oil we have. At 84 years I’m still building caskets to earn a living. If I’m a Northerner or Westerner, I will be living in a paradise. I won’t beg for food.

Do you think Abia is in any form of bondage?

Yes, Abia is in leadership bondage.

Your parting words?

I will keep praying to God because I believe Abia will get better. As I’m still alive, I will participate in the process to bring in a good man that will lead the state. If it’s politics, I will play it not minding my age. Age is only a number, I’m still very strong in the mind.