Former Aviation Minister Affirms Resilience, Economic Openness of Eastern Nigeria

By Ekuson Nw’Ogbunka, Abuja

Former Minister of Aviation, Chief Osita Chidoka, has reiterated the resilience and economic vibrancy of Eastern Nigeria, stressing that the region remains fully open for business, travel, and communal living.
In a reflective message shared on Saturday, Chidoka challenged narratives that seek to define societies only by their most difficult episodes. He drew attention to the clear signs of normalcy, movement, and shared happiness evident across the region during the festive season.
“No society is defined solely by its hardest moments. What truly matters is how people continue to live, return home, and find joy despite them,” Chidoka said. He cited bustling markets, crowded motor parks, busy highways, and family reunions as unmistakable evidence of social stability and active economic life.
According to him, millions of people from the region travelled home for Christmas and end-of-year celebrations, underscoring the South-East’s enduring social cohesion. He noted that everyday life is not only continuing but flourishing across cities and towns, from Aba to Awka, Onitsha to Nsukka, Abakaliki to Owerri.
The former minister observed that the December economy recorded seasonal peaks, further reinforcing the South-East’s position as a key engine of national enterprise. He said trade, transportation, hospitality, and informal businesses all experienced strong activity, highlighting the region’s economic resilience.
Beyond the economic indicators, Chidoka’s message carried broader political and social implications, emphasizing that communities are deliberately choosing unity, continuity, and progress over fear or withdrawal. “What I see are people choosing community, resilience, and joy in motion,” he remarked.
Adopting the unifying message EastIsOpen, Chidoka called for a redefinition of the South-East narrative—one rooted in everyday realities rather than isolated incidents. He also celebrated the distinct strengths of each state using the hashtags AdmirableAbia, AmazingAnambra, EndearingEbonyi, ExcitingEnugu, and InvitingImo.
He noted that this outlook is consistent with history, describing a region that has repeatedly absorbed shocks and rebounded through enterprise, strong kinship ties, and mobility. The massive festive homecoming witnessed in December, he said, reaffirmed the continued confidence of the people in the region.
As national discussions persist on security, investment, and regional development, Chidoka’s intervention offers both reassurance and invitation—reassurance to citizens and the diaspora, and an open call to investors, partners, and policymakers. Eastern Nigeria, he affirmed, is vibrant, dynamic, and open for business, ready to tell its story on its own terms.