By Everest Ezihe, Owerri
Chief Longers Anyanwu, a frontline member of Imo State Elders Forum has appealed to Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State to rehabilitate the over 40 years old abandoned historical Imo Hotel at Abadaba Wonder Lake as a strategic initiative to boost the tourism potential of the State.
Anyanwu disclosed this on Friday while speaking with Journalists in Owerri on the state of Imo State under Governor Uzodimma.
”It is only Governor Hope Uzodimma that has the political will, tenacious patriotic courage and futuristic business acumen to turn the abandoned Imo Hotels at Abadaba Wonder Lake into another tourism haven in Imo State,” Chief Anyanwu stressed.
He passionately advised Uzodimma to squeeze out time from his busy schedule to pay a visit or send his team to visit the Abadaba Wonder Lake located between Obowo and Ihitte Uboma local government areas.
Anyanwu, who is a business mogul and an astute politician, assured that the Shared Prosperity and 3R administrative mantra of Governor Uzodimma will definitely discover a hidden treasure and a tourism asset abandoned for over 40 years after the old Imo State regime of late Chief Sam Onunaka Mbakwe in 1983.
He pointed out that the historical importance of Abadaba Wonder Lake cannot be over emphasized, noting that the location where the abandoned Imo hotel is sited is the same place, the famous Court Abadaba resided and operated.
”The court jurisdiction during the colonial era covered the old Etiti, Mbaise and parts of Mbano divisions. A beautiful site located on top of a mountain in a village called Elugwu.
”The hotel project, which was located there during Mbakwe’s administration, factored the tourism potential of Abadaba Wonder Lake right there and of course the relics of the colonial court premises and the residence of the court, Nwa-DC with colonial GRA ambience.
”The good news is that, after over 40 years of abandonment, the uncompleted buildings (bricks) are still standing strong there, like the rock of Gibraltar,” he observed.
Anyanwu further expressed optimism that if the Governor’s attention is drawn to the abandoned asset and its potentials, that the administration will definitely come up with good business models that would definitely turn that place into another tourism destination, that can take advantage of its proximity to Umuahia and its environ, so as to boost it’s business viabilities and potentials.
”I can read the mood of Governor Uzodimma. He is in a hurry to make Imo State the most viable State in the South East and Nigeria at large. This he can achieve by the rehabilitation of Imo Hotels at Abadaba Wonder Lake and its addition to his industrial basket vision,” he passionately advised.
