Emeka Atuma


By Tony Icheku

Construction began Wednesday on the Ndoro-Ngwugwo-Inyilla road, courtesy a road rehabilitation contract facilitated by Hon Emeka Atuma, the APC Senatorial candidate for Abia Central Senatorial district.



Dailyledger.com.ng reports that few weeks back, when Hon Emeka Atuma hosted the members and leaders of Ikwuano Youths Leaders Forum to an interactive session, he promised that all clans in Ikwuano LGA, would get at least one asphalt road to replace the pot-hole ridden death traps being used now by the people before the 2023 General Elections. 




Today, Wednesday, August 31, 2022, bulldozers and caterpillars are busy at work on Ndoro-Ngwugwuo-Iyilla road axis, and the name Atuma has  become a talking point in all nooks and crannies of  Ikwuano. And it is not on account of the politics for 2023 in which he is the APC Senatorial candidate for Abia Central Senatorial district.



Outsiders may not see the significance in the rehabilitation of another backwater inter-community rural road, but it means the whole world to the people of Ikwuano who have been subjected to the worst form of bad governance, deprivation and marginalisation by the PDP-led administration in Abia since 1999



Even as Atuma began to trend, he is being looked upon as  the game changer in the politics of Ikwuano ahead 2023. Though out of  the corridors of power since 2007, his determined efforts to wipe the tears of his people would not go unrewarded, says community leaders of thought.



 For blazing the trail for Ikwuano's renascence, they see him as one of the factors that would chart the direction for Ikwuano's politics in 2023



 For Ikwuano, adjudged as one of Abia's food baskets, inter-community roads to/fro their farms and markets was to put it mildly, a essential commodity, but none has been forthcoming since 1999, till 2007 when Atuma facilitated the first ever asphalting of  Ndoro-Umuigu-Ntalakwu road and equally took  steps to keep it in a state of constant renewal. This road leads to the rich palm oil belt of Oloko right to the borders with Isiala Ngwa.



In 2021, the Ndoro-Umuigu-Ntalakwu road was expanded and given a brand new 'nylon tar' 



During the same period, work was begun to on the first ever asphalting of the Umuigu-Ogbuebuelle road, of which it's first phase has been completed.



Other roads completed or nearing completion of their first phases include the Isi-Court - Olokoro road in Umuahia South LGA. It is expected that it's second phase would link it to Nnonno bridging the Nnonno - Oleri road now completed. Also completed is the rehabilitation of Nnonno - Umugbalu road terminating at Oboro Methodist High School junction.



Certainly, Ikwuano people have never had it so good and now they are pinching themselves as if waking up from a deep slumber. Let it be stated here that the under-development of Ikwuano is such that some communities in Oloko and Ibere cannot access their neighboring communities in Ikwuano except they make a long detour taking them through two other LGAs, Atuma has promised such traumatic experience belongs to the past 



In his interaction with the youths leaders, he advised them to stop being blind followers: "I am not here to convince you to follow me,  whether I am elected to office or not, my vision for a beautiful, better Ikwuano is clear"



Atuma told the youths leaders that he is subjecting himself to their scrutiny,  and equally urged them to subject others candidates canvassing to be voted into office to similar scrutiny.



"You need capital and human development, not the peanuts they are giving you to vote for them, ask them what they have done so far with the offices they have occupied. What is their vision for you. Ask every candidate questions -  What package do you have for the people? ", he counselled the youths


What is the  real significance of Emeka Atuma's gesture? It  becomes clearer if one realizes that the four corners of Ikwuano are littered with abandoned or shoddily executed  Federal or State capital projects.  It becomes clearer if one recalls there are politicians elected to offices for a record 12 years, yet today, there is not even a block standing as a testimonial that they ever came so near to power and influence!


For the former lawmaker who represented Ikwuano/Umuahia North/South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives from 2003-2007, would it therefore be a smooth sail to the Senate come 2023? No journey is ever a smooth sail, but truth be told Atuma has won the hearts of Ikwuano and Umuahia-South LGAs

In his reaction to the Atuma phenomenon, the  President-General of Amangwo community, Mr Festus Egbulefu proffers:  "We should henceforth start appreciating our sons/daughters that selflessly bring in durable, genuine, noticeable, verifiable developmental projects into our community".