Amid growing concerns about underdevelopment and economic stagnation in Idomaland, retired Supreme Court Justice Ejembi Eko has decried the neglect of the region’s abundant mineral resources, saying that self-reliance and visionary leadership are key to transforming the area into an industrial powerhouse.
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Journalist Nelson Ogbu reports that, while speaking at a royal banquet held in Abuja in honour of the Och’Idoma, Justice Eko lamented that other regions have harnessed their natural endowments for prosperity, but Idomaland’s vast mineral riches remain largely untapped. The retired jurist listed the resources to include limestone in Ado and Oju, gypsum in Umogidi, coal stretching from Owukpa to Adoka, and oil and gas reserves in Okwiji and Agatu.
“Agaba-Idu, our land is blessed but idle,” he declared. “We sit on wealth that could employ thousands and build industries, yet our young people roam jobless. God helps only those who help themselves.”
Justice Eko said that the Idoma nation’s economic salvation lies not in political appointments or federal allocations but in strategic investment in its natural resources, urging the people to “move from lamentation to innovation.”
He called on Idoma elites, investors, and policymakers to initiate partnerships that would unlock the area’s mineral and agricultural potential.
“If properly harnessed, Ado alone could supply limestone to multiple cement plants, and Owukpa’s coal deposits could power industries across the North-Central region,” Eko noted.
The retired jurist warned that continued neglect of such endowments not only perpetuates poverty but also weakens the region’s political voice.
“Economic strength brings respect,” he said. “Without industries and jobs, we remain dependent and divided.”
While his keynote address, titled “Shaping the Future of the Idoma Nation: One Kingdom, One Destiny,” touched on unity, leadership, and cultural renewal, Justice Eko’s most critical message centred on the urgent need for an economic awakening rooted in the land’s natural gifts.
He proposed the revival of the Idoma Development Foundation (IDF) as a platform for mobilising local and diaspora investment in industries, mineral processing, and youth entrepreneurship.
“We can no longer rely solely on outsiders to define our destiny,” he said. “It is time to turn our resources into wealth, and our unity into power.”
Eko also used the occasion to warn traditional leaders against public conflicts that diminish the kingdom’s image, referencing controversies during the last Igede Agba Festival. The Idoma Area Traditional Council had nullified chieftaincy titles conferred on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and others by the Adiharu of Igede, an action that caused uproar. Instead, Retired Justice Eko called for collaboration among all Idoma subgroups — Agatu, Otukpo, Ogbadibo, Oju, Okpokwu, Ado, and Obi — toward a shared economic vision.
Recalling the historical resilience of Idoma heroes such as Ogbu Uloko of Ito and Amanyi Ukwuludo of Ugboju, he said the new generation must emulate their courage, but this time in economic and intellectual battles.
Justice Eko praised illustrious Idoma sons and daughters who have excelled nationally and internationally — from Dr. Edwin Ogbu and Chief Andrew Obeya to Bongos Ikwue and TuFace Idibia — describing them as proof of the people’s ingenuity when given opportunity.
Concluding, the eminent jurist reaffirmed that the path to Idoma’s rebirth lies in visionary leadership and practical development, not rhetoric.
“We only need unity and purpose to harness our abundant resources,” he said. “Oche ko gb’opu; Opu ko gb’oche — the king needs the people, and the people need the king. Together, we can rise again.”
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