There are several markets in Aba most of which were built many decades ago meaning that they had largely detoriated both in form and function. Some had grown into slumps and abodes for incubation of miscreants leading to threat to lives. Others had become environmental hazards and aesthetically undesirable. Attempts at reconstructing those key markets by successive military and civil administrations in Abia state from 1991 to 2023 were vehemently resisted by traders and political actors for various reasons.
In Igboland in particular and Nigeria in general, one of the most difficult things to do as a Governor is to demolish and reconstruct a fully built up market in urban areas like Aba, Onitsha, Owerri, Lagos, Port Harcourt etc.
Demolition and rebuilding of a market is usually a public relation disaster for any leader involved. It comes at a very heavy cost and you need God to survive it. In some states, those in authority would prefer to deliberately cause fire in the markets as a strategy to force traders to accept reconstruction of the markets. That strategy, in my view, is both evil and unpardonable by God.
One of the most courageous things done by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu was to summon the political will to commence the rebuilding of Ariaria International Market, Ngwa road market and also relocation of Ahia Udele and waterside cattle market, close to an election period. He also chose a course that involved persuasion and dialogue instead of coercion and/or arson to accomplish the objective.
Of course, Dr Ikpeazu will never have it otherwise because he is a God-fearing and humble man who hates inflicting pains on others.
The day after I was moved from the ministry of information to the ministry of trade and investment, Governor Ikpeazu summoned me to his Aba Lodge office and gave marching orders on those markets. He explained why I was the right person to do it and also gave me timelines. As I was leaving his office, I went straight to Redeemed Christian Church, Repositioning Center Parish at Railway junction of Aba-Owerri road, Aba, to pray because I knew the weight of what I was walking into. Whatever I cannot carry is for my God to carry.
Executing those 4 assignments less than 2 years to a major election is akin to committing political and spiritual suicide but the alternative was for our people to continue dying daily and losing their goods to flash floods.
After that private communion with God, I had peace.
It was not an easy battle to relocate Ahia Udele and Cattle Market at waterside but God saw us through. Today, we no longer hear of heavy duty vehicles losing control and killing our people along that axis as it used to be before the relocation. No more traffic build up and the offensive odour that usually ooze from that corridor has completely changed for the better. Criminals no longer use waterside cattle market as staging area to attack and maim innocent citizens.
Most crucially, traders who used to be in those markets are now comfortably settled at Good Morning market and the new Uratta cattle market. We also did 3 new blocks at Ahia Ohuru (Ngwa road market) before we left but more attention is required to handle the rest in a systematic and non disruptive manner.
Demolition and reconstruction of A-line in Ariaria International Market was by far the most challenging assignment I ever executed in government. Only the management of information during Operation Python Dance, COVID and EndSars period came a bit close. Of course we kept our record as the safest and most secure state in the south east and among the top 3 most secure states in Nigeria.
Yet, we accomplished the Ariaria task and delivered what you now see online as remodeled Ariaria A-line. God bless former Governor Okezie Ikpeazu and everyone who worked with us to deliver the remodeled structures including traders, lawmakers, bankers and most importantly the management and staff of the ministry of trade and investment led by former Permanent Secretary Sir Michael Egwu as well as my predecessors in office, Chief Cosmos Ndukwe, Evulogu Ibeku Chief Charles Ogbonna etc. That project took something out of all of us and our loved ones but God saw us through.
After all we went through, please, imagine how we should feel when folks who know the truth deliberately spread falsehood that it is the Alex Otti adminstration that executed the tasks. Agreed that government is a continuum but how do people sleep while villifying Ikpeazu that he did nothing while at the same time actively attributing his projects to Alex Otti?
Where is your conscience?
Anyway, I will soon find time to share my memoirs on Ariaria remodeling, other life and PR threatening projects handled by Governor Ikpeazu on my watch. If you don’t cry after reading what we went through to deliver better life to our people then you have a heart of stone
For now, I encourage Governor Otti to go ahead and attempt a major market demolition and remodeling, and let’s see. May be after that attempt, he and his team will learn to give credit to Dr Okezie Ikpeazu for being a silent achiever who gets things done without violence or noise.
-Nwandugbom JOK
18/05/2024
