Abia at 35: Kalu left a prosperous and influential state, his successors presided over its decline — Bishop Eke

Bishop Silas Eke of the Royal People’s Assembly has said former Abia State governor, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, left a prosperous and politically influential state in 2007, placing the blame for the decline witnessed in subsequent years on those who governed Abia after him.

Eke, who was reacting to former aviation minister Osita Chidoka’s assessment of Abia’s state at 35, said Chidoka was right to recognize 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 Abia’s story 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 blamed on his administration.

“At the beginning of this democratic dispensation, Abia had a governor who understood the importance of economic development and political relevance. I completely agree with Osita Chidoka that Orji Uzor Kalu has put Abia firmly in the national conversation and made the state punch above its weight.

“Under Kalu, Abia did not struggle to get noticed. We were visible economically, politically and even in sports. We had a say in Nigeria and no one dared to mess with Abia politically because we had a governor who could speak and defend the state,” Eke said.

He recalled that Aba experienced tremendous commercial activity during the Kalu administration, attracting traders and businessmen from across the old eastern region and neighboring African countries.

According to him, Aba’s trading influence stretched from Akwa Ibom to Ikom, Ogoja and Obubra in Cross River State, as well as Sagbama in Bayelsa State, with traders traveling to the town to purchase and procure goods.

“Aba was a trading destination. People came from different parts of Nigeria to buy goods. From Akwa Ibom down to Ikom, Ogoja, Obubra and down to Sagbama, people depended on Aba for goods and business.

“It didn’t stop with Nigeria. People came from Cameroon, from Buea, Yaoundé and Garoua, to buy goods in Aba. The best expatriates lived in Aba and drove from Aba to Port Harcourt. That was the level of economic activity we had. Aba could easily stand alongside Lagos as one of Nigeria’s most important trading destinations,” he said.

Eke said the level of commercial activity has translated into opportunities for residents, arguing that businesses and different sectors of the local economy have flourished during the period.

“Unemployment and poverty were practically non-existent compared to what Abia later experienced because economic activities were everywhere. Every sector was thriving. People were producing, buying, selling and providing services. Aba was alive morning and night.

“That’s why we need to be careful when we discuss Abia’s history. The Abia that Kalu delivered in 2007 was not the Abia that people ultimately complained about. The decline happened after he 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 success of the club as a major driver of sports tourism and economic activity in Aba.

“Thousands of people flooded Aba to watch Enyimba. Think what this meant for hotels, restaurants, transporters, traders and other businesses. People came to Aba for football. This 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. This was not an insignificant achievement,” Eke said.

Beyond trade 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 seeking a stronger voice following Nigeria’s return to democratic rule.

“We had a great voice in Orji Uzor Kalu in Nigerian politics. No one 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.

“This is exactly why Chidoka’s statement is important. He was right when he said Kalu understood that moment. Abia gave it his all because its governor understood that leadership is not just about occupying Government House. It is also about projecting your state, drawing 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 overall economy.

He said Chidoka’s observation that infrastructure had deteriorated and Abia’s national standing had declined over time should therefore be understood in the context of what happened after Kalu’s departure.

“Those things have vanished because those who succeeded Kalu have refused to make the investments needed to support the state’s development. Infrastructure has deteriorated, our economic influence has waned, and the strong national voice we once had has weakened.

“You cannot inherit a state and, 16 years later, blame the man who handed it 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 provided an opportunity to go beyond political sentiments and honestly evaluate the contributions of different administrations to the development of the state.

“History cannot be rewritten because of politics. If we are honest about Abia’s journey, we must recognize the period when the state thrived and attracted national attention, just as we must recognize when its decline began.

“Orji Uzor Kalu left office in 2007. What happened in Abia in the next 16 years must be attributed to those who had the responsibility to govern the state in those years. This is the right judgment of history,” Eke said.

Kalu governed Abia State from 1999 to 2007 and currently represents Abia North Senatorial District in the Senate.