Ekeoha Shopping Centre: The Torturous Journey To The Demolition, Remodeling  And Reconstruction Of  Over Four-Decade Abia Market

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

On August 8, 2024, the Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, with enough fanfare and pageantry, flagged off the remodeling and reconstruction of the popular and bustling  Ekeoha Market Aba, otherwise known as Shopping Centre.

The exercise, the Governor said, is to align the State of the over four decade old market with best national and international best standards.

But not minding the euphoria that heralded the flagging off ceremony, the reconstruction is not  coming without stiff resistance from a large portion of the market’s traders and other users.

Only a few weeks back, a section of the Traders, under the aegis of concerned Ekeoha traders, had expressed serious reservations concerning the reconstruction efforts.

Yet, it was not as if they are totally unaware of the dilapidated State of most of the structures that dot the market. They are also conscious of the serious danger the poor state of the structures pose to their lives and the lives of other users of the market. But they appeared to have preferred looming disaster and threat to their lives, than to lose their prized business assets.

Not that they preferred death, but past bitter  experiences  offered no better option.

For one, earlier remodeling and reconstruction efforts at  NgwaRoad and Ariaria International Markets, two of the high profile trading hubs in the commercial nerve centre of Abia State, had left a sour taste, too bitter to forget so  soon.

Efforts between 2021 and 2023 to reconstruct the markets resulted in several thousands of original shop owners being left in the lurch.

Apart from not being carried along in the count down to the demolition, and reconstruction efforts, over 40, 000 traders and shop owners lost their shops.

Before demolishing their shops, no alternatives were provided. In the end, the reconstructed shops were handed over to political cronies, friends and family members of political office holders and party chieftains.

Apart from losing their shops, the original owners, most of who developed the properties with live savings, were not compensated.

Several died out of shock, while not a few had their businesses and other means of livelihood disrupted permanently.

However, Governor Otti, at the flag-off ceremony, promised that no original shop owner will lose his/her shop to the Ekeoha market reconstruction efforts.

“We are also conscious of the concerns about costs, but as a responsible Government, we have also taken proactive steps to ensure that financial leverages are provided to anyone genuinely interested in acquiring a shop, especially, the original allottees who shall retain the right of first refusal in the re-allocation process,” Governor Otti stated.

Reaffirming the position of the Governor, the developer, Rhino Homes and Properties, on Sunday, August 11, 2024, informed that a tripartite committee has been formed to work out the modalities for the issuance of  the right of first refusal to original shop allottees.

A statement issued by its media office, and made available to The Source, stated that the committee will also determine the level of discount to be given to original shop owners, as well as favourable payments plans as the project progresses .

“The fear of losing shops expressed by shop owners at the Ekeoha Shopping Centre has been put to rest, as representatives of shop owners, developers and Government have formed a tripartite Committee and met to implement a transparent process in the shop allocation after the conclusion of each phase of the remodeling.

“This is in keeping with the promise of the Governor that no shop owner whose shop is affected in the remodeling will lose his/her shop as was witnessed in the past.

“The developer has also assured that existing shop owners will be given preference in the allocation of the shops.

“Shop owners are fully represented in the working committee and carried along in all the decision-making processes concerning the remodeling exercise”, the statement noted

The developer is represented on the Committee by Engr. Chinedu Onyeizu, and three others, while the Abia State Commissioner for Commerce, Trade and Investment, heads the Government team.

The traders are represented by the Ekeoha Market leadership, led by Comrade Emeka Okeke.

The Source reports that market stakeholders had met on April 18, 2024, and May 22, 2024, to deliberate and work out details of the remodeling exercise.

However, it was not until June 6, 2024, at a townhall meeting that it was unanimously agreed by all parties to carry on with the project.

The developer has also assured that going by the about 30,000 shops and business premises to be churned out in the remodeling and reconstruction, there will be enough provision for both original allottees and new ones.

In the same vein, the President General, Abia State Amalgamated Traders Association, ASMATA, Sir Alphonsus Udeigbo, has reassured that no genuine original shop owner at the Ekeoha market will lose his/ her shop.

In an interview with this Magazine on Sunday, August 11, Udeigbo, who is, also, the Chairman of all Chairmen of Aba markets said that ASMATA will work in concert with the State Government and all relevant  stakeholders to ensure that the ugly experience of the past does not repeat itself.

“Let me first admit the fact that the fears being expressed by our members at the Ekeoha market are well founded.

“We are all living witnesses to the  sad development during past reconstruction exercises where original shop owners were driven out, and their shops given out without any form of compensation.

“But I want to assure those of them at the Ekeoha market that this Government in Abia State, presently,  is their Government and all traders across the State.

“The traders are part and parcel of Dr Alex Otti’s administration, having played a key role in bringing  it on board .

“The Government has the interest of the traders and members of the business community at heart. I want to inform all our members at Ekeoha market that their investments in terms of shops and others, as far as the remodeling exercise is concerned, are safe”, Chief Udeigbo noted .