‘Competition unhealthy for Igboland’ — Hon. Ogbuanya explains why south-east should support Adada creation

Hon. Justice Nelson Ogbuanya of the National Industrial Court, Owerri Division has enjoined South-Easternerss to embrace the idea of Adada state creation stating that competition over state creation is unhealthy for Igboland.

Hon. Ogbuanya made this statement during the 2024 Nsukka Journalists Forum Convention, Public Lecture and Award Ceremony held in Nsukka, Enugu State on the 3rd of October.

Ogbuanya stated that having different proposals for the creation of a new state portray disunity. In his words, “The multiple proposal, particularly from within the core and existing South East states invariably portrays South Easterners as a people, though deprived, but cannot harmonise their efforts to pursue the remedy for justice in unison, and be fair even among themselves.

Further stating that “The ensuing competition is self-defeating and not healthy for development of Igboland, as political leaders and various stakeholders of the SE ought to have a rationalised fair review of the need for the creation of the additional one (1) state and align efforts and join forces for creation of Adada state, which is most deserving!”

Stating reasons why Adada is deserving of the status, he mentioned that it’s creation would create a balance in the subnational South East citing that an
imbalance between the two major ancient blocs of Northern Igbo (Ndi Wawa) comprising the present Enugu and Ebonyi States and Southern Igbo (Ndi Agbenu), comprise of the present Abia, Anambra and Imo States exists.

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Hon. Ogbuanya further stated homogeneity of the people with cultural affinity as a plus. As Adada State is to be “carved out of the part of the current Enugu State comprising the Enugu North Senatorial District of Enugu State, who are people of Nsukka cultural zone, though from different local government areas (Nsukka, Igbo-Eze North, Igbo-Eze South, Udenu, Igbo-Etiti and Uzo-Uwani
local governments), but with ancient cultural affinity known throughout Igbo
land.”

The Industrial Court judge also state that “Adada State is the earliest agitation from South East” as it dates back to 1983. Pointing to the fact that thr state was  unanimously accepted at the 2005 Confab, which was held during former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration. The proposed State capital, Nsukka, is also Nigeria’s oldest and biggest local government and served as a district head during the colonial era and was the only of its kind that was yet to become a state capital.

Furthermore, he stated that Adada State proposal enjoys massive support from stakeholders and the government of Enugu State.

In his speech, Hon. Ogbuanya commended NJF for inaugurating the Public Lecture, which focused on garnering broader discourse and informed legal perspective, towards realizing the lingering quest for Adada State.

He also advised that “the project for creation of additional State for the South East geo-political zone is not sacrificed on cross-fire of media war and squabbles among key agitators from different quarters as such approach would be counter-productive, and over-heat the polity.”