Nnewi, in Nnewi North Local Government Area is
a one town local government area. It is home to
great men and women; people who have excelled
in diverse professional and technical
competences. The community comprise of four
quarters: Otolo, Uruagu, Umudim, and Nnewichi.
going by the 2006 census figure, Nnewi has a population of 391,227. It is the home town of a great Eze Igbo Gburugburu, Dim (Ikemba) Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu. His father Louis Ojukwu (then wealthiest man in Africa), it was learnt, had in 1956, made available to the country, his Rolls Royce, for the use of Queen Elizabeth when Her Majesty came on official visit to the Nigeria. It should be noted also that Igwe Orizu I (Eze Ugbo Onya Mba) was the first Nigerian to own a car and that was as far back as in 1912. It should be added that Ichi, an autonomous Nnewi community is part of Nnewi North Local
Government. Nnewi is unarguably, the second largest city in Anambra State.
Oral history had it that ‘ewi’ (bush rat) played a pivotal role in providing relief to the projenitors of Nnewi in the early primitive wars, which is why it is generally believed today that hunting, killing or eating ewi remains a taboo in Nnewi. This
tradition spans back to the 15th century In spite of being land-locked and seemingly turked away in small corner of the Igbo land, Nnewi remains a major trading and manufacturing town in Nigeria, attracting millions of migrants from
other parts of the country and beyond. Industrial concerns and local fabricators are a legion in the town, making Nnewi industrial hub of the country, inspite of daunting challenges, brought about by obvious federal government neglect and absence of most public social infrastructure, except those provided by private philanthropic citizens, who are also indefatigably doing their best in that
regard. Nnewi equally boasts of several professors and giants in academic and the sciences.
Apart from academic, science, business and industrial concerns, the cultural heritage of the Nnewi people is another teaser that makes the community thick. The Ofala Nnewi, a showpiece cultural festival holds every year in commem
oration of the coronation the Igwe Nnewi, His Majesty, Nwafor Orizu, the oldest
tratidional ruler in the country. Similarly, “Afiaolu”, the New Yam Festival and “Ikwuaru” are among the traditional annual festivities in the town.
Nnewi Kingdom is also known as “Anaedo” meaning, the ‘Land of Gold’ (The supreme deity and goddess of Nnewi).
In the Nigeria’s political his story, Nnewi resonates as its illustrious son,
Akwueke Nwafor Orizu was the first President of the Nigerian Senate and Acting President shortly after independence in 1960 and shortly before the
first coup d’etat of 1966. Nnewi equally has as its son, Chief M.C.K. Ajuluchukwu; a respected Nigeria an journalist who was head of the Eastern Nigeria Information Service in the 1960s. He was a product of the Zik group of newspapers, starting out as an assistant editor for the then Anthony Anahoro run Daily Comet in 1946. He then served as editor of the West African Pilot and the Nigerian Outlook in the 1950s. There was Comrade Dr. Edward Ikem Okeke, Deputy President of the PRP and Special Adviser to former President Shehu Shagari; Mr. F. C. Nwokedi, the first Nigerian Permanent Secretary; Dr. Dozie Ikedife (Ikenga Nnewi), former President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Professor A. B. C. Nwosu, frontline politician and former Health Minister; Dr.
Chu Okongwu, Former Minister of Finance; Dr. David Bennet Anagwu Ofomata, the first Indigenous Medical Director, as well as Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, business mogul and Chairman (Capital Oil and Gas Industries Limited
and Authority Media Ltd), among several industrialists and entrepreneurs.
Nnewi’s economic boom sprout from “Agbo Edo”, a forest land which belonged to Edo Nnewi deity, which was cleared to make way for a new market called, Nkwo Nnewi market. This championed development of local economy to the extent that today Nnewi investors are doing well in their respective businesses in Nnewi, in the spirit of think home philosophy. Known as the Japan of Africa, Nnewi has grown large industrial congromertes include but not limited to: Ibeto Group of Companies, Cutix and ADswitch, Uru Industries Ltd, Omata Holdings Ltd, Cento Group of Companies, Innoson Group of Companies, Ebunso Nig. Ltd, John White Industries, Ejiamatu Group of Companies, Chicason Group, Louis Carter Group, etc. The only private FIFA-standard Games Village is being constructed by Dr Ifeanyi Ubah, an illustrious Nnewi son, who also runs a chain of congromerate business concerns. Dr. Ubah is also venturing into building football and other sporting activities into a viable business venture and major
source of employment for the teeming Nigerian unemployed youths. In all, there are about 3,000 companies operating in Nnewi. It worthy to observe that every major bank or financial institution in Nigeria has a viable branch office in Nnewi. These are in addition to several other industrial concerns in every part of the city engaged in the production of edibles like biscuits, sweets, palm oil, cosmetics, vehicle and motor cycle spare parts, books and stationeries, textiles,
electrical wares, etc. It is well known that the largest spare parts market in west Africa is Nkwo Nnewi market, in addition to the other subsidiary markets: Nwafor market, Eke Amaobi market, Eke Ochie, Eke Ichi Market, Orie otube Market. On the cultural sphere, Nnewi, has “Edo Na Ezemewi” shrine, “Udo Ogwugwu” shrine (Ichi), “Kamanu” shrine (Ichi), and several others dotted
across sections of Nnewi city. It must be observed that gigantic church edifices equally dott the nooks and cranny of the city providing Christian spirituality and way of life. Therefore, as the former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, steps into Nnewi soil to commission the multi-million ultra modern The Nnewi Hotel and Events Center, the occasion adds verve to the hospitality business in the town. Before the birth of this pace-setter hospitality concern, there were Beverly Hills, Twin Towers, Kings Palace, Swiss Park and sever other
hotels and recreation center. The Nnewi Hotel and Events center has been ad
judged among the best in the industry not only in Nnewi, but in Anambra State and South-East generally. Taking up its name after Nnewi, the Chairman and Managing Director, Dr. Benson C. Aghazu is full of optimism about maintaining high standards comparable to similar hotels across the globe. He however is buoyed by poor road network but is optimistic that Governor Willie Obianor, will make good his promises in that direction. The Director of the hotel, Mrs. Chinemerem Aghazu equally expressed concerns on the poor state of the road Also, irregular electricity supply from public sources adds to the cost of doing business which The Nnewi Hotels and Events Center will have to contend with even as hundreds of Nigerians and foreigner’s troop to Nnewi for the
commissioning of the center. It should be noted that Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, China, United States of America and several industrialized countries and cities, started with the Nnewi spirit: a spirit of doggedness and dexterity; a spirit of
not letting go, even in the midst of challenges and adversities; the I-can-do spirit which is not in short supply in Nnewi and again demonstrated by
Dr. Aghazu.
