“As of today, the majority of industries in Nnewi and Onitsha are no longer functional.” —Ebuka Onyekwelu Although a very age-long argument, perhaps, Asaba taking over Onitsha’s commercial advantage is now more real than before.  In the past few years, there has been consistent relocation of residences and businesses from Onitsha to Asaba. Nearly all major business owners in Onitsha and Nnewi have tactically moved a part of their business and residence to Asaba. The...

“In 2025, Anambra governorship election will remain an open competition where candidates from different political parties, regardless of their origins in the state, will compete.” —Ebuka Onyekwelu I have read the report by a colleague and a friend, David Eleke, titled, “Will APC Abide by Existing Zoning Formula in Anambra?“, published by This Day.  Quite frankly, I have more than a dozen reservations given the level of holes in David’s argument. Even more, his deliberate...

“This Supreme Court judgment is a serious blow to the current administration in Anambra State.” —Ebuka Onyekwelu Only on Tuesday, INEC, for the first time, recognized Chief Edozie Njoku as the rightful National Chairman of APGA. This is happening after five years of intense legal battles. In comparison, the argument went on earlier on Tuesday as to the authenticity of Edozie Njoku’s recognition by INEC, later in the evening of that Tuesday, Chief Njoku’s name...

“Any aspirant given a party ticket to stand for an election will run for that election.” —Ebuka Onyekwelu The 2025 Anambra State Governorship Election has remained in the front burner. With more than a year before the election, conversations around who becomes the next governor of Anambra State or if the incumbent will continue has intensified. A major part of this debate is the question of zoning. The clamour for zoning must first be seen,...

“Foreign exchange crises have now made remote learning more attractive and ultimately inevitable” —Ebuka Onyekwelu Patronage for foreign education in Nigeria dates back to pre-independent Nigeria. The country’s founding father, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, was schooled at Howard University in the United States. Similarly, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Nigeria’s founding father, was schooled at the University of London in the United Kingdom. At the time, both founding fathers had no luxury of options. But a few years...

“The elites must provide direction on how Biafra must be remembered.” —Ebuka Onyekwelu On Monday, June 17th, 2024, some innocent people in Nnobi and Nnewi in Anambra state, lost their lives to the activities of armed gangs under the aegis of “unknown gunmen.” This Monday’s episode was only one of the series in the speedy deterioration of Southeast security since 2021. The week before, some soldiers, needless to add of Abia origin, were murdered in...

“In the end, the Southeast would need to rethink not just its politics, but its leadership” —Ebuka Onyekwelu The Southeast has a peculiar problem of leadership challenge and this reflects on business succession, political succession, and general order across the zone. In business, for instance, most businesses owned by Southeast industrialists of high repute between the 1980s and early 2000s have shutdown upon the death of their founders. This is calamitous, but the zone has...

“Flavour went to Enugu apparently because the governor paid no attention to him” —Ebuka Onyekwelu A few days ago, one of Nigeria’s, nay, Africa’s finest and biggest musicians, Chinedu Okoli, more popularly known as Flavour, buried his late father, Elder Benjamin Onyemaechi Okoli. Flavour is from Umunze in Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State. But shockingly, while the interment of Elder Benjamin Okoli was held at Umunze, the celebration of life was moved...

“Invitation by ICPC is part of their routine regulatory duties and this should not raise any concern.” —Ebuka Onyekwelu The story of the arrest and detention of Mr. Paul Chukwuma is untrue in its entirety. Stories like this are easy to verify. The good thing, however, is that the fake story has once again raised a serious question of credibility and reliability within Nigeria’s media space. It is disturbing that media outfits can just pick...

“If the Anambra Assembly was unfriendly to the labour leaders, they would not be granted them access to the complex.” —Ebuka Onyekwelu Some Labour Unionists led by Chikwelu Adigwe, on Monday, interrupted meetings being held by honourable members in the Anambra State Assembly complex. Several reports have unsurprisingly blamed the House of Assembly or the meeting honourable members, especially Hon. Tony Muobike who was captured in a video clip having an exchange of words with...