Aba, The Enyimba City

Aba is a developing city in Nigeria. The city located in the southeastern part of Nigeria is the commercial center of Abia State.  Aba, Popularly called the Enyimba city was established by the Ngwa clan of Igbo People as a market town, in 1901 a military post was placed in the town during the colonial administration by the British.  Aba lies along the west bank of the Aba River, and is at the intersection of roads leading to Port Harcourt, Owerri, Umuahia, Ikot Ekpene, and Ikot Abasi. The city became a collecting point for agricultural products following the British made railway running through it from Enugu to Port Harcourt. Aba is a major urban settlement and commercial centre in a region that is surrounded by small villages and towns. Much of the city of Aba extends to Osisioma, Obingwa and Isiala-Ngwa.

History

Aba as a City is made up of many villages namely; Aba-Ukwu, Eziukwu-Aba, Obuda-Aba and Umuokpoji-Aba but the villages in Ohazu have been merged with Aba so as to achieve administrative convenience. Aba-Ukwu is apparently the premier village in Aba, little wonder the late Eze W.E Ukaegbu of Aba-Ukwu was known and referred to as the 9th Grand Son of Aba.

Hence the owners of Aba are often referred to as Aba la Ohazu indigenes and Chief Ogbonna Uruakpa Nkwoha of Eziukwu Village was made the King of Aba and the only recognised Royal throne by the Queen of England.

It eventually became an administrative centre of Britain’s colonial government. Aba has been a major commercial centre since it became part of the old Eastern region.

Aba play host to many visitors who troops into the city throughout the years for one thing or the other but majorly for business activities. Like every other city in Nigeria, Aba has something for every visitor who comes to the city. When it comes to accommodation, Aba hotels can be affordable, although there are not much luxurious hotels in Aba like most of the big cities in Nigeria  but Aba hotels are comfortable and well managed with outstanding services.

Transportation

Transportation in Aba is different from what you might see in most major cities in Nigeria. Aba doesn’t have much of a good road network and good roads but there has been great improvement in that area in the past two years. upon your entry into the city by road through any of the transport company as Aba does not have An Airport, taking a ride around the city mainly through the popular osisioma junction can be a little stressful as the only means of transportation within the city is via the commercial bus, tricycle popularly known as keke or motorbike know as okada.

Festivals

Aba is inhabited by mainly Christians, aside the religious festivals that is celebrated in the city of Aba, the major festival that brings different clans of Ngwa extraction together is the Ngwa Day festival celebrated in Aba.  But like every other Igbo Town, Aba celebrates the annual IwaJi, New Yam festival.

At New York City, USA. Made In Aba Fashion Show

Shopping

Aba is basically a shopping city as most of the visitor that comes into the city come with the aim of shopping..  Aba is known for its Metal Fabrications, clothing and textile industry, shoemaking and leather works, making it one of the largest leather shoe-making markets in West Africa. major markets in Aba are: Ariaria International Market, Aba Shopping Center (Ekeoha), Cemetery Market, Railway Halt Market and others.

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Sports

Aba is known for its sporting activities, Enyimba International F.C., popularly called The Peoples Elephant, is the city most popular football club. Enyimba FC’s winning track-record is among the richest of all Nigerian football clubs. With 2 CAF Champions League trophies, six Nigeria Premier League titles and a pair of Federation Cup trophies, the club is currently ranked 2nd in the CAF Club Rankings and also ranked among the top five most successful club in nigeria.

Made In Aba Fashion Show, New York City. USA

Economy

Aba is surrounded by oil wells which separate it from the city of Port Harcourt, a 30 kilometres (19 mi) pipeline powers Aba with gas from the Imo River natural gas repository. Its major economic contributions are Textiles and Palm Oil along with pharmaceuticals, plastics, cement, and cosmetics which made the Ariaria International Market to become the largest market in west Africa seconded by the Onitsha Main Market . There is also a Heineken brewery, a glass company and distillery within the city. Finally, it is famous for its handicrafts.

Food

Although Aba is an Igbo city, every ethnic group and region in Nigeria has a home in the city and thereby bringing mainly their popular native food to the city so there are varieties of dishes to try out in the city especially those from the south eastern and south southern parts. The most popular dish you can get in a beer parlor are fresh fish or Nkwobi. Food you can’t afford to miss while in Aba are, Abacha, Ofe Achara, Ofe Akwu and Rice, Ofe Oha, Ofe Onugbo, Ofe Egusi these can either go with pounded yam or fufu others are Fisherman soup, Banga, Afang and Edika Ikong.