REPORT OF 13TH OCTOBER ZOOM MEETING ORGANIZED BY ABIA INFRASTRUCTURE MANDATE TO APPOINT A TECHNICAL COMMITTEE FOR UGWUELE SITE EXPEDITION.
The object of the zoom meeting which started at exactly 8pm Nigeria time was to inaugurate the technical committee of a research team mandated to carry out expeditionary investigation of Ugwuele Stone Age Cave located at Isiukwuato, Abia State.
Proceedings of the day started at exactly 8pm when the zoom conference room opened for the discussions. By 8:13 pm, 12 participants had booked their entry into the conference while 7 were unable to attain entry. The usual network issues came handy thereby hampering smooth passage of more discussants. The Chairman of the Inauguration committee, venerable professor emeritus, Geoffrey Obinna Anoliefo, a university don from the University of Benin was very much on hand. So was Maazi Obinna Agommuo, the Coordinator of the Ugwuele expedition project, Architect Eme Uche Onu, Curator Justin Nwaneri, Curator Enyi Imebuogu, Dr. Felix Ike, Rev. Okechukwu Obioha JP, Barrister Charles Ude, Dr. Uduma Nnate and yours Sincerely were all present to start the meeting. The Special Adviser to the governor on Tourism and Entertainment, Dr. Martin Justice was also present to observe Proceedings of the zoom meeting. Mr Etigwe Uwa SAN, called to observe regrets for unavoidable absence. The Chairperson of the technical committee, Professor Ifeyinwa Emejulu was prevented from accessing the meeting by bad network etcetera. The discussion was kickstarted eventually by the Coordinator, Maazi Obinna Agommuo with a brief introductory remark after which the convener of AIM, Dr. Engr Odo Ijere spoke about the vision of Abia Infrastructure Mandate and its consistency with the expedition to Ugwuele as a soft and social infrastructure that will bring enormous developmental dividends through tourism and culture. Justin Nwaneri on behalf of the technical team appraised the relevance and economic opportunities of pushing for a UN Heritage site for Ugwuele stone age cave. Architect Eme Uche also discussed the game changing socioeconomic variables of actualizing the Ugwuele project by Abia Infrastructure Mandate. Next in line of the agenda of the day was the reading of the citation of the Chairman of the Inauguration committee by Maazi Obinna Agommuo, the project coordinator. It was finally time for the Inauguration of the technical team by venerable emeritus professor Geoffrey Obinna Anoliefo.
THE INAUGURATION OF THE UGWUELE HERITAGE SITE TECHNICAL COMMITTEE.
By: Emeritus professor, Geoffrey Obinna Anoliefo, Department of Plant Biology and Biotechnology University of Benin.
Gentlemen,
On the 20th of August, 2024, the Ugwuele Heritage Site Research Team was set up, with members drawn from the academia, Industry, the Museum-world and the Media.
The idea was an initiative of the Abia Infrastructure Mandate for a Team to commense the fact finding mission of Heritage Sites in Ugwuele Community in Isiukwuato Local Government Area of Abia State.
The Site is a civilization of between 1.6 million to 500,000 BC situated in Ugwuele, in Abia State.
A Technical Committee was then formed who would;
- Visit the Stone Age Sites at Ugwuele
- Collect data for dating human activity at Ugwuele with a view to establishing existing information on the Ugwuele community
- Use all available tools to empirically authenticate the data obtained and make appropriate recommendations to the Abia Infrastructure Mandate.
I wish to appreciate
Maazi Obinna Agommuo, Prof. Austin Akpuda and Dr. Odo Ijere who’s worked tirelessly to ‘grow’ this Committee in number and capacity.
The Technical Committee comprises;
- Prof. Ifeyinwa Emejulu – Chairperson
- Curator Dr Justin Nwaneri – Technical Director
- Curator Mr Enyi Samuel Imebuogu – Assistant Technical Director
- Dr Felix Ike – Community Relations Officer.
- Prof. Amanze Akpuda
- Barr. Eze Eluchie – Secretary and Legal Adviser
- Mr Chris Aghana Nwobu – Documentary Film Maker
- . Arch. Eme Uche
- Rev Okechukwu Obioha JP
- Maazi Tochukwu Ezeoke of Njenje Media
- Dr. Uduma Nnate of Abia Think Tank News Media
- Barrister Charles Ude
- Dr. Obie Onyioha Pearce
- Dr Alaezi Offia
- Chief Dr. Odo Ijere
- Maazi Obinna Agommuo.
The Inauguration today, Sunday 13th October 2024 is a result of series of painstaking consultations and deliberations. This expedition is a laudable assignment, one which may give birth to a new and probably a major review in the World Heritage Sites.
Its is an honour for me to, on behalf of the Abia Infrastructure Mandate, inaugurate the Abia-Ugwuele Heritage Site Technical Committee. I wish you a good and fruitful expedition and I thank you.
The meeting finally came to a close at exactly 9:10pm to the glory of God.
Reported by Dr. Engr Odo Ijere,
Convener of Abia Infrastructure Mandate and the Ugwuele Stone Age Sites expedition project.
