The Rise and Rise of Amakor Autonomous Community.
4 min read
Amakor town is one of the autonomous communities in the present day Umuaka Municipal Council in Njaba LGA Imo State. The Amakor town just like other communities in the entire human race has its own ups and downs, time of primitivism, struggling and success stories as well. For example, in the entire Umuaka town, there was a time no Akalite was able to afford a car until the first person was able to buy one and broke the jinx. In Umuaka as it stands today, every family has its own success stories to tell the world. So too is every village.
In this edition of Umuaka Times, some recent incidents have made it inevitable for the newspaper to focus on the success stories the children of Amakor Autonomous Community have achieved for themselves and for their community and Umuaka at large. During the research for this project, Umuaka Times observed that Amakor community is synonymous with first positions.
In the entertainment world, an Amakor man named Mr Stephen Okemezie was the first musician to tour the world with the famous Fela Anikulakpo Kuti’s Egypt 80 band. Mr Okemezie toured all over the world with the Evil Spirit himself, Fela Anikulakpo Kuti during their world tours. He was the first and still remains the only Akalite to hit the music scene globally as a member of Egypt 80 band. It will not be wrong to describe him as the first famous musician of international prominence from Umuaka.
Mr Ferdinand Nwocha who was known across the federation by his ring name Iron Kinpin came out of Amakor community as a strong wrestler who made waves in his days as a famous Nigerian born wrestler. He is the first and perhaps the only wrestler to have come out of Umuaka till date.
Just recently, Amakor community gave the entire Umuaka town her first professional footballer and a member of Super Eagles national football team by name, Emmanuel Emenike. Mr Emenike today remains a household name in the entertainment world of football across the globe despite his retirement from active football some years ago. In the recent time, Emenike is the first Akalite to play for Nigeria’s football national team.
During the Babangida years, an Amakor man known as Mr Okems I. Okemezie (Udo Akpo Enyi 1 of Umuaka) became the first director of MAMSER in the entire old Nkwerri Isu LGA. From what Umuaka Times gathered, Mr Okemezie did his work very well to the extent that he was called to become the deputy director of MAMSER in the entire Imo State which included Abia State as Abia was still under Imo State then. Okems I. Okems as he was known then emerged as the Best Overall MAMSER Mobilization Officer in Imo State. Today, Chief Okemezie is currently serving as Commissioner in-charge of African Affairs in the City of Newark, New Jersey USA.
In the military, Amakor community is not left out. The community gave Umuaka her second Brigadier-General in the Nigerian Army by name Gen F.C. Eze. Until his retirement a couple of years ago, Gen FC Eze was a source of pride to Umuaka and all Akalites both in and outside Nigeria especially in his years of service.
In academics, the same Amakor community gave Umuaka her first computer scientist in the name of Dr Clay Egbulem. Dr Egbulem did not only become the first computer scientist to have come out of Umuaka but he also remains the first Akalite to graduate with First Class before 1986 from the University of Lagos.
Chief Charles Amuzie, an illustrious son of Amakor Autonomous Community rose and became the Vice President of Bank of America before he recently retired some years ago in the United States of America. Chief Charles Amuzie retired as an international banker of repute and dignity. He is a full time citizen of Amakor and the only Akalite to reach such a prestigious height in international banking in Umuaka.
The first and only pilot Umuaka ever had is from Amakor Autonomous Community. He is retired pilot Mr Hyginus Ahumaraeze.
The success stories of Amakor Autonomous Community will not be complete without mentioning to the world that Amakor is the first and only autonomous community in Umuaka that has installed CCTV in all the junctions and entry points to the community. Recent reports Umuaka Times gathered show that more CCTV devices will be installed in the community before the end of 2023.
Before Umuaka got her post office at Ime Afor area, the first postal agency in the entire Umuaka town was located in Amakor.
Before insecurity took over the entire Imo State especially Orlu zone, Amakor became the biggest entertainment and recreational hub in the entire Njaba LGA. During Christmas celebrations, any fun seeker or night crawler who has not been to Amakor would term himself as someone who never celebrated Christmas to the fullest. The emergence of Amakor put an abrupt end to the activities at the almighty A-Line. Despite the insecurity in town today, if you want to eat ukwa, (breadfruit) Amakor will be your destination.
As events unfold in Umuaka and beyond, more positive developments will also unfold in Amakor Autonomous Community. Napoleon Bonaparte, a French warrior and leader once took a critical look at China and told the world thus: “Let China sleep, for when she wakes, she will shake the world.”
Today China has risen from her sleep and is shaking the world. Bring it down to Umuaka level. Amakor has also risen from her sleep and it is not only shaking the world of Umuaka and her environs, it is remaking the world in her own dynamics.
Umuaka Times as a watchdog outfit is absolutely pleased with the developments in Amakor Autonomous Community.
