Akah EbeIri and the Need for a Unified Force (Umuaka Times editorial).

There comes a time in the life of a people when silence becomes betrayal, when division becomes a luxury they can no longer afford, and when unity becomes the only path to survival and progress. That time is now for Umuaka Municipal Council otherwise known as Umuaka EbeIri. The story of Umuaka is not a story of weakness and can never be. The vibrancy of Umuaka community is an age-long affair; remember the nickname, Aka Na Adu Ogwu?

The “iduduogwuness” of Umuaka was utterly manifested during the era of late Governor Sam Mbakwe. The core issue was land ownership and control, particularly tied to development projects and boundary adjustments by the administration of the late Mbakwe. For those who may have forgotten or those who were not born then, this is the story.

During Mbakwe’s tenure October 1, 1979 to December 31, 1983, the Imo State Government embarked on ambitious infrastructure and agricultural schemes. In some cases, lands were acquired or reallocated by the state and communities like Umuaka found this move by the government as a violation of the traditional rights of the people as well as an abrasion. Umuaka accused Mbakwe of taking her ancestral land without proper consultation or compensation because according to the community, the move altered traditional boundaries in ways that disadvantaged them. Above all these, Umuaka argued that the action of Dee Sam Mbakwe ignored customary land rights and therefore sued him.

To make a good case against the all-powerful Mbakwe, Umuaka hired the famous Lagos lawyer and iconoclastic human rights advocate, the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi.

For a rural community challenging a sitting governor, hiring Fawehinmi signaled that they were serious and needed a lawyer with both legal expertise and the courage to confront authorities. Immediately and without delay, Gani took up the brief.

Umuaka is a land blessed with life, strength,  population and successful men and women both in business and academia. The town is proudly standing as one of the most populous towns in Imo State but beyond the population lies something even more powerful: the strength of the people.

From the bustling cities of Nigeria to distant lands across the world, sons and daughters of Umuaka are breaking barriers and building legacies in the corporate world and the organized private sector. As another Lagos lawyer, Principal Attorney and Head of Chambers at Ducex Solicitors Chief Emma Duruigbo puts it, “We are accomplished businessmen and visionary women entrepreneurs. We are scholars, intellectuals, and students striving for excellence. We are lawyers who defend justice, doctors who preserve life, economists who shape policy, clergymen who guide souls, and professionals whose impact is felt far beyond our homeland.”

And yet, with all this greatness, a painful question lingers: why does Umuaka still struggle to reflect the success of her own people?

Why does a town so richly blessed continue to face challenges that unity and coordination could overcome? The truth is difficult, but it must be spoken; Umuaka has not yet fully come together.

While other communities like Nnewi, Mbaise, Obosi and more, harness their collective strength and move forward with one voice, Umuaka often stands divided, its immense potential scattered across individuals and groups that rarely converge. The result is a gap between what the community is capable of achieving and what it is currently experiencing.

Many Akalites strongly feel overlooked in broader local development conversations especially in Njaba Local Government. Whether in infrastructure, opportunities, or representation, the sense of being left behind is real. That is why somebody would wake up one morning and order the closure of Afor Umuaka Modern Market and some Akalites would support him.

But lamentation alone will not change this reality. History has never favoured a people who remain passive in the face of their challenges because what changes history is unity. Across continents and nations, Umuaka unions exist not just as social networks, but as symbols of identity and homeliness. From North America to Europe, from Africa to beyond, these Umuaka diasporan unions carry the spirit of Umuaka  day and night. Their strength lies not just in their numbers, but in their ability to connect, organize, and inspire.

This is a moment to deepen that purpose. It is a moment for every Umuaka union, every association, every group home and abroad to rediscover its role in building a stronger, more connected community. It is a moment to strengthen bonds, encourage collaboration, and foster a shared vision for progress.

At home, the call is just as urgent. Umuaka professionals such as lawyers, doctors, educators, economists, security personnel, clergy must see themselves not only as individuals succeeding in their fields, but as custodians of a collective destiny. The professionals must unite according to their professions. Umuaka business leaders must recognize the power they hold to create opportunities. The youth must be inspired to see themselves as the bridge between today’s efforts and tomorrow’s achievements.

The social clubs and associations, often vibrant and influential, must align more intentionally with the broader aspirations of the community and bring back Umuaka Committee of Clubs UCC. When these forces work together, even the most daunting challenges begin to disappear.

Umuaka’s population is not just a number, it is a force waiting to be awakened. It is a chorus that, when united, cannot be ignored. It is the foundation upon which a new chapter can be written.

Ndi Umuaka must as a matter of extreme urgency, start meeting together and fight whatever that may obstruct their direction because the community has seen no development from the public sector in the last 3 years or so. Individual Akalites personally take the duties of the state and LG while the government takes the glory.

Let it be remembered as the time when Umuaka chose collaboration over division, purpose over complacency, and action over silence. Umuaka Times condemns in strongest terms, the lack of state and local government presence in Umuaka and calls for a change. There is an urgent need for the community to fight for her rights because when a people stand united, guided by a common vision and driven by a shared purpose, they become more than a community. They become a force.

And Umuaka EbeIri has always had the potential to be exactly that.