What is the colour of forgotten dreams ?

The Phillipines took their turn today at the Asean Festival in Abuja. Their offering was a film whose title is the rather longish question that said : What is the colour of forgotten dreams? Indeed, what shall your memories be , if you were Theresa (Tere) ! She refused to follow her childhood love just because she would rather remain and take care of her relatives.She had no savings because every payday was for her a chance to distribute a largesse well in excess of her monthly salary to her relatives. She grew into an old girl taking care of her mistress's children (as one of them puts it) sometimes even better than their biological mother. And when she was old , their parents both dead and they living abroad, they came home, sold the house and thought no better than sending her to an old people's home. What would be the colour of those dreams you had bypassed, those memories you wish did not exist ?

2nd Asean Film Festival in Abuja

Just a few hours ago, the 2nd Asean Film Festival for Abuja, the capital city of Abuja was launched. There was a lot of Asian food on offer and then the day's film. Below is a full schedule for the entire festival. More blows to the elbow of the ASEAN Committee in Abuja, organisers of the Festival. Thanks for enriching the cultural milieu in Abuja and for bringing your cultures closer to  even those Nigerians who may never have crossed our borders.

AMANSIODO/IHUONYIA MINERAL DEPOSIT FIELD: A KEG OF ECONOMIC GUNPOWER By Ferdinand Anikwe KSJ JP.

Background:

Amansiodo is the fifth son of Oghe; Owe, Akama, Amankwo and Neke are his elder brother, while Oyowho and Iwollo are his younger ones.  Conrad Anidiobi tried to explain how our Great Founder Oghe-Ezeagu shared professions and trades to his children, while his ancestor OyowhoNgamikop chose Traditional medicine and herbalism and was so blessed by his father Oghe, my ancestor NsiodoAguludimegbegbeogu was more of a farmer and less of a herbalist.  Amankwo was more of a hunter, a middle farmer and less of a herbalist.  In a nutshell, all Oghe communities were farmers, hunters and herbalists, the emphasis was a matter of degree not kind.

Amansiodo, Amankwo and Akama share over Ninety percent of arable farm land in Oghe area.  Thus, the large expanse of farmland lying from Olo bounding with Ukwume, Adaba, around Rivers Adada and Duu bounding with OkpoghoMbuta, Oghu, AmofiaAgu, Ohobo and Egede are generally referred to as Agu-Oghe.  This area mentioned belongs to AmankwoAmansiodo and Akama.  The land area occupied by Amankwo and Amansiodo are substantially larger and can accommodate the current Enugu and Onitsha townships unnoticed.

The Amansiodo Portion

Amansiodo has three sons in order of seniority as Ihuonyia, Aboefi and Umudim.  Ihuonyia secured autonomy in 2002 while the other two still bear Amansiodo.  Providence, nature and fortune kept hidden treasures beneath Amansiodo soil. In our further discussion, the two communities are mentioned side by side since their lands were close together and hence the mineral deposit fields are interwoven.  Amansiodo/Ihuonyia mineral field stretches from Ugwuetiti, through Ihuonyia to all the Amansiodo/Ihuonyia traditional farm settlements of Ugwuede, Ayidor, Uyi, Mgbuta, Mkpuavu, AkpalataOgbolowagu, Abaghuba, Ukop, Isimkpume, Ogudiani,Aligo and Rivers Adada and Duu, Awankwolo, etc.

In addition to the hidden treasures, there are bounties of attractive natural endowments making the scenery and alluring tourist destination.  The valleys, circle-like hills which provided a natural fence to Ihuonyia city, through rivers, streams, cave and a lot of springs compels a guest to find a domicile in this exquisite nature’s decoration.

It is on this land of milk and honey that the adventurous Shell B.P. company petched in 1949.  On arrival, they had meetings, consultations, debates, quarrels and negotiations with Amansiodo leaders among whom were: Late Alfred Nzekwe, NnaugwuOgbuenyi, OguekweOguanya, Ozor-OkpokoObodoeze, Ozor-OkolioObodoagu, AniagbaOjide, Makalike, OzorOgueji,Ozo-Okolo, etc.

Before oil was struck in Oloibiri in 1956, the Shell had settled in UgwuetitiAmansiodo.  This transnational oil company arrived Amansiodo in 1949.  Their mission was exploration and eventual exploitation of oil or any other possible mineral.  This was obviously one of those European imperial programmes in Nigeria.  Imperialism was demonstrated as a natural logic and extension of capitalism.  Capitalism after all, is the private ownership of means of production distribution and exchange.  Without denying that capitalism or its potentials had her traces in Nigeria, prior to the arrival of the Whiteman, the speed and quantum of capitalist activities in Europe were unprecedented.

Consequently, the expansion of capitalism from Europe overflew into Africa, Asia, South America and the Caribbean.  This capture and integration of other frontiers by capitalism of Europe with its corresponding policy protection by Governments in Western Europe was termed imperialism.

The domination and control of one African country by an European counterpart was known as colonialism.  Though Imperialism was an elder brother of colonialism in African, both were united and inseparable in policy and practice.  Both of them have subsisted in various gabs and shades in the continent till date.  One of the guiding principles of capitalism or the so called ‘free market economy’ is profit maximization and minimal loss.

This principle was fully observed in Amansiodo/Ihuonyia by Shell between 1949 and 1952, when they left for Oloibiri.  When the Company came to Oghe in search of oil, their survey activities took them to all the communities and out sketches in and around Oghe.  However, they settled at Ugwuetiti and began to erect residential and official structures the same year, haven observed positive indication of the presence of their quest.

Vigorous economic activities began in Amansiodo in 1949 and equivalent of the early coal mining activities in Enugu in 1909.  Ugwuetiti thus became a centre of commercial activities in the entire Udi District.  Opportunities for employment, both casual and regular were provided.  Many people from Oghe among whom were, Edwin Machebe, Late Richard Ezeoha, and Late CosmasChibueze were employed as staff of Shell.  Mr. Joe Obiekwe of Iwollo was employed by the Shell at this period.  It may be necessary to mention that the company’s presence in Amansiodo/Ihuonyia impacted positively on the Oghe people.  Many people were earning their living from direct and indirect Shell economic ventures.

As was to be confirmed by later Government and corporate groups’ presence in this area, other minerals like coal, iron ore, lignite, columbite, gas, granite and others are buried in Amansiodo/Ihuonyia soil as confirmed by Shell.

Consequently, Gaspower Nig. Ltd. secured the Federal Government (OPL) Oil or Gas prospecting license for Amansiodo/Ihuonyia oil field and that of Eha-Ndiagu in 2007.  This company appease more serious in Eha-Ndiagu thanAmansiodo/Ihuonyia.  However, people in the oil sector – watch feel that Enugu State Government ought to have compelled quick and continuous action of the company.

EXPLORATION AND EXPLOITATION OF SOLID MINERALS IN AMANSIODO/IHUONYIA

It was rightly observed by African Scholars in development studies, that the first motive for the Whiteman’s adventure in Africa was mainly the economic interest.  The Colonial Government ensured the provision of institutions of liberalism to justify the exploitation of the native Africa.  Though we attemptedto explain capitalism and imperialism at the onset, but we shall give the technical definition here before further discussion.  Solid foundation was therefore laid, for political, legal and spiritual expressions of colonialism which invariably provided the social teeth of imperialism.  While colonialism is summarized as domination and control of Nigeria by Britain, imperialism can be described as business enterprise which began in one county but spreads in a domineering manner to other countries.  In other words imperialism is capitalism beyond national boundaries.  However, the Webster’s dictionary defined both colonialism and imperialism as hereunder.  Colonialism is defined as ‘the policy of a nation seeking to acquire, extend or retain oversea dependencies’ while imperialism means ‘Government policy of developing foreign trade and exploiting the raw materials of backward countries through the use of political and military pressures, without necessary assuring direct political control of the nations affected’.  Shell BP is one of such agents of imperialism, which was extended to our home Amansiodo/Ihuonyia.  The dominance of Shell BP in the Nigerian oil sector is a historical phenomenon.  This company can easily be assessed as one of the most powerful transnational companies in the Nigerian oil sector.

Amansiodo belongs to the mineral rich zone of Enugu State.  The Colonial explorers identified coal deposits in Ngwo in 1908 (Eze 1998, Anikwe 2009) same as Amansiodo 1994, Obimo and Ugwuoba 1950 – 1954, while the presence of crude oil was speculated in both EhaNdiagu and Amansiodo according to Shell report of the forties and fifties.

Before Shell PP struck oil at Oloibiri in the present day Bayelsa State in 1956, they were comfortably settled in Amansiodo at the natural trouris elevation as Ugwuetiti.

THE EXIT OF SHELL FROM AMANSIODO

The experts on exploration were almost certain that crude oil could be found at Ugwuetiti according to the reports of the geophysicist in their team.  But about 1953-54 the company left Amansiodo and went Southwards towards Owerri and later the Riverline areas or what we refer to as Niger Delta today.  When we asked questions on the circumstances behind the quit of Shell, some Amansiodoindigenes who saw it all, proffered uniformed and seemingly parochial reasons which necessitated the departure of the company.

There was an account based on primordial feeling and fetish belief that powerful Amansiodo traditional doctors who did not want the Whitemen to seize their land, buried some charms at the Ugwuetiti site which prevented the geophysicist from identifying either the crude oil, gas or coal in addition to the regular discomfort occasioned by bad spirits, which disturbed the resident workers at the site.  Their opinion was very popular in Ezeagu Local Government Area particularly because Amansiodo was blessed with the most effective traditional doctors at the time.  However, the second account was narrated to the writer by two Amansiodo indigenes who were recruited from the Ugwuetiti site, trained and later retired by the Shell. Late Chief C. N. Chibueze and Engr. Edwin Machebe dismissed the first account and explained the exit of shell on two reasons.

First, that the depth of the deposit from the surface was too far that the rig in vogue during the period could not be used to exploit the oil and therefore they fled, Machebe who gave this facts was an experienced field Engineer who worked with Shell for both off-shore and on-shore drilling.

Chief Chibueze was an administrative staff and gave a summary about Shell’s withdrawal as a result of the Oloibiri successful exploration. According to Chibueze, the oil at the Niger Delta region was almost at the surface in contradistinction with the long depth of the Amansiodo/Ihuonyia experience.  The Company which was prepared to maximize profits at minimal expenditure, decided to leave Amansiodo for greener pasture down South.  Both of them described the local beliefs as uninformed, unscientific invalid.

Late Mr. Richard Ezeoha was one of the Amansiodo illustrious sons who was recruited and trained by Shell.  The trio remained successful and influential in both Amansiodo and Ihuonyia autonomous communities.  During our childhood days, all development oriented stories and remarks were always punctuated with lamentations and regrets of the departure of Shell, which explained out all failures, backwardness and inaction of the despondent people.  For them, if it was not for the wicked traditional doctors of Amansiodo extraction, they would have been millionaires.  Without apportioning blames on either the commentators, the medicine-men or the Shell corporate staff all from Amansiodo, let us take it further from there.  We may have been a lot luckier that the exploitation of the minerals is coming just today.

The Niger Delta region did not see the Oil Companies’ activities as a bed of roses.  The people in the region are devastated by oil spillage, their farmlands destroyed, the peasants impoverished and their aged, weak, hopeless and dejected, while their youths are restive, violent, militant and destructive.  All Governments in Nigeria, Federal, State and Local are now combating the efforts of the planlessness and negligence of the oil companies in that region.  Thanks to the Jonathan led Federal Government of Nigeria that restored the dignity of persons and hope to the region by people oriented policies. 

The question is, assuming Shell succeeded in the fifties in Amansiodo, what should have been the fate of our people?  Secondly, now that something much better is coming through Professor Barth Nnaji Nigeria’s arguably, most, effective and successful Minister of Power from 1960, what does the future hold for the people of this blessed land?

PROFESSOR BARTH NNAJI TO THE RESCUE

Prof. Barth Nnaji, the celebrated genus, who broke through in Robotics Engineering, is well known Scholar and perfectionist.  He was consulting on power engineering and had an exemplary project in Aba, Abia State from where he was consulting for many State Governments on power; including Enugu State.

In 2010, therefore, accompanied by then secondary to Enugu State Government, he came to Amansiodo after preliminary discussions with Sir Ferdinand Anikwe on the accessibility of the project site at Ugwuetiti, the nearest streams like Ivo at Ihuonyia and River Duu and Adada.

Chief Anikwe led the team to the site, Ivo and Duu.  Prof. Nnaji, Martin Ilo, the former SSG came with some expected financiers from abroad.  The team came, they saw and they confirmed the possibility of river Duu for the maximal operation of the project.  They paid homage to the two traditional rulers of Ihuonyia and Amansiodo Communities their Royal Highness, Igwe Nicholas, E. Ilochi, EveeNge of Ihuonyia and Igwe C. C. OfforAguludimegbegbeogu of Amansiodo.

When Prof. Nnaji was the Minister of Power, he availed his useful experience to the Federal Government and has led an opinion to establish the plant in Amansiodo/Ihuonyia land.

It will be recalled that the leaders of thought of both Communities sent Sir, Ferdinand Anikwe to Prof. Nnaji Abuja for enquiries about the project in May, 2012.

After fruitful discussions with Prof. Nnaji and Prof. P. O. Okeke, Sir, Anikwe returned the message of hope and sincerity to Amansiodo/Ihuonyia leaders of thought that the project was on course.  Consequently, Prof. P. O. Okeke the coal expert came with his team for an important pre-implementation survey on 30^th of July, 2012.  From this period we were more confident.

ANOTHER POCKET OF EUROPEAN SETTLEMENT

When the foreign Shell workers settled in Ugwuetiti, they provided a befitting environment for white life and habitation.  Fabricated structures were arranged.  There were improvised street lights. The lights shone at nights throughout Oghe vicinity and beyond.  The light at Ugwuetiti was felt at IsiokweAkama, UmanaIsigwu.  UgwudeleAmankwo – Ugwudinso Eke and other far places including, Ebe, Olo, Egede and Affa mostly at night.  Other locations of similar experiences were in Ugwuoba and Enugu urban where the presence of the Europeans had taken a firm root.

Thus, Amansiodo/Ihuonyia Communities enjoyed short-lived modern facilities as reported by late CosmasChibueze who served at the site.  Water was piped from Ajali River to the Ugwuetiti site.  The social aspect of Shell’s presence was understood more by the educated class than the casual workers.  Ball room dances and high class parties were organized by the Shell staff in total alienation from the natives except perhaps, the few educated girls from Oghe and other communities.

ChiekpoObodoagu hails from Umuoniyo/Ihuonyia, he witnessed the Shell activities having worked in the Company for a  short spell of two years, he regrets Shell’s departure from our soil.  According to him there were visible signs of development or modernization.  Ugwuetitiwas bubbling with economic and social activities to the benefit of Oghe people and beyond.

However, to demonstrate their capitalist policy, they not only disconnected the water-pipes, but removed the fabricated buildings and other structures.  By the time they left in 1952, Amansiodo returned to her natural state leaving some slabs and guided holes where they carried out their testing on both sites otherwise, the Federal Government could be pressurized to change the license to a more active or richer Company to ensure speedy exploration and later exploitation of gas in the zone.  This singular activity will list Enugu State among Oil/Gas Producing States of Nigerian Federation.

A PEED INTO THE FUTURE

Main infrastructure Ltd. led by Prof. B. Nnaji has been shown some hectares of land at AbagbubaAgu-Amansiodo/Ihuonyia to enable the Company site coal to power plant in the area, and the negotiations are still ongoing.

Gaspower Nigeria Ltd. has approached the people of Ihuonyia and Amansiodo communities indicating their interest for a geo-technical survey in the mineral rich zone.  Infact, a geo-technical survey had been completed by an international geo-technical company.  The result of this study commissioned by Gaspower is yet awaited.

In 2008, Federal Ministry of Mines and Power came close to Mr. Anonde’s house at Ugwuanyavery close to the Igwuetiti Shell site.  They mounted an exploratory automated instrument and extracted a liquid substance which later-on congealed and appeared like iron. Those government officials confirmed that it was an iron ore.  The elderly Mr. Anonde who observed the entire activity, inquired from the government officials what their mission was, and their reply, was that they came from the Federal Government to find out from their soil minerals beneficial to Amansiodo/Ihuonyia people and the government.

Sir Ferdinand Anikwe was dispatched a third time in 2014 to enquire from Federal Ministry of Power, what the Ministry’s latest plan for the site was.  Sir Anikwe came back with another hopeful message that a company would soon come to begin work at Amansiodo – Ihuonyia specifically on Coal to PowerProgramme.  He discussed with the following officials in the Ministry.

a)   Prof. Chinedu Nebo, the Minister of Power

b)  Dr. G. Igali, Permanent Secretary

c)   Engr. Ekpo, Director of Coal to Power

d)  Prof. P. O. Okeke, Consultant on Coal

The community leaders were fully briefed and were very enthusiastic to welcome Prof. P. O. Okeke when he came on a study tour of the mineral zone in 2012.

Ready to welcome him were, their Royal Highness Igwe Nicholas Ilochi, EveeNgeIhuonyia and Igwe Charles C. OfforAguludimegbegbeogu of Amansiodo, Sir Ferdinand Anikwe, Permanent Secretary in Enugu State Government, The Chairman of Ihuonyia Town Union Mr. Emma Ofodile, The Prime Ministers of Ihuonyia and Amansiodo Chief Pious AnikweOwaGburugburu and AnsalemChukwuemezie, Dr. J. B. C. Emenike, Profs. Chidobem, Amujiogu and Ike Ndolo.

The two Communities of Ihuonyia and Amansiodo are anxiously waiting for any or all of the companies to begin something in the sites to kick start the much awaited economic and social improvements in the area.  These programmes will boost the economy of Ezeagu Local Government, Enugu State and beyond and surely alleviate poverty.

 

REFERENCES

Ake C.:  Democracy and Development in Africa, 1996.

Fuku Yama Francis:  The Origins of Political Order, 2011.

Farmer Straus and Giroux, U.S.A.

Meredith Martin:  The State of Africa.  Free Press London, 2005

Aningo C. C.:  My Cry for Nigeria: A Challenge of our Essence

New Generation Books, Enugu, 2012.

Achebe Chinua:Things Fall Apart, Heinemann, 1958.

Anikwe F:   Public Sector Management in Oghe, A Historical

Survey in Oghe Writers Association. Vol./No.1 2013

The next big event !

The next big event in the Nigerian Cultural sector is the 41st Meeting of the Chief Executives of Culture which will hopefully hold in Ebonyi from the 19th of this month. Then there is the National Festival of Arts and Culture still in Ebonyi from 13th of the following month.Did I hear you talk of the issue of succession at the National Council for Arts and Culture?

Ambassador Olusegun Olusola is dead !

Ambassador Olusegun Olusola is dead.

This giant of Nigerian Cultural Sector certainly left a gargantuan footprint. Moves are on for his burial. May his soul find rest in the Lord !

We shall be talking more about him later.

37th CEC Meeting

The 37th meeting of the Chief Executives of Culture just held at the U.K Bello Theatre Complex, Mina, Niger State. 25 states and 6 Federal Parastatals were in attendance. Many issues of importance to the Nigerian Cultural Sector were discussed. The syllabus for NAFEST 2012 which is to hold in Kwara from Saturday 13th  to Saturday 20th of October was approved.

CALABAR CARNIVAL ON THE MOVE

I am currently in Calabar. Aside from having been here to see the last edition of the  Carnival Calabar, I have had the good luck of being here to see some of the post-event actions too.

Just two days ago, the head of the Tourism Corporation was on air to do a review. Most salient amongst the things he revealed are (1) that the Calabar Christmas Festival, of which the Carnival Calabar forms the pinnacle has achieved 60% sponsorship level. Great news (2) That sale of tickets for segments of the festival, which includes sale for covered seats at the adjudication points of the Carnival is on the rise as evidenced by the last edition and (3) that his organisation is planning to have all year round tourism events .


Just as if to ride on that, it came to light barely 24hours thereafter that some communities within the state have taken it upon themselves to replicate the Carnival Calabar in their communities. Brilliant way, I say, of spreading the joy and discouraging rural -urban migration.

Kudos to  the Cross River State and all its functionaries.

Proof once again that we are right who say the tourism and culture sector should shake off its image of drain pipe.