Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti has once again reiterated that what brought him into politics was to restore the dignity of Abians, and is not interested in anything other than that.

He said so at Abayi District of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Aba where he went to worship unannounced and at the Headquarters of the Living Word Ministry International, on the occasion of the 50th Wedding Anniversary Ceremony of the General Overseer of the Church and the Chancellor of Rhema University, Brother Emma Okorie and his wife.

The Governor also warned that any appointee of his administration who gets involved in bribery and corruption would be fired, warning them against getting involved in corruption.

“What we have come to do in Abia is nothing other than restoring dignity… The only reason I showed up to contest elections is about the dignity of our people. It is not about money. Anything that will not restore the dignity of the Abia Man, count us out.

“There is something we are known for as Abians and Igbos, which we want to bring back. Under this administration, we will not allow those bad things that used to happen in the past come, back except if they are good,

“If anybody tells you to bring money for anything, tell him it is a lie, that he is a dupe, because he will collect the money from you and still not do anything for you. If anything is due to you, you will get it without even lobbying or talking to anybody, so that we can also encourage our young ones to grow up to be like us.”

“That is why you will never see bribery and corruption in this Government. If you get involved, I will fire you. We are intolerant of corruption and nobody can plead for you. If you get involved in bribery and corruption, you are gone,” Gov. Otti stated.

The governor Otti asserted that the recent 5,394 teachers employed by his administration, “did not pay a dime as a bribe. Nobody was hired because of who he/she knew. Even some of the people who know me very well, I said, go and write your exam, if you pass, we will take you but if you didn’t pass, we will not take you,” the congregation applauded loudly

Declaring that he has no apologies to those who are not happy with his administration’s insistence on doing the right things, he said “those who are not happy with what we are doing, we will not apologize to them. They have had their time. So we have now drawn the line, from now on, Abia is on the rise,”

At the Living Word Ministries International, Governor Otti congratulated the Overseer Bro. Emma Okorie, his wife and the entire family, thanking God for preserving their union for the past 50 years, stating that their story has a lot to teach the younger generation, especially the way they celebrate each other, adding that he was happy to be part of their 50th wedding anniversary ceremony that featured the cutting of the cake after the couple had shared the inspiring story of their 50-year marriage journey full of testimonies.

The General Overseer, Bro. Emma Okorie while commending Governor Otti for the massive development that the State has witnessed under his intentional and people-centered governance, said that the coming of Governor Otti was an answer to the people’s many years of Prayers for God to send Abia a true leader who would fix Abia.

20-09-2025.

By Ugochukwu Ahuchogu

Wednesday, August 27th, 2025, marked the 34th anniversary of Abia State as one of Nigeria’s youngest states.

Created on August 27th, 1991, by the administration of General Ibrahim Babangida, Abia Christianed “God’s Own State” was carved out of the old Imo State with Umuahia as its capital and Aba as its commercial nerve centre.

When Abia State was carved out of the old Imo State on August 27, 1991, alongside Osun, Enugu, Delta, Adamawa, and Jigawa states, it was heralded with joy and high expectations.

The name “Abia” itself came from the initials of its four major founding regions Aba, Bende, Isuikwuato, and Afikpo, a symbolic nod to unity and shared destiny.

Over the past three decades, Abia has witnessed both trials and triumphs, but today it stands as a resilient and forward-looking state whose story continues to inspire.

At its creation, Group Captain Frank Ajobena was appointed the pioneer Military Administrator, serving from August 1991 to January 1992.

He was succeeded by Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, who became the state’s first civilian Governor and held office until November 1993.
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The military then returned to power, with Commodore Chinyere Ike Nwosu, who served from 1993-1994, Navy Captain Temi Ejoor (1994-1996), Colonel Moses Fasanya (1996-1998), and Colonel Anthony Obi (1998-1999) all serving as administrators during the transitional years.

With the return of democracy in 1999, Abians embraced a new phase of governance with the election of Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu as Governor who served two terms from 1999 to 2007. He was succeeded by Chief Theodore Orji, who governed between 2007 and 2015.

Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu took over the reigns of the state from 2015-2023. On May 29th, 2023, Dr. Alex Otti of the Labour Party was sworn in, becoming the incumbent governor.

In all, Abia has had ten leaders in 34 years—five military administrators and five democratically elected governors, each contributing in different ways to the making of the state.

Economically, Abia has long been known for its agricultural wealth and industrial creativity.

The state produces cassava, yams, maize, and oil palm in large quantities, while Aba remains the industrial heartbeat of the Southeast, famed for its ingenuity in textiles, footwear, pharmaceuticals, plastics, and construction materials.

The Ariaria International Market, popularly called the “Japan of Africa,” continues to sustain thousands of businesses and households.

Over the years, development has been uneven, with notable improvements in education, healthcare and commerce, but also persistent challenges including infrastructure decay, erosion and unemployment.

Still, Abia has remained resilient, sustained by the ingenuity and entrepreneurial drive of its people.

Since taking office in 2023, Governor Alex Otti has sought to chart a new course for Abia. His administration launched the Abia State Integrated Infrastructure Development Project (ABSIID), a multi-sectoral initiative focused on rehabilitating roads, tackling erosion, reviving waste management, and creating jobs.

Backed by international partners such as the African Development Bank and the Islamic Development Bank, ABSIID is expected to accelerate development across the state. Health and social services have also been priority.

In June 2024, the state government commissioned 14 rehabilitated roads alongside four fully equipped Primary Health Centres under the “Ekwueme Projects” initiative, designed to bring healthcare closer to rural communities and reduce pressure on urban hospitals.

Industrial revival is another key plank of Otti’s agenda as roads leading to major industrial hubs in Aba have been reconstructed while others are undergoing reconstruction.

The Aba Export Growth Lab which is set to reposition local businesses for regional and global competitiveness has also been commissioned.

The rehabilitation of the Aba water scheme, the revival of the Isiala Ngwa inland dry port project, and plans for a modern Stadium City in Umuahia further demonstrate the governor’s forward-looking approach.
As Abia clocks 34, citizens are filled with cautious optimism.

Expectations are high for a state that can harness its abundant human capital, agricultural strength, and industrial energy to deliver prosperity. Abians yearn for a future where transparency in governance, inclusive infrastructure, and opportunities for the youth become the hallmark of leadership.

Ultimately, the 34th anniversary of Abia State is more than a commemoration of history but a reaffirmation of promise. From its military beginnings to its democratic present, Abia has truly endured, grown, and adapted.

With Governor Otti’s “New Abia” vision taking root, many believe the years ahead will define the state’s place not just in Nigeria, but in Africa’s economic renaissance.
Happy Anniversary and to God be the Glory!!!

Written by Ugochukwu Ahuchogu

Media practitioners, teachers and students of mass communications, allied professions and occupations, conferred for two days (24-25 June) at Umuahia, Abia state capital, for the 12th Media Institute Training organized annually by Vision Africa , the owner of Vision Africa FM Radio, Umuahia.

The conference themed ” Image Makers: Shaping Culture, Inspiring Change Through Media”, which had seven Resource Persons from the USA and three Nigerians, discussed and assessed current media practice, examining among others, how AI ( artificial intelligence) tools are shaping Content generation, editing, and brainstorming processes.

The take off session featured presentation of the Keynote Address titled ” The Influence of Image Makers: Media’s Call to Shape Culture and Promote the Welfare of Nations” by Mr Troy Miller, President/CEO, National Religious Broadcaster, USA.

President/Founder of Vision Africa, Bishop Dr Sunday Ndukwo Onuoha who said that the 2025 edition of the Conference/training Workshop, created the platform for Media Professionals to upgrade their skills towards shaping and securing a better future for the society, and affirmed the influence of broadcasters, storytellers and content creators as agents of cultural definition and transformation.

He said ” in every society, those who craft and share stories and inform the public through words, images, and sound, play a vital role in shaping how people see themselves, their communities and the world”.

According to him, by telling stories that reflect both the challenges and the hopes of the communities they serve, media professionals contribute meaningfully to the ongoing work of nation building, promoting public understanding , shared values, and social cohesion.

He said further that in serving the public good and advancing the welfare of nations, image makers do more than document events, as they help shape the moral and imaginative framework of the societies they call home.

The Abia state governor Dr Alex Otti who flagged off the conference through his Information Commissioner Prince Okey Kanu,
underscored the need for the media to prioritize narratives that inspire confidence and not fear, urged participants to subsist narrating the true Abia story that would be devoid of fake news.

The Coordinating Director, Broadcast Monitoring, National Broadcasting Commission, Susan Obi, while enjoining Broadcasters to be mindful of their influence in shaping societies and decisions, stated that through various platforms, the media constructs narratives and images that deeply influence how individuals and societies perceive themselves and others.

” Broadcasters, as image makers, wield immense power in shaping cultural identities, influencing decisions and promoting the welfare of nations, and beyond information dissemination, the media acts as a key player alongside traditional institutions, the State, family and schools in defining a society’s wellbeing”.

Professor of Mass Communication and Deputy Vice Chancellor at Gregory University Uturu, Abia state Dr Uwaoma Kalu Uche frowned against the rapid trending fake news dissemination suggesting that a ‘Content Creation Criminal Commission’ that is similar to EFCC, should be set up to checkmate false Content Creators.

The Resource Persons who lectured on various topics/issues were Dr Chuck Pollak, Don Geiger and Troy Miller, Dr Vic Costello, Sharon Geiger, Don Geiger, Jeff Wilson, all from the USA.

Others ( Nigerians ) were Attorney Sarafina N’kenta, a certified Social Behavioral Change Communication Expert and Chief Operations Officer of Vision Africa and professor Uwaoma Uche.

Troy Miller discussed importance of ethical leadership , steady decision- making, integrity in moments of organizational or cultural upheaval, focussing on what kind of leadership the media world needs in times of crisis.

While Chuck Pollak looked into a media manager’s multi- dimensional role , balancing leadership strategies for managing talent, budget and content pipelines , Dr Costello posited for careful use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the performance of media work.

Jeff Wilson harped on mapping out visual stories through planning tools and discovering how AI accelerates production processes like scripting and visualization, Don Geiger urged for incorporation of personal convictions, ethical perspectives, or faith-informed viewpoints into on-air content in a way that feels natural , respectful, and inclusive.

Participants rose from the two days interactions that featured questions and answers sessions, corroborating that the media is a veritable instrument to promote good governance, keep the people abreast with the goings on in the society, and that broadcasters and information managers should subsist disseminating what their target audience need and ought to be informed at all times.

Written by GORDI UDEAJAH