ABIA STATE, EPITOME OF PERFIDY, CORRUPTION AND INHUMANITY – By Eke O. Eke

In the last few years, I have been making regular trips to Nigeria and have sadly observed the continued deterioration of Abia state, in all aspects of life. I have just returned from another harrowing trip to Abia state and my heart aches.

In this last trip, I visited Umuahia, Aba, and port Harcourt and cannot understand why those in charge of Abia state have maintained it in permanent reverse gear as far as good governance and quality of life are concerned.

It would seem that every governor, wants to do worse that the one he succeeded by simply trying to find more ingenuity in ways to loot the treasury and remain insensitive to the cries of the people.

In the capital city, there is no evidence that Umuahia can compete with other state capitals in Nigeria. The state of decay of Aba is simply beyond description as I cannot imagine any town in this world like Aba.

After watching the decay of Abia state, I have come to the conclusion that different parts of Nigeria are a reflection of the type and quality of people in control. Nigeria is not in the hands of God, but in the hands of those who choose to loot rather than build.

In Nigeria, where honest and patriotic people with vision have been in power, the region have developed. The roads have been built and continue to be built. Schools have been built and education continues to improve.

Salaries and pensions are paid, the quality of life have improved and the progress is visible for all to see. This conclusion can be verified by looking at states like Akwai Ibom and Anambra and comparing them with Abia, Imo and Rivers as examples.

In the regions where criminals and psychopaths have been in power and continue to hold on to power, they have become monsters and multi millionaires and the society have decayed. The roads have deteriorated, salaries and pensions are not paid, those who complain are threatened, the people are suffering and the society have decayed and people poorer.

Sadly, the later has been the unfortunate fate of Abia state, the so called God’s own state, which seems to be permanently in devils own hands.

It is not an exaggeration to say that Abia state is the worst state in Nigeria, and perhaps the world. It is worse than a war zone. This is because in many war zones, the roads exists, there is water supply when the bombs and gun stop and the people know clearly that they are at war.

However, in Abia state, the people seem unaware that their leader declared war to loot every kobo and do not care a donkey’s hoot about what happens to them.

I ask, what kind of inhuman monsters are in control in Abia? Are they trying to see how much suffering the people can bear by stretching how wicked and evil a human being can be? How can a governor grow fat and sleep well, knowing that many workers and pensioners have not been paid for several months?

How can the leaders be stealing and building mansions for themselves and sustaining members of their families abroad, when the people whose lives they were supposed to make better are suffering degrading poverty, deprivation and the society infrastructure crumbling around them.

How can Abia leaders be building uninhabitable estates in a swamps, when the homeless, army of unemployed youth and suffering are around them?

How do they feel in their mansions, when the streets around are gullies and refuse dump sites.

How do they sleep, knowing that many in the state have not been paid salaries and pension for years?

How can they be content sending their children abroad to study, while they fail to ensure that they provide quality education for the people?

How do they keep straight faces, when they take money from Fulani cattle rearers to graze their cattle on the people’s farm, and embezzle the money for the development of the state?

I am unable to described the extent of the abuse of power, ignomy, shear wickedness, criminality and human greed masquerading as governance, in Abia state.

What I have see and heard from the people makes me sick and mad at the same time. I ask myself, how can leaders be so wicked and deceitful towards their own people? What kind of environment creates leaders like the ones Abia state have been producing?

Instead of addressing the problems and cutting their criminality and greed, the leaders have resorted to planting advertisements in radios and newspapers praising themselves.

I listened to one advert praising the House of Assembly and the speaker, who happens to be the son of the last stealing governor and now senator, I almost threw up.

It was like hearing a Jew praising Hitler for his welfare program for the Jews, while he was gassing them in the gas chambers.

The impression in Abia state is the the lack of development is because Nigeria federal government is punishing Igbos for the civil war and that Biafra is the solution.

This ignorant, sad and unfortunate sentiment may explains the attitude and response of the people to the rot. It also shows how evil, ignorant and dishonest both those behind agitation for Biafra and the political leaders are.

The political leaders know that while the people are focused on the utopia of Biafra, that they can loot with reckless abandon and nothing will happen to them.

They know that they can build their mansions with stolen money and live in it and drive their big cars through the gullies that now exits where once the roads existed.

I cannot but say again that the problem of Abia state is not Buhari and his evil plan to punish Igbos for not voting for him. It is not because Buhari is punishing Abia state for not donating land for Fulani colonies. The problem of Abia state is caused by corrupt, ignorant, greedy and psychopathic Abia state political leaders. Those who have held power and current holding power. These are the people, the masses must now hold accountable.

Abians both at home and in diaspora must now bring this evil and reproaching rule; ‘ochichi nchigbu’ to an end. No society can suffer criminal leadership of the type that has befallen Abia state and develop.

Those in diaspora must stop honouring the criminals behind the rot in the state and those at home must say enough is enough. Both must embrace honesty, accountability, responsibility and courage to speak bitter and inconvenient truth to their brothers in power. It is the only way. No people, but those from Abia state can save Abia state.

Abians must now be ready to fight for their liberation from criminals leadership, which has held a strangling hold on the state since its inception. The people cannot continue to starve, while the leaders continues to get richer and obese.

Abia state, is now the state Nigeria left behind. The land yearns for light of truth and understanding. The state cries out for honest and sincere leadership that believes in truth, accountability, development, freedom, innovation and excellence.

Abia state hungers for sincere, leaders with vision, who are honest in their innermost heart, values truth, knowledge, social welfare and education and who cannot be bought or sold.

Abia state is in need of leaders who will use every kobo for the purpose the kobo is earmarked for. Men who will build and equip schools, and hospitals and will not sell hospital equipment donated to the state to private hospitals for personal gain, while state hospitals the equipment were meant for remain without the equipment they need to care for the people.

Abia state needs men who will award honest and uninflated contracts ,to reputable companies to build the state roads, water supply, sewage and drinage system for time and eternity.

Abia state is being driven to oblivion by men with insatiable greed, looters and moochers, who are blind to morality and the values that create free, fair and safe societies. Abia state is in the hands of men who think of themselves and themselves alone.

Please God, help the people to understand that they and themselves alone, will bring to an end the criminal leadership behind all their woes and the rot in Abia state. I have chosen to Stand against criminal leadership in Abia state. what will you do?