By Tony Nwankwo

The warrior enclave of Abam Onyerubi are no garulous people. They are not used to showing off. So, when chiefs, elders and traditional rulers of the over 22 villages and other settlements gathered a few years ago to honour one their illustrious sons, Chief James Chijioke Ume, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Unubiko Foundation with the sweeping title of IKE ABAM, the people agreed there could have been no one better to wear the big cap. He has since shown commitment and class. In an environment like Nigeria, where titles have been bastardized, be it in Anambra, Enugu, Imo, Ebonyi, even at home in Abia State, there will be nowhere that a chieftancy title like Ike Abam is trivalized.

This is because, an Abam title is not purchased, its not given for money. It is earned. The Ike Abam title was given to James Ume, purely in recognition of his divine oriented approach to helping others, particularly his Abam people.
James Ume saw a vacuum for philanthropy and occupied it. Before his emergence, Abam had been lacking in almost everything. Even the people seemed to be taken for granted by their equally struggling neighbours. For instance, where else in Nigeria would a citizen spend over N10,000 to access the local government headquarters, for a minor government business like stamping a voucher or obtaining an identity card. This is the pain of people who want to do government business from Abam This hardworking, resourceful and highly enterprising people, the area is politically unceremoniously tucked into Arochukwu Local Government Area in Abia State, where they have been marginalized since 1989. Located on fertile lands of Abia North, following the dissolution of the old Ohafia/Arochukwu LGA, these villages which constitute a unit of a peculiar heritage found themselves lumped with Arochukwu, Ihiechiowa, Ututu, to form the Arochukwu LGA. Legends are replete with collective and conflict resolution relationships of the Aro and Abam people, but times have changed. And Abam is highly diminished by their being tucked inside Arochukwu LGA.
James, thus brought hope to an abandoned people. There is no government presence (Federal and State) in Abam. Politicians only show up when it is time for campaingns. Even the flicker of electricity that randomly lights up the environment here was single-handedly provided by another respected elderstatesman, former politician and ex-Chairman, Federal Civil Commission, Ugwu Abam, Chief Smart Ndem Okpi who has since joined his ancestors. Determined to ameliorate the sufferings of the people, Ike Abam started by providing first class boreholes to prominent communities in Abam. He followed this up by rehahabilitating dilapidated structures, such that could elevate the people from their old ways.

Using his Unubiko Foundation, which today wears the toga of a maximum philanthropic organisation in aid of the downthrodden, he reconstructed the moribund Amaelu Abam Customary Court, which has since been handed over to the judiciary. He has also rehabilitated another moribund structure, the Abam Health Centre at Ndi Ememe, abandoned for decades. That is not all, he has been assisting indigent citizens in the area to enhance their livelihoods.
Just recently, the Unubiko Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, was reported to have moved further afield by clearing the medical bills of many patients at the Federal Medical Centre, (FMC) at Umuahia, the state capital. This gesture that cost Ike Abam, some millions of Naira, must have overwhelmed the Majority Leader of Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Okoro Uchenna Kalu, who represents the people of Arochukwu State Constituency at the Abia State House of Assembly, who rightly described James Ume as ‘Godsent’.
Any wonder that during the last electioneering campaigns, enquiries were out as to whether James Ume was seeking political office, particularly the governorship of the state. If he had such an ambition, he kept it close to his chest. When a young man has given so much as an individual, people tend to pray for his elevation because they know he would help more people with the further resources that would be available to him. According to one analyst, it is still morning on Creation Day for Chief James Ume, for whatever his spirit says about him and the people, particularly for the people of Abam.
The irony is that there have been many Abam sons and daughters who had occupied important positions even in government, but who had been blind to the yearnings and aspirations of the people. Worthy of mention is the position of the Customary Court which is located at Amaelu, noted from time immemorial as the meeting venue of all of Abam, but which imporance was abandoned by leaders and the elite of Abam till Ike Abam showed up. Meanwhile, there are several people oriented projects still seeking for attention in Abam. And crying out loud is this Idima Igwu bridge located at the eastern fringe of Abam, abandoned for years from the Biafra war, which steel structures was allowed to collapse and now lying under the river. The good news however is that the entire bridge structure, the steel, metals, bolts and all, remain intact under the water. A lift up of the structure wil open up that thoroughfare, linking several sleeping communities from Ozu Abam, Ndi Agwu Abam, Ndi Okorie Abam, Ndi Oji Abam and Atani Abam, respectively. An agrarian people, without good roads, farmers efforts are wasted as farm produce are left to rot as they cannot access the markets.
Meanwhile, Aro people had dominated the chairmanship of the LGA, ensuring the govetrnment allocations end up in Arochukwu. The council built up a mini-stadium, built judges quarters and rehabilitated farm roads, while abandoning Abam to its fate. At a stage, a councll chairman in Arochukwu approved the construction of a fish pond for a community in Abam. That signalled the only benefit for Abam for that year. Yet the few Abam politicians who had broken the glass ceiling in Arochukwu as council chairmen, had been unelectable people, only politicians who pander to the whims and caprices of sitting governors in Umuahia.
We commend Chief James Ume, Ike Abam, and his Unubiko Foundation, for wiping the tears of Abam people. Like they say in Abam, ‘Jisie Ike’. The people may be powerless to appreciate your good efforts, but inside the uncharted compounds of Abam, your name reverates hope. The people are happy and grateful; same are the youths of Abam and children unborn.