By Emmanuel Chukwu
Nigeria is today one of the richest oil producing countries in the world, taking the sixth position.
However, it seems that many Nigerians do not know the true history of the of where and when oil was first discovered in Nigeria. There has been the suspicion of deliberate conspiracy to obliterate the true history of oil exploration and exploitation in Nigeria going by naive narratives from some quarters regarding where oil was first discovered in Nigeria.
This lapse or neglect is a slap on Imo state for the indirect or direct denial of her status as the first state in Nigeria’s oil history.
For students of history and patriotic Nigerians, the story of the petroleum industry cannot be complete without reference to Ihuo or Iho Dimeze.
a semi urban community in Eastern Nigeria, Iho Dimeze was the first place oil was discovered in commercial quantity in the 1950s with Shell Darcy, the pioneer oil prospecting company establishing its first oil well in the community in present day Ikeduru local government area of Imo state. Oil prospecting ventures that commenced within the Udi hills Enugu axis in 1903 or thereabouts met with less impressive outcomes, leading to prospecting activities shifting southwards combing through the adjoining zones South of the Udi Enugu area.
Fortunately, after deep search Southward, Shell recorded the much expected black gold at Iho Dimeze. The company’s first successful oil well was spudded in 1951 in Iho with the establishment of all factors of exploitation. The first known oil mast or derrick was constructed in the community to herald the much anticipated oil exploitation in 1951. Iho served as the oil field where Nigeria’s pioneer indigenous oil workers and the expatriate oil engineers did their daily activities.
However, Owerri was used as their administrative centre and residence of expatriate officers known as Shell camp from where its expatriate workers took off for their technical activities at Iho Dimeze .
Within the period Shell reticulated its pipe borne water from Mbaa river at the Ngugo/ Eziama Ikeduru borders to its premises at Iho Dimeze to serve the needs of its workers and other operational needs.
Some of the pioneer oil workers in Nigeria were drawn from Iho Dimeze and other communities from neighbouring towns in Mbano, Orlu, Owerri etc. This gave iho sons higher visibility in Shell oil company in the 1950 and 60s. People like Pip Iwuagwu, a famous Nigerian journalist debuted in Shell oil company before joining the journalism profession alongside, Mr Goddy Onyeachugbulem a former President of Iho Dimeze Town Union and a host of other Iho sons at Shell then.
Iho Dimeze witnessed the earliest land pollution during the oil drilling activities. Some farmlands were polluted with run off wastes and the farmers were compensated.
Due to the discovery of oil in Oloibiri in present day Bayelsa in 1956 and the level of technology available then which was not very sophisticated to meet the challenges the need to relocate to the riverine areas of Rivers State became inevitable and the more reason for doing that was the proximity of sea port facilities and proximity to the sea. It is very errornous and distortion of history for any human being to claim that oill was first discovered at Oloibiri . Oloibiri came years after Iho oil well.
At a time the historical blunder attracted correction from then Hon. Osita Izunaso before he became a senator at the floor of House of Representatives. A lawmaker errornously credited Oloibiri with the status of being the first oil well. Hon Izunaso promptly to
corrected the lawmaker that Nigeria’s first oil well was in Iho, Imo State, which this writer did a follow-up column publication in Nigeria Newspoint, supporting and praising the Izunaso position.
Shell archives have records of Iho’s pioneer oil position in Nigeria. In the early days of Shell BP, the first Street in Shell Quarters was Ihuo street in memory of the community’s history as the first oil town in Nigeria. A visit to Shell Quarters i in Port Harcourt in those days confirmed the Ihuo street name. This order may have changed now.
Iho town is one of the most fortunate communities in Imo state with a hitch free topography. Perhaps Iho Dimeze has the flattest landscape in the state or among one of the flattest. Road construction work in Iho goes smoothly and cheaper without unfavourable topographical interruptions.It has an attractive terrain with hospitable indigenes!
It is the headquarter of Ikeduru LGA and served as headquarter of old Mbaitoli/Ikeduru council. The community has produced prominent professionals who have held public offices like late Eze Ernest Onwuegbu ,a retired superintendent of police who arrested the notorious Nwaiboko Ogbodo, of Abakiliki, who killed 132 persons. Onwuegbu rejected a bribe of 10 pounds offered by Nwaiboko and was commended by the then Governor -General for his exceptional service.
Other prominent professionals who made history in their respective fields include late Chief Sunny Unachukwu, the foundation Chairman of Nigeria Union Of Journalists, NUJ old Imo State, comprising Abia, Ebonyi and Imo state, Rev. Dr B S Obiukwu former Dean Student Affairs, Alvan Ikoku College of Education, now Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, who also served as Chaplain of 34 Artlary Brigage Obinze, Pip Iwuagwu , former Secretary of Ikeduru council and the famous Editor of Nigerian Statesman whose column, “Burning Issues” captured national attention in the 1980s and beyond, Capt David Mbamara (Rtd) who held the position of Commandant of Imo State Orientation Agency, Prof. Anderson Amadioha who served as former Rector Michael Okpara College of Agriculture and Technology MCATECH later Imo Poly, Umuagwo and other noble sons and daughters of the community performing excellently in different professions. The community is blessed with brilliant citizens who are honest and patriotic .
Iho Dimeze is a strategic nodal point settlement with network of roads leading to various communities in Imo state. From Amanwozuzu junction Iho ,a traveler can access Ahiazu Mbaise, Aboh Mbaise, Emekuku in Owerri North. Iho is the shortest cut to Amaigbo through Ogwa if the road is constructed. Accessing Onisha road is an easy thing if the Ukwuoji Nworieubi road is reconstructed to Iho junction near Chief Iwuanyanwu’s Atta home town. From Owerri to Iho is a fifteen minutes drive and ten minutes to Okigwe zone. The community is very strategic in communication but absence of motorable roads is a great problem confronting the community and its neighbours like Mbieri, Ogwa, Atta, Ngugo.
The government of Nigeria should consider taking up the infrastructural development of Iho Dimeze a priority for reasons of its strategic role in the development of oil economy in Nigeria. In terms of communication the community is strategic in linking Orlu and Okigwe zones. This was why a great Nigerian from Imo State, Dr Walter Ofonagoro made a call for the construction of Iho road to easily link College of Health Sciences Amaigbo about a decade ago.
Both the state and Federal governments and their agencies should see Iho Dimeze as a qualified town for their infrastructural development programmes. The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC has no reason not to register a historic development presence in Iho community all this while.
Roads that need attention include Iho-Ogwa- Amuzari Isiala Mbano road, Iho- Orie Mbieri Nkwo Orji road, Iho -Atta- Amaimo- Ahiazu Mbaise road, Iho- Uzoagba- Eziama- Aboh Mbaise and its extension to Emekuku, Owerri North. These key roads should help farmers to evacuate their produce from points of harvests to markets to dispose their farm products.
These roads pass through the famous Eke Iho market, which is one of the most popular markets in the state. Constructing these roads will not only enhance communication, but will strengthen rural commerce.
The aforementioned roads are essential to the communication and economic needs of the various parts of the state. Their reconstruction will in addition to the already mentioned benefits help to decongest the major routes in the state.
For instance, a good road from Iho to Amaigbo and Ukwuorji will make it unnecessary for anyone going to either Orlu or Onitsha to go to either Owerri or Anara. A good road from Iho to Emekuku will make it easier for someone going to either Mbaise or Umuahia to have his way through Iho without reaching Owerri and vice versa. This would help to decongest Owerri city roads.
Nigeria’, Shell Development Company or whatever its present designation is owe the community. This debt should be paid through infrastructural development, appointments into oil related establishments in Nigeria. Officially something must be done to correct the historical distortion associated with where oil was first discovered in Nigeria and a visit to Shell archives in London and other places will do justice to it.
Chukwu is a Nigerian journalist, poet and human rights crusader
