Bishop Silas Eke of the Kingly People’s Assembly has said former Abia State Governor, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, left behind a prosperous and politically influential state in 2007, blaming the decline witnessed in subsequent years on those who governed Abia after him.
Eke, who was reacting to the assessment of former Aviation Minister Osita Chidoka on Abia State at 35, said Chidoka was right to acknowledge that Kalu put Abia firmly in the national conversation and made the state punch above its weight during his eight years as governor.
In a statement on Friday, the cleric said the history of Abia since the return of democracy must be told fairly, insisting that the economic and political decline associated with the state occurred after Kalu left office and should not be attributed to his administration.
“At the beginning of this democratic dispensation, Abia had a governor who understood the importance of economic development and political relevance. I agree completely with Osita Chidoka that Orji Uzor Kalu put Abia firmly in the national conversation and made the state punch above its weight.
“Under Kalu, Abia was not struggling to be noticed. We were visible economically, politically and even in sports. We had a voice in Nigeria and nobody dared to joke with Abia politically because we had a governor who could speak and stand for the state,” Eke said.
He recalled that Aba experienced enormous commercial activity during the Kalu administration, attracting traders and businesspeople from across the old Eastern Region and neighbouring African countries.
According to him, the commercial influence of Aba extended from Akwa Ibom to Ikom, Ogoja and Obubra in Cross River State, as well as Sagbama in Bayelsa State, with traders travelling to the city to buy and source goods.
“Aba was a commercial destination. People came from different parts of Nigeria to buy goods. From Akwa Ibom all the way to Ikom, Ogoja, Obubra and down to Sagbama, people depended on Aba for goods and business.
“It did not stop with Nigeria. People came from Cameroon, from Buea, Yaoundé and Garoua, to buy goods in Aba. Top expatriates lived in Aba and drove from Aba to Port Harcourt. That was the level of economic activity we had. Aba could comfortably stand alongside Lagos as one of Nigeria’s most important business destinations,” he said.
Eke said the level of commercial activity translated into opportunities for residents, arguing that businesses and different sectors of the local economy flourished during the period.
“Unemployment and poverty were virtually nonexistent compared with what Abia later experienced because economic activities were everywhere. Every sector flourished. People were producing, buying, selling and providing services. Aba was alive morning and night.
“That is why we must be careful when discussing the history of Abia. The Abia that Kalu handed over in 2007 was not the Abia that people eventually came to complain about. The decline came after he had left office,” he said.
The cleric also recalled the transformation of Enyimba International Football Club into a continental football powerhouse during the Kalu administration, describing the club’s success as an important driver of sports tourism and economic activity in Aba.
“Thousands of people flooded Aba to watch Enyimba. Think about what that meant for hotels, restaurants, transporters, traders and other businesses. People were coming to Aba because of football. That was sports tourism in practical terms.
“Enyimba carried the name of Aba and Abia across Africa. For two consecutive years, the biggest prize in African club football was associated with Aba. That was not an insignificant achievement,” Eke said.
Beyond commerce and sports, Eke said Kalu’s political stature ensured that Abia commanded attention in national affairs at a critical period when the South East was searching for a stronger voice following Nigeria’s return to democratic government.
“We had a great voice in Orji Uzor Kalu in Nigerian politics. Nobody dared to take us for granted politically. Abia was constantly in the national conversation. Whether you agreed with Kalu or disagreed with him, you could not ignore Abia.
“That is exactly why Chidoka’s statement is important. He was correct when he said Kalu understood that moment. Abia punched above its weight because its governor understood that leadership was not only about occupying Government House. It was also about projecting your state, attracting attention to its potential and defending its interests,” he said.
Eke, however, said the momentum was not sustained after Kalu completed his second term in 2007, accusing the administrations that governed the state between 2007 and 2023 of failing to invest sufficiently in infrastructure and the wider economy.
He said Chidoka’s observation that infrastructure deteriorated and Abia’s national standing diminished over time should therefore be understood within the context of what happened after Kalu’s departure.
“Those things faded because those who succeeded Kalu refused to make the investments necessary to sustain the development of the state. Infrastructure deteriorated, our economic influence declined and the strong national voice we once had became weaker.
“You cannot inherit a state and, 16 years later, blame the man who handed it over to you for everything that went wrong. Leadership comes with responsibility. Every government has a duty to build on what it inherited and leave something better for the next generation,” Eke said.
The cleric said the 35th anniversary of Abia offered an opportunity to move beyond political sentiments and honestly assess the contributions of different administrations to the state’s development.
“History cannot be rewritten because of politics. If we are honest about Abia’s journey, we must acknowledge the period when the state prospered and commanded national attention, just as we must acknowledge when the decline began.
“Orji Uzor Kalu left office in 2007. What happened to Abia in the 16 years after that must be placed at the doorstep of those who had responsibility for governing the state during those years. That is the fair judgement of history,” Eke said.
Kalu governed Abia State from 1999 to 2007 and currently represents Abia North Senatorial District in the Senate.
