The ongoing debate over the naming of the Abakaliki Cement Factory should be understood from the perspectives of law, commerce, and strategic branding rather than through emotional considerations, the Special Assistant to the Ebonyi State Governor on New Media, Leo Ekene Oketa, has said.
Oketa explained that Abakaliki, being the capital city of Ebonyi State, has over the years become the most recognised identity of the state within and outside Nigeria, adding that the adoption of the name Abakaliki Cement Factory represents the entire state and not any particular community.
According to him, many institutions and businesses across the country bear the names of state capitals while operating in other parts of their respective states, noting that such naming practices are largely based on identity, visibility, and corporate recognition.
He stressed that the ongoing cement project is a new company being established by the Ebonyi State Government and should not be mistaken for a revival of the former NIGERCEM, adding that creating a fresh corporate identity would help protect the investment from possible legal disputes linked to previous registrations, ownership claims, trademarks, and historical issues.
“Investors are attracted to certainty, not litigation. With the enormous financial resources committed by the state, including borrowed funds, it would be imprudent to expose such a strategic investment to avoidable legal uncertainties,” Oketa stated.
He noted that both NIGERCEM and the name Ebonyi Cement have been associated with historical legal disputes and competing claims, stressing that the state government’s decision was aimed at providing the new project with a distinct identity capable of operating without unnecessary legal obstacles.
The Governor, Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, according to Oketa, has the responsibility of protecting the interests of Ebonyi people by ensuring that the project is shielded from any challenge that could delay, frustrate, or undermine its success.
He further emphasised that the cement factory belongs to the entire people of Ebonyi State and not an individual or community, adding that the choice of Abakaliki Cement Factory as a corporate name was a deliberate legal and commercial decision.
“Most importantly, a company’s registered name is different from its physical location. If the factory is located in Nkalagu, Nkalagu remains the host community and deserves all the benefits, recognition, and development associated with hosting such a strategic investment,” he said.
Oketa maintained that the adoption of the Abakaliki Cement Factory name does not relocate the project or diminish the historical importance of Nkalagu in Nigeria’s cement industry.
He said the focus should remain on the successful completion of a world-class cement plant that would create employment opportunities, promote industrialisation, strengthen the state’s economy, and restore Ebonyi’s position on Nigeria’s industrial map.
According to him, the administration of Governor Nwifuru is committed to driving industrial growth, economic transformation, sustainable job creation, and long-term prosperity for the people of Ebonyi State.
“History will remember this project not for the name on its certificate of incorporation, but for the prosperity it brings to the people of Ebonyi State. That should remain our collective priority,” Oketa added.
