By Ben Ngwakwe, Gombe
The call by Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, for Ndigbo to place collective interest above individual differences may resonate strongly with the Igbo people, but for residents of Umuerim, Avor-Ntigha in Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area, the more immediate concern is the state of their roads and the hardship imposed by delayed construction works.
Governor Otti made the call while speaking at the 2026 World Igbo Day celebration hosted by Abia State, where he urged Ndigbo to unite, cooperate and work towards a prosperous future for the Igbo nation.
But away from the ceremonial speeches, cultural displays and gathering of prominent Igbo leaders, there are communities in Abia where residents are asking whether the dividends of the administration’s much-publicised infrastructure programme have reached them.
Umuerim is one of such communities.
A recent visit to my village, Umuerim, provided a disturbing picture of the condition of the roads linking the community with neighbouring areas. What should ordinarily be a relatively straightforward journey has become an ordeal, particularly because the roads have been opened up for construction but remain incomplete.
The situation is especially troubling because the affected roads are important links to communities around Ubakala, Abam, Nsirimo and Eziama.
Rather than easing movement, the prolonged construction has, in some places, made travelling more difficult for residents, motorists, traders, farmers and other road users.
The irony is that communities that had hoped that the commencement of road construction would bring relief are now waiting for the projects to be completed.
During my visit towards the end of September and the first week of October, I had to access my village through the Ubakala axis because of the condition of the roads. The experience was not merely inconvenient; it raised serious questions about the pace of execution of projects that were initiated and approved by the state government.
For residents, the issue is not whether the government should construct roads. They appreciate the need for infrastructure and acknowledge the importance of the projects.
Their concern is simple: When will the roads be completed?
When construction becomes another hardship
Road construction is expected to temporarily inconvenience communities before delivering long-term benefits. But when construction stretches for an extended period without corresponding progress, the temporary inconvenience can become a permanent source of hardship.
That appears to be the frustration in Umuerim.
Residents have complained privately about the situation, but many appear reluctant to publicly express their grievances.
Some of the locals are said to be particularly cautious because a son of the area is serving in the state executive council. The fear, according to observations in the community, is that open criticism of the government could be interpreted as opposition to their own son.
That situation is unhealthy for democratic governance.
Government officials need honest feedback, particularly from the communities where government projects are being executed. Development cannot be sustained when citizens are afraid to tell those in authority that a project is delayed or that a particular policy is creating unintended hardship.
Otti’s message of collective interest
It was against this background that Governor Otti’s message at the World Igbo Day celebration becomes particularly significant.
Speaking on the theme, “Ohaneze: History and the Dreams of Tomorrow,” Otti urged Ndigbo to put collective interest above individual differences.
He said the courage, resilience, enterprise and communal values inherited from Igbo ancestors remained critical to the progress of the people.
According to him, unity does not require uniformity of opinion.
“Unity does not mean unanimity of opinion on every issue, but a consciousness that our individual desires cannot be superior to the aspirations of the majority,” he stated.
That principle should also apply to governance.
Collective interest in a democracy means listening to citizens, including those who disagree with government. It means creating an environment where traditional rulers, community leaders, professionals, journalists and ordinary citizens can tell government the truth without fear.
It also means measuring government by the quality and completion of projects rather than by the volume of praise surrounding the administration.
Beyond praise singing
As a journalist who has followed public affairs for decades and as an indigene of Abia State, I have observed with some concern the growing tendency to celebrate government achievements without sufficiently examining the realities confronting people in the rural communities.
I was initially among those who praised the Otti administration for some of its policies and projects. However, journalism demands continuous scrutiny.
The responsibility of a journalist is not to become a praise singer for government, just as it is not to become an automatic opponent of government.
The duty is to report what is happening.
There is no doubt that the Otti administration has embarked on projects across Abia State. But the success of an administration cannot be determined only by ceremonies, speeches, billboards, official statistics or praise from political associates.
The real test is what the ordinary citizen experiences.
Can a farmer reach his farm?
Can a pregnant woman reach a health facility without difficulty?
Can a student travel to school safely?
Can traders move their goods?
Can residents access their communities during the rainy season?
These are the questions that should accompany every discussion about infrastructure.
Traditional rulers need to be heard
Another issue deserving attention is the relationship between the state government and traditional institutions.
Traditional rulers are critical stakeholders in rural development. They understand their communities, know their challenges and can provide government with early warnings about emerging problems.
It is therefore important that traditional rulers in areas such as Ntigha and the wider Isiala Ngwa North communities are adequately carried along in the development process.
Development is not simply about constructing roads or buildings. It is also about building confidence between government and the people.
A government that regularly engages community leaders is more likely to understand what is happening at the grassroots than one that depends largely on reports from officials and political associates.
The Igbo Day gathering
The 2026 World Igbo Day celebration brought together prominent Igbo leaders and stakeholders.
At the wreath-laying ceremony in honour of eminent Igbo personalities at the Aguiyi Ironsi Cenotaph, Governor Otti joined the Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa; Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe; Senator John Azuta-Mbata; Prof. Mrs Uche Azikiwe; General Ike Nwachukwu; Chief Mike Okiro and Archbishop Sunday Onuoha, among others.
Also present was former Deputy Governor of Abia State, Sir Ude Oko Chukwu.
The gathering symbolised the strength, history and diversity of the Igbo people.
Yet, the true meaning of the celebration should extend beyond speeches and ceremonies.
If the theme is about the history and dreams of tomorrow, then the dreams must include rural roads, accessible communities, economic opportunities, functional institutions and responsive governance.
Azuta-Mbata: Ndigbo must move together
President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Senator John Azuta-Mbata, said Ndigbo must interrogate and define the future they want for themselves and Nigeria.
He said the Igbo Charter developed and presented to Ndigbo provides a roadmap for maximising the potential of the Igbo people.
According to him, unity is the spirit behind the theme of the 2026 Igbo Day, “Njiko Ka.”
“Our people must bind together. We must deliberately move together so that we can take our rightful place in Nigeria and the world,” he said.
Azuta-Mbata acknowledged that Ndigbo could disagree over politics, religion, strategy and even interpretations of history, but stressed that beneath those differences remained a shared identity and responsibility.
That message is important not only for Ndigbo but also for governance at the state level.
A government must be strong enough to accommodate criticism and humble enough to learn from it.
Nwachukwu, Opoko urge investment in youths
Chairman of the occasion, General Ike Nwachukwu (retd.), called on Igbo sons and daughters wherever they reside to recognise their responsibility in building the Igbo nation.
He described enterprise as a major strength of the Igbo people and called for greater investment in the younger generation.
The former military officer also urged parents and leaders to inculcate the fear of God in young people and make them understand that they are not merely leaders of tomorrow but leaders of today.
Earlier, during the interdenominational church service, the Archbishop of Methodist Church Nigeria, Umuahia Archdiocese, Most Rev. Dr Chibuzor Raphael Opoko, described Ndigbo as a chosen generation and urged Igbo leaders to work together irrespective of political affiliation.
He noted that wherever Ndigbo were found, they were known for enterprise, ingenuity and hard work.
The road ahead for Otti
Governor Otti has repeatedly presented infrastructure development as a major component of his administration’s agenda.
But for communities such as Umuerim, the expectation is not for another speech or another commendation.
They want to see the roads completed.
The 2027 governorship election will inevitably bring the performance of the administration under greater public scrutiny. Political parties and candidates will present their scorecards, while voters will judge government based on their experiences.
In rural communities, such judgment is likely to be shaped by issues that directly affect daily life — roads, water, electricity, health facilities, education, security and economic opportunities.
For Umuerim, the road is therefore more than an infrastructure project. It is a measure of whether government promises are translating into tangible realities.
Governor Otti’s call for Ndigbo to place collective interest above individual differences is commendable.
But collective interest also requires that government listens to the quiet voices from the villages.
The voices of residents waiting for roads to be completed.
The voices of traditional rulers seeking greater engagement.
The voices of farmers and traders struggling with access.
And the voices of citizens who may praise government when it performs well but must also be free to ask when an approved project will be completed.
For Umuerim, the question is simple and urgent: when will the road construction be completed?
That is not a political question.
It is a development question — and one that deserves an answer.