It has been said many times that when a lie is doubled down many times, oftentimes, it inadvertently assumes the position of the truth. In Nigeria today, one of these lies that is fast racing to become a truth through that means is the state-sanctioned propaganda that Igbo, the South-East is unviable, landlocked, and unliveable. This well-coordinated and institutionalised lie has been told repeatedly since the end of the Nigerian-orchestrated genocide of the defunct Biafran Republic.
Against the backdrop of the recently conducted state and federal ‘selections’ in Nigeria, many ethnic supremacists and chronic bigots brought this lie to the front burner again when they began taunting Igbo to leave Lagos and other parts of the country or remain there at the terms of their hosts. They were insulted to go back to their ‘landlocked’ region. The truth many of these elements refused to recognise was that this lie was not only vexatious, it was also a product of stark ignorance.
Admittedly, this lie has only survived till this day because the victims of the falsehood have not made serious efforts to debunk it. Evidently, they no longer take physical Geography (or even adventure) that seriously anymore, otherwise, they would have easily discovered that Abia, Imo, and Anambra States have varying short-distance paths to the Atlantic through Imo, Azumiri, Niger, and Urashi Rivers.
It won’t require magic or anything close to it to discover that there are many hardly explored waterways and slithering tributaries around Igbo land, including the remote reaches of Oguta Lake and Urashi rivers (at Oseakwa, Anambra State) that meandered through Igbo-delta wetlands to the Southeastern beginnings of the Atlantic waterfront or beachhead.
The truth that has not really got the attention of Ndigbo is that these rivers have varying lengths of short navigational paths to the Atlantic and in some cases, are far shorter, nautically (and even on footpath) than the Portharcourt, Calabar, and Ibaka seaports are to their sides of the Atlantic. Many of these pathways, including, and particularly the ones from the outer reaches of Imo and Azumiri Rivers, terminate at the Atlantic at no more than 15 to 30 Nautical miles to the beachhead. To put it in lay language, one nautical mile equals 1.8 kilometers.
So the question that often comes up is, why then are there no plans to dredge these short waterways or to have seaports in the region despite this potential? Only the Nigerian government can provide veritable answers.
It is no longer news that the almighty Lagos Seaport that has put Lagos in the spotlight is actually 60 nautical miles to the Atlantic Ocean, While the potential Oseakwa Seaport that was abandoned in 1959 by Nigerian authorities is only 18 nautical miles to the Atlantic Ocean with a depth of 20mft.
The truth is that the development of efficient and modern infrastructure is crucial for the economic growth and stability of any nation. The need to have the Oseakwa Seaport can no longer be overlooked by Ndigbo.
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As Africa’s largest economy, Nigeria is known for its heavy reliance on seaports to facilitate international trade. However, the existing ports, particularly the Lagos port, are today facing severe congestion issues, leading to significant delays, excessive costs, and inefficiencies. Nigerian authorities have continued to ignore the fact that decentralising these ports and constructing seaports such as the Oseakwa Seaport in economically viable regions like the South-East would alleviate this burden by providing an alternative and efficient gateway for global trade, thus boosting Nigeria’s economic potential.
For reasons best known to them, the Nigerian government has continued to miss out on the myriad of economic opportunities that will be unleashed by the construction and operation of the Oseakwa Seaport. No one will need economic expertise to know that such an important seaport will be immensely beneficial to the country. From skilled labour to administrative roles, the project would generate jobs for the local population, reducing unemployment rates and fostering economic growth. Furthermore, the establishment of the seaport would attract foreign direct investment and encourage diversification of the economy, reducing the country’s heavy reliance on oil revenues. It, however, beggars belief that the Federal Government of Nigeria has continued to pay deaf ears to these realities.
This potential seaport, which is situated in the South-Eastern part of the country, is one that would serve as a catalyst for regional development. The Nigerian government has continued to express empty fear and apprehension towards the South-East since the end of the Nigerian genocide on Biafrans in 1970. This is not the way to go! Constructing this seaport in the region will ultimately lead to improved transport infrastructure in the region, thereby enhancing connectivity, opening up new trade routes, and facilitating the movement of goods within Nigeria and neighboring countries. This would stimulate trade, increase market access, and foster economic integration, benefiting not only Nigeria but also the entire West African region.
Today, the current seaports in operation in the country are operating beyond their capacities, and this has obviously led to significant congestion and delays that have huge economic implications. This congestion negatively impacts the cost and time efficiency of trade operations, hindering economic growth. The Nigerian government must be made to understand that by building the Oseakwa Seaport, the burden on existing ports would be alleviated, allowing for smoother operations and reducing bottlenecks that impede trade activities. Except the country is comfortable with its present economic realities, there shouldn’t be any meaningful reason why a seaport project shouldn’t be ongoing at Oseakwa right now.
The Igbo people in Nigeria have, for many decades, rightly complained of marginalisation. Building the Oseakwa seaport is one of the easiest ways of tackling those concerns. The construction of the Oseakwa Seaport would require the development of robust infrastructure and logistics networks. This would involve the expansion and enhancement of road and rail networks, ensuring seamless connectivity between the seaport and other economic hubs. It goes without saying that this project is one that has the potential to holistically unlock the South East and position it for greatness.
Going forward, Ndigbo must begin to sustain immense pressure on the Federal Government of Nigeria as well as the State Governors to prioritise the construction of the Oseakwa Seaport. Due to its potential to unlock economic growth, create jobs, diversify the economy, enhance regional development, and alleviate congestion at existing ports, its construction should be non-negotiable.
The Federal Government of Nigeria must now come forward to admit that investing in this critical infrastructure project would not only benefit Nigeria but also contribute to the overall development and stability of the West African region. This is a seaport that has the potential of creating over two million jobs, directly and indirectly, in marine business, oil and gas, power, education, housing, agro-food industry, entertainment, and tourism, among other things.
In conclusion, Nigeria must now recognise the fact that having potential seaports like Oseakwa and yet sticking to the economically stagnating Lagos ports is only keeping the country in an archaic cage. It is tantamount to washing one’s eyes with spit despite living on the bank of the river. These glaring mistakes should and must be corrected if the country will ever make any headway.
