OTTI REWRITES HISTORY AS JAJA WACHUKU IS HONORED TOMORROW BY AJA URURU
Tomorrow, 1st January, 2026, Governor Alex Otti will reopen a new chapter in the political history of Ngwaland, Abia State and indeed Nigeria.
That day, one of the architects of Nigeria's independence, foremost elder statesman and Ngwaland's greatest son ever, the UGO NGWA, the Late Chief, Senator, Dr Jaja Anucha Wachuku, CON,CFR , LLD (Honoris Causa), Trinity College, Dublin will be celebrated post humously.
Governor Alex Otti will proudly lead the government and people of Abia State to celebrate the 108th post humous birthday of a man whose CV is long, rich and intimidating.
Jaja Anucha Wachuku, lawyer, statesman, Pan Africanist, diplomat, and the UGO NGWA was born on 1st January, 1918 at Nbawsi in today's Isiala Ngwa North LGA of Abia State. A 1943 first class Law graduate of the Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland , he was called to the Irish Bar, The Kings Inn, in November 1944 as the first man from the entire old Imo State to be called to the Bar.
Jaja was many things in his lifetime. He was, National Legal Adviser of the NCNC in 1947, Principal Secretary of the Igbo State Union between 1948 and 1952, together with the Late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, he cofounded the African Continental Bank (ACB), he was an ORIGINAL SHAREHOLDER of the Bank and a Regional Director between 1948 and 1952.
Jaja's political trajectory is a story of FROM THE GRASSROOTS TO THE VERY TOP. He was first nominated Village Councillor in 1948. In 1949, he was a Member of the Ngwa Native Authority. In 1951, he was elected Second Member for Aba Division at the Eastern Nigeria House of Assembly. In 1954, he was elected First Member of the Aba Division in the House of Representatives.
In 1959, Jaja was elected first ever indigenous Speaker of the House of Representatives, replacing Sir Frederic Metcalfe and on October 1st, 1960, Speaker Jaja received Nigeria's Instrument of Independence from Britain. Jaja was Nigeria's first Permanent Representative to the United Nations as well as Minister for Economic Development.
Between 1961 and 1965, Jaja was Minister of Foreign Affairs and Commonwealth Relations. Between 1965 and 1966, he was Minister of Aviation.
When the Second Republic politics started in 1979, Jaja was elected Senator for Aba Zone under the NPP and was reelected in 1983 before the military struck.
He died on November 7th, 1996.
It is however ironical that since his death, his country home at Nbawsi has remained a total eye sore and a tale in unbelievable abandonment.
Then came OTTI!
As part of his resolve to ensure that the labors of our heros past shall never be in vain, Governor Alex Otti chose to change the narrative.
The first thing he did was to approve the construction of the road leading into the compound of the late Jaja as part of the larger Ntigha-Nbawsi-Nsulu Road Project currently ongoing.
The Governor approved the total rebuilding and retrofitting of the Country Home of the late Jaja. The job has now been completed, turning the once abandoned compound into a tastefully rebuilt spectacle. The attached pictures show BEFORE and CURRENT situations of the compound.
So tomorrow, a grateful state and people led by a visionary Governor shall pay well deserved respects to a man who bestrode his environment like a collosus.
Venue is Jaja's Alma Mater, the Anglican Grammar School Field, Nbawsi and time is 1pm.
Let's start the new year on a note of gratitude to the memory of a man who was a shining example of leadership.
Join us!
Ururu Aja is the Director General of the Abia State Strategic Communication Bureau.