The impact of Soludo’s rebuilding of the biggest urban slum in eastern Nigeria

In 2021, here is how Germany’s Heinrich Böll Foundation described Okpoko – a community in the suburb of Onitsha – in one of its reports authored by Rebacca Roberts: ‘’ The Okpoko community has not had any formal governance structure in the last 16 years.

This community is essentially self-governed and has no support from the traditional, local or state government’’. Heinrich Böll’s description of Okpoko came after the UN-Habitat’s 2012 report which classified Okpoko as the biggest slum in eastern Nigeria. These descriptions of Okpoko, as portrayed by these international institutions have miraculously changed in the last 2 years as a result of Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s can-do spirit.

Okpoko is one of the most important locations in the south east yet it has been in a pitiable condition since 1960 – the year Nigeria got its independence.
In describing Governor Soludo’s magical transformation of Okpoko, Lady Bianca Ojukwu, Nigerian’s former ambassador to Ghana and Spain, had this to say: ‘’to think that in just 2 years he has been able to commission 12 kilometers of road out of 15. In just 2 years he has been able to deliver pipe borne water. In just 2 years, he has been able to build a general hospital in Okpoko. In just 2 years, he has been able to flood Okpoko with street lights, clear the refuse to significant extent is something very commendable.’’

In 2008, the UN-Habitat estimated the population of Okpoko at 128,000 and estimated an annual growth rate of 2.83%. Okpoko is located in the Ogbaru local government area and is situated between the Relief Market and the popular Onitsha Main Market. Over 30% of Okpoko’s 291.967 hectares land mass was an active slum according to reports predating 2021. The town borders the River Niger in the west and the Onitsha–Enugu Expressway in the north.

By rebuilding Okpoko in the last two years, Governor Soludo showed that he truly believed in the philosophy of not living anyone behind in Anambra, no matter where the person comes from. Okpoko is mainly a non-indigenous community which has most residents having moved in from other states some decades ago. In Heinrich Böll Foundation’s 2021 report, community members unanimously indicated that the main reason why the government was marginalizing Okpoko was because the president-general was from Imo State. [At the time of Heinrich Böll Foundation’s report, Okpoko community was headed by Hon. Edwin Emesinna, who is originally from Imo State. He previously governed the community as president-general from 2007 to 2009]. The report also stated that the state government had been trying to impose an indigenous person from Ogbaru local government as a community leader. This cosmopolitan implication had been one of the reasons why Okpoko was neglected in the past but all this has changed in Soludo’s administration.

Okpoko had hundreds of shanties and illegal structures. Most of the shanties were built on drainage lines. Most houses in the community had no approval plan by the Anambra State Urban Development Board. The community had hundreds of illegal motor parks and markets were located across highways. The loss of lives from flooding as a result of debris-blocked drainages were common occurrences.

On assumption of office, the governor’s first official visit to Okpoko was followed by the massive clearing of blocked drains and opening of waterways around Okpoko, including the Sakamori drainage system in Okpoko. By opening up waterways and re-directing runoff water to the River Niger, hundreds of lives would be saved from flood-related deaths in the coming rainy seasons.
The impact of Soludo’s gentrification of Okpoko on public health is enormous.

Obviously, one does not need to be a health expert to know that the massive cleanup and gentrification of Okpoko would impact public health. But the level of impact is unbelievable. A 2019 research showed the prevalence of soil transmitted helminth infection in Okpoko. Another research published in the Biomedical and Biotechnology Research Journal showed a very high prevalence of Hepatitis B – a life threatening liver infection – in Okpoko. The report also stated the low level of HBV vaccination in the community. But all these are about to change with the face-lift Okpoko has received from Governor Soludo’s Administration. Today, Okpoko now has a government general hospital!

In 2016, the Guardian of London published a study which showed that the very busy Okpoko Market registered an air quality of 140 for PM10s and 70 for PM2.5s. These are seven times above WHO’s limits. Particulate Matter (PM) is used to represent microscopic matter suspended in air or water. PM10 is used to represent foreign particles in the air less than 10 µm in diameter while PM2.5 represents those less than 2.5 µm. Exposure to PM10 can result in a number of ailments ranging from coughing and wheezing to asthma attacks and bronchitis to high blood pressure, heart attack, strokes and premature death. With Soludo’s Okpoko clean-up, residents of Okpoko are sure of having a better environment devoid of disease-causing matters and organisms.

With the cleaning-up of Okpoko, there is no doubt that the economy and GDP of Okpoko would change tremendously in the coming months. Currently, crime rate in Okpoko has gone down significantly. Markets in Okpoko are now experiencing higher patronage. The prices of properties – including lands and houses – have also increased significantly in Okpoko.

Soludo’s miraculous rebuilding of Okpoko shows his can-do spirit!

Nwankwo is the special adviser on special projects to Soludo