Umuaka News24

Autonomous by definition is having the freedom to govern oneself or control own affairs. It does not in itself mean absolute independence.

The ten communities that make up Umuaka have always been de facto autonomous even before officially attaining that status from the state government.

All the ten communities in Umuaka always had self-rule and none was subservient to each other. Even in these communities, there are distinct villages with defined territory and administration.

Despite all the subdivisions, Umuaka remains the collective identity that demonstrates our common progenitor.

Umuaka as a society established several joint projects, each of the ten communities also had projects, and even villages in the communities had projects. For instance, my village Umuasharam in Obeakpu built Umuasharam Primary School, and the only village that I know in Umuaka to build such a school.

I was going through my father’s, Chief Augustine Amaechi, archives when I saw records of contributions to build Umuaka Community Hospital. I then shared a picture of that document on Umuaka Peoples Assembly on 27th February 2024 and it went viral.
I still have the original of that document with me and there are many others where that came from.

The idea that one community can confiscate a joint venture of the entire Umuaka is larceny. Umuaka as an entity is not defunct and its assets are not up for grabs.

Every of our heritage should retain Umuaka in its name.

Afor Umuaka should remain Afor Umuaka.

Saint Mary’s Catholic Church Umuaka should remain Saint Mary’s Catholic Church Umuaka.

Umuaka Police Station should remain Umuaka Police Station.

Umuaka Post Office should remain Umuaka Post Office.

Umuaka Community Hospital should remain Umuaka Community Hospital.

Even if the hospital is converted to a General Hospital by the state, it should be Umuaka General Hospital.

The ten communities in Umuaka may have attained autonomous recognition by the state but that will not be the end of such.

Time shall come, and the time is nigh, when the villages in our various communities will also acquire that status. Many of our villages have what it takes to seek and get autonomous recognition from the state. For instance, my village, Umuasharam Obeakpu, has all it takes to seek such status if it desires.

Is it then proper for our villages, in the event of acquiring autonomous status from the state government, start appropriating community establishments within their domain and even change the names?

Amakor Primary School will suddenly become Umudibe Primary School?

Holy Rosary Catholic Parish Umuele will become Holy Rosary Catholic Church Umuezeala?

At what point will the practice eventually stop?

Today, we are talking about Umuaka but if a precedent is set, our communities will soon be in disarray.
Even those that are pushing for anomaly today may be on the receiving end in the near future. It is tomfoolery to dissipate energy trying to win a battle that will make you ultimately lose the war.

This sort of irrational dispute will make new community project initiatives difficult to accomplish as unity of purpose is irretreivably destroyed because of suspicions from different sections that one part will claim ownership someday.

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