By Adadareporters
The prospects of Adada State creation, with special emphasis on its legal implications, will come to the fore at the convention of the Nsukka Journalists Forum holding at Jerry Marriot Hotel, Ugwu-Awarawa, Nsukka, on Oct. 2nd 2024.
Dr Ambrose Igboke, chairman of the organising committee, stated this while interacting with newsmen on Sunday. He said aside the constitutional requirements for creating Adada, the convention would also be used to honour some individuals and organisations that have distinguished themselves in their various fields of endeavours.
According to him, “Adada State creation has become a burning issue, hence the need to make it the major topic during the convention. We chose to hold a lecture on Adada State creation for obvious reasons. The title is ‘Navigating the Constitutional Conundrum for Creation of Adada State: Interrogating the Prospects, Demystifying the Challenges and Strategizing the Advocacies’. It will be delivered by Hon Justice Nelson Ogbuanya, a judge of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria. The lecture will make our stakeholders understand the dynamics and chances for the creation of Adada State.”
Meanwhile, the director general of Nsukka Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, Mr Uchenna Nnadi, has said the proposed Adada State has the potentials of being viable if created.
Nnadi spoke on Sunday ahead of the convention. He said, “Adada is situated within the contiguous space containing the largest seven LGAs in the Southeast, bordering Anambra, Benue, Ebonyi and Kogi states. Nsukka urban is the 531st largest built-up urban area in the world in 2023, and 386th (7th in Nigeria) built-up urban area in the world by land area according to Demographia World Urban Areas, 19th Annual publication: 2023-08.
“Adada State creation bill was first presented in the National Assembly in 1983, and the justification and viability of Adada State have been persuasively presented in different fora at different periods.”
Concerning the economic viability of the proposed state, Nnadi said, “Adada State is part of the 20% that generates the 80% economic well-being that Nigeria requires. It is the potential and actual food security hub of Southern Nigeria. For instance, it is this proposed Adada State that is currently crashing the astronomically high price of tomatoes. Adada State, if created, will unleash its potential through the proposed University of Agriculture fashioned after the Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment of Hebrew University of Jerusalem together with other institutions and processes with the underlying philosophy of honesty and industriousness.
“The university will unleash the blue economy of the premier river port in Southeast at Ogurugu with its Institute of Fishery and Aquatic Studies. The dam to be situated near the Naval Base at Ogurugu will provide power supply and irrigation for a large part of the state and Kogi State.”
He said nature and geography situated Adada State both as the Eastern-Northern Nigeria gateway and sufficient fertile arable land with springs, lakes, swamps, streams and rivers.
Quoting him, “The proposed state is the destination of many economic rivers and streams. Its gateway status positions the state as the numero uno in distribution supply chain logistics. It was this that attracted the proposed Dry Port and Trucks Transit Park at Obollo Afor.”
