Contrary to the impression that the South-East Geo-Political zone of Nigeria (Igbo Land) is landlocked, it will interest you to know that it has three default ancient seaport sites at Obuaku (Ukwa West LGA of Abia State), Oseokwa (Ihiala LGA of Anambra State) and at Osemoto (Oguta LGA of Imo State.
The Obuaku site lies by the Azumini River that flows directly into the Atlantic Ocean. It lies just five nautical miles from the Ocean which technically qualifies it as a seaport according to United Nation’s laws.
The Osemoto/Oseokwa site is one of the potentially deepest default ancient seaports in Nigeria. It is the deepest natural harbor in Nigeria, measuring over 20m deep, and lies only 18 nautical miles to the Atlantic Ocean.
At recent lecture delivered at the First International Chinua Achebe Conference held at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Dr Ikedi Ohakim stated that a seaport was designated at the Osemoto/Oseokwa site in 1959, but that the project was abandoned and the admiralty member erased for obvious political reasons. He also stated that there was an unambiguous African Development Bank (ADB) feasibility report of a seaport at this site.
These sites could turn around the economic fortune of Ndigbo if developed and can open up Igbo Land to international trade and the accompanying social-economic development and advancement. If developed, these seaports could become international hubs and would make it easy for Ndigbo to receive their goods directly from Japan, Germany, US, China and any part of the world. They would also serve as strategic hubs for the oil industry and could open up fertile agricultural land for sustainable food production in Igbo Land. Ndigbo Ego eberela na mgbagbu! Share the good news and let the world understand that Igbo land is not landlocked.
