The Osikapa Abia recently launched by Dr Okezie Ikpeazu has brought with it some misplaced criticism from those who seem not to have a full grasp of its importance to the people. While some keep comparing the rice mills to the one in Zamfara State, others applaud the governor for a job well done. This is normal in a full-fledged democracy like ours where opinions are free and are expressed unencumbered especially with leaders who are humane and considerate.
Looking at it critically, one will agree that the fortunes of Abia in agriculture have been dwindling significantly over time and that her most thriving products were no longer the ones harvested from the land but the ones fashioned with the hands: shoes and other leather works, metal and machinery fabrication etc. The big companies are not much even though the people are expectant that things would improve in that area following the improved investment environment being created by the Governor.
This is the reason we have to commend the rice mills in Abia no matter our opinion about them.
Abia grows rice in Uzuakoli but never been milled in Abia, what mostly happens is that our women take it to Ebonyi state for milling which actually gives credit to the Rice millers in Ebonyi State while removing the real owners of the rice out of it.
What do you think will happen now? At least, we have a place that this milling is done and still get the credit for it. The mill cannot produce the rice all indigenes of Abia State can consume but we are starting from somewhere and our women will no longer have to face the stress of travelling to neighbouring States to have their rice milled. It may not be the biggest rice mill but it surely serves a very important purpose of greatly ameliorating the sufferings faced by rice farmers in those areas. They are Abians and also deserve to be cared for.
Badmouthing or not, the rice production in Abia State is a bonus. If we join the rice-producing states in the country, it is to our collective benefit.
We have notable people in Abia state that can start up something but everyone believes in enriching other states while leaving their own states poor.
Igbos say ‘Aku ruru ulo bu Aku’.
You don’t need a soothsayer to tell you what will happen if we all bring our businesses down here. We can make this state work as well as Nigeria.
What if we concentrate on ourselves and enrich our own lives and others, it means less bother and bickering on social media. We all have a part to play and if we fail, the failure is on all of us and not a certain few.
We need each other to grow and no tree has ever made a forest.
Go get yourself and family Abia rice. It is the latest in the stable of rice production in the country, and together, let’s join in the efforts to grow and support our own.
Nneka Torti writes from Umuahia.
