“Alone, we do so little, together we can do so much” – Helen Keller

Town Unions in Igboland are not a recent development. They date back to the establishment of formal British Colonial administration and the emergence of new centers of development in Nigeria. These centers of development, or urban areas, boasted of better amenities than the rural areas and many rural dwellers migrated to the centers in search of better opportunities such as jobs, education and other trappings of modernity. These urban areas held special allure for Ndi Igbo for reasons of their individualism, land hunger, love for adventure, penchant to embrace change, achievement orientation and generally, love for the good things of life.

However, movement to the cities came with some hardship. If you had no relation the experience turned to torture. The migrants needed some buffer to ease them into the impersonal and opportunistic life of the city which was different from the village where residents were largely their brothers’ keeper. With time the myriad of problems started overwhelming the willing relations. Even those who had settled down discovered that life in the city was everyone on his own’. With the divide and rule policy of the colonial masters, ethnic consciousness crystallized. There arose the need for umbrella bodies to look out for the welfare of members from specific areas. This gave rise to ethnic and communal improvement associations as a strategy for engaging more collectively in the struggle for the limited social and economic resources
not just in the cities, but in the communities.

In the current dispensation, the reasons for town unions have only grown in sophistication. This is not surprising because the age has gone digital. Nzuko Arochukwu was formed in 1981, from several unions and groups such as Aro Union, Aro League, Aro Women Group and Aro Youth, that had existed hitherto. The then Eze Aro, Late Mazi Kanu Oji, CFR felt that for unity of purpose all the groups should come together. Nzuko Aro is primarily an organization mandated by the people to foster unity, love and peace among Arochukwu people, initiate and promote positive and progressive plans for the development of the town while upholding its culture and tradition.

The activities and achievements of previous administrations of Nzuko Arochukwu had done a lot in shaping the social, economic and political fortunes of Arochukwu. They range from maintenance of peace, various struggles for access roads especially the Aro/Ohafia road, Aro/Abam and Nkana roads, the College of Education Technical, Arochukwu, the Arochukwu General Hospital, several health centers and the Arochukwu Civic Centre, the All Aro National Conferences and many more. We owe a debt of gratitude to erstwhile leaders of Nzuko Arochukwu.

However, a study conducted by Emejulu, I and Okafor H.I. of the Department of History and International Studies of Nnamdi Azikiwe University on ‘Town Union and Community Development: Contributions of
Nzuko Arochukwu to the Socio-economic growth of Arochukwu 1981 – 2017’, observed that between 1981 when Nzuko Aro was formed and 2016, the enthusiasm with which Umu Aro embraced Nzuko Arochukwu in its earliest formation had dwindled. We can indeed confirm that interest and
enthusiasm of Umu Aro was probably at its lowest ebb when the George Ezuma led Executive of Nzuko Aro came on board in Easter of 2016.

Community participation is a pre-requisite to achieving positive results in community development. The personality of individuals at the helm of affairs always has a way of reflecting on the general performance of any town union government. The major role of a town union is to ignite mass action of the people to
combat common problems and build the future it desires. Brazilian Educationist, Paulo Freire, writing in ‘Pedagogy of the Oppressed’’, theorized that community action would happen “through the awakening of people’s consciousness to have self-confidence which assists them to attain desired goals collectively”.

Since Nzuko Aro is not a government agency funded from the public treasury, it means it must work with the people. The people must share the vision of the leadership. The leadership should enjoy the confidence of the people if the people must willingly sacrifice their time and other resources to
drive the policies and programs of the Union.

The current executive, therefore, set out to convince the people that we were going to address their fears. We were going to be servant-leaders. In identification of projects for execution the bottom-up approach was adopted. The leadership listened to the people and made use of good advice. Above all, the administration was open, transparent, accountable and inclusive. Reforms were introduced that distanced Nzuko Aro Leadership from Aro funds, creating structures such as the Aro Development Fund with
Board of Trustees picked from among the best in Aro, who Nzuko Aro executive must convince before Aro Funds are spent. It insisted that those running for office be ready to pick their bills as the union would not pay for flight tickets or hotel bills for officers. The selflessness and transparency paid off. Nzuko Aro National Patrons were pleasantly surprised at the approach and embraced the regime. This further engendered confidence in Umu Aro, some of whom were in distant places.

The first major project was the completion of the Aro Civic Centre. When it was launched in December, 2017, Dr. Alex Otti promised to take on the project and encourage Umu Aro to help complete it within one year. The Executive appealed to him to use his engineers/contractors to carry out the project. We would be content with receiving the keys. He accepted but said to do that Nzuko Aro should allow him open a dedicated account for the project and nominate the signatories. This was done. All these convinced contributors that executive members were not interested in the money but in the completion of that Civic Centre. To the glory of God, Dr. Alex Otti and all those who supported the project, Aro Civic Centre main building was completed and handed over a year later, thereby breaking the jinx of more than 40 years.

As a result of strict accountability and zero tolerance for revenue leakages, quarterly publication of financials, and annual auditing of accounts, Nde Aro have wholehearted supported the projects such that as I write one can list with modesty:
(1) Completion of the auditorium of the Civic Centre
(2) Fencing of the Eze Aro’s Palace with a magnificent gate delivered
by Mazi Lawson Obasi (SOBAZ)
(3) Asphalting of the Palace through the help of Engr. Chukwuemeka Maduagwu
(4) Well asphalted internal roads and more to come
(5) Rebuilding of Police Offices and DPO’s Quarters encouraged by late Dr. Kemka Jombo-Ofo
(6) Seasonal grading of Okobo road
(7) Rehabilitation of the Arochukwu General Hospital
(8) Women and Children Hospital completed, equipped and ready for commissioning by Total plc; attracted by Adaukwu Delight Sunday Anicho
(9) Free Medical Care by the Aro Health Committee/AAUSA at the AAUSA Clinic
(10) Enlightenment on COVID 19 and distribution of palliatives
(11) Establishment of Arochukwu Development Fund
(12) Development of a 10 year Development Plan, AroDep 2030
(13) Support for security agencies
(14) Encouragement of the Traditional Institution
(15) Supported the traditional institution to resolve the Ugbo/Ikpanja Crisis
(16) Repackaging and Rebranding of Ikeji Festival
(17) Maintained cordial relationship with Akwa Ibom State Government
(18) Working with our elite to find solution to the Aro/Ohafia road quagmire
(19) Keeping the Ekpo Masquerade in check
(20) Reviewing the Nzuko Aro Constitution to bring it up to date with modern realities. When approved at the General Assembly in December, it would, among other things, establish the Nzuko Aro Youth Wing
(21) Successful organization of the 5th All Aro National Conference in Abakaliki, Ebonyi state
(22) Organised a successful rites of passage for the late Eze Aro in spite of the challenges of Covid 19 pandemic, among many more achievements

As the tenure of the current executive of Nzuko Aro winds down, it is important to note that organizations regenerate themselves through various means, one of which is elections. For over 500 years elections have gradually become one of the mechanisms for choosing representatives in modern democracies. An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold public office. Elections help in holding elected persons accountable. If you do well you are retained and if not, you are booted out. Where it is free and fair, and the electorates are discerning, they enthrone visionary leadership that transform the community.

Going forward it should be realized that the choices we make at elections build or destroy a community. They have consequences. Elections, can also be divisive. The only major internal disturbance we had in Aro in the current dispensation was as a result of (wait for it) local government elections! Nde Aro have always had their attitude towards Nzuko Aro elections. Election is not an end it itself. It is a means to an end – that end is peace, harmony, brotherhood and development.

Elections into Nzuko Aro offices most of the time, used to be by consensus. The elders or experienced members would identify good hands, invite them and brief them for the assignment. Such approach made for stability, community building and avoided the acrimony that goes with divisive elections. Arochukwu is a fragile community and all efforts must be made to deepen the reforms which have been embraced by our people and have yielded results.

Ensuring good leadership and consolidation of the achievements will serve our Community better. We need to consolidate on the gains made. Vision, capacity, integrity, experience and selfless leadership will deliver sustainable development to Arochukwu. In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, ‘the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.’