The Ohiku Egbira Descendants Union (OEDU), an umbrella body of the entire Egbira world speaking nation, has called on the federal government to complete the abandoned Ajaokuta Steel Company in Kogi State and to also commence the proposed port on the River Benue at Umaisha in Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

National President of OEDU, Alhaji Musa Ada-Ohinoyi Ahmadu, made the call at the 6th World Ohiku Egbira Day Convention 2025.

The progamme had as its theme: “Towards Empowerment And Economic Transformation of the Egbira Nation”, held at Umaisha in Toto LGA of Nasarawa State, on Saturday.

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He said it is worrisome despite the Ajaokuta Steel Company is 95 percent complete, the steel company has remained a sleeping giant.

Ahmadu asked the federal government to rise above the antics of naysayers to complete the project.

He said the proposed port on River Benue at Umaisha is not just an infrastructural project but a gateway to trade, creation of job, industrialization and transformation.

“Let us not get swayed by the outdated arguments. The world still relies on blast furnace technology for over 70 percent of its steel production. Why should Nigeria be left behind?” he asked.

According to him, the 6th Ohiku Egbira World Day 2025 convention marked the sixth in the series of Ohiku Egbira convention, which he said had taken place variously in Okene, Kogi State in 2012, and also in Koton-Karfe, Kogi state in 2021, and in Etuno -Igarra, Edo state in 2022, while in Abuja, in 2023 and also again in Okene in 2024.

He said the mission of the OEDU, which he said comprised of every bonafide Egbira son and daughter automatically belongs was established over 20 years ago by stakeholders, community leaders and the royal fathers of the entire Egbira nation, consisting the Egbira Opete, Miyakan and Egbira Etuno in order to midwife the reunification of the Egbira nation that had gone adrift for several reasons.

Ahmadu, however, stated that the 6th national convention of the Ohiku Egbira was to foster unity and cooperation among the Egbiras from the three arms.

“The Ohiku Egbira Day celebration will enable exchange of ideas, policy statements and socio- cultural interactions. This convention is a celebration of who we are. Our dances, songs, our masquerades, our artifacts, they are not relics of the past but living expression of our identity,” he said.

Also speaking at the event, Kogi state governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, who was chairman of the occasion, said he felt honored to be with his brothers and sisters at the gathering.

Represented by the state commissioner for Solid Minerals, Engineer Abubakar Bashir Gegu, Ododo said the celebration of the Ohiku Egbira day was a collective identity and shared heritage, which he said had unbroken bond as one Egbira nation.

“There is a unique beauty in the fact that the Egbira people are spread across states and regions, yet remain united in spirit, culture, and purpose,” he said.