By Abdul Aji.
Ajaokuta Steel Company established over 30 years ago to produce steel to ginger the nation’s industrial growth now reels in the throes of unending controversies. In 1960, at independence, Nigeria’s leaders saw the need to produce steel in the country to spur the nation’s industrial growth. This gave rise to conception of a policy that would lead to the establishment of a steel plant. Not much was done about the policy until late 1979 when a contract was signed with foreign partners by the then General Olusegun Obasanjo’s military government for the construction of the Ajaokuta Steel plant, in the present Kogi State. The implementation of the idea was started by the Shehu Shagari administration, in the early 1980s. When the rolling mills and some shops of the steel complex were commissioned in 1983, the entire project had achieved 95 per cent completion rate.
The project was stalled, as government officials, during the military era, got bogged down with the international politics between the Western bloc and the then Soviet Union on the viability and desirability of owning an integrated steel plant by a third world country. Coupled with this was debt-buying back syndrome under Sanni Abacha regime.
Ajaokuta Steel Company (ASCO) is the largest steel company in West Africa and has cost the Federal Government an about $7 billion (N1.1 trillion) since it was commissioned by the Shehu Shagari government. With the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the West, led by United States of America and Britain through International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, increased their opposition to the project, describing it as unviable. Since then, efforts by successive governments to complete and operate the plant failed to yield the needed result. The inglorious regime of Late General Sanni Abacha hammered the company into near extinction.
Little did the people and government of Nigeria know that there is a mystery generating the many crises that has ravaged the company and the dream of Nigeria to become an industrialized nation. There seem to be a supernatural force that has been generating crises locally and internationally leading to the disintegration of the gigantic steel project – A green snake under a green grass. The Graphic Chief Correspondent, Abdul Aji, went out to dig out the mystery that would have been handled with little coins. Read on.
Once upon a time lived at the present day Geregu Camp 1 (ASCO Camp), behind a small steep hill, a man named Egbunu Akoko, in a village known then as Eti-Egbe. He was a hunter who always crossed the River Niger from Ate, a village on top of a hill across the River Niger opposite Geregu Village. He was always in company of a friend. Sometimes they travelled as far as Yoruba land. One day, while on their sojourn, Egbunu Akoko told his friend to continue the trip as he would settle by the foot of the small hill. That was about 1930. Geregu village was already in existence and he requested the permission of Geregu chief to have his own village known as Eti-Egbe. He was a great and well known herbalist and spiritual consultant who was visited by persons from Igala and Ebira lands seeking solutions to ailments and spiritual problems.
Sometimes in the early 1970s Egbunu stated prophesying among his family members at Eti-Egbe village that his village would be turned to a big city and people from all over the world would settle there. A company would be established and thousands of people would be employed. His people could not believe him. According to Prince Adams Kadiri, 27, son of Etsu Geregu and a grandson to Egbunu Akoko, in about 1977 or a year before the excavation of Geregu land for the establishment of Nigerian Steel Development Authority (NSDA) and later taken over by Ajaokuta Steel Company (ASCO), Egbunu Akoko died at a very old age. Mr. Stephen Ojomaje, a Public Relations Officer with the company, was one of the earliest workers that came to Geregu. He said they met Eti-Egbe, Agbati, Ajaokuta and Geregu villages. The early workers who were living in tents met Egbunu Akoko few months before he died in early 1977. There was a beehive of activities at Eti-Egbe, according to Ojomaje, with sale of various items such as food items and it was a social centre where people ate and drank all sorts of liquor. The early workers, Ojomaje said, were told of Egbunu Akoko’s prophesy, that people from all over the world would gather at his abode.
However, before his death, he left an instruction that he should be buried in his room. He also told his people that they should tell those people coming that no man on earth could remove the roof from his head. He said his compound should not be erased by the company. He said the company should not marginalize his family. He also prophesied the company would not achieve completion if they flaunt his demands.
His people were illiterates and they could only understand Bassa and a little Igala language. They could not approach the company managers to explain what Egbunu told them. According to a woman who claims to be Egbunu Akoko’s daughter, Asana Kadiri, 68, mother of Prince Adams Kadiri and wife of the Etsu Geregu, the residents of Eti-Egbe and Agbati villages were sacked without compensation. They moved to Geregu and Ajaokuta villages.
People were still staying at Eti-Egbe till when clearing of land started. They were told that the survey plan has affected their settlement that they should move away, but they were adamant. The area was marked for the minister and the president’s guest house and a road had to pass through Egbunu abode, where he was buried in his house. They did not want to move and a bulldozer had to be used. It was mystery and unbelievable incident when a bulldozer attempted to demolish Egbunu Akoko’s house – the bulldozer, according to Ojomaje who was an eye witness, sank and the engine ceased. A man named Jegede was in charge. Jegede thought the operator did not know how to manipulate the machine very well. He climbed the machine and attempted to move forward and the bulldozer engine ceased permanently. Other machines used became incapacitated and could not move forward. The house remains there till this day even though it is dilapidating naturally.
Egbunu Akoko’s Shrine, as it is called today, is not the only mystery that surrounds the environment of the steel project. There is a baobab three on the way to Ajaokuta village, gate 4, which could not be uprooted when the railway was being constructed. According to Peter Iyeh, a retired staff of Ajaokuta Steel Company, the operator of a bulldozer trying to uproot the tree was attacked and killed by an animal that looked like a goat. The beast disappeared into the tree. The baobab tree is there till this day. This writer wanted to take the photograph of it but was warned not to do so. There is a cross inscription on it with the words, “Danger”. Nobody can say what spirit dwells in the tree.
“Akoko” is a nickname. It is the Bassa name for a fish with strong fin bones that cannot be swallowed by bigger fish or other predators. Igala people call it Igagwu, Yoruba call it Gurungu. Egbunu said he cannot be swallowed by any human being. And his house cannot be “swallowed” even after his death.
Until the failure of Ajaokuta Steel Company after attaining 98% completion during the time of General Sanni Abacha, the Akoko family could not link with the management of the company to tell them what their father said. Come to answer this question, if not for some mysterious circumstances, how can a company that had achieved 98% completion remain uncompleted for over 30 years? Ojomaje said some members of the family had been disturbing the management that they wanted to rebuild Egbunu Akoko house, but they were always ignored. They disturbed the over 15 successive managers of the steel company, but none gave them listening ears. He said a man believed to be a member of Egbunu family even submitted a letter to the management requesting to rebuild the house, but the management refused, to avoid unnecessary problems that may follow. The man’s blocks are still there till this day. The management may not have been briefed on the implications of not rebuilding the house until 2012 when a lady came with a strange message from a man who died since 1977.
In year 2012, when Engr. Philip Umunakwe was the Sole Administrator of ASCO, Egbunu Akoko appeared to a lady named Patience Elly, prior to the great flood. It was alleged that Egbunu appeared to her physically but Ojomaje who said he was put in charge of the matter, said it was in dream. Patience Elly is of a German father and Delta State mother. She was a contractor at Ajaokuta then. She is married to a white man named Mr. Elly who has moved to Lagos with his family.
Egbunu saw that his family could not deliver his message to the management of ASCO and had to use this lady. He saw that his people could not be allowed to rebuild his house, no matter how he tried to disturb them. He showed the lady three pictures – one of numerous buildings, another of white men and multitudes. He sent her to tell the management that they should rebuild his shrine, fence the area and let any member of his lineage live there. That as they live there and flourish so would ASCO flourish.
She made attempts to see Engr. Umunakwe but she was not given the opportunity, because they did not believe her story. When she went back home, Egbunu Akoko appeared to her a second time, this time fierce-looking with a cutlass and threatening to attack her if she would not deliver his message. She asked him who she would meet, as she was not allowed to see the Managing Director. He directed her to meet anyone that would listen to her. She then went to the chief of Ajaokota Village, Alhaji Kashim Ibrahim, to deliver the message of Egbunu Akoko. Ojomaje as PRO of the company was invited by Onu Ajaokuta to listen to the lady’s message. The lady told them that Egbunu Akoko said his house must be rebuilt, so that people should know that this is Egbunu Akoko house, if ASCO and its allies want to prosper. He said if the house is not built, the dream of Ajaokuta can never be achieved and eventually another flood greater than the 2012 flood will sweep the entire site from the surface of the earth. Alhaji Ibrahim seriously took the matter up.
According to Asana Kadiri, the chief summoned the Akoko family to discuss the Pat Elly story. It was then Akoko people revealed the instructions and demands of the man of mystery. The PRO took them to Engr. Umunakwe along with Patience Elly and she again narrated her message. Mr. Ojomaje said he took the minutes of their discussion. The Onu Ajaokuta also met the senator representing Kogi Central, Senator Usman Abatemi and told him the story and the demands of Egbunu Akoko. Mr. Stephen Ojomaje was mandated to take charge of the matter. The matter was discussed with the Minister of Power and Steel, Architect Musa Mohammed Sada. Ojomaje had to travel to Abuja several times to seek approval. The minister eventually approved and directed that Egbunu Akoko family house be rebuilt. According to Adams Kadiri, the family was invited to the site one day and the land measurement was taken.
Ojomaje said Engr. Umunakwe showed serious interest in the matter as he promptly wrote a letter to the minister requesting to erect Egbunu Akoko Shrine. The request was approved before Umunakwe left ASCO. The survey and building plan was done and it has been approved. Ojomaje said the company has proposed to build Egbunu Akoko’s house and members of his family invited to live there as the shrine will be turned to a touring centre while a gallery will also be set up where products of ASCO will be displayed.
In a telephone discussion with The Graphic correspondent, the current Public Relations Officer of ASCO, Alhaji L.D. Mohammed, said it is a community relations issue and the company, now managed by Engr. Joseph Isah as its Sole Administrator, is doing something positively about it. A committee, he said, has been set up and would meet before the end of March 2014.
Late Egbunu Akoko
The Egbunu Akoko family is claiming that Ebira people do not allow the erection of their father’s building because they are of the view that Igala people want to claim their land. However, Ojomaje debunked the claim, saying Ebira, he knows, would accept anything that would enable the realization of the steel project.
The family insists that their father continue to appear before them in dreams telling them that unless his family is allowed to flourish at his compound and there is a roof over his grave, ASCO cannot flourish, no matter how the Federal and international governments try.
The steel company can pick only Adams Kadiri, who according to the family is the current custodian of the shrine. A member of Etsu Geregu family said he is a reincarnation of Egbunu Akoko, because whatever he says does happen. He carries out herbal healing and spiritual deliverance as Egbunu used to do. He said he takes instructions from Egbunu Akoko in dreams and sometimes in vision. He is a secondary school certificate holder and can be employed as well.
If the erection of Egbunu Akoko Shrine can bring Ajaokuta Steel Project back to life, it will eventually be, as the company from all indications, has shown interest and action is being taken on the matter. Prosperity seekers look forward to the re-invigoration of ASCO, “the bedrock of Nigeria’s industrialization subsequently, Egbunu Akoko could finally rest in peace.
– Abdul Aji is with Kogi State Newspaper Corporation
