I AM ABA PRODUCT, MADE IN ABA ARE THE BEST SAYS KALU IJOMAH, AS ABIA NRM REVEALS PLAN FOR MANUFACTURERS

I AM ABA PRODUCT, MADE IN ABA ARE THE BEST SAYS KALU IJOMAH, AS ABIA NRM REVEALS PLAN FOR MANUFACTURERS 

Kalu Ijomah Ukeh, the Abia state Governorship Candidate of National Rescue Movement (NRM), who is trending on social media over his promise to build twenty flyovers in Aba and make Enyimba city the most beautiful city in Africa, has revealed his plans to improve and market made in Aba products.

Ijomah had set the social media agog last week when he revealed part of his developmental plans for Aba the commercial hub of Nigeria. Kalu Ijomah had promised to build twenty flyovers in Aba, using one hundred percent (100%) locally made building materials manufactured in Abia state for the roads and flyovers. 

There are two concepts about made in Aba products. Some take made in Aba as inferior, while some believe Aba made are original products. Ijomah believes that Aba made are best products. 

"I want to talk about ABA MADE from what I witnessed in the 1980s. First of all, I want to say that I am an Aba product because I grew up in Aba. I attended  primary school at Dike Ogan Primary School, Ehi road Aba and secondary school at  Iheorji Secondary School, Ohanku road Aba. I was also  the Sanitarian Prefect".

"ABA MADE has cheap and expensive products. Let's take shoe production as a case study. ABA shoe manufacturers are better than foreign manufacturers because they make their productions out of almost nothing. They produce for the rich and the poor. They present two qualities with different prices for you. You also need to understand here that I am referring to the  manufacturers and not shoe sellers. So when you buy a low quality shoe in place of a high quality one, the manufacturer is not to be blamed. Most of my shoes are made in Aba and except you grew up in Aba or know much about ABA MADE, you can never believe that they were manufactured in Aba. One good thing about these guys is that you can tell them what you want, you can get your high quality  customized shoes or bags done to suit your taste. If they were to be in China or other developed  countries  where each citizen is encouraged to fully display his or her potentials, it would have been something else".

"ABA MADE is not limited to shoes and bags. In Aba  we produce electronics, cars, tractors, we produce almost everything. Did you know that in the 1980s in Aba we had TRICYCLES, what they call Keke now. We had better ones produced and used in Aba, though not for carrying people but goods. As a young boy I saw them around Ehi road, Kent, Azikiwe road and other areas being used to convey goods.   When I see these inferior Keke everywhere, I cry. I will revive the manufacturing industry in Aba if I become Abia state governor".

"Hear this, most of the suits, both men and ladies, designer wears, shoes and bags  you bought from UK, Dubai etc, were exported from Aba or were produced for those abroad based companies. There was a story told  sometime in the late 1990s of a Nigerian UK based, who attended a wedding in Aba. The guy who wore a fine suit he bought in London was surprised when an Aba based tailor approached him to admire the suit and later told him that he made the suit. There was an argument as the London guy felt insulted, at the end, they went to the tailor's shop and saw similar suits. Also the tailor with the guy's permission tore open the inner part of the suit where his trademark was hidden. The end story is that the Aba tailor was producing for a London based company. This is what is going on, our people will produce, export and it will be imported back to the country, all because most people don't believe ABA MADE. When I become Abia state Governor, I will upgrade and market made in Aba products".

"When I said I was going to build many flyovers in Aba, people started attacking me as if it is impossible. You can see where governance has gotten to, people no longer see possibilities. What I had expected was questions like how will you get funds? What will it cost me to build a flyover if all my raw materials are sourced locally from Abia. Infastructural development is part of my agenda for Abia state. I will invest in all sectors, nothing will be left untouched", he concluded.

Kalu Ijomah Ukeh, Abia state National Rescue Movement (NRM)  governorship candidate has been on the spotlight since October 2022, not only because he is from Ohafia Abia North where stakeholders are believed to have zoned the governorship seat but for his second to non development plans for Abia state.