Otti revives Enyimba Hotel Dream after 54 years

2026-02-26 - 12:27

....Reclaims Ovom from Erosion By Steve Oko Governor Alex Otti on Wednesday delivered a twin statement of economic revival and urban renewal in Aba, flagging off the long-stalled Enyimba Hotels project—54 years after it was conceived. He also unveiled the fully reclaimed Ovom Road, once ravaged by gully erosion. At the Enyimba Hotel site, Otti announced plans for a five-star, 250-room facility to be developed in phases, declaring that “Aba is back.” The first phase, comprising 120 rooms and a modern convention centre, is expected to be completed within 18 months. He disclosed that the hotel is being developed in partnership with global hospitality brand Radisson Blu, signalling renewed investor confidence in the city’s economy. The governor said his administration had spent the last 33 months deliberately repositioning Aba to meet the standards required for high-end investments. He added that rising demand would trigger a second phase of 130 rooms, bringing the project to full capacity within four years. Otti paid tribute to the original promoters of the project, notably Ukpabi Asika and Sam Mbakwe, as well as the Aba business community and ACCIMA for keeping the vision alive. He assured that all past investors had been recognised, with shares allocated to them or their successors. Earlier, attention shifted to Ovom Road, where the governor inaugurated a fully reconstructed corridor that had been on the brink of environmental collapse. He disclosed that his administration reclaimed a 42-metre-deep gully spanning over 600 metres, describing the pre-intervention situation as “hopeless.” Residents testified to dramatic changes in the area, noting that properties once abandoned due to erosion had been saved, while land values had soared following the intervention. In an interview with Vanguard, an Ovom landlord, Chief Patrick Onyebueke of Umuchu in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, said his one-storey building was on the brink of collapse before the government’s intervention. He explained that the house, completed barely two years before erosion struck the area about five years ago, was nearly swallowed by the gully, which had already claimed several neighbouring buildings. “Bad road forced me to abandon my house at Obuohia Road. Two years after I built this one at Ovom Street, erosion cut off the whole area. We couldn’t drive out anymore. Many houses were washed away, and mine was next,” he said. On the economic turnaround, Onyebueke revealed that a factory once sold about 15 plots of land and relocated, as erosion made the area uninhabitable. “Then, land here was about ₦5 million per plot. Today, after the governor’s intervention, people are offering up to ₦30 million,” he said. Overwhelmed with gratitude, the tea merchant showered prayers on the governor and, in celebration, declared free tea for residents during the inauguration. Commending the projects, the Senator representing Abia South, Enyinnaya Abaribe, described Otti’s leadership as transformative, while GADA Director-General, Architect Uche Ukeje, said Aba was fast emerging as a destination for investors and tourists. The events drew traditional rulers, business leaders and senior government officials, culminating in a minute’s silence for the pioneers of the Enyimba Hotel project. Residents, including Chief Bourdex Onuoha Ogba, described the events as a decisive turning point in Aba’s long quest for renewal, saying Otti had restored investor confidence in the city and earned a reputation as an action governor.