The Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Road and agony of Ochendo’s “bubuyaya”
– By Eagle Okoro
There is no gainsaying that many analysts have written from different perspectives, concerning Abia Government’s take over of the reconstruction of the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Road from the Federal Government, an interesting development that has elicited wide jubilation and commendations, particularly from progressive-minded Abians and lovers of good things home and abroad.
But my area of interest has to do with the open display of nonchalance by the previous administrations in the state, especially that of former Gov. Theodore Ahamefula Orji, alias Ochendo (nwafor Ibeku), towards the deplorable condition of the road, which had resulted in many fatal crashes, with many deaths and permanent injuries in the aftermath.
For purposes of emphasis, the road in question traverses Ndume Ibeku, the home of Ochendo’s wife, Odochi, and links up with the new Umuahia Timber Market, which was relocated from Ohobo Afara in 2012 or thereabouts.
One major takeaway from the inauguration of the market by Ochendo, for me, was his laudable promise to reconstruct the two-lane federal highway into a dual carriageway to ease traffic and mitigate the plight of the timber dealers, who had to leave their comfort zone inside the metropolis to ply their trade in the new market, which apparently was like a desert at that point.
At that time, too, the dilapidated condition of the road was a major concern to the traders, who had to commute daily through a long deplorable stretch from Ohokobe Ndume and Ihie Ndume to Ahieke Ndume, where the market is situated.
The timber market, like the Ubani Ibeku Market, was shoddily and shabbily built with no modern amenities in place. The roads in and around the market, like others built in the towns and cities across the state by the Ochendo administration, were wishy-washy and substandard, to say the least. They were literally built manually with shovel and digger by the infamous local-based Aka Construction Company Limited.
So, while addressing the distraught traders during the official opening of the timber market, Ochendo, in a very charismatic and persuasive language, promised to address the problem of the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Road by reconstructing it into a dual carriageway to ease and facilitate access to the market.
Incidentally, the promise was like a balm, which he applied to soothe agitated nerves because the pronouncement drew a thunderous applause from the traders, who were gripped by anxiety and great uncertainty over what the future held for them in their new location.
One of the salient concerns by the traders, which logically posed serious threat to their business, was the incredibly poor condition of the federal highway.
Of course, their fear was genuine and understandable, because timber haulage can never thrive on a bad and deplorable road. Hence, the promise by Ochendo to reconstruct the road lifted their spirit that the future held great prospect for their business, with more clientele coming from the neighbouring Akwa Ibom and Cross River States.
But true to the predictions of those who knew Ochendo much better, the road turned out to be one of his many scams and unfulfilled promises in his eight-year tenure. This is called “bubuyaya”, in his own parlance and many of his politician friends and governorship aspirants that anxiously sought to succeed him, including Uche Ogah, His Excellency, Gov. Alex Otti, were all victims of his governorship scam. Ditto for a thousand and one other unrealised promises by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led administrations that ruled, ravaged and ruined Abia State for uninterrupted 24 years.
Ochendo hails from Nkata Ibeku and got married to Odochi, an unassuming, traditionally nutured maiden from Umuohu Okpula Ndume Ibeku, and Ibeku land constitutes the soul and heart of Umuahia, the state capital. So, any developmental projects, sited and executed in the state capital, translate to direct investment and development of his fatherland.
Unfortunately, Ochendo’s inability to resist the possessive spirit of self-aggrandisement, self first, and primitive acquisition of wealth, stalled all the projects earmarked for execution in Ibeku land during his tenure.
They all died at their conception stages, or better still, on the drawing board or executed shoddily and haphazardly, after huge budgetary approvals and releases were made by his administration.
It was the apparent lack of political will to do what was right that led to the early collapse and failure of virtually all the internal roads built by his administration, even while he was still in office and immediately after he exited.
Also, most office complexes and classroom buildings constructed by his government had been declared unfit after being subjected to integrity tests.
During the relocation of the two major markets out of the Umuahia town to their permanent sites, Ochendo promised to convert the resultant empty lands into developmental projects.
Hear his then Chief Press Secretary, Mr Ugochukwu Emezue: “When the markets are relocated, the spaces left will be used for projects that will impact on the lives of the citizens positively.
“Apart from adding to the aesthetic values, the relocation of these markets will enhance the free flow of traffic within the capital, Umuahia.”
Now, let us identify the two major markets that were relocated out of the metropolis to the outskirts and analyse what the empty spaces were later used for.
Firstly, the Umuahia Main Market at Isi-Gate, otherwise called Ogwumabiri, was moved to Ubani Ibeku Ultra-modern Market. After the relocation, the place was later balkanised and alloted to Ochendo’s cronies.
His government merely built a perimeter fence around the empty land and left it to constitute an eyesore at the city centre until the present government courageously revoked and recovered the land. Gov. Otti is presently developing the space into an ultra modern motor park that would truly befit the status of a capital city.
Secondly, part of the empty space from the old Timber Market at Ohobo Afara was used to settle a PDP chieftain from Anambra State, Chief Olisa Metu. This was how Ochendo inadvertently underdeveloped Umuahia, his native land.
His godson and successor, Dr Victor Okezie Ikpeazu, never cared a hoot about the infrastructure upgrade in Abia’s capital city, hence there is no meaningful project in Umuahia that can be easily traced to his eight-year administration.
And, so, four years after Ochendo’s exit from power, precisely in 2019, the Federal Government of late President Muhammadu Buhari awarded the 49-kilometre road for reconstruction. However, work on the project had remained epileptic due largely to paucity of funds.
This is the reason, six years down the line, its been back-and-forth, one-year, one-block development approach. With 24 kilomertres from Ikot Ekpene axis built up, the dilapidation of the remaining 25 kilometres on the Umuahia end of the road continued to get worse after every rainy season, causing huge nightmare to the road users.
So, in alignment with the policy thrust of his administration to fix and reconstruct all the major roads leading into Umuahia, Gov. Otti pencilled down the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Road, alongside the Umuahia-Owerri Road, Umuahia-Uzuakoli-Akara-Ohafia Road, amongst others, for reconstruction.
Gladly, Friday, October 24, 2025 marked a turning point in the history of the road, which is described in many circles as the main artery linking parts of the South-South with the South-East, South-West and entire North.
And, having duly elicited the express approval from the Federal Government, in spite of a spirited unpatriotic gang up by some disgruntled chieftains of the All Progressives Congress, Abia Chapter, to frustrate the take over of the road by Abia Government, Gov. Otti stepped out, on Friday, at the Timber Market, Ahieke, venue of the flag off, with the confidence of a conqueror and swagger of a jinx breaker, to formally commission the road for reconstruction into a dual carriageway.
In a speech at the event, Gov. Otti gave due credit to President Bola Tinubu “for granting approval for Abia Government to take over and rehabilitate abandoned sections of the road”.
According to him, the failed sections of the road had caused commuters and transporters daily horror over the years.
He also acknowledged the support of the Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, for facilitating the technical processes required for the take over of the project.
Otti said: “We are greatly impressed with the favorable disposition of the Federal Government to the holistic infrastructure development of our state.
“We have said it in the past, and it is repeating today, that differences in political affiliations need not stand in the path of the responsibilities of governors and other critical development imperatives.”
He contended that, in spite of the road being federally owned, “the State Government remained committed to the maintenance and development of all roads within Abia, whether federal, state, or local, to support socioeconomic development”.
The governor confirmed that some unpatriotic political actors had attempted to frustrate the initiative for personal and political gains, but praised the Federal Government for refusing to be swayed by such vicious attempts.
According to him, the road reconstruction will improve commuting, stimulate local economic growth, empower households, and enhance security.
He said that the project was scheduled to be delivered within 18 months and expressed the hope that it could be completed even sooner.
Like other legacy projects executed by the Otti-led government, there is undiluted public confidence that the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Road would be delivered in record time and best standard.
It is a known fact that when a governor fails to deliver on his promise, he consoles himself with the popular axiom that “government is a continuum”.
So, what Napoleon could not do for his Ibeku land, a forward-looking, people-centred, development-focused and interventionist government of Gov. Otti has done for God’s own people, that they may rejoice now that a good man is on the throne.
#Abia is marching to greatness!
– Eagle Okoro is a public affairs commentator and writes from Umuahia