When Abia State was carved out of the old Imo State on August 27, 1991, alongside Osun, Enugu, Delta, Adamawa, and Jigawa, 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. Branded “God’s Own State,” Abia’s mission was clear from the outset: to harness the industrious spirit of its people, build a strong economy anchored in commerce and industry, and deliver governance that ensured security, opportunity, and dignity for all.
But as the decades rolled on, the dream stumbled. One administration after another came and went from Late Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, the first civilian governor, to successive leaders both military and civilian yet the state often seemed trapped in the shadows of its peers. While states created the same day surged ahead with modern cities, thriving economies, and vibrant infrastructure, Abia became a case study in lost potential. Roads crumbled. Salaries went unpaid. Hospitals turned into relics. Schools collapsed into neglect. Aba once the pride of West Africa’s manufacturing and trade decayed under the weight of impassable roads, flooding, and market squalor. Even Umuahia, the capital, struggled to project the dignity of a state capital. Rural communities were left to fend for themselves. The vision of “God’s Own State” became a distant memory.
In May 2023, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti (OFR) took on the task of changing this reality carrying not just a manifesto, but a mission to break the jinx of mediocrity and rescue Abia from decades of decline.
Projects once deemed impossible have moved from political rhetoric to concrete achievement. The 6.8 km Port Harcourt Road in Aba, abandoned for decades, is now a reborn economic artery under Julius Berger. The 67 km Umuahia–Uzuakoli–Abiriba–Ohafia Road, the 30 km Arochukwu–Ndi Okereke–Ozuabam Road, the Osisioma–Ekeakpara Industrial Road, the six-lane Aguiyi Ironsi Boulevard, the 12.6 km Ohanze–Ntighauzor–Akirika Obu Road, and the 5.5 km Owerrinta–Umuikaa Expressway have transformed connectivity. Even the historic Omenuko Bridge, left to decay for years, is being rebuilt to modern standards. Solar-powered streetlights now illuminate major streets in Aba and Umuahia, making them safer and more alive for business and leisure.
Beyond roads, Otti’s government has redefined the public service culture. The state secretariat and all government offices now enjoy a classic, healthy work environment powered by solar lighting, equipped with reliable internet, and designed to inspire productivity. Jobs are open to all, indigenes and non-indigenes alike, with merit and expertise valued above political or ethnic considerations. Salaries and pensions are now paid on or before the 28th of every month, ending decades of arrears and uncertainty. Traditional rulers receive their stipends promptly, restoring dignity to the custodians of Abia’s heritage.
Innovation has taken root with TechRise, a state-backed initiative nurturing tech start-ups and digital entrepreneurs. The Abia State Leadership Academy is grooming a new generation of ethical, visionary leaders. The Aba Export Growth Lab is fast-tracking the journey of local businesses into global markets, restoring Aba once hailed as the “Japan of Africa” as the commercial heartbeat of the South-East. The long-awaited Abia Airport Project has also been flagged off, promising the state’s first-ever airport a gateway for commerce, tourism, and global connectivity.
Healthcare has taken a leap into territory Abia workers had never known. The launch of a formal sector health insurance scheme has brought quality medical care within reach of civil servants a first in the state’s history. Under Project Ekwueme, hundreds of Primary Health Centres are being renovated and re-equipped, three general hospitals upgraded to specialist centres, and plans set for a world-class Medical City to make Abia a healthcare hub.
Education has equally been revitalised. Through the AbiaFirst Initiative, free and compulsory primary and junior secondary schooling is in place, thousands of teachers have been recruited, and modern skills training is preparing the youth for the jobs of tomorrow. The building of SMART schools has begun to transform public schools into the first choice for the masses.
Security, too, has received unprecedented attention. With Operation Crush, criminal hideouts have been dismantled, and peace has been restored to troubled communities. Today, Abia is widely acknowledged as the most peaceful state in the South-East a foundation upon which all other progress securely rests.
Many of these gains Abia now enjoys were never there before, and their absence had quietly suffocated the state’s growth for years.
In truth, what we are living through is more than just progress; it is *The Otti Renaissance Era. * Time in Abia’s history can now be told in two epochs: the years before Otti, and this golden age that has begun under his watch. And by the time his tenure ends, this chapter will be remembered as the moment when Abia’s destiny was reset.
As Abia celebrates 34 years of statehood, it is no longer the forgotten state of 1991. It is now a rising star rebuilt, rebranded, and reborn standing tall in the comity of states. And under the Otti Renaissance, its most inspiring chapters are yet to be written.
