General Obasanjo (Rtd) made the order through the Chief Marketing Officer of Made-in-Aba Product, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu during the 2016 Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Forum in Lagos.
While making his speech at the event, the Abia State Governor stated that Aba remains the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) capital of Nigeria, where young Nigerians are engaged in the business of making of shoes, clothing and other products.
The Governor added that a firm that has an order to supply up to 50,000 military boots is currently in Aba, where Aba shoemakers are making the production.
“I am happy to announce here that Aba which is the commercial nerve centre of the Abia State and Old Eastern Region of Nigeria, is also the SME capital of Nigeria, where young people are in the business of making shoes, bags and clothes, including the one I am wearing.
“Let me also announce here that a private firm, that has an order to supply 50,000 military boots is currently in Aba, where our shoemakers are in production for the firm”
Speaking as one of the panelist at the forum, Obasanjo said to Governor Ikpeazu: “Governor, I listened to you and I commend you for what you’re doing in Abia. Please keep doing what you’ve told us you’re doing. So, Governor of Abia State, you have to send a pair of the shoes to me, I use size 42.”
