By Chikaodiri Emmanuel
In Igbo philosophy, a community that rests entirely under the shade of a tree rooted outside its soil lives on borrowed time. When the dry season arrives or heavy storms rage, the tree owner secures his own household first.
Our forefathers codified this truth in the ancient maxim: “Oshishi Ejighi Akuwa Mba.” (No tree, no matter how tall, can cross its boundary to dictate how another forest is governed.)
As the political contest for Aba North and Aba South Federal Constituency intensifies ahead of the 2027 general elections, this proverb serves as a vital reminder for every voter in Enyimba City.
1. The Cost of Out-sourced Representation
When a constituency repeatedly surrenders its mandate to non-indigenous Okumfu politicians, it surrenders its long-term political security, community development, and generational power transition. An imported politician may offer temporary promises, but when critical decisions regarding resource allocation, federal appointments, and developmental projects are made in Abuja, their primary allegiance inevitably tilts toward their ancestral home.
For years, Aba has suffered from the consequences of borrowed shade and unstable branch:
a. Erosion of Local Voice: Our unique local issues – grassroots commerce, indigenous land rights, infrastructure decay in core Aba communities – are treated as secondary concerns.
b. Political Disenfranchisement: Talented indigenous leaders are systematically sidelined, creating a false impression that Aba la Ohazu lacks qualified political actors.
c. Post-Election Vulnerabilities: Outsiders often carry complex, pre-existing political liabilities from their primary zones, leaving our constituency exposed to legal disputes and political instability.
2. The Iroko Rooted in Aba Soil
To reclaim our dignity, Aba does not need an absentee landlord or a seasonal visitor. We need a home-grown Iroko – a representative who lives among us, shares our daily realities, and answers directly to the soil of Aba. Not a Johnny-just-come personality.
Elder Justice Rowland Chimaobim Ajuzieogu, Iyi Eri Oba Jisos and Eze Oji 1 of Aba la Ohazu, stands as that indigenous Iroko:
a. Direct Ancestral Roots: A proud, verifiable son of Aba la Ohazu whose identity is indivisibly tied to the growth and development of our indigenous communities and constituency.
b. Tested Administrative Record: Decades of unblemished service in student unionism, civil service, global ministry, and cultural leadership within Oha Ukwa Ngwa Congress and Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.
c. Intellectual & Legal Depth: A leader who understands electoral law, policy formulation, and federal lobbying, ensuring that Aba’s mandate is never lost to legal blunders.
3. Securing Our Own Forest
An old Igbo adage asks: If a man does not build his own house, who will honour him in another man’s compound?
The time has come for Ndi Aba la Ohazu to stop seeking shelter under external trees whose roots lie in Isiala Ngwa, Bende, Osisioma Ngwa, or beyond. Aba has produced iconic scholars, brilliant legal minds, seasoned administrators, and accomplished community leaders capable of commanding total respect at the National Assembly.
A. To the Okumfu Politicians: Respect territorial boundaries. Return home and cultivate your own forests. It shows Godliness and responsibility.
B. To the Electors of Aba North & Aba South: Protect your heritage. Support a candidate whose loyalty to Aba is permanent, unshakeable, and absolute. Why would you, like the biblical Esau, surrender your divine political rights for a plate of garnished red porridge? Unfortunately, that meal does not last four years!
Let us stand united behind Elder Justice Rowland Chimaobim Ajuzieogu, the PDP Candidate for Aba North and South Federal House of Representatives, and build a future rooted in authentic, indigenous representation.
Saturday, 16 January 2027, is a historic date and day for the complete liberation and emancipation of Aba la Ohazu indigenes from the weirdest and camelonic hands of Okumfu politicians and their house-help supporters.
Emmanuel is Personal Assistant on Media & Strategic Communication to Elder Ajuzieogu
