AROCHUKWU: THE DIVIDED HOUSE
BY
PROF GIBSON F. OKORAFOR (FC1PM)
Our Jesus Christ in His infinite mercy made the following proclamation to the world, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand”. Matt. 12:25. The import of the above divine proclamation is very simple and that is “Unity is strength”. If we believe that Christ is with us and that Arochukwu is a recognized city of God, then the above should mean much to the Aros. It is very important to recognize this concept of unity of purpose among groups for the growth and development of such a group or community.
The concept of unity has never been alien to the Aros. Like most traditional Nigerian societies of old, polygamy was an accepted way of life in Arochukwu. Sometimes, a man had more than two wives and had children from each of the wives. But the beauty of the system was the existence of no squabbles or minor ones among the wives on who owns which child. All the children were treated equally by the wives as one’s children. Ofcourse, each wife took turns in managing the unified household. The household therefore developed as a single united entity. There was therefore nothing like Mgbafor’s, Mgbeke’s, Nnena’s children etc. The achievement of any child in the household was the household’s achievement. The household was never divided. Under this condition, the Aros of old were able to achieve what made them a special specie in Southeastern Nigeria. Uptill the late 1970s, economic and political discussions in the eastern part of Nigeria could never be fully concluded without the Aro voice. This position could never have been achieved without the united front of the Aros.
Today, the reverse is the case. Arochukwu is domiciled in an administrative enclave called Abia State. Unlike the days of old when the Aro voice and opinion were sought in critical issues by the then administrative managers of the former Eastern Nigeria, the Aros have no voice or opinion in the current Abia State. In actual sense, to the authorities in Umuahia, Abia State, Arochukwu is just one of these towns that make up the state and nothing more. The paramount ruler of Arochukwu is at the periphery of the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers. Can this situation be obtainable in Calabar, Onitsha, Benin, Kano, Sokoto, Lagos etc. The chairman/person of Arochukwu Local Government is determined from Umuahia without the inputs of the Aros. Can this situation be obtained in areas of equal pedigree with the Aros? We need not go further on this but we believe that the Aros are the architects of their situation as a house divided against itself cannot stand.
Growth and development are anchored on the existence of requisite human capital and availability of other productive resources. In the contemporary world today, organizations strive their best to acquire highly qualified hands to steer their ships of development. We have heard and are aware of many football clubs who have been able to purchase the best footballers with the intent of winning the various trophies on contest. We are equally aware that the assemblage of the good players do not necessary translate to success. If it does, Nigeria with its assemblage of noted professional footballers and liquid cash would have been at least African Champions in the various African football competitions. But lo, the nation is currently the wiping baby in African football. One may then ask why has this been the case. The simple answer is that a house divided against itself can achieve nothing. If we transpose this to the current Arochukwu, we will see easily that the Aros have all manner of professionals making waves nationally and internationally in their chosen professions, but who are unable to positively rub their expertise on Arochukwu development. The simple reason for this is that a house divided against itself cannot stand the test of time
How are the Aros divided among themselves one may ask? It is a truism that the ancient Arochukwu was founded on a tripartite foundation viz the Okennachi’s; the Ibom Isii’s and the Eze Agwu’s. It is equally a truism that these three blocks had functioned as one indivisible entity like the Trinity of Christianity. The Aros of old had always presented themselves as a monolithic one without any sign of division. This must have accounted on why non Aros feared and respected the Aros. Today, the centre can nomore hold and there is nomore what may be termed the Arochukwu united front. It has now become very hard to have the three blocks that constitute Arochukwu to sit down together and take decision in the overall interest of Arochukwu. Issues are now viewed from parochial partisan basis. To worsen the situation, prominent Aro sons and daughters who should be bridge builders now side their kindred heads to assert superiority over other kindreds. Common election into the Nzuko Arochukwu which should normally be based on one’s ability to offer service to the community called Arochukwu is now carried out based on which kindred one comes from. Nigeria today swims in darkness because political and administrative positions are filled up on the basis of where one is from and not on the basis of competence of the individuals. Round pegs are then fitted into square holes and no positive results are ever achieved continuously. This is the affliction of the Aros.
Until the Aros come back to their senses, put their house in order, they will continue to be the foot-mat of the new generations of the political and administrative rulers in Abia State. If the three Eze in Arochukwu cannot work harmoniously with one another, their voice will never be taken serious by other traditional rulers in Abia State. If the Aro sons and daughters continue to see themselves from the kindred point of view, no project will ever be conceived and successfully executed in Arochukwu and hence no positive development in the town. Today is early for a change.
Wednesday 21 December 2011
SCANDAL ROCKS ASCETA
SCANDAL ROCKS ASCETA
…low moral tone
alleged high handedness
computers/laptops looted
funds diverted
A serious scandal is said to be rocking the Abia State College of Education (Technical) Arochukwu, ASCETA, over the disappearance of computers/ laptops donated to the tertiary institution by some corporate bodies.
A number of computers, monitors and other accessories were donated by Nigerian Communication Commission, NCC, to ASCETA in 2010 and 2011. The Petroleum Technology Development Fund, PTDF, through Zinox Computers, an acclaimed Information Communication Technology, ICT, outfit also made donation of IT items to the institution.
While NCC made a donation of 220 laptops, PTDF in November 2010 donated 18 different items of IT materials, including Hp ML 350 E 380 Century EU service guard core 3.4 GH2 Processor, HP Compaq 5008 MT 2.8 GH2 Intel Processor, 2 GB RAM DDR HP Laserjet P2055DN Printer, RJ 45 10M CAT PATCH CABLE. Total quantity of the items donated by PTDF was 196.
The IT items were donated to enhance quality learning in technical education since the school has bias in technology. Sadly though, some of these items were said to have developed wings to fly away from the School of Computer Education headed by Chioma Uchenna, Dean, School of Computer Education. However, some top management staff of ASCETA have been fingered in the conspiracy to deny students the opportunity of the good intentions of the donors.
For instance, five sets of computers were seen being carried away in the college bus on 13th June, 2011. In the log book of the security development, under the caption, “INCIDENT REPORT”, ASCETA’s security man on duty on 13th June, 2011, stated, “At about 1805 hrs the Collage Bus ETF Project was apprehended at the College gate carrying five (5) sets of computer (complete sets with five (5) tables, on interrogation they issued to us a written note tagged (Gate Pass) and signed by one Works Engineer Ezeagwula
The report continued, “At these (sic) juncture security officers entered the bus and confirmed that it was five(5) Computers set and its tables were being carried away from the computer…… this 13th day of June 2011. Mr. Ojukwu Ugbor Abraham, the New registrar was inside the Bus, the driver and one other unidentified person”.
Earlier in November 2010, provost of ASCETA was reported to have authorized the dean of Computer Education, Mr. Chioma Uchenna to remove 10 (ten) brand new desk tops.
The security officer who took over duties at the gate on Monday, 29/11/2010 reported thus, “At about 4pm today being Monday 29th November 2010, The provost Dr. C.N Nwamuo ordered the Dean School of Computer Education Mr. Chioma Uchenna to carry out 10 brond (sic) new desktop. According to the provost, he said that the Governor of Abia State ask him to bring (10) brand new desktop with CPU and key board inside”
Even during unholy working hours some senior officials of the institution would come into the school to remove one property or the other, giving reasons that “authorities directed.”
“At about 0735 hours on 20th August 2010”, a security man reported in the log book, “The secretary to the Provost Abia State Collage of Education (Tech) Aro came to the security main gate office with Bakasi Troops he reported to us that the provost sent them to come and collect something in his office, which their (sic ) did so”
The question concerned citizens are asking is where were these computers taken to? Some sources say the computers ended up in business centres in and outside Arochukwu owned by some top officials of the institution. Some were also said to have been sent to ASCETA Liaison office in Umuahia, Abia State capital, while others were kept by some individual staff of the college.
But one close aide of the provost who requested not to be quoted in print dismissed the allegations as “wild rumour” by rumour mongers. “It is normal for one who does not like you to always fabricate false stories against you in order to score cheap points,” he told THE OMU ARO, implying that the rumour mongers are the enemies of ASCETA
He dismissed the rumour that ASCETA received 600 computers, as being peddled by uninformed persons, but added that what the college received from NCC was 220 which came in batches of 110 each in 2010 and 2011.
This aide disclosed that the first set of computers numbering 110 were sold to staff of the institution at the cost of N15, 000 each during Professor Ernest Nkemakolam’s tenure”.
He further explained that the school’s governing council members quarreled with management over not being accommodated in the first batch’s distribution. Consequently, he added, part of the second batch of 110 were given out council member and Abia State government officials as Public Relations gifts (PR), stressing that there is a balance of 60 which is intact, adding that there are sufficient computers in the computer laboratory to go round the students.
He also confirmed that the NCC had sent one of its officials to investigate the allegation of misappropriation of computers/laptops donated to the school by the Commission. Continuing, he said the NCC was satisfied with explanations offered by the institution, even as the official was shown the remaining 60 computers.
The ASCETA official said much as he was not holding brief for Dr. Nwamuo, the provost, ASCETA would not succumb to cheap blackmail insisting that apart from the 11 computers stolen from the school’s store, there had never been any illegal or unauthorized removal of computers from the school.
The computer laptop scandal is one of the ills bedeviling ASCETA since the change of leadership baton between Professor Ernest Nkemakolam, immediate-past provost and Dr. C N Nwamuo, the incumbent provost.
ASCETA witnessed unprecedented students unrest/demonstration over hike in school fees, a demonstration that resulted in wanton destruction of college property for which students were levied N5, 000 each. The levy was said to have raked in about N15m, yet no visible repairs were seen to be effected on the said damaged property.
Student population which rose to about 3000 during Prof Nkemakolam’s tenure fell to less than 2000 and has further slumped pitifully to less than 1000 currently. Staff strength is said to be at par with student population, a situation described by a staff member as “a laughing matter”,
There have been allegations of victimization of ‘disloyal’ staff leading to exodus of qualified staff. This is even made worse by the appointment of un-confined and inexperienced officers as Heads of Departments over and above senior and more experienced staff. This, it is believed led to low productively among staff as the more qualified ones refuse to take orders from them ‘inferior’ officers
For instance, in the School of Education, whereas there are four PhD holders, a part time officer who holds MED is appointed Dean of the school. Similarly, in the Department of Primary/Early Child Education, an MED holder is appointed HOD in place of an officer who holds a PHD in Primary and Early Childhood Education.
Also, in the school of Arts and Social Sciences, a first degree holder that has spent less than 2 years in the college as a part time lecturer is appointed HOD over and above permanent and superior lectures. This, it was gathered, is a compensation for protecting the leadership of the institution on plagiarism charges. This favoured HOD is even said to be occupying the Deputy Provost’s office presently, while the Deputy Provost is without an office.
The range of inefficiency or deliberate action to victimize certain lecturers appears endless. In other School/Departments, unqualified lecturers are appointed to boss their betters/superiors.
In the department of Languages/Religion/Social Studies where there are three MSC holders in Economics, a first degree holder who has not spent up to two years in the college is appointed HOD. So also in the School of Science which has no departments but headed by a Computer Scientist who ought to be put in the School of Computer Education.
School of Computer Education is headed by a first degree holder in Physics even as allegations of forged certificates are hanging on his neck.
The school administration doesn’t seem to appreciate the economic stress the students of the college are going through. The new policy whereby all students must stay in the hostels with hike in feeds is seen as another money-making venture but which has economic devastating effect on the students.
The Science Technology and Education Research Centre in the heart of SCETA, built By THALIA FOUNDATION, a Non Governmental Organization headed by an Aro icon, Mazi Engr. Matthias Okoro to boost technological education in ASCETA is reported to have been locked and closed down due to the non-cooperation of ASCETA authorities. One therefore wonders how students will acquire quality technical/scientific education in the absence of practical facilities.
Tongues continue to wag over the destination of the proceeds from the sale/lease of part of the ASCETA compound to Globacom, a giant communication company for the building of a mast. Speculations are that the proceeds which run into millions of naira were diverted to private pockets.
The fortunes of ASCETA established through the efforts of Arochukwu citizenry seems to be going down on a steady progress, necessitating some concerned citizens to call for immediate look into the administration of college.
THE OMU ARO 2010 Xmas edition had in its editorial entitled, “SAVING ASCETA” lamented that “The sweat of the common Aro person in the retention of ASCETA in Arochukwu will come to naught if drastic measures are not taken to restore administrative sanity in the institution. “Hence it called on Nzuko Arochukwu and all stakeholders to wake up and face the challenges posed by the not-too-comfortable situation in ASCETA.
TEACHER AKATA BOWS AT 70
A Teacher par excellence, Mazi Monday Daniel Akata has passed on. Mazi Akata popularly addressed as Teacher Akata or Ade-de attended Qua Iboc Mission Primary School, Ikot Osukpong from 1948 to 1955.
In 1961, he was admitted into Northern Annang County Teacher Training College, Utu Etim Ekpo for Teachers Grade II Certificate.
In 1992, he was admitted into Advance Teacher Training College Uyo, where he obtained his National Certificate in Education (N.C.E)
In 1978, he was admitted into Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, for his Bachelors of Arts Degree in Education which he completed in 1981 and was posted to Aggrey Memorial Secondary School, Arochukwu, where he rendered his one year National Youth Service.
Due to his devotion to duty and proficiency in his teaching subjects and other assignments, he was reinstated and Elder J.N. Oji made it possible for him to be posted to Aggrey Memorial College, Arochukwu in 1982 where he secured and rose to the rank of Principal Class II and later retired from active service in 1994.
He will always be remembered for typing business at Amaikpe, Obinkita Arochukwu.
He is survived by four children and wife, Gladys Mgboro Akata.
Buried.
Nnanna, Harry A.P., 85, at Ndianiche Arondizuogu, Imo State. Son of Late Peter Nwana of OMENUKO fame, Harry Nwanna was a member of the radical Zikist Movement and secretary of the Railway Locomotive Engine Driver’s Union. He rose to become the Secretary General of the Nigeria Union of Railway men, member, Film Censorship Board and Executive member of Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC
An ardent chess player, he was patron of Ndianiche Family meeting, Lagos branch, patron, Arondizuogu Patriotic Union, patron Arondizuogu Forum and for three years, vice president-general, Arondizuogu Patriotic Union. He is survived by four children, 11 grand children and a host of other relations.
CHIJIOKE, Dr. Emmanuel Onyekwere, at Ndi Agor compound, Obinkita, Arochukwu. Aged 67, Dr. Chijioke held a Bachelor of Science Degree in Soil Science and PHD in Agronomy with a special interest in Soil Science. He was staff of International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Forestry Research Institute, Ibadan and Michael Okpara College of Agriculture, Umuagwo Imo State. Dr Chijioke was a consultant in Imo State government developing rice farms in various parts of the state and in 1992 became the Director of Abia State NALDA. In the 2000’s he took up appointment with Abia State College of Education (Technical) Arochukwu, where he was Dean, School of Vocational Studies. An avid sport man, he was a member of Owerri Sports Club among other sports associations. He is survived by his wife Roseline, Two children, four grand children and numerous relatives.
EZE IBOM ISII LOSES WIFE
His Royal Highness, Eze Dr Kanu Nwa Kanu, Eze Ibom Isii of Arochukwu kingdom has lost his beloved wife, Ugo-Eze Charity Chinyere Kanu. Aged 49, the painful death occurred on Friday 21st October 2011. She is survived by her husband and a host of many relatives.
A native of Umuobia, Ezinnachi, near Okigwe, her quest for education took her to many parts of the country, and in various educational institutions. She had the following educational qualifications: FSLC, WASC, HND (Public Admin), B.Sc (Admin), and PGD (Public Admin)
After completing her secondary school, she went back to Lagos and secured employment with the Ministry of Internal Affairs. She was trained as a finger print analyst at Police State CID, Alagbon Lagos for four years. She enhanced professional standing by attending many courses.
She married Prince Kanu Nwa Kanu in 1990. Her husband was to become Eze (Dr) Kanu Nwa Kanu Eze Ibom Isii, Arochukwu Kingdom.
Until her death she was the Head, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Arochukwu LGA, Abia State. She was the former Chairperson, Association of Ndi Ugo-Eze, Arochukwu LGA. She was also the former State Treasurer of the Association.
The deceased while alive used her various positions official unofficial, social and cultural to empower many people, especially the underprivileged. She will be remembered for her numerous works of charity.
EKE OBINIKPA:
ARONDIZUOGU FOREMOST TRADITIONAL MARKET (1968 – 2011)
By Ohiaerinwa Ogbonnaya Okoro
The Nigeria civil war brought me back to Arondizuogu in 1968. I had lived there several times earlier, the last being 1961 after which I had to return to Arochukwu for the last two years of my primary school education at Aggrey Primary School, Arochukwu.
A lot of events, developments and activities evolved to involve me with Eke Obinikpa Market. It is and remains Arondizuogu foremost traditional market. Other markets exist in Arondizuogu: Nkwo Achi, Afor Ndiawa, Afor Igwe Ikpeze, Afor Ndiakunwata; Oye Amangwu Ndiejezie. Neighbouring non- Arondizuogu markets are still popular with our people. They include Akokwa, Nkwo Uchu, Nkwo Umunze, Eke Onuimo and Nkwo Umualoma (Isuokpu).
But Eke Obinikpa remains the most traditional and central to Arondizuogu socio-economic, socio-cultural and socio-religious affairs. All these were not so obvious to me by 1968 when I returned to Arondizuogu from Arochukwu during the civil war. But the socio-economic was.
It was the full realization of this that forced me, then a class four student caught up in the quagmire violence and blood shed of the civil war, to petition in 1969 key player interest groups in Arondizuogu, especially Arondizuogu War Emergency Committee (AWEC).
Sited on Ndianiche-Uno away from residential quarters of the village purposely to reach out to follow Iheme Kindred village such as Ikpeze-Uno, Ndiakakaeme-Uno and Ndioguonyeom-Uno, Eke Obinaikpe also attracted N diamazu-Uno, Ndiakunwanta-Uno. And also near enough to attract non- Arondizuogu communities such as Akokwa and Uzii.
But it was the sitting on top of the Akokwa, Aniche-Uno, Uzii, Umuobom-Ndiogbuonyeoma-Uno village uplands that was the source of concern to hundreds and thousands that engaged in the buying and selling in the market during the civil war. The air raids by the Federal Air Force planes at Ozuabam were devastating, bloody and destroyed many lives. It was in the hanging and haunting nightmare that prompted my petition for the temporary relocation of the market behind the family home of Mazi Joseph Ezuma (Esesuo Agbar) of Ndiakunwanta-Uno Arondizuogu in his dense canopy rubber plantation till the war ended.
Another “romance” with Eke Obinikpa was my post war round-off of my secondary school education. I could not go back to St. Patrick’s Secondary School, Emene Enugu, and my alma mater. I had no choice but to seek admission at Iheme Memorial Grammar School, Arondizuogu. This entailed my trekking from my village Amazu Uno through Eke Obinikpa to the School almost day in, day out (1970-1971).
And so I gained intimate knowledge of Eke and its environs. Apart from the market clusters of shop, workshops for artisans-shoe repairers, bicycle repairers abound. One of them interested us students with his nickname “Anna apaachi – ona eliki”. We never realized how deeply philosophical the name was until many years after when as adults and family heads, etc we began to manage resources, scarce resources.
Life’s odyssey had since 1973 pulled me off my roots, for work and further education, and for casual and permanent employment. But by spending much of this period here in Arochukwu, I was still inevitably drawn to Arondizuogu, Amankwu’s diapora community over 200times larger than the mother village; and over five hundred times far more populous.
The Ekpe society, a very powerful elite and influential socio-cultural group sustained the affinity of unity between Amankwu and its vast diaspora community.
I have since the 1980’s been active member; and from the 1990’s, have often led Ekpe delegation to Arondizuogu. That is mostly for burial ceremonies and Ikeji Arondizuogu Festival during which Ekpe participate in the traditional mock buying and selling at Eke.
But Ekpe Amankwu delegation for the burial ceremony of late Mazi Harry Peter Nwana of Ndi Aniche Friday 18th November 2011, offered me an unusual opportunity to observe Eke Obinikpa more closely, more critically. The bus we travelled in was higher than usual and therefore offered me the chance to observe Eke sheds from rear-from the Afor Ikpeze-Mazi Michael Okpaleke family home and family lands leading to the Eke “backyard”.
From inside the bus I stood up to observe more intensively and precisely the entire market, especially the rear. An eyesore! A ramshackle representation of neglect, irresponsibility, rickety ghetto “anawa aghara”, battlefield, air-raided scene of helter skelter, confusion, disaster and abandonment, refuse-dump scene similar the many we see along our urban cities and high ways, decayed, rotten and stinking remains, foul and offensive.
What is worse, Eke Obinikpa’s problems are hydra-headed. Land encroachment seems to have narrowed the size of the great market to a ping-pong arena. Rough, undulating terrain within and around the market has posed severe difficulties to buyer and sellers in the market. Definitely, no comfort for elderly men and women writhing in pain with arthritis, rheumatism and other joint ailments that make them customers to practitioners of our healthcare delivery services. Land encroachment apart, weed encroachment is even worrisome. It is a matter for debate, probably between students of Iheme and National who really are the landlords of Eke Obinikpa: humans of Arondizuogu or rodents of the animal kingdom within the larger context of All-Aro kingdom! But let it be recalled that excluded among the rodents since the civil war, were the innocent, harmless sacred pyton whom the male youths ate up for want of meat to eat, disdaining the custom of sparing and protecting them.
One is forced to recall Shakespear’s lines in Julius Caesar
Let us carve him a dish
Fit for the gods
Not carcass for hounds.
Eke deserves much more than the shabby, hypocritical, prodigal-son treatment it is receiving from our people. From individuals. From traditionalists from politicians at local government, state assembly and executive and other governmental agencies. Not least APU-Arondizuogu Patriotic Union.
Socio-economic considerations apart, Eke Obinikpa’s socio-cultural potentials are enomous. Eke is at the centre of Ikeji Arondizuogu calendar. Beyond this the activities of Ikeji Festival are in tandem with that of Ikeji Aro-Okeigbo---- the cradle of Aro power and civilization. Eke Odu, Oye egbugbu, Afor na Nkwo (Oso Mmonwu); and Eke nwusaa agbata are similar to Nkwo nwupu mmai na Ibom Isii and Eke nwupu mmai na Amuze
When combined, the socio-economic and socio-cultural provide enormous potentials for tourism in Arondizuogu. Within a two kilometer radius could be harnessed tourist attraction of local, national and international importance and recognition: the Odum dynasty: Igwegbe Odum (Omenuko), Green Mbadiwe Odum, Francis Mbadiwe Odum, Kingsley Ozuomba Mbadiwe Odum. Then right ward direction into much of Ndianiche village are to be seen the Obiohas of Ndi Aniche Uno-Mazi C.N. Obioha, C. Moore Obioha. Other great families include the Nwanas-Reverend China Nwana, Mazi Peter Nwana, the celebrated author of foremost Igbo novel, Omenuko, Harry Nwana, Professor O.C. Nwana. Then the Anyakaoha family as important in Arondizuogu as in Arochukwu. The Ezeagu family that produced the ruling Eze Ndi Iheme autonomous community, Eze kossman Ndubuisi Kanu. Further inside Ndi Aniche-Uno is Iheme Memorial Grammar School, Arondizuogu founded over fifty years ago.
Within the radius outside Ndianiche in other Arondizuogu villages are Ama Edward, Nkwo Achi and Obi Okoli Idozuka (Udozuka) in Ndi Akunwanta-Uno. The first two of much socio-economic, socio-cultural and tourist interest and potentials. The last of much historical relevance being the contemporary of fellow war lord, Okoli Ikelionwu, whose diaspora exploits tower in much of northern Igbo Land, and up to Aro metropolis here in Arochukwu.
It is hoped that this will attract the attention of our people and ginger them into reconstructing and modernizing Eke Obinikpa market to live up the pedigree and expectations associated with our people. One recalls Professor Father Okonkwo’s insistence and reminder during the All Aro National Conference, 2000: “A successful man is one who has a successor”. And I quickly add: a responsible successor. Can we lay claim to be responsible successors? And not prodigal sons? A case of vibrant dynamic and achieving parents begetting cold important ash? Are our father’s shoe too big for us? Neither able to add to their structures and institution, their successes and gains. Nor sustain or maintain landmarks they left behind. Or are we agreeing with and confirming the derisive, uncomplimentary, ever-repeated remark; “Aro okwa eshi mbu!”?
Ohiaerinwa Ogbonnaya Okoro is a native of Amankwu Arochukwu
NZUKO ARO KANO ELECTS NEW OFFICERS
By Mazi Victor O. Okereke
It was on June 5th in the far away ancient city of Kano State, otherwise known as the Pyramid State that Nzuko Arochukwu, Kano branch, in their general assembly held at No 62 Abeokuta road Sabongari, Kano unanimously in the spirit of brotherliness elected into office a new set of executives to pilot the affairs of the Aros in Kano for the next three years
This came after the completion of one tenure of the outgoing executive led by Dr. Okechukwu Nwangwu as president who piloted Nzuko Aro affairs for three years running from 2008-2011 which by the special grace of God brought progress and development to Kano branch amidst controversy and division from his predecessor.
Be that as it may, the pyramid branch having elected a new set of executive to run her affairs for the next three years in the person of Mazi Sunday P. Okoro as president a vibrant, articulate, educated, well exposed and a man full of ideas has mapped out a lot of programmes that will benefit the Aros in Kano and also bring development and unity amongst them.
In his inaugural speech the president Mazi Sunday P. Okoro promised all the Aros in Kano to embrace peace as he is an ambassador of peace. This he proved by forming a peace committee led by another young and faithful man, God Pastor Inyebuchi Okereke, to unite all the aggrieved parties.
The election which was one of the most peaceful in the history of the pyramid branch produced the following members: Mazi Sunday P. Okoro (president), Mazi Chidi Okereke (Vice President) Mazi Victor O. Okereke (Secretary General), Mazi (Engr) Alvan Orji (Asst. Gen. Secretary), Nwamazi Chief (Dr) James Nwosu C.N.N. (Financial Secretary), Mazi (Engr) Nkemdrim Ngwu (Big Ken) Treasurer), Mazi Felix Okereke (P.R.O.) and Nwamazi Augustine Nwachukwu (Welfare/Caretaker).
EDITOR LOSES MOTHER
The family of late Mazi Enoch Obasi Harbor in Atani, Arochukwu, has announced the death of their wife and mother, Madam Esther Ola Harbor.
According to a release issued by his son, Mazi Onyema Harbor, Madam Ola Harbor passed on Sunday, December 4, 2011 at the age of 102 years. She was the oldest woman in Atani, Arochukwu before her death.
The release further stated that burial arrangements will be announced in due course. Madam Ola, aka Wowo, is survived by four children, 11 grand children and two great grand children, including Mazi Onyema Harbor, editor of THE OMU ARO newspaper
… and OMU ARO member loses mother-in-law
The death of NNEOHA ROSELINE OYIDIA OKORO, mother-in-law of THE OMU ARO board member, Comrade Mrs. Lovina Okoro, which occurred at the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, has also been announced.
Late Nneoha Oyidia Okoro who died at the age of 79 was a woman leader and a devout Christian who would always be remembered for her generosity.
“Nneoha” was one of the few women who, through their selfless efforts, planted the Anglican Church at Ugwuavo, Arochukwu, which today has attained the status of a Diocesan Cathedral.
According to Kanu Okoro family in Obinkita, Arochukwu, late Nneoha Oyidia Okoro will be buried in her late husband’s compound in Obinkita, Arochukwu on Saturday, 6th January, 2012
Eight children including Hillary Kwanashe Kanu Okoro, husband of Omu Aro member and a lost of other relations survive her
NDI EZE-OGO SEEK RETURN TO OKPANKPO
EVEN as the reformed Okpankpo Aro seems to be lying comatose, Ndi Eze Ogo (village heads) in Arochukwu have began moves to re-establish their membership of Okpankpo Aro, the highest policy organ of Arochukwu Kingdom.
In the reformed Okpankpo, inaugurated by Eze Aro, HRM Eze Ogbonnaya Okoro, CFR, the Eze Ogos were excluded. Instead, a council of Ndi Eze Ogo was established and specific traditional portfolios assigned to them.
But recently, the village heads petitioned Eze Aro through the president-general, Nzuko Arochukwu asking that they be restored to the membership of Okpankpo Aro.
In their letter to Eze Aro entitled “Restoration of Okpankpo to its Original and Glorious past with Ndi Eze Ogo as members” dated 15th November 2011 signed by 10 out of 19 Eze Ogos, the leaders stated that they are irked by the state of affairs in Aro kingdom because of downward trend and ineffectiveness of the traditional institutions
They stated, “We are particularly prompted by the state of affairs in Aro Kingdom because of the downward trend, the ineffectiveness, but for traditional institutions and structures, hitherto effective and exemplary, but for sometime now, wobbly, without vision, mission and focus. The various arms of Aro traditional and modern administration cannot be said to be healthy, at their best or afford us all sources for confidence and hope”.
Ndi Eze Ogo noted that Arochukwu has “fallen far below standard development index”, citing that “most Aro village deeply entangled in long standing crisis; litigations have become our favourite past time” and “our youths for want of productive employment resort to high jacking power from elders and government, and take the law into their hands”
They further observed that “crimes of all sorts are brazenly committed, including kidnapping raping, witchcraft, juju and associated diabolical consequences”
The village heads regretted that, even “in the midst of all these” power mongers and adventures struck” and reformed Okpankpo which was inaugurated 18th July, 2009, adding that since then, “the” Reformed Okpankpo “went to sleep, slumbering into coma”.
Describing the “Reformed Okpankpo” as “a flash-in-the-pan development “which” crashed in and crashed out of Aro traditional administrative system” Ndi Eze Ogo prayed Eze Aro to use his good offices at the highest level of Arochukwu Kingdom to effect necessary structural changes for effective administration of Arochukwu Kingdom, thus:
1. “Okpankpo Aro Okeigbo should be made up of “Nna-Ato” and Ndi Eze Ogo of the various villages
2. Advisory Council should be made up of majority of the members of still-born, defunct “Reformed Okpankpo”
Ironically though, the chairman of the Council of Ndi Eze O go, Mazi Obasi Okoronkwo, Eze Ogo Utughugwu, did not sign the said petition to Eze Aro casting somewhat doubts that Ndi Eze Ogo sat and took the decision. Head of Agbagwu, Amannagwu, Amoba, Obinkita, Ibom, Oror, Ugwuakuma and Ujari villages also did not sign the document.
UGOCHUKWU NWOKEJI WINS BOOK AWARD
An accomplished Scholar Ugochukwu Nwokeji of Amazu-Uno of Arondizuogu, Ideato North Local Government Area in Imo State has bagged prestigious award in African studies worldwide
The award is the 2011 Melville J. Herskovits Book Winner Award. It was presented on Thursday, November 17, 2011 in Washing, D.C. for his book, “The Slave Trade and Culture in the Bright Biafra: An African Society in the Atlantic world, published by Cambridge University Press in 2010
The award is given by the African Studies Association (ASA) to the author of the most outstanding original book published on Africa in the previous year and is considered the most prestigious award in African Studies worldwide. The ASA was formed in 1957 and is the largest of all scholarly associations that focus primarily on Africa.
The Herskovits Award has been awarded continuously since 1965 in honor of preeminent American anthropologist, Melville J. Herskovits, who was instrumental to the emergence of both African studies and Afro-American studies as academic disciplines in the United State.
According to the book’s citation by the panel of experts that appears in the program of the 54th Annual Conference of the ASA, “Undoubtedly, the major strengths of “The Slave Trade and culture in the Bright” is Nwokeji’s ability to decompress the complexities surrounding an almost obscure history of the slave trade and to bring out one of the least discussed issues of the trade-women”. The citation praised Nwokeji’s introduction of innovative methodology to the study of the Atlantic slave trade, concluding, “The book points is several ways to the difficulty of providing a logically complete story using incomplete data and drawing on inferences. Nwokeji’s attempt to provide a comprehensive history of the Bright of Biafra and the slave trade will expand our understanding of the history of African enslavement, but it is also an excellent source material for researchers and the general public interested in studying the obscured dimensions of the Atlantic slave trade”.
Previous winners of the Herskovits Award have included some of the most eminent names in African studies from a variety of disciplines, including history, political science, economics, anthropology, sociology and philosophy. Nwokeji joins a high exclusive group that includes such previous winners as Leo Kuper, Jan Vansina, Elliot Skinner, Rene Lemarchand, Ivor Wilks, Crawford Young, J.D.Y. Peel, Sara Berry, Paul M. Lubeck, John lliffe, Valentine Y. Mudimbe, Mahmood Mamdani.
About the book
“The Slave Trade and Culture in the Bright of Biafra “dissects and explains the structure, dramatic expansion, and manifold effects of the slave trade in the Bright of Biafra. By showing that the rise of the Aro merchant group was the key factor in trade expansion, G. Ugo Nwokeji reinterpret why and how such large-scale centralized states. The result is the first study to link the structure and trajectory of the slave trade in a major exporting region to the expansion of a specific. African merchant group-among other fresh insights into Atlantic Africa’s involvement in the trade-and the most comprehensive treatment of Atlantic slave trade in the Bright of Biafra. The fundamental role of culture in the organization of trade is highlighted, transcending the usual economic explanations in a way that complicates traditional generalizations about work domestic slavery, and gender in pre-colonial Africa.
ADVERT ANOTHER HONOUR TO A ROAD SAFETY ICON
MR. OSITA BENJAMIN CHIDOKA (OFR)
(IKE OBOSI)
Corps Marshall/Chief Executive, FRSC
We congratulate our tried and tested friend, classmate and associate Mr. Osita B. Chidoka, OFR, on the conferment on him by the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan of the Nation Award of the order of the Federal Republic (OFR).
We also appreciate Mr. President for reappointing you for a second term in the office as the Corps Marshall/Chief Executive FRSC
MR. President we are very grateful for finding our friend fit for all these. To God be the Glory
Signed
Onyema Ogboh, on behalf of your Aro friends/Associates and well-wishers:
THE IKOKUS
THE NKUMES
THE OGBOHS
BRAVO
On behalf of my self and family, I facilitate and rejoice with MAZI UCHE CHRISTIAN OTI, immediate-past president, Nzuko Arochukwu, Abuja Branch, as he receives the IKEMBA ARO award from Nzuko Arochukwu on 26th December, 2011.
Congratulations
ONYEMA OGBOH
and family
EDITORIAL USES AND ABUSES OF AWARDS
The awards of title and laurels evidence of recognition or appreciations to the development of the awarding private or public institution date back to the beginning of mankind. Human society is founded upon the values and practices of status hierarchy, ranking, grading and protocol of recognition of such awards.
There is no aspect of human life and activity that these recognitions do not apply, traditional and modern societies: the civil and public service, the military, the education system. Traditional African kingdoms boasted of status, titles and rankings, the Hausa, the kanuri, the Fulani, the Yourba, the Bini kingdoms.
The most handy and exemplary are examination bodies such as WAEC, NECO,JAMB A1(excellent/outstanding) down to F9 (failed) here in Nigeria power and authority are structured in firm consideration of status and hierarchy. The President, the Vice President, the Senate president,
The Speaker of the House of Reps, the Chief justice of Nigeria.
Applied zoologist, Desmond Morris, elaborately discusses the subject matter of man and status in his book, THE HUMAN ZOO.
This years national awards have sparked off controversies more than ever before. Firstly, world-famed novelist Chinua Achebe, declined to accept the CRF award from President Goodluck Jonathan, as he did previous to ex-President Obasanjo. The great writer explained that the circumstance which prompted his earlier declined remained.
Secondly a legislator declined to accept the award offered him, explaining that he did not deserve the award.
Thirdly, adding to the controversies, the president Jonathan honoured and awarded Alhaji Aliko Dangote with GCON, thus extending the honour beyond mostly political leaders.
Explanation from the Presidency insists that there was nothing wrong with honouring Dangote, Africa’s wealthiest man. That he made his wealth through transparent means. He remains today the largest employer of labour outside government.
About two years ago, a columnist of THE OMU ARO community newspaper criticized the way and manner tittles were being awarded here in Aro, and frowned at the questionable and decent handling of award here in Aro. The foregoing show the uses and abuses of awards. The uses could be better applied. The “Ugwu Aro” title is the highest in Aro kingdom. It should therefore not before the highest bidder. Age, long years of community service and development, multidimensional contributions to Aro causes, from village level to the entire Aro community and even beyond should be the requirement or qualification for Ugwu Aro, title.
A second lier, title should be established to serve as between Ikemba Aro and ugwu Aro. For if care is not taken the highest title in Aro kingdom. For if care is not taken the highest title in Aro kingdom could soon be for the highest bidder, cash and carry. Or”IMM- ima mmadu maruo uno”
Post humous awards of titles to deserving Aro and non-Aro should be instituted. This has the advantage of rewarding. Aro sons long or recently deceased who had served with the hearts, their spirits and their souls. Post humons rewards also have the advantage of awarding those whose tracks records of service and achievements have been accomplished, free from the possibility of falling from grace to grass, amid body traps and banana peels littered every where as ambush.
Awards in Aro kingdom could also be used to sustain links with Aro Diaspora. Nothing could be more handy, effective and result oriented these post heinous awards to deserving Aro and non-Aro deceased, including those in Diaspora who were no less patriotic and pan-Aro than their contemporaries here in Aro cradle.
Even non-Aro could richly deserve to be honoured and awarded. Professor Kenneth onwuka Dike, for instance, who not only encouraged Aro sons and daughters to research and write Aro history and culture, but also did so by himself-the pioneering work; trade and politics in the Niger Delta (1956);and the authorative The Aro of South-Eastern Nigeria 1650 to 1980 with professor Ekejiuba his conviction and vision of Aro history and culture is that it should be desenedly placed alongside the pedigree the Fulani the Kanuri, the Yoruba, the Bini, the Hausa attained.
Awarding committee members should be people broadly and deeply knowledgeable in Aro history and culture. In addition has a pan-Aro track-record, including sustained relations with Aro-uno and Aro-uzo-Aro cradle and Aro Diaspora. They should expunge filial, emotional or sentimental feelings that could becloud their sense of judgment.
With professor Felicia Ekejiuba
ALLEGED SUIT AGAINST DR. ALEX OTTI
DR NKEM OKORO DISMISSES ALLEGATION AS
HANDWORK OF MISCHIEF MAKERS.
Interview by Ohiaerinwa Ogbonnaya Okoro for
The Omu Aro. Experts
OMU ARO: Rumours making the rounds are that you sued Dr Alex Otti over his alleged attempt to rehabilitate Barrakki-Goldie-New market Road, your comment please.
DR NKEM OKORO: this is a blatant lie. There was no time Dr. Alex showed interest toward such a project. Rather it was dr Nkemjika Jombo Offor who showed interest. He approached me to link him up with government, and government approved. Upon completion, he applied to the government for the road to be named after him. It was approved. Thus the name of the read:Dr Jombo Nkemjika Offor.
OMU ARO: How come Dr Alex Otti this sustained mix-up allegations?
DR NKEM OKORO: The truth remains that it was I in the company of Dr Jombo offor who approach Dr Alex Otti to help influence FERMA to continue from where Jombo had stopped. That is, from the New Market end to Amaikpe and from same New Market road to Ibom ring road.
OMU ARO: What really transpired at the meeting?
DR NKEM OKORO: There and then, he Dr Alex Oti) made a call to the honorary minister for works. And the out come of the content is still being awaited.
OMU ARO: But why the persistent rumour of the legal action you allegedly took against Dr. Otti? Rumour from nowhere.
DR NKEM OKORO: The responsibility for justifying or validatering the rumour lies with the rumour mongers themselves which court? Which presiding Magistrate: which presiding Judge.
Investigation with Hon Nkem Okoro on 7-11-2011
TOA: Rumour make the rounds is that you sued Dr. Alex Otti his attempt to rehabilitate Bourakki Goldie New Market Road up to Obinkita and Ibom village, your want please.
Dr Okoro:
…low moral tone
alleged high handedness
computers/laptops looted
funds diverted
A serious scandal is said to be rocking the Abia State College of Education (Technical) Arochukwu, ASCETA, over the disappearance of computers/ laptops donated to the tertiary institution by some corporate bodies.
A number of computers, monitors and other accessories were donated by Nigerian Communication Commission, NCC, to ASCETA in 2010 and 2011. The Petroleum Technology Development Fund, PTDF, through Zinox Computers, an acclaimed Information Communication Technology, ICT, outfit also made donation of IT items to the institution.
While NCC made a donation of 220 laptops, PTDF in November 2010 donated 18 different items of IT materials, including Hp ML 350 E 380 Century EU service guard core 3.4 GH2 Processor, HP Compaq 5008 MT 2.8 GH2 Intel Processor, 2 GB RAM DDR HP Laserjet P2055DN Printer, RJ 45 10M CAT PATCH CABLE. Total quantity of the items donated by PTDF was 196.
The IT items were donated to enhance quality learning in technical education since the school has bias in technology. Sadly though, some of these items were said to have developed wings to fly away from the School of Computer Education headed by Chioma Uchenna, Dean, School of Computer Education. However, some top management staff of ASCETA have been fingered in the conspiracy to deny students the opportunity of the good intentions of the donors.
For instance, five sets of computers were seen being carried away in the college bus on 13th June, 2011. In the log book of the security development, under the caption, “INCIDENT REPORT”, ASCETA’s security man on duty on 13th June, 2011, stated, “At about 1805 hrs the Collage Bus ETF Project was apprehended at the College gate carrying five (5) sets of computer (complete sets with five (5) tables, on interrogation they issued to us a written note tagged (Gate Pass) and signed by one Works Engineer Ezeagwula
The report continued, “At these (sic) juncture security officers entered the bus and confirmed that it was five(5) Computers set and its tables were being carried away from the computer…… this 13th day of June 2011. Mr. Ojukwu Ugbor Abraham, the New registrar was inside the Bus, the driver and one other unidentified person”.
Earlier in November 2010, provost of ASCETA was reported to have authorized the dean of Computer Education, Mr. Chioma Uchenna to remove 10 (ten) brand new desk tops.
The security officer who took over duties at the gate on Monday, 29/11/2010 reported thus, “At about 4pm today being Monday 29th November 2010, The provost Dr. C.N Nwamuo ordered the Dean School of Computer Education Mr. Chioma Uchenna to carry out 10 brond (sic) new desktop. According to the provost, he said that the Governor of Abia State ask him to bring (10) brand new desktop with CPU and key board inside”
Even during unholy working hours some senior officials of the institution would come into the school to remove one property or the other, giving reasons that “authorities directed.”
“At about 0735 hours on 20th August 2010”, a security man reported in the log book, “The secretary to the Provost Abia State Collage of Education (Tech) Aro came to the security main gate office with Bakasi Troops he reported to us that the provost sent them to come and collect something in his office, which their (sic ) did so”
The question concerned citizens are asking is where were these computers taken to? Some sources say the computers ended up in business centres in and outside Arochukwu owned by some top officials of the institution. Some were also said to have been sent to ASCETA Liaison office in Umuahia, Abia State capital, while others were kept by some individual staff of the college.
But one close aide of the provost who requested not to be quoted in print dismissed the allegations as “wild rumour” by rumour mongers. “It is normal for one who does not like you to always fabricate false stories against you in order to score cheap points,” he told THE OMU ARO, implying that the rumour mongers are the enemies of ASCETA
He dismissed the rumour that ASCETA received 600 computers, as being peddled by uninformed persons, but added that what the college received from NCC was 220 which came in batches of 110 each in 2010 and 2011.
This aide disclosed that the first set of computers numbering 110 were sold to staff of the institution at the cost of N15, 000 each during Professor Ernest Nkemakolam’s tenure”.
He further explained that the school’s governing council members quarreled with management over not being accommodated in the first batch’s distribution. Consequently, he added, part of the second batch of 110 were given out council member and Abia State government officials as Public Relations gifts (PR), stressing that there is a balance of 60 which is intact, adding that there are sufficient computers in the computer laboratory to go round the students.
He also confirmed that the NCC had sent one of its officials to investigate the allegation of misappropriation of computers/laptops donated to the school by the Commission. Continuing, he said the NCC was satisfied with explanations offered by the institution, even as the official was shown the remaining 60 computers.
The ASCETA official said much as he was not holding brief for Dr. Nwamuo, the provost, ASCETA would not succumb to cheap blackmail insisting that apart from the 11 computers stolen from the school’s store, there had never been any illegal or unauthorized removal of computers from the school.
The computer laptop scandal is one of the ills bedeviling ASCETA since the change of leadership baton between Professor Ernest Nkemakolam, immediate-past provost and Dr. C N Nwamuo, the incumbent provost.
ASCETA witnessed unprecedented students unrest/demonstration over hike in school fees, a demonstration that resulted in wanton destruction of college property for which students were levied N5, 000 each. The levy was said to have raked in about N15m, yet no visible repairs were seen to be effected on the said damaged property.
Student population which rose to about 3000 during Prof Nkemakolam’s tenure fell to less than 2000 and has further slumped pitifully to less than 1000 currently. Staff strength is said to be at par with student population, a situation described by a staff member as “a laughing matter”,
There have been allegations of victimization of ‘disloyal’ staff leading to exodus of qualified staff. This is even made worse by the appointment of un-confined and inexperienced officers as Heads of Departments over and above senior and more experienced staff. This, it is believed led to low productively among staff as the more qualified ones refuse to take orders from them ‘inferior’ officers
For instance, in the School of Education, whereas there are four PhD holders, a part time officer who holds MED is appointed Dean of the school. Similarly, in the Department of Primary/Early Child Education, an MED holder is appointed HOD in place of an officer who holds a PHD in Primary and Early Childhood Education.
Also, in the school of Arts and Social Sciences, a first degree holder that has spent less than 2 years in the college as a part time lecturer is appointed HOD over and above permanent and superior lectures. This, it was gathered, is a compensation for protecting the leadership of the institution on plagiarism charges. This favoured HOD is even said to be occupying the Deputy Provost’s office presently, while the Deputy Provost is without an office.
The range of inefficiency or deliberate action to victimize certain lecturers appears endless. In other School/Departments, unqualified lecturers are appointed to boss their betters/superiors.
In the department of Languages/Religion/Social Studies where there are three MSC holders in Economics, a first degree holder who has not spent up to two years in the college is appointed HOD. So also in the School of Science which has no departments but headed by a Computer Scientist who ought to be put in the School of Computer Education.
School of Computer Education is headed by a first degree holder in Physics even as allegations of forged certificates are hanging on his neck.
The school administration doesn’t seem to appreciate the economic stress the students of the college are going through. The new policy whereby all students must stay in the hostels with hike in feeds is seen as another money-making venture but which has economic devastating effect on the students.
The Science Technology and Education Research Centre in the heart of SCETA, built By THALIA FOUNDATION, a Non Governmental Organization headed by an Aro icon, Mazi Engr. Matthias Okoro to boost technological education in ASCETA is reported to have been locked and closed down due to the non-cooperation of ASCETA authorities. One therefore wonders how students will acquire quality technical/scientific education in the absence of practical facilities.
Tongues continue to wag over the destination of the proceeds from the sale/lease of part of the ASCETA compound to Globacom, a giant communication company for the building of a mast. Speculations are that the proceeds which run into millions of naira were diverted to private pockets.
The fortunes of ASCETA established through the efforts of Arochukwu citizenry seems to be going down on a steady progress, necessitating some concerned citizens to call for immediate look into the administration of college.
THE OMU ARO 2010 Xmas edition had in its editorial entitled, “SAVING ASCETA” lamented that “The sweat of the common Aro person in the retention of ASCETA in Arochukwu will come to naught if drastic measures are not taken to restore administrative sanity in the institution. “Hence it called on Nzuko Arochukwu and all stakeholders to wake up and face the challenges posed by the not-too-comfortable situation in ASCETA.
TEACHER AKATA BOWS AT 70
A Teacher par excellence, Mazi Monday Daniel Akata has passed on. Mazi Akata popularly addressed as Teacher Akata or Ade-de attended Qua Iboc Mission Primary School, Ikot Osukpong from 1948 to 1955.
In 1961, he was admitted into Northern Annang County Teacher Training College, Utu Etim Ekpo for Teachers Grade II Certificate.
In 1992, he was admitted into Advance Teacher Training College Uyo, where he obtained his National Certificate in Education (N.C.E)
In 1978, he was admitted into Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, for his Bachelors of Arts Degree in Education which he completed in 1981 and was posted to Aggrey Memorial Secondary School, Arochukwu, where he rendered his one year National Youth Service.
Due to his devotion to duty and proficiency in his teaching subjects and other assignments, he was reinstated and Elder J.N. Oji made it possible for him to be posted to Aggrey Memorial College, Arochukwu in 1982 where he secured and rose to the rank of Principal Class II and later retired from active service in 1994.
He will always be remembered for typing business at Amaikpe, Obinkita Arochukwu.
He is survived by four children and wife, Gladys Mgboro Akata.
Buried.
Nnanna, Harry A.P., 85, at Ndianiche Arondizuogu, Imo State. Son of Late Peter Nwana of OMENUKO fame, Harry Nwanna was a member of the radical Zikist Movement and secretary of the Railway Locomotive Engine Driver’s Union. He rose to become the Secretary General of the Nigeria Union of Railway men, member, Film Censorship Board and Executive member of Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC
An ardent chess player, he was patron of Ndianiche Family meeting, Lagos branch, patron, Arondizuogu Patriotic Union, patron Arondizuogu Forum and for three years, vice president-general, Arondizuogu Patriotic Union. He is survived by four children, 11 grand children and a host of other relations.
CHIJIOKE, Dr. Emmanuel Onyekwere, at Ndi Agor compound, Obinkita, Arochukwu. Aged 67, Dr. Chijioke held a Bachelor of Science Degree in Soil Science and PHD in Agronomy with a special interest in Soil Science. He was staff of International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Forestry Research Institute, Ibadan and Michael Okpara College of Agriculture, Umuagwo Imo State. Dr Chijioke was a consultant in Imo State government developing rice farms in various parts of the state and in 1992 became the Director of Abia State NALDA. In the 2000’s he took up appointment with Abia State College of Education (Technical) Arochukwu, where he was Dean, School of Vocational Studies. An avid sport man, he was a member of Owerri Sports Club among other sports associations. He is survived by his wife Roseline, Two children, four grand children and numerous relatives.
EZE IBOM ISII LOSES WIFE
His Royal Highness, Eze Dr Kanu Nwa Kanu, Eze Ibom Isii of Arochukwu kingdom has lost his beloved wife, Ugo-Eze Charity Chinyere Kanu. Aged 49, the painful death occurred on Friday 21st October 2011. She is survived by her husband and a host of many relatives.
A native of Umuobia, Ezinnachi, near Okigwe, her quest for education took her to many parts of the country, and in various educational institutions. She had the following educational qualifications: FSLC, WASC, HND (Public Admin), B.Sc (Admin), and PGD (Public Admin)
After completing her secondary school, she went back to Lagos and secured employment with the Ministry of Internal Affairs. She was trained as a finger print analyst at Police State CID, Alagbon Lagos for four years. She enhanced professional standing by attending many courses.
She married Prince Kanu Nwa Kanu in 1990. Her husband was to become Eze (Dr) Kanu Nwa Kanu Eze Ibom Isii, Arochukwu Kingdom.
Until her death she was the Head, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Arochukwu LGA, Abia State. She was the former Chairperson, Association of Ndi Ugo-Eze, Arochukwu LGA. She was also the former State Treasurer of the Association.
The deceased while alive used her various positions official unofficial, social and cultural to empower many people, especially the underprivileged. She will be remembered for her numerous works of charity.
EKE OBINIKPA:
ARONDIZUOGU FOREMOST TRADITIONAL MARKET (1968 – 2011)
By Ohiaerinwa Ogbonnaya Okoro
The Nigeria civil war brought me back to Arondizuogu in 1968. I had lived there several times earlier, the last being 1961 after which I had to return to Arochukwu for the last two years of my primary school education at Aggrey Primary School, Arochukwu.
A lot of events, developments and activities evolved to involve me with Eke Obinikpa Market. It is and remains Arondizuogu foremost traditional market. Other markets exist in Arondizuogu: Nkwo Achi, Afor Ndiawa, Afor Igwe Ikpeze, Afor Ndiakunwata; Oye Amangwu Ndiejezie. Neighbouring non- Arondizuogu markets are still popular with our people. They include Akokwa, Nkwo Uchu, Nkwo Umunze, Eke Onuimo and Nkwo Umualoma (Isuokpu).
But Eke Obinikpa remains the most traditional and central to Arondizuogu socio-economic, socio-cultural and socio-religious affairs. All these were not so obvious to me by 1968 when I returned to Arondizuogu from Arochukwu during the civil war. But the socio-economic was.
It was the full realization of this that forced me, then a class four student caught up in the quagmire violence and blood shed of the civil war, to petition in 1969 key player interest groups in Arondizuogu, especially Arondizuogu War Emergency Committee (AWEC).
Sited on Ndianiche-Uno away from residential quarters of the village purposely to reach out to follow Iheme Kindred village such as Ikpeze-Uno, Ndiakakaeme-Uno and Ndioguonyeom-Uno, Eke Obinaikpe also attracted N diamazu-Uno, Ndiakunwanta-Uno. And also near enough to attract non- Arondizuogu communities such as Akokwa and Uzii.
But it was the sitting on top of the Akokwa, Aniche-Uno, Uzii, Umuobom-Ndiogbuonyeoma-Uno village uplands that was the source of concern to hundreds and thousands that engaged in the buying and selling in the market during the civil war. The air raids by the Federal Air Force planes at Ozuabam were devastating, bloody and destroyed many lives. It was in the hanging and haunting nightmare that prompted my petition for the temporary relocation of the market behind the family home of Mazi Joseph Ezuma (Esesuo Agbar) of Ndiakunwanta-Uno Arondizuogu in his dense canopy rubber plantation till the war ended.
Another “romance” with Eke Obinikpa was my post war round-off of my secondary school education. I could not go back to St. Patrick’s Secondary School, Emene Enugu, and my alma mater. I had no choice but to seek admission at Iheme Memorial Grammar School, Arondizuogu. This entailed my trekking from my village Amazu Uno through Eke Obinikpa to the School almost day in, day out (1970-1971).
And so I gained intimate knowledge of Eke and its environs. Apart from the market clusters of shop, workshops for artisans-shoe repairers, bicycle repairers abound. One of them interested us students with his nickname “Anna apaachi – ona eliki”. We never realized how deeply philosophical the name was until many years after when as adults and family heads, etc we began to manage resources, scarce resources.
Life’s odyssey had since 1973 pulled me off my roots, for work and further education, and for casual and permanent employment. But by spending much of this period here in Arochukwu, I was still inevitably drawn to Arondizuogu, Amankwu’s diapora community over 200times larger than the mother village; and over five hundred times far more populous.
The Ekpe society, a very powerful elite and influential socio-cultural group sustained the affinity of unity between Amankwu and its vast diaspora community.
I have since the 1980’s been active member; and from the 1990’s, have often led Ekpe delegation to Arondizuogu. That is mostly for burial ceremonies and Ikeji Arondizuogu Festival during which Ekpe participate in the traditional mock buying and selling at Eke.
But Ekpe Amankwu delegation for the burial ceremony of late Mazi Harry Peter Nwana of Ndi Aniche Friday 18th November 2011, offered me an unusual opportunity to observe Eke Obinikpa more closely, more critically. The bus we travelled in was higher than usual and therefore offered me the chance to observe Eke sheds from rear-from the Afor Ikpeze-Mazi Michael Okpaleke family home and family lands leading to the Eke “backyard”.
From inside the bus I stood up to observe more intensively and precisely the entire market, especially the rear. An eyesore! A ramshackle representation of neglect, irresponsibility, rickety ghetto “anawa aghara”, battlefield, air-raided scene of helter skelter, confusion, disaster and abandonment, refuse-dump scene similar the many we see along our urban cities and high ways, decayed, rotten and stinking remains, foul and offensive.
What is worse, Eke Obinikpa’s problems are hydra-headed. Land encroachment seems to have narrowed the size of the great market to a ping-pong arena. Rough, undulating terrain within and around the market has posed severe difficulties to buyer and sellers in the market. Definitely, no comfort for elderly men and women writhing in pain with arthritis, rheumatism and other joint ailments that make them customers to practitioners of our healthcare delivery services. Land encroachment apart, weed encroachment is even worrisome. It is a matter for debate, probably between students of Iheme and National who really are the landlords of Eke Obinikpa: humans of Arondizuogu or rodents of the animal kingdom within the larger context of All-Aro kingdom! But let it be recalled that excluded among the rodents since the civil war, were the innocent, harmless sacred pyton whom the male youths ate up for want of meat to eat, disdaining the custom of sparing and protecting them.
One is forced to recall Shakespear’s lines in Julius Caesar
Let us carve him a dish
Fit for the gods
Not carcass for hounds.
Eke deserves much more than the shabby, hypocritical, prodigal-son treatment it is receiving from our people. From individuals. From traditionalists from politicians at local government, state assembly and executive and other governmental agencies. Not least APU-Arondizuogu Patriotic Union.
Socio-economic considerations apart, Eke Obinikpa’s socio-cultural potentials are enomous. Eke is at the centre of Ikeji Arondizuogu calendar. Beyond this the activities of Ikeji Festival are in tandem with that of Ikeji Aro-Okeigbo---- the cradle of Aro power and civilization. Eke Odu, Oye egbugbu, Afor na Nkwo (Oso Mmonwu); and Eke nwusaa agbata are similar to Nkwo nwupu mmai na Ibom Isii and Eke nwupu mmai na Amuze
When combined, the socio-economic and socio-cultural provide enormous potentials for tourism in Arondizuogu. Within a two kilometer radius could be harnessed tourist attraction of local, national and international importance and recognition: the Odum dynasty: Igwegbe Odum (Omenuko), Green Mbadiwe Odum, Francis Mbadiwe Odum, Kingsley Ozuomba Mbadiwe Odum. Then right ward direction into much of Ndianiche village are to be seen the Obiohas of Ndi Aniche Uno-Mazi C.N. Obioha, C. Moore Obioha. Other great families include the Nwanas-Reverend China Nwana, Mazi Peter Nwana, the celebrated author of foremost Igbo novel, Omenuko, Harry Nwana, Professor O.C. Nwana. Then the Anyakaoha family as important in Arondizuogu as in Arochukwu. The Ezeagu family that produced the ruling Eze Ndi Iheme autonomous community, Eze kossman Ndubuisi Kanu. Further inside Ndi Aniche-Uno is Iheme Memorial Grammar School, Arondizuogu founded over fifty years ago.
Within the radius outside Ndianiche in other Arondizuogu villages are Ama Edward, Nkwo Achi and Obi Okoli Idozuka (Udozuka) in Ndi Akunwanta-Uno. The first two of much socio-economic, socio-cultural and tourist interest and potentials. The last of much historical relevance being the contemporary of fellow war lord, Okoli Ikelionwu, whose diaspora exploits tower in much of northern Igbo Land, and up to Aro metropolis here in Arochukwu.
It is hoped that this will attract the attention of our people and ginger them into reconstructing and modernizing Eke Obinikpa market to live up the pedigree and expectations associated with our people. One recalls Professor Father Okonkwo’s insistence and reminder during the All Aro National Conference, 2000: “A successful man is one who has a successor”. And I quickly add: a responsible successor. Can we lay claim to be responsible successors? And not prodigal sons? A case of vibrant dynamic and achieving parents begetting cold important ash? Are our father’s shoe too big for us? Neither able to add to their structures and institution, their successes and gains. Nor sustain or maintain landmarks they left behind. Or are we agreeing with and confirming the derisive, uncomplimentary, ever-repeated remark; “Aro okwa eshi mbu!”?
Ohiaerinwa Ogbonnaya Okoro is a native of Amankwu Arochukwu
NZUKO ARO KANO ELECTS NEW OFFICERS
By Mazi Victor O. Okereke
It was on June 5th in the far away ancient city of Kano State, otherwise known as the Pyramid State that Nzuko Arochukwu, Kano branch, in their general assembly held at No 62 Abeokuta road Sabongari, Kano unanimously in the spirit of brotherliness elected into office a new set of executives to pilot the affairs of the Aros in Kano for the next three years
This came after the completion of one tenure of the outgoing executive led by Dr. Okechukwu Nwangwu as president who piloted Nzuko Aro affairs for three years running from 2008-2011 which by the special grace of God brought progress and development to Kano branch amidst controversy and division from his predecessor.
Be that as it may, the pyramid branch having elected a new set of executive to run her affairs for the next three years in the person of Mazi Sunday P. Okoro as president a vibrant, articulate, educated, well exposed and a man full of ideas has mapped out a lot of programmes that will benefit the Aros in Kano and also bring development and unity amongst them.
In his inaugural speech the president Mazi Sunday P. Okoro promised all the Aros in Kano to embrace peace as he is an ambassador of peace. This he proved by forming a peace committee led by another young and faithful man, God Pastor Inyebuchi Okereke, to unite all the aggrieved parties.
The election which was one of the most peaceful in the history of the pyramid branch produced the following members: Mazi Sunday P. Okoro (president), Mazi Chidi Okereke (Vice President) Mazi Victor O. Okereke (Secretary General), Mazi (Engr) Alvan Orji (Asst. Gen. Secretary), Nwamazi Chief (Dr) James Nwosu C.N.N. (Financial Secretary), Mazi (Engr) Nkemdrim Ngwu (Big Ken) Treasurer), Mazi Felix Okereke (P.R.O.) and Nwamazi Augustine Nwachukwu (Welfare/Caretaker).
EDITOR LOSES MOTHER
The family of late Mazi Enoch Obasi Harbor in Atani, Arochukwu, has announced the death of their wife and mother, Madam Esther Ola Harbor.
According to a release issued by his son, Mazi Onyema Harbor, Madam Ola Harbor passed on Sunday, December 4, 2011 at the age of 102 years. She was the oldest woman in Atani, Arochukwu before her death.
The release further stated that burial arrangements will be announced in due course. Madam Ola, aka Wowo, is survived by four children, 11 grand children and two great grand children, including Mazi Onyema Harbor, editor of THE OMU ARO newspaper
… and OMU ARO member loses mother-in-law
The death of NNEOHA ROSELINE OYIDIA OKORO, mother-in-law of THE OMU ARO board member, Comrade Mrs. Lovina Okoro, which occurred at the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, has also been announced.
Late Nneoha Oyidia Okoro who died at the age of 79 was a woman leader and a devout Christian who would always be remembered for her generosity.
“Nneoha” was one of the few women who, through their selfless efforts, planted the Anglican Church at Ugwuavo, Arochukwu, which today has attained the status of a Diocesan Cathedral.
According to Kanu Okoro family in Obinkita, Arochukwu, late Nneoha Oyidia Okoro will be buried in her late husband’s compound in Obinkita, Arochukwu on Saturday, 6th January, 2012
Eight children including Hillary Kwanashe Kanu Okoro, husband of Omu Aro member and a lost of other relations survive her
NDI EZE-OGO SEEK RETURN TO OKPANKPO
EVEN as the reformed Okpankpo Aro seems to be lying comatose, Ndi Eze Ogo (village heads) in Arochukwu have began moves to re-establish their membership of Okpankpo Aro, the highest policy organ of Arochukwu Kingdom.
In the reformed Okpankpo, inaugurated by Eze Aro, HRM Eze Ogbonnaya Okoro, CFR, the Eze Ogos were excluded. Instead, a council of Ndi Eze Ogo was established and specific traditional portfolios assigned to them.
But recently, the village heads petitioned Eze Aro through the president-general, Nzuko Arochukwu asking that they be restored to the membership of Okpankpo Aro.
In their letter to Eze Aro entitled “Restoration of Okpankpo to its Original and Glorious past with Ndi Eze Ogo as members” dated 15th November 2011 signed by 10 out of 19 Eze Ogos, the leaders stated that they are irked by the state of affairs in Aro kingdom because of downward trend and ineffectiveness of the traditional institutions
They stated, “We are particularly prompted by the state of affairs in Aro Kingdom because of the downward trend, the ineffectiveness, but for traditional institutions and structures, hitherto effective and exemplary, but for sometime now, wobbly, without vision, mission and focus. The various arms of Aro traditional and modern administration cannot be said to be healthy, at their best or afford us all sources for confidence and hope”.
Ndi Eze Ogo noted that Arochukwu has “fallen far below standard development index”, citing that “most Aro village deeply entangled in long standing crisis; litigations have become our favourite past time” and “our youths for want of productive employment resort to high jacking power from elders and government, and take the law into their hands”
They further observed that “crimes of all sorts are brazenly committed, including kidnapping raping, witchcraft, juju and associated diabolical consequences”
The village heads regretted that, even “in the midst of all these” power mongers and adventures struck” and reformed Okpankpo which was inaugurated 18th July, 2009, adding that since then, “the” Reformed Okpankpo “went to sleep, slumbering into coma”.
Describing the “Reformed Okpankpo” as “a flash-in-the-pan development “which” crashed in and crashed out of Aro traditional administrative system” Ndi Eze Ogo prayed Eze Aro to use his good offices at the highest level of Arochukwu Kingdom to effect necessary structural changes for effective administration of Arochukwu Kingdom, thus:
1. “Okpankpo Aro Okeigbo should be made up of “Nna-Ato” and Ndi Eze Ogo of the various villages
2. Advisory Council should be made up of majority of the members of still-born, defunct “Reformed Okpankpo”
Ironically though, the chairman of the Council of Ndi Eze O go, Mazi Obasi Okoronkwo, Eze Ogo Utughugwu, did not sign the said petition to Eze Aro casting somewhat doubts that Ndi Eze Ogo sat and took the decision. Head of Agbagwu, Amannagwu, Amoba, Obinkita, Ibom, Oror, Ugwuakuma and Ujari villages also did not sign the document.
UGOCHUKWU NWOKEJI WINS BOOK AWARD
An accomplished Scholar Ugochukwu Nwokeji of Amazu-Uno of Arondizuogu, Ideato North Local Government Area in Imo State has bagged prestigious award in African studies worldwide
The award is the 2011 Melville J. Herskovits Book Winner Award. It was presented on Thursday, November 17, 2011 in Washing, D.C. for his book, “The Slave Trade and Culture in the Bright Biafra: An African Society in the Atlantic world, published by Cambridge University Press in 2010
The award is given by the African Studies Association (ASA) to the author of the most outstanding original book published on Africa in the previous year and is considered the most prestigious award in African Studies worldwide. The ASA was formed in 1957 and is the largest of all scholarly associations that focus primarily on Africa.
The Herskovits Award has been awarded continuously since 1965 in honor of preeminent American anthropologist, Melville J. Herskovits, who was instrumental to the emergence of both African studies and Afro-American studies as academic disciplines in the United State.
According to the book’s citation by the panel of experts that appears in the program of the 54th Annual Conference of the ASA, “Undoubtedly, the major strengths of “The Slave Trade and culture in the Bright” is Nwokeji’s ability to decompress the complexities surrounding an almost obscure history of the slave trade and to bring out one of the least discussed issues of the trade-women”. The citation praised Nwokeji’s introduction of innovative methodology to the study of the Atlantic slave trade, concluding, “The book points is several ways to the difficulty of providing a logically complete story using incomplete data and drawing on inferences. Nwokeji’s attempt to provide a comprehensive history of the Bright of Biafra and the slave trade will expand our understanding of the history of African enslavement, but it is also an excellent source material for researchers and the general public interested in studying the obscured dimensions of the Atlantic slave trade”.
Previous winners of the Herskovits Award have included some of the most eminent names in African studies from a variety of disciplines, including history, political science, economics, anthropology, sociology and philosophy. Nwokeji joins a high exclusive group that includes such previous winners as Leo Kuper, Jan Vansina, Elliot Skinner, Rene Lemarchand, Ivor Wilks, Crawford Young, J.D.Y. Peel, Sara Berry, Paul M. Lubeck, John lliffe, Valentine Y. Mudimbe, Mahmood Mamdani.
About the book
“The Slave Trade and Culture in the Bright of Biafra “dissects and explains the structure, dramatic expansion, and manifold effects of the slave trade in the Bright of Biafra. By showing that the rise of the Aro merchant group was the key factor in trade expansion, G. Ugo Nwokeji reinterpret why and how such large-scale centralized states. The result is the first study to link the structure and trajectory of the slave trade in a major exporting region to the expansion of a specific. African merchant group-among other fresh insights into Atlantic Africa’s involvement in the trade-and the most comprehensive treatment of Atlantic slave trade in the Bright of Biafra. The fundamental role of culture in the organization of trade is highlighted, transcending the usual economic explanations in a way that complicates traditional generalizations about work domestic slavery, and gender in pre-colonial Africa.
ADVERT ANOTHER HONOUR TO A ROAD SAFETY ICON
MR. OSITA BENJAMIN CHIDOKA (OFR)
(IKE OBOSI)
Corps Marshall/Chief Executive, FRSC
We congratulate our tried and tested friend, classmate and associate Mr. Osita B. Chidoka, OFR, on the conferment on him by the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan of the Nation Award of the order of the Federal Republic (OFR).
We also appreciate Mr. President for reappointing you for a second term in the office as the Corps Marshall/Chief Executive FRSC
MR. President we are very grateful for finding our friend fit for all these. To God be the Glory
Signed
Onyema Ogboh, on behalf of your Aro friends/Associates and well-wishers:
THE IKOKUS
THE NKUMES
THE OGBOHS
BRAVO
On behalf of my self and family, I facilitate and rejoice with MAZI UCHE CHRISTIAN OTI, immediate-past president, Nzuko Arochukwu, Abuja Branch, as he receives the IKEMBA ARO award from Nzuko Arochukwu on 26th December, 2011.
Congratulations
ONYEMA OGBOH
and family
EDITORIAL USES AND ABUSES OF AWARDS
The awards of title and laurels evidence of recognition or appreciations to the development of the awarding private or public institution date back to the beginning of mankind. Human society is founded upon the values and practices of status hierarchy, ranking, grading and protocol of recognition of such awards.
There is no aspect of human life and activity that these recognitions do not apply, traditional and modern societies: the civil and public service, the military, the education system. Traditional African kingdoms boasted of status, titles and rankings, the Hausa, the kanuri, the Fulani, the Yourba, the Bini kingdoms.
The most handy and exemplary are examination bodies such as WAEC, NECO,JAMB A1(excellent/outstanding) down to F9 (failed) here in Nigeria power and authority are structured in firm consideration of status and hierarchy. The President, the Vice President, the Senate president,
The Speaker of the House of Reps, the Chief justice of Nigeria.
Applied zoologist, Desmond Morris, elaborately discusses the subject matter of man and status in his book, THE HUMAN ZOO.
This years national awards have sparked off controversies more than ever before. Firstly, world-famed novelist Chinua Achebe, declined to accept the CRF award from President Goodluck Jonathan, as he did previous to ex-President Obasanjo. The great writer explained that the circumstance which prompted his earlier declined remained.
Secondly a legislator declined to accept the award offered him, explaining that he did not deserve the award.
Thirdly, adding to the controversies, the president Jonathan honoured and awarded Alhaji Aliko Dangote with GCON, thus extending the honour beyond mostly political leaders.
Explanation from the Presidency insists that there was nothing wrong with honouring Dangote, Africa’s wealthiest man. That he made his wealth through transparent means. He remains today the largest employer of labour outside government.
About two years ago, a columnist of THE OMU ARO community newspaper criticized the way and manner tittles were being awarded here in Aro, and frowned at the questionable and decent handling of award here in Aro. The foregoing show the uses and abuses of awards. The uses could be better applied. The “Ugwu Aro” title is the highest in Aro kingdom. It should therefore not before the highest bidder. Age, long years of community service and development, multidimensional contributions to Aro causes, from village level to the entire Aro community and even beyond should be the requirement or qualification for Ugwu Aro, title.
A second lier, title should be established to serve as between Ikemba Aro and ugwu Aro. For if care is not taken the highest title in Aro kingdom. For if care is not taken the highest title in Aro kingdom could soon be for the highest bidder, cash and carry. Or”IMM- ima mmadu maruo uno”
Post humous awards of titles to deserving Aro and non-Aro should be instituted. This has the advantage of rewarding. Aro sons long or recently deceased who had served with the hearts, their spirits and their souls. Post humons rewards also have the advantage of awarding those whose tracks records of service and achievements have been accomplished, free from the possibility of falling from grace to grass, amid body traps and banana peels littered every where as ambush.
Awards in Aro kingdom could also be used to sustain links with Aro Diaspora. Nothing could be more handy, effective and result oriented these post heinous awards to deserving Aro and non-Aro deceased, including those in Diaspora who were no less patriotic and pan-Aro than their contemporaries here in Aro cradle.
Even non-Aro could richly deserve to be honoured and awarded. Professor Kenneth onwuka Dike, for instance, who not only encouraged Aro sons and daughters to research and write Aro history and culture, but also did so by himself-the pioneering work; trade and politics in the Niger Delta (1956);and the authorative The Aro of South-Eastern Nigeria 1650 to 1980 with professor Ekejiuba his conviction and vision of Aro history and culture is that it should be desenedly placed alongside the pedigree the Fulani the Kanuri, the Yoruba, the Bini, the Hausa attained.
Awarding committee members should be people broadly and deeply knowledgeable in Aro history and culture. In addition has a pan-Aro track-record, including sustained relations with Aro-uno and Aro-uzo-Aro cradle and Aro Diaspora. They should expunge filial, emotional or sentimental feelings that could becloud their sense of judgment.
With professor Felicia Ekejiuba
ALLEGED SUIT AGAINST DR. ALEX OTTI
DR NKEM OKORO DISMISSES ALLEGATION AS
HANDWORK OF MISCHIEF MAKERS.
Interview by Ohiaerinwa Ogbonnaya Okoro for
The Omu Aro. Experts
OMU ARO: Rumours making the rounds are that you sued Dr Alex Otti over his alleged attempt to rehabilitate Barrakki-Goldie-New market Road, your comment please.
DR NKEM OKORO: this is a blatant lie. There was no time Dr. Alex showed interest toward such a project. Rather it was dr Nkemjika Jombo Offor who showed interest. He approached me to link him up with government, and government approved. Upon completion, he applied to the government for the road to be named after him. It was approved. Thus the name of the read:Dr Jombo Nkemjika Offor.
OMU ARO: How come Dr Alex Otti this sustained mix-up allegations?
DR NKEM OKORO: The truth remains that it was I in the company of Dr Jombo offor who approach Dr Alex Otti to help influence FERMA to continue from where Jombo had stopped. That is, from the New Market end to Amaikpe and from same New Market road to Ibom ring road.
OMU ARO: What really transpired at the meeting?
DR NKEM OKORO: There and then, he Dr Alex Oti) made a call to the honorary minister for works. And the out come of the content is still being awaited.
OMU ARO: But why the persistent rumour of the legal action you allegedly took against Dr. Otti? Rumour from nowhere.
DR NKEM OKORO: The responsibility for justifying or validatering the rumour lies with the rumour mongers themselves which court? Which presiding Magistrate: which presiding Judge.
Investigation with Hon Nkem Okoro on 7-11-2011
TOA: Rumour make the rounds is that you sued Dr. Alex Otti his attempt to rehabilitate Bourakki Goldie New Market Road up to Obinkita and Ibom village, your want please.
Dr Okoro:
ARO KINGDOM THE LARGEST COMMUNITY IN IGBO LAND
ARO KINGDOM THE LARGEST COMMUNITY IN IGBO LAND
Rector Hugh Goldie Lay/Theological Institute
The Rector of Hugh Goldie Lay/Theological Training Institution, Arochukwu in affliction with Abia State University, Uturu, Dr, Miracle Ajah, has said that Aro Kingdom is the largest community in Igbo land. He made this statement when he received the delegation of Arochukwu students in Huge Goldie led by their president, Nnanna Inyama, who paid him a courtesy visit.
Dr. Ajah who was visibly happy praised the Aro students for their wisdom and kind gesture in remembering his administration. Dr. Miracle Ajah who was beautifully dressed in Omu-Aro wrapper and also decorated with a piece of george, maintained that these is no part of Nigeria that you will not find an Aro Community there, and therefore concluded that the Aros are the largest tribe in Igbo land.
Earlier Nnanna Inyama, the president Huge Goldie told the Rector that Arochukwu students have come to show their solidarity and support to his administration. The President, Nnanna Inyama also praised the Rector for his giant studies since his assumption of office as the Rector of the institution. He equally commended him for the peaceful relations between the school and Aro Community.
The President who led the other gorgeously dressed Aro students promised their continuous support and cooperation towards the School Management.
Responding, the Rector who could not hide his joy highlighted his fire-point agenda for Hugh Goldie which includes amongst others. infrastructural enhancement,academic formation and sense of ministry, community service/investment, welfare for staff and students.
Dr. Miracle Ajah who was full of thanks to the Almighty God, said that within his two years in office, his administration has renovated and refurbished the Administrative block, built and completed a modern and spacious class room block, empowerment in academic performances of students, introduction of Post-Graduate Diploma and Master Degree in Theology respectively, and the peaceful atmosphere within the environment among others.
The Rector told the Aro students of the recent acquisition of the Goldie Annex at the cost (Forty Million naira) N40M which is also a challenge to the school for its development and expansion. He therefore made a passionate appeal to the well- meaning Aros to come to the aid of the school. The Goldie Annese, he pointed out, will contribute immensely to the running of the school, bearing in mind that Hugh Goldie Arochukwu, as one of the oldest Theological Institution in Nigeria hosts all the tribes within the country as students.
He enjoined the Aro prominent sons, daughters and all public-spirited individuals to rise up to the challenge and ensure that the Goldie Annex is fully paid for property developed and equipped.
Arochukwu being an ancient and historical kingdom, Dr. Miracle Ajah made a clarion call to the Federal Government to upgrade the Abia State College of Education (Technical) Arochukwu to a Federal University of Technology, and to fix all Federal Roads leading to Arochukwu in order to give Aro Kingdom its due place in the scheme of things.
Finally, the Rector urged the Aros to maintain their peaceful disposition and hospitality. On the delegation were: Nnate Emmanuel O. (Principal Clerk) Dr. Mrs Rose Nkumeh, Mazi Nnanna Anicho, Onyeorisa Obi Daniel, Obinali Orie, Elder Agmnetochi Onoh, Chinyere Kanu, Okechukwu Nworoni, Terna Simeon Okoro, Monday Thomas, Kingsley Udoh, Okwara C. Chinemere, Daniel Ndubueze and Jerry I. Okoroafor.
………. RECTOR, STUDENTS, CONDOLE EZE IBOM ISII
The death of Ugoeze Charity Kanu, wife of HRH Eze Dr. Kanu Nwa Kanu the Eze Ibom Isii, has been described as a great loss not only to the Ibom Isii kindred, but to Aro Kingdom in general.
This was made known by Rev. Dr. Miracle Ajah the Rector of Hugh Goldie La/Theological Training Institution Arochukwu when he led a delegation of Arochukwu students on a condolence visit to the palace of HRH, Eze Ibom Isii. He sympathized with the Eze Ibom Isii and Ibom Isii kindred, urging them not to mourn as though they have no hope. He prayed God to give them the fortitude to bear this most painful and irreparable loss.
Responding, the HRH Eze Dr. Kanu Nwa Kanu in company at his traditional Prime Minister welcomed the Rector and members of his delegation and thanked them for their kind concern over the death of his dear wife. The Eze went down memory lane, saying that from the inception of the school, the kindred and the school have enjoyed a very cordial relationship. He expressed delight that the Aro students, who were neatly dressed in their white white cassocks were concerned about the death of his dear wife and thanked them for standing by him in this trying moment.
Eze Ibom Isii the 17th on Ibom Isii on the throne said that the Aros are very unique people, that the trinity (Nna-ato) is not only in the Bible but it is also being practiced in Aro kingdom. He explained further that, these are three kindreds in Aro kingdom namely, Okennachi Kindred, Ibom Isii Kindred and Eze Agwu Kindred. The three kindred Ezes work as one. He said that these three kindred formations were reorganized by the British Government as mentioned in Jones Report at 1956.
He thanked the delegation and enjoined the Rector to ensure that the interests of Aro students are protected.
Prayer for the repose of the soul of the departed was offered, after which the Rector signed the condolence register on behalf of Hugh Goldie while Nnanna Anicho signed on behalf of the Aro students.
Rector Hugh Goldie Lay/Theological Institute
The Rector of Hugh Goldie Lay/Theological Training Institution, Arochukwu in affliction with Abia State University, Uturu, Dr, Miracle Ajah, has said that Aro Kingdom is the largest community in Igbo land. He made this statement when he received the delegation of Arochukwu students in Huge Goldie led by their president, Nnanna Inyama, who paid him a courtesy visit.
Dr. Ajah who was visibly happy praised the Aro students for their wisdom and kind gesture in remembering his administration. Dr. Miracle Ajah who was beautifully dressed in Omu-Aro wrapper and also decorated with a piece of george, maintained that these is no part of Nigeria that you will not find an Aro Community there, and therefore concluded that the Aros are the largest tribe in Igbo land.
Earlier Nnanna Inyama, the president Huge Goldie told the Rector that Arochukwu students have come to show their solidarity and support to his administration. The President, Nnanna Inyama also praised the Rector for his giant studies since his assumption of office as the Rector of the institution. He equally commended him for the peaceful relations between the school and Aro Community.
The President who led the other gorgeously dressed Aro students promised their continuous support and cooperation towards the School Management.
Responding, the Rector who could not hide his joy highlighted his fire-point agenda for Hugh Goldie which includes amongst others. infrastructural enhancement,academic formation and sense of ministry, community service/investment, welfare for staff and students.
Dr. Miracle Ajah who was full of thanks to the Almighty God, said that within his two years in office, his administration has renovated and refurbished the Administrative block, built and completed a modern and spacious class room block, empowerment in academic performances of students, introduction of Post-Graduate Diploma and Master Degree in Theology respectively, and the peaceful atmosphere within the environment among others.
The Rector told the Aro students of the recent acquisition of the Goldie Annex at the cost (Forty Million naira) N40M which is also a challenge to the school for its development and expansion. He therefore made a passionate appeal to the well- meaning Aros to come to the aid of the school. The Goldie Annese, he pointed out, will contribute immensely to the running of the school, bearing in mind that Hugh Goldie Arochukwu, as one of the oldest Theological Institution in Nigeria hosts all the tribes within the country as students.
He enjoined the Aro prominent sons, daughters and all public-spirited individuals to rise up to the challenge and ensure that the Goldie Annex is fully paid for property developed and equipped.
Arochukwu being an ancient and historical kingdom, Dr. Miracle Ajah made a clarion call to the Federal Government to upgrade the Abia State College of Education (Technical) Arochukwu to a Federal University of Technology, and to fix all Federal Roads leading to Arochukwu in order to give Aro Kingdom its due place in the scheme of things.
Finally, the Rector urged the Aros to maintain their peaceful disposition and hospitality. On the delegation were: Nnate Emmanuel O. (Principal Clerk) Dr. Mrs Rose Nkumeh, Mazi Nnanna Anicho, Onyeorisa Obi Daniel, Obinali Orie, Elder Agmnetochi Onoh, Chinyere Kanu, Okechukwu Nworoni, Terna Simeon Okoro, Monday Thomas, Kingsley Udoh, Okwara C. Chinemere, Daniel Ndubueze and Jerry I. Okoroafor.
………. RECTOR, STUDENTS, CONDOLE EZE IBOM ISII
The death of Ugoeze Charity Kanu, wife of HRH Eze Dr. Kanu Nwa Kanu the Eze Ibom Isii, has been described as a great loss not only to the Ibom Isii kindred, but to Aro Kingdom in general.
This was made known by Rev. Dr. Miracle Ajah the Rector of Hugh Goldie La/Theological Training Institution Arochukwu when he led a delegation of Arochukwu students on a condolence visit to the palace of HRH, Eze Ibom Isii. He sympathized with the Eze Ibom Isii and Ibom Isii kindred, urging them not to mourn as though they have no hope. He prayed God to give them the fortitude to bear this most painful and irreparable loss.
Responding, the HRH Eze Dr. Kanu Nwa Kanu in company at his traditional Prime Minister welcomed the Rector and members of his delegation and thanked them for their kind concern over the death of his dear wife. The Eze went down memory lane, saying that from the inception of the school, the kindred and the school have enjoyed a very cordial relationship. He expressed delight that the Aro students, who were neatly dressed in their white white cassocks were concerned about the death of his dear wife and thanked them for standing by him in this trying moment.
Eze Ibom Isii the 17th on Ibom Isii on the throne said that the Aros are very unique people, that the trinity (Nna-ato) is not only in the Bible but it is also being practiced in Aro kingdom. He explained further that, these are three kindreds in Aro kingdom namely, Okennachi Kindred, Ibom Isii Kindred and Eze Agwu Kindred. The three kindred Ezes work as one. He said that these three kindred formations were reorganized by the British Government as mentioned in Jones Report at 1956.
He thanked the delegation and enjoined the Rector to ensure that the interests of Aro students are protected.
Prayer for the repose of the soul of the departed was offered, after which the Rector signed the condolence register on behalf of Hugh Goldie while Nnanna Anicho signed on behalf of the Aro students.
AMUKWU PEACE RETURNS AT LEAST
AMUKWA
PEACE RETURNS AT LAST
Many factors might have informed and influenced the founding fathers of Arochukwu, particularly Amukwa, when they migrated from Ujari to the present location known as and called Amukwa village.
The ngeneokwe rivulet/stream flows through the land from Amuvi and Atani; and beyond this particular land, the ngeneokwe flows through Ugbo, Amankwu, Amaoba, Ibom and Amasu village lands into the larger Enyong (Eniong) River.
The popular factor for consideration in settling at the present location: soon after the Ibibio was military imperatives and considerations informed the founding fathers to ward off the Ibibio against whom they had long years of war.
Sharing boundaries with Ugbo, Atani Mmaku Okpoto in Iwerri Community, Amukwa is predominantly a village of peasant farmers-peace loving, practitioners of my brothers’ keeper, firm believers in their customs and traditions.
Amukwa village boasts of important personalities past and present. Among the dead: Late Eze Ogo Chief Bassey Nwosu Chima, Eze Ogo Amukwa, VII-a controversial one-man-riot squad who could single-handedly take on any opposition; and former customary court judge of the early 1960’s.
Others include Mazi Oji Nwosu Chima-ever humorous, his entire face freely showcasing no-holds-bar contours and configurations of an accomplished comedian; affable and early generation member of the Catholic Church here in Arochukwu Village, Arochukwu. Mazi Geoffrey Nwosu Chima, his brother, was also of the Catholic faith; a World WarII veteran. Elder Obinani Orie, a former teacher, police officer and a former Eze Ogo who died in the year 2008.
Among the living: the newly enthroned Eze Ogo Amukwa the XII, Mazi Nwosu Bassey Nwosu; a retired Chief Superintendent of Customs and Excise Service. Then Mazi Paul Oji Nwosu Chima, a former Eze Ogo Amukwa, and former spokesman in the reign of Late Chief Kanu Oji, Eze Aro VII, OBE. Port-Harcourt-based engineer in an oil firm, Mazi Ezekiel Nwagugo Oji Nwosu Chima; and Mazi Ikechi Okoro Aku-ebinuihe, another engineer with an oil firm in Port-Harcourt who is also the President-General, Amukwa Improvement Union, World Wide. Mazi Pastor Michael B Nwosu is another notable of Amukwa who has contributed immensely to the growth of the village. He is presently one of the top managers with Coca Cola Plc, Lagos.
Amukwa, though is seen as one of the less populated villages in Arochukwu, its teeming populations of indigenes spread among numerous communities in both Abia and Imo States. The indigenes have vast farm lands; and draws reasonable revenues from land and agricultural resources. Farmers from other Aro and non-Aro villages pay annually for use of the farmland. Even the cattle Fulani use their farmland for grazing.
Amukwa women are no less hard working, socially and culturally conscious, active, assertive, proud and admirable.
Most Amukwa villagers, though professing foreign religions easily and readily recourse to Aro traditional religion, particularly anchored on ancestor medium of worship of Great God (Chi Ukwu)
The status quo has remained until recently.
The bane of institutions, ancient and
Modern, caught up with Amukwa. Central to this has been succession dispute. “Itu eye”, that Aro penchant for historical narratives interpretations and analysis, saw practical expression in a riot of litigations, orthodox and unorthodox. Man hours, material resources, high cost of legal fee, goodwill, relationships, good neighourliness, co-existence and co-operation, community development-all were expended and sacrificed at the alter of partisan politics, atomistic factionalism, mundane and bestial solutions to otherwise traditional constitutional issues. A literary critic of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, despite violence, war and blood-shed in monumental proportions, insist “In Julius Caesar every body means well”. For the tumultuous noises we always hear in market places are nothing other than “nyem nkem nyem nkem-----------give me my own, give me my own self-interest.
Yes, for Amukwu it got to a point when the factions, the parties, were allegedly on the edge of pulling, guns against each other. For much of the time, the various factions were in regular court attendance at various courts within and outside Arochukwu.
The most painful is the involvement of close relatives, in some cases siblings, uncles, aunties, etc in different factions at cross purposes, at each other throat. One man’s meat is another man’s poison.
Death and similar tragedies in one of the factions easily and readily becomes sources of celebration, for the other faction; and vice versa. Development stood still. Progress turned out to be motion without movement.
But as often the case, no army can stop an idea whose time has come. Possibly of settlement was still much open. Even when death struck one of the principal defendants of the opposing party, hopes of automatic solution were dashed. The human spirit could be tough and unpredictable. But the widow of opportunity for solution lay itself open to cool breeze and fresh air of rethinking when His Royal Majesty, the Eze Aro Viii, in January 2011 called for the record of court proceedings after the death of the principal defendant. After reading through the decision of the court he asked Amukwa people to present their Eze Ogo to his cabinet; and that the Eze Ogo dispute in Amukwa should be regarded as ended.
Upon this, the Eze Ibom Isii assembled his cabinet to resole all other cases that came up as a result of Eze Ogo dispute in Amukwa. The rest is now history.
But the test of the pudding is in the eating. The solid proof of the return of peace to Amukwa was shown during Ikeji Aro Okeigbo festival 2010.
This previous year at the of the crisis Amukwa featured two factional troupes. One of the factions with majority members postured to represent the village to claim the usual “Omu” garland of participation. Another faction, a minority represented by a mere handful troupe made entry into the Amaikpe arena. A classic example of washing dirty linens in the public, awkward, embarrassing and avoidable bad publicity.
Amukwa is a classic example of Professor Ali Mazrui’s book, Violence and Thought in Africa. Of how long existing traditional structures and institutions, no matter how seemingly primordial and clumsy succeed in healing festering wounds of crises where imported systems fail.
Or what else could be more glaring and evident than Amukwa’s outing and overall performance for Ikeji Aro-Okeigbo 2011 festival.
Dressed in traditional uniform best, bedecked with several traditional ornaments at vital sections of the body, an entire Amukwa villagers trouped from their village through Ugbo and Amankwu villages into the Amaikpe arena. Leading the troupe, men and women, melodious, symphony of traditional songs, rich with rhyme and rhythm, was the queen, the lead dancer, the glamorous cynosure of all spectators. She carried the “Isii” Ojojo-outsmarting, out displaying, outshining any other performer. Measured fleet footed, artistic swerves of graceful, body movement footwork and overall artistry, seemingly rendered in the garden of Eden.
Traditional music and dance at their best. Ikeji celebration lived up to expectation for once in many years. And before long an endless sea of spectators was attracted to the Amukwa stand while in preliminary, setting-the’ scene theatrics. And during the main display at the Amaikpe arena proper, fascinated spectators, dazzled their appetites, their curiosity, their tastes and their Oliver Twist’s gluttony for more and more threatrical extravaganza. No wonder Amukwa won the second prize among the nineteen or so villages that featured.
Who, several months back, could have thought that sworn, bitter enemies, would have come out together, trained together, trouped out together, displayed together, and won together?
Overall, it was possible because the jury that made peace possible were committed, even-handed, selfless, impartial, just and fair; did not compromise, were not influenced, did not obstruct the course of justice. They did not take bribe, “awuuf” or “ngaari”. Or forgot themselves, carried away by the delicacy and deliciousness of “ngu efuru”. They did not speak tongue in the cheek. They did not. They upheld it. The Amukwa experience has shown that there is still a place for traditional justice system here in Arochukwu, Nigeria and elsewhere. For it is comparatively cheap, simple and uncomplicated-a straight forward procedure, and of comparatively very short duration.
These advantages over foreign crisis management systems were handy and applied successfully to Amukwa’s seemingly unfashionable method that effectively restored peace and unity which eluded them for about a decade. No surprise that their banner for their 2011 Ikeji Aro-Okeigbo
Festival contained Amukwa’s motto:
AMUKWA
UNITED VILLAGE
AROCHUKWU (HOME OF PEACE)
As the saying goes, To God be glory, Long Live Eze Ogo! Long Live Amukwa People. Long Live Effective Leadership! Long Live Effective Followership. Long Live Peace, Progress and prosperity.
Ohiaerinwa Ogbonnaya Okoro
PEACE RETURNS AT LAST
Many factors might have informed and influenced the founding fathers of Arochukwu, particularly Amukwa, when they migrated from Ujari to the present location known as and called Amukwa village.
The ngeneokwe rivulet/stream flows through the land from Amuvi and Atani; and beyond this particular land, the ngeneokwe flows through Ugbo, Amankwu, Amaoba, Ibom and Amasu village lands into the larger Enyong (Eniong) River.
The popular factor for consideration in settling at the present location: soon after the Ibibio was military imperatives and considerations informed the founding fathers to ward off the Ibibio against whom they had long years of war.
Sharing boundaries with Ugbo, Atani Mmaku Okpoto in Iwerri Community, Amukwa is predominantly a village of peasant farmers-peace loving, practitioners of my brothers’ keeper, firm believers in their customs and traditions.
Amukwa village boasts of important personalities past and present. Among the dead: Late Eze Ogo Chief Bassey Nwosu Chima, Eze Ogo Amukwa, VII-a controversial one-man-riot squad who could single-handedly take on any opposition; and former customary court judge of the early 1960’s.
Others include Mazi Oji Nwosu Chima-ever humorous, his entire face freely showcasing no-holds-bar contours and configurations of an accomplished comedian; affable and early generation member of the Catholic Church here in Arochukwu Village, Arochukwu. Mazi Geoffrey Nwosu Chima, his brother, was also of the Catholic faith; a World WarII veteran. Elder Obinani Orie, a former teacher, police officer and a former Eze Ogo who died in the year 2008.
Among the living: the newly enthroned Eze Ogo Amukwa the XII, Mazi Nwosu Bassey Nwosu; a retired Chief Superintendent of Customs and Excise Service. Then Mazi Paul Oji Nwosu Chima, a former Eze Ogo Amukwa, and former spokesman in the reign of Late Chief Kanu Oji, Eze Aro VII, OBE. Port-Harcourt-based engineer in an oil firm, Mazi Ezekiel Nwagugo Oji Nwosu Chima; and Mazi Ikechi Okoro Aku-ebinuihe, another engineer with an oil firm in Port-Harcourt who is also the President-General, Amukwa Improvement Union, World Wide. Mazi Pastor Michael B Nwosu is another notable of Amukwa who has contributed immensely to the growth of the village. He is presently one of the top managers with Coca Cola Plc, Lagos.
Amukwa, though is seen as one of the less populated villages in Arochukwu, its teeming populations of indigenes spread among numerous communities in both Abia and Imo States. The indigenes have vast farm lands; and draws reasonable revenues from land and agricultural resources. Farmers from other Aro and non-Aro villages pay annually for use of the farmland. Even the cattle Fulani use their farmland for grazing.
Amukwa women are no less hard working, socially and culturally conscious, active, assertive, proud and admirable.
Most Amukwa villagers, though professing foreign religions easily and readily recourse to Aro traditional religion, particularly anchored on ancestor medium of worship of Great God (Chi Ukwu)
The status quo has remained until recently.
The bane of institutions, ancient and
Modern, caught up with Amukwa. Central to this has been succession dispute. “Itu eye”, that Aro penchant for historical narratives interpretations and analysis, saw practical expression in a riot of litigations, orthodox and unorthodox. Man hours, material resources, high cost of legal fee, goodwill, relationships, good neighourliness, co-existence and co-operation, community development-all were expended and sacrificed at the alter of partisan politics, atomistic factionalism, mundane and bestial solutions to otherwise traditional constitutional issues. A literary critic of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, despite violence, war and blood-shed in monumental proportions, insist “In Julius Caesar every body means well”. For the tumultuous noises we always hear in market places are nothing other than “nyem nkem nyem nkem-----------give me my own, give me my own self-interest.
Yes, for Amukwu it got to a point when the factions, the parties, were allegedly on the edge of pulling, guns against each other. For much of the time, the various factions were in regular court attendance at various courts within and outside Arochukwu.
The most painful is the involvement of close relatives, in some cases siblings, uncles, aunties, etc in different factions at cross purposes, at each other throat. One man’s meat is another man’s poison.
Death and similar tragedies in one of the factions easily and readily becomes sources of celebration, for the other faction; and vice versa. Development stood still. Progress turned out to be motion without movement.
But as often the case, no army can stop an idea whose time has come. Possibly of settlement was still much open. Even when death struck one of the principal defendants of the opposing party, hopes of automatic solution were dashed. The human spirit could be tough and unpredictable. But the widow of opportunity for solution lay itself open to cool breeze and fresh air of rethinking when His Royal Majesty, the Eze Aro Viii, in January 2011 called for the record of court proceedings after the death of the principal defendant. After reading through the decision of the court he asked Amukwa people to present their Eze Ogo to his cabinet; and that the Eze Ogo dispute in Amukwa should be regarded as ended.
Upon this, the Eze Ibom Isii assembled his cabinet to resole all other cases that came up as a result of Eze Ogo dispute in Amukwa. The rest is now history.
But the test of the pudding is in the eating. The solid proof of the return of peace to Amukwa was shown during Ikeji Aro Okeigbo festival 2010.
This previous year at the of the crisis Amukwa featured two factional troupes. One of the factions with majority members postured to represent the village to claim the usual “Omu” garland of participation. Another faction, a minority represented by a mere handful troupe made entry into the Amaikpe arena. A classic example of washing dirty linens in the public, awkward, embarrassing and avoidable bad publicity.
Amukwa is a classic example of Professor Ali Mazrui’s book, Violence and Thought in Africa. Of how long existing traditional structures and institutions, no matter how seemingly primordial and clumsy succeed in healing festering wounds of crises where imported systems fail.
Or what else could be more glaring and evident than Amukwa’s outing and overall performance for Ikeji Aro-Okeigbo 2011 festival.
Dressed in traditional uniform best, bedecked with several traditional ornaments at vital sections of the body, an entire Amukwa villagers trouped from their village through Ugbo and Amankwu villages into the Amaikpe arena. Leading the troupe, men and women, melodious, symphony of traditional songs, rich with rhyme and rhythm, was the queen, the lead dancer, the glamorous cynosure of all spectators. She carried the “Isii” Ojojo-outsmarting, out displaying, outshining any other performer. Measured fleet footed, artistic swerves of graceful, body movement footwork and overall artistry, seemingly rendered in the garden of Eden.
Traditional music and dance at their best. Ikeji celebration lived up to expectation for once in many years. And before long an endless sea of spectators was attracted to the Amukwa stand while in preliminary, setting-the’ scene theatrics. And during the main display at the Amaikpe arena proper, fascinated spectators, dazzled their appetites, their curiosity, their tastes and their Oliver Twist’s gluttony for more and more threatrical extravaganza. No wonder Amukwa won the second prize among the nineteen or so villages that featured.
Who, several months back, could have thought that sworn, bitter enemies, would have come out together, trained together, trouped out together, displayed together, and won together?
Overall, it was possible because the jury that made peace possible were committed, even-handed, selfless, impartial, just and fair; did not compromise, were not influenced, did not obstruct the course of justice. They did not take bribe, “awuuf” or “ngaari”. Or forgot themselves, carried away by the delicacy and deliciousness of “ngu efuru”. They did not speak tongue in the cheek. They did not. They upheld it. The Amukwa experience has shown that there is still a place for traditional justice system here in Arochukwu, Nigeria and elsewhere. For it is comparatively cheap, simple and uncomplicated-a straight forward procedure, and of comparatively very short duration.
These advantages over foreign crisis management systems were handy and applied successfully to Amukwa’s seemingly unfashionable method that effectively restored peace and unity which eluded them for about a decade. No surprise that their banner for their 2011 Ikeji Aro-Okeigbo
Festival contained Amukwa’s motto:
AMUKWA
UNITED VILLAGE
AROCHUKWU (HOME OF PEACE)
As the saying goes, To God be glory, Long Live Eze Ogo! Long Live Amukwa People. Long Live Effective Leadership! Long Live Effective Followership. Long Live Peace, Progress and prosperity.
Ohiaerinwa Ogbonnaya Okoro
Culture/tradition
Culture /tradition
TRADITIONAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: THE UGBO VILLAGE GOOD EXAMPLE
By Ohiaerinwa Ogbonnaya Okoro
Ugbo Village will continue to intrigue me. It is one of the villages that share boundaries with my village Amankwu. Both villages share a lot in common. They cooperate so much that it could be claimed our mutual relations are exemplary for other villages.
Ugbo has had her own fair share of ups and downs, twists and turns recurring crises. But thanks to the forces of good over evil, these are largely in the past perfect tense.
And the dividends of mutual understanding, mutual love, co-existence and cooperation are now taking charge to guarantee and promote law and order, peace and unity.
The new-found law, order, peace stability, unity and justice were put to test recently. More appropriately, the longstanding cordial relations between Amankwu and Ugbo Villages were put to test.
A certain Ugbo woman started it all; cast the first stone. Students of history and the social sciences often insist that economic determinism is the engine room, the propellers of numerous forces of history – reforms, revolutions reactionism, and repression and out-right wars.
Predominantly hard working farmers and peasants whose livelihood depends mainly on land, both villages and indeed other neighbouring villages depend heavily on the explortations and processing of oil palm fruits and other bye products. Novelist Wathre ngo Ngugi’s treatise on land applies to our Aro women’s affinity to land: “He owes it to the dead, the living and the unborn of his line to keep guard over the shamba”. [Land]
And so, each village compel their women farmers to guard against pilfering of their own oil palm fruits, especially before it is their own turn to harvest theirs. Amankwu, Amoba, Ugbo, Amukwa, for example, keep a weather eye on the oil palm bush when others harvest theirs before them. And for Amankwu women whose land is comparatively small, they jealously guard their farmland as other neighbouring villagers harvest theirs before them. And so when Amukwa women mere harvesting theirs, Ugbo women insistedly asked the professional harvesters not to harvest for Amankwu women whose turn it was, the short piece drama was relived “Trobulu dee sleep inyanga 800 weekan op”
The men ignored her. She did not relent. She allegedly reported the matter to the women leader who promptly used a town crier to order that no Ugbo should be involved in the Amankwu harvesting effort. That the Amankwu day of harvesting coincided with the marriage of the daughter of the women leader [Eze Nwanyi]
An Amankwu women resident in Ugbo ignored such order and organized some of the women to harvest Amankwu oil palm fruits. There are many version of what followed next. One of them reveals that because of the directive Amankwu efforts to harvest their oil palm fruits were sabotaged.
The Ugbo women cabinet fines for flouting their directive. The Amankwu women resident in Ugbo ignored their fines. She instead engages them in several traditional legal battles. She did not get satisfactory judgment she was forced to see the women leader and her cabinet at an all-Ugbo village traditional people’s court.
Their judgment:
1. The Amankwu village woman plaintiff was declared innocent wronged and her cause of action completely justified.
2. The Ugbo woman who started it all was found guilty; that Amankwu is an auto normal village community, and that the manager ceremony involving Ugbo women, had no business what sever in Amankwu’s harvest of their oil palm fruits.
3. That the women leader and her cabinet acted ultra veires by directing the Amankwu women should not harvest their oil palm fruits involved in a manage ceremony.
Based on the above, Ugbo Village ceremony in full assembly and in session, imposed fines upon the guilty as follows:
a. The Ugbo women who started it should pay Ngwa Isii.
b. The women leader was fined Ngwa Ato.
c. The women cabinet was fined Ngwa Ato.
d.
The women, in implementing the judgment of Ugbo Assembly had to pay Ngwa Isii to the professional harvesters boycotted harvesting for Ugbo women
The women who started it all had early in the crisis cursed and threatened the professional harvesters-that they would fall from various at palm trees. This curse or threat, in harvesting norms and practice, was abomination and a very dangerous action.
The Ugbo Assembly did not go to sleep after the judgment. They vowed to see their judgment executed; and to serve as a warning to other people while may want to outreach themselves.
From the foregoing, Ugbo Assembly, Ugbo people deserve accolades of praise, integrity, even-handed justice and good neighbourliness. Fearless, forth-right, selfless unbiased, Ugbo people have demonstrated and proved that Aro traditional judicial system and practice could be firm but fair, reliable and confidence building. The entire trial system lasted less than six hours-in one and only one single day. Above all, very brief and very cheap.
Another thing worthy of note was that about three Amankwu persons were at the proceeding. Amankwu people were not even officially informed.
The good example by Ugbo people is that Aro traditional judicial practice could administer universal and acceptable justice in brief record time cheap, minimally stressful. No aka azi no “wuruwuru”; no “harara-wuruwuru”, no “nagari”, no “awuufu” yes “passing six is not passing sense”.
In less fortunate neighbouring villages, warped minds would have hijacked and obstructed the course of justice, cutting corners and manipulating age-long practices-defending the indefensible.
Ohiaerinwa Ogbonnaya Okoro
TRADITIONAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: THE UGBO VILLAGE GOOD EXAMPLE
By Ohiaerinwa Ogbonnaya Okoro
Ugbo Village will continue to intrigue me. It is one of the villages that share boundaries with my village Amankwu. Both villages share a lot in common. They cooperate so much that it could be claimed our mutual relations are exemplary for other villages.
Ugbo has had her own fair share of ups and downs, twists and turns recurring crises. But thanks to the forces of good over evil, these are largely in the past perfect tense.
And the dividends of mutual understanding, mutual love, co-existence and cooperation are now taking charge to guarantee and promote law and order, peace and unity.
The new-found law, order, peace stability, unity and justice were put to test recently. More appropriately, the longstanding cordial relations between Amankwu and Ugbo Villages were put to test.
A certain Ugbo woman started it all; cast the first stone. Students of history and the social sciences often insist that economic determinism is the engine room, the propellers of numerous forces of history – reforms, revolutions reactionism, and repression and out-right wars.
Predominantly hard working farmers and peasants whose livelihood depends mainly on land, both villages and indeed other neighbouring villages depend heavily on the explortations and processing of oil palm fruits and other bye products. Novelist Wathre ngo Ngugi’s treatise on land applies to our Aro women’s affinity to land: “He owes it to the dead, the living and the unborn of his line to keep guard over the shamba”. [Land]
And so, each village compel their women farmers to guard against pilfering of their own oil palm fruits, especially before it is their own turn to harvest theirs. Amankwu, Amoba, Ugbo, Amukwa, for example, keep a weather eye on the oil palm bush when others harvest theirs before them. And for Amankwu women whose land is comparatively small, they jealously guard their farmland as other neighbouring villagers harvest theirs before them. And so when Amukwa women mere harvesting theirs, Ugbo women insistedly asked the professional harvesters not to harvest for Amankwu women whose turn it was, the short piece drama was relived “Trobulu dee sleep inyanga 800 weekan op”
The men ignored her. She did not relent. She allegedly reported the matter to the women leader who promptly used a town crier to order that no Ugbo should be involved in the Amankwu harvesting effort. That the Amankwu day of harvesting coincided with the marriage of the daughter of the women leader [Eze Nwanyi]
An Amankwu women resident in Ugbo ignored such order and organized some of the women to harvest Amankwu oil palm fruits. There are many version of what followed next. One of them reveals that because of the directive Amankwu efforts to harvest their oil palm fruits were sabotaged.
The Ugbo women cabinet fines for flouting their directive. The Amankwu women resident in Ugbo ignored their fines. She instead engages them in several traditional legal battles. She did not get satisfactory judgment she was forced to see the women leader and her cabinet at an all-Ugbo village traditional people’s court.
Their judgment:
1. The Amankwu village woman plaintiff was declared innocent wronged and her cause of action completely justified.
2. The Ugbo woman who started it all was found guilty; that Amankwu is an auto normal village community, and that the manager ceremony involving Ugbo women, had no business what sever in Amankwu’s harvest of their oil palm fruits.
3. That the women leader and her cabinet acted ultra veires by directing the Amankwu women should not harvest their oil palm fruits involved in a manage ceremony.
Based on the above, Ugbo Village ceremony in full assembly and in session, imposed fines upon the guilty as follows:
a. The Ugbo women who started it should pay Ngwa Isii.
b. The women leader was fined Ngwa Ato.
c. The women cabinet was fined Ngwa Ato.
d.
The women, in implementing the judgment of Ugbo Assembly had to pay Ngwa Isii to the professional harvesters boycotted harvesting for Ugbo women
The women who started it all had early in the crisis cursed and threatened the professional harvesters-that they would fall from various at palm trees. This curse or threat, in harvesting norms and practice, was abomination and a very dangerous action.
The Ugbo Assembly did not go to sleep after the judgment. They vowed to see their judgment executed; and to serve as a warning to other people while may want to outreach themselves.
From the foregoing, Ugbo Assembly, Ugbo people deserve accolades of praise, integrity, even-handed justice and good neighbourliness. Fearless, forth-right, selfless unbiased, Ugbo people have demonstrated and proved that Aro traditional judicial system and practice could be firm but fair, reliable and confidence building. The entire trial system lasted less than six hours-in one and only one single day. Above all, very brief and very cheap.
Another thing worthy of note was that about three Amankwu persons were at the proceeding. Amankwu people were not even officially informed.
The good example by Ugbo people is that Aro traditional judicial practice could administer universal and acceptable justice in brief record time cheap, minimally stressful. No aka azi no “wuruwuru”; no “harara-wuruwuru”, no “nagari”, no “awuufu” yes “passing six is not passing sense”.
In less fortunate neighbouring villages, warped minds would have hijacked and obstructed the course of justice, cutting corners and manipulating age-long practices-defending the indefensible.
Ohiaerinwa Ogbonnaya Okoro
A "cage" in a square?
VIEW PIONT
A ‘cage’ in a square?
By Onyema Harbor
AMAIKPE, a strategically located square in Obinkita village, Arochukwu, which Mazi Ohiaerinwa Ogbonnaya Okoro aptly describes as Historic Aro Square, stands out as Arochukwu’s most outstanding and significant assembly ground. It is in a class of its own. It houses the historic Nkume Amaikpe.
Located along the busy Amuvi, Arochukwu-Ohafia federal highway and opposite Arochukwu main Motor Park, Amaikpe plays host to very many important events in the ancient town. Its status range from been served as the apex judicial court of Arochukwu, to hosting the regular annual Ikeji, the new yam festival of Arochukwu people, to providing reception ground for many social and political events, including reception for eminent and distinguished local and national personalities, etc
Until recently Arochukwu women, under the auspices of Nzuko Arochukwu (Women Wing) constructed Skill Acquisition Centre near Arochukwu Central Market, Amaikpe hosted the women’s annual general assembly (Mass Rally). Besides, Amaikpe was the seat of Avia Nkwo (Nkwo Market) before it was relocated to Arochukwu Central Market. As at date, Amaikpe still enjoys regular sessions of daily evening market, even on Sundays.
The status and roles of Amaikpe, the historic and significant square, have changed with passage of time as circumstances dictated. Whatever the circumstances, however, it may be remote for its status, as arena for Eke-Ekpe, the peak of Ikeji Aro Okeigbo, the event in which the nineteen villages that make up Arochukwu Kingdom congregate to celebrate new yam in one accord, will also change. Though Amaikpe has the challenge of space made worse by land encroachment, yet it still serves its purpose and will continue to do so in the foreseeable future hence it continues to affect attention.
Amaikpe Square can rightly be described as an arena, amphitheater or mini-stadium, difference being that there no permanent tiers surrounding the central area, a situation which canopies standing over chairs in any event represent. The ‘Shagari House’ also serves as the State Box in Amaikpe Square.
As an arena of sort, Amaipke is designed to show-case theatre, cultural performance or other events that may occur. And the key feature is that the event space is such that will allow for maximum visibility. It is against this background that attention is focused on the refurbished ‘Shagari House’ being executed by the Transition Committee of Arochukwu local government led by Mr. Okafor Okoroaffia.
Before I proceed, let me foremost register my profound admiration for our friend, Mr. Okoroaffia, for the way he is running the affairs of Arochukwu LGA. One of his first tasks on assumption of duty in August was to tackle the issue of electricity in Arochukwu LGA. Though much effort had been put in my various interests to restore power to the LGA before his appointment, his concern over the issue immediately on assumption calls for commendation. And coming in immediately after the 2011 Ikeji celebration to improve on the facilities at Amaikpe, apparently in response to security challenges, also demands praise. Okoroaffia’s is the kind of leadership we need in our time, leadership that is responsive; that can initiate projects for the benefit of the people.
Be that as it may, and not withstanding the magnificence of the structure under discussion, it seems to me a cage. A cage according to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia dictionary is a “structure made of mesh, bars or wires used to confine, contain or protect something”. The re-furbished ‘Shagari House’ definitely fits this definition.
Amaikpe square has continued to enjoy transformation, from the building of the famous ‘Shagari House’ to the building of the podium by Arochukwu Youths Association, AYA, and now transformed ‘Shagari House’ to accommodate distinguished personalities to events that take place there.
But is the ‘cage’ the type of transformation Amaikpe deserves? One, lack of space poses a great problem at the square, and this is made worse by the space the ‘cage’ has taken.
The ‘House’ has defeated the essence of a podium as it almost shares a common wall with the podium. With the present position there is no way people seated inside of the ‘cage’ will see and appreciate whoever is standing on the podium and addressing the audience at the square.
Again, recall that Amaikpe had experienced and recorded stampedes during Ikeji festivals which led to scampering for dear lives. Should such incidents re-occur (we pray they don’t), the fate of personalities inside the enclosure can only be imagined.
The space the ‘cage’ occupies could as well been utilized to provide concrete tiers of seats at the same time provide befitting sitting region for dignitaries to accommodate a good number of spectators much more that the re-furbished ‘Shagari House’ is designed to accommodate.
Ikeji Aro-Okeigbo, we continue to emphasize, is a public event, marriage ceremonies and their like are also public events. So if Amaikpe’s key feature is to allow for maximum visibility of events that hold there, then the ‘cage’ makes nonsense of what a square represents
However, the project is not a waste after all. It could serve other purposes maximally but for the purpose of public events such as our Ikeji, no matter how well intentioned by its initiators, I think they missed the point.
A ‘cage’ in a square?
By Onyema Harbor
AMAIKPE, a strategically located square in Obinkita village, Arochukwu, which Mazi Ohiaerinwa Ogbonnaya Okoro aptly describes as Historic Aro Square, stands out as Arochukwu’s most outstanding and significant assembly ground. It is in a class of its own. It houses the historic Nkume Amaikpe.
Located along the busy Amuvi, Arochukwu-Ohafia federal highway and opposite Arochukwu main Motor Park, Amaikpe plays host to very many important events in the ancient town. Its status range from been served as the apex judicial court of Arochukwu, to hosting the regular annual Ikeji, the new yam festival of Arochukwu people, to providing reception ground for many social and political events, including reception for eminent and distinguished local and national personalities, etc
Until recently Arochukwu women, under the auspices of Nzuko Arochukwu (Women Wing) constructed Skill Acquisition Centre near Arochukwu Central Market, Amaikpe hosted the women’s annual general assembly (Mass Rally). Besides, Amaikpe was the seat of Avia Nkwo (Nkwo Market) before it was relocated to Arochukwu Central Market. As at date, Amaikpe still enjoys regular sessions of daily evening market, even on Sundays.
The status and roles of Amaikpe, the historic and significant square, have changed with passage of time as circumstances dictated. Whatever the circumstances, however, it may be remote for its status, as arena for Eke-Ekpe, the peak of Ikeji Aro Okeigbo, the event in which the nineteen villages that make up Arochukwu Kingdom congregate to celebrate new yam in one accord, will also change. Though Amaikpe has the challenge of space made worse by land encroachment, yet it still serves its purpose and will continue to do so in the foreseeable future hence it continues to affect attention.
Amaikpe Square can rightly be described as an arena, amphitheater or mini-stadium, difference being that there no permanent tiers surrounding the central area, a situation which canopies standing over chairs in any event represent. The ‘Shagari House’ also serves as the State Box in Amaikpe Square.
As an arena of sort, Amaipke is designed to show-case theatre, cultural performance or other events that may occur. And the key feature is that the event space is such that will allow for maximum visibility. It is against this background that attention is focused on the refurbished ‘Shagari House’ being executed by the Transition Committee of Arochukwu local government led by Mr. Okafor Okoroaffia.
Before I proceed, let me foremost register my profound admiration for our friend, Mr. Okoroaffia, for the way he is running the affairs of Arochukwu LGA. One of his first tasks on assumption of duty in August was to tackle the issue of electricity in Arochukwu LGA. Though much effort had been put in my various interests to restore power to the LGA before his appointment, his concern over the issue immediately on assumption calls for commendation. And coming in immediately after the 2011 Ikeji celebration to improve on the facilities at Amaikpe, apparently in response to security challenges, also demands praise. Okoroaffia’s is the kind of leadership we need in our time, leadership that is responsive; that can initiate projects for the benefit of the people.
Be that as it may, and not withstanding the magnificence of the structure under discussion, it seems to me a cage. A cage according to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia dictionary is a “structure made of mesh, bars or wires used to confine, contain or protect something”. The re-furbished ‘Shagari House’ definitely fits this definition.
Amaikpe square has continued to enjoy transformation, from the building of the famous ‘Shagari House’ to the building of the podium by Arochukwu Youths Association, AYA, and now transformed ‘Shagari House’ to accommodate distinguished personalities to events that take place there.
But is the ‘cage’ the type of transformation Amaikpe deserves? One, lack of space poses a great problem at the square, and this is made worse by the space the ‘cage’ has taken.
The ‘House’ has defeated the essence of a podium as it almost shares a common wall with the podium. With the present position there is no way people seated inside of the ‘cage’ will see and appreciate whoever is standing on the podium and addressing the audience at the square.
Again, recall that Amaikpe had experienced and recorded stampedes during Ikeji festivals which led to scampering for dear lives. Should such incidents re-occur (we pray they don’t), the fate of personalities inside the enclosure can only be imagined.
The space the ‘cage’ occupies could as well been utilized to provide concrete tiers of seats at the same time provide befitting sitting region for dignitaries to accommodate a good number of spectators much more that the re-furbished ‘Shagari House’ is designed to accommodate.
Ikeji Aro-Okeigbo, we continue to emphasize, is a public event, marriage ceremonies and their like are also public events. So if Amaikpe’s key feature is to allow for maximum visibility of events that hold there, then the ‘cage’ makes nonsense of what a square represents
However, the project is not a waste after all. It could serve other purposes maximally but for the purpose of public events such as our Ikeji, no matter how well intentioned by its initiators, I think they missed the point.
NEW YAM FESTIVAL IN IGBO LAND
NEW YAM FESTIVALS IN IGBO LAND;
IKEJI ARO-OKEIGBO: WHAT ARE WE REALLY CELEBRATING?
Unrealized by many, the kolanut is without question, the most truly and all-embracing Nigerian. It is cultivated by the Yoruba of the South West; munched by much of the entire North and celebrated by entire Igbo of the South-East.
Similarly, yam food crop is cultivated in much of Igbo land. It is also celebrated in the entire culture area. Except that one of the greatest celebrants, the Aro are not particularly ardent yam farmers even from the earliest times.
The Aro arguably are among the greatest traders of all time not only in Igbo land but also in what is today Nigeria. Their heroics in long distance trading, their organizational wizardry, the complex network of import and export trade, their skill and ease of opening up new markets in much of Igbo land, and the complex combinations of commercial and religious institutions to promote overall Aro national interests
But we Aro have not been alone in this ever increasing apathy and non commitment to the cultivation of yam. It has not been revolutionary though. Over time, however, like most tradition and cultural institutions and practices, non-Aro Igbo have surrendered very much to the dynamics of continuity and change.
Impact of foreign religions, modern education, urbanization, rural-urban migration, introduction of numerous foreign crops cultivated here in Igbo land and Nigeria, modern agricultural practice, introduction of more and more crops, high cost of cultivating yam crop, abandonment of farming in preference to white color or office jobs, comparative advantage other crops have over yam cultivation inputs vis –a vis modern inputs that promote mass predication, shortened maturation period, more and more mass predication of synthetic foodstuffs, etc, surplus from Bende have all conspired and combined to frustrate and sabotage cultivation of yam crop in Igbo land.
In addition, changes in social and cultural institutions, structures and practices such as polygamy giving way no monogamy, reduction in family size of children most of whom regularly attend school instead of work at the farms, multiplicity of numerous skills, job opportunities, development of towns, cities and mega cities, the phenomenon of a global village and mass movements of people to the forest parts of the world in search of opportunities and means of livelihood? New service and entertainment industries such as sports, football, music, film and home video mass appeal interest and the tourism industry, and the world of the ICT have all offered job opportunities taking away millions from farm land
The riots of competitions and alternatives against traditionally elite and popular yam could best be seen from within its close species siblings: the coco yam and the cassava and much less effectively, potato, maize and grains from up the non-Igbo savanna, beans, millet, guinea corn and rice.
The coco yam has traditionally supplemented the popular use of yam as a staple food crop. The cassava came much later, and has since taken over as the number one staple root crop in Igbo land. Cheap and the cultivation much less costly, cassava could be processed, used and served many varieties. Rice cultivation though very tasking, is popular and rewarding and rice meals are cheap, popular and command mass patronage. The effects of mass patronage of cassava and rice have very seriously diminishing the cultivation of yam in Igbo land. The demand for the crop as a staple has been pushed to the third position after cassava and rice in this order.
The overall effects of this development is that yam barns and other ancillary farm work associated with yam cultivation, have virtually disappeared as king-size yams from Benue, parts of Nasarawa states have flooded even the remotest markets in Igbo Land.
Based on the above, what are we Igbo, nay, Aro celebrating? Our kicking of the farming season with the age old traditional and customary “afa avo” ritual often performed in January which had long been abandoned hundred years ago? It is the “Izu” ceremony performed by a very negligible few among the Amadi class, barely noticeable? Is it the physical and stress, exhaustion and overall scarifies, injuries sustained throughout the farming season? Is it the non performance of the usual rituals at Inyama avia, ana ezi, ana ogo, etc, to ensure safety and fertility? What are we celebrating? What are we really celebrating?
Is it the importation of repeated violence, an anathema to the spirit of the festival? Is decorating over various town and village squares with gorge cloth and ‘Omu’ Aro cloths? At times in worn-out jeans “T” shirts and polos celebrating Ikeji?
Wait a minute! One or two consolation justifications for hypocritically celebrating Ikeji Aro-Okeigbo: a tolerable number of returnees for village. Aro communal development, crisis management etc meetings; and the company of friends and business associates.
IKEJI ARO-OKEIGBO: WHAT ARE WE REALLY CELEBRATING?
Unrealized by many, the kolanut is without question, the most truly and all-embracing Nigerian. It is cultivated by the Yoruba of the South West; munched by much of the entire North and celebrated by entire Igbo of the South-East.
Similarly, yam food crop is cultivated in much of Igbo land. It is also celebrated in the entire culture area. Except that one of the greatest celebrants, the Aro are not particularly ardent yam farmers even from the earliest times.
The Aro arguably are among the greatest traders of all time not only in Igbo land but also in what is today Nigeria. Their heroics in long distance trading, their organizational wizardry, the complex network of import and export trade, their skill and ease of opening up new markets in much of Igbo land, and the complex combinations of commercial and religious institutions to promote overall Aro national interests
But we Aro have not been alone in this ever increasing apathy and non commitment to the cultivation of yam. It has not been revolutionary though. Over time, however, like most tradition and cultural institutions and practices, non-Aro Igbo have surrendered very much to the dynamics of continuity and change.
Impact of foreign religions, modern education, urbanization, rural-urban migration, introduction of numerous foreign crops cultivated here in Igbo land and Nigeria, modern agricultural practice, introduction of more and more crops, high cost of cultivating yam crop, abandonment of farming in preference to white color or office jobs, comparative advantage other crops have over yam cultivation inputs vis –a vis modern inputs that promote mass predication, shortened maturation period, more and more mass predication of synthetic foodstuffs, etc, surplus from Bende have all conspired and combined to frustrate and sabotage cultivation of yam crop in Igbo land.
In addition, changes in social and cultural institutions, structures and practices such as polygamy giving way no monogamy, reduction in family size of children most of whom regularly attend school instead of work at the farms, multiplicity of numerous skills, job opportunities, development of towns, cities and mega cities, the phenomenon of a global village and mass movements of people to the forest parts of the world in search of opportunities and means of livelihood? New service and entertainment industries such as sports, football, music, film and home video mass appeal interest and the tourism industry, and the world of the ICT have all offered job opportunities taking away millions from farm land
The riots of competitions and alternatives against traditionally elite and popular yam could best be seen from within its close species siblings: the coco yam and the cassava and much less effectively, potato, maize and grains from up the non-Igbo savanna, beans, millet, guinea corn and rice.
The coco yam has traditionally supplemented the popular use of yam as a staple food crop. The cassava came much later, and has since taken over as the number one staple root crop in Igbo land. Cheap and the cultivation much less costly, cassava could be processed, used and served many varieties. Rice cultivation though very tasking, is popular and rewarding and rice meals are cheap, popular and command mass patronage. The effects of mass patronage of cassava and rice have very seriously diminishing the cultivation of yam in Igbo land. The demand for the crop as a staple has been pushed to the third position after cassava and rice in this order.
The overall effects of this development is that yam barns and other ancillary farm work associated with yam cultivation, have virtually disappeared as king-size yams from Benue, parts of Nasarawa states have flooded even the remotest markets in Igbo Land.
Based on the above, what are we Igbo, nay, Aro celebrating? Our kicking of the farming season with the age old traditional and customary “afa avo” ritual often performed in January which had long been abandoned hundred years ago? It is the “Izu” ceremony performed by a very negligible few among the Amadi class, barely noticeable? Is it the physical and stress, exhaustion and overall scarifies, injuries sustained throughout the farming season? Is it the non performance of the usual rituals at Inyama avia, ana ezi, ana ogo, etc, to ensure safety and fertility? What are we celebrating? What are we really celebrating?
Is it the importation of repeated violence, an anathema to the spirit of the festival? Is decorating over various town and village squares with gorge cloth and ‘Omu’ Aro cloths? At times in worn-out jeans “T” shirts and polos celebrating Ikeji?
Wait a minute! One or two consolation justifications for hypocritically celebrating Ikeji Aro-Okeigbo: a tolerable number of returnees for village. Aro communal development, crisis management etc meetings; and the company of friends and business associates.
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