Asagba: Prof. Joseph Chike Edozien His Thoughts, Words, Vision

ASAGBA

His Royal Majesty

Prof. Joseph Chike Edozien CFR

Asagba of Asaba

His Thoughts, Words, Vision

Ifeoha Azikiwe

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Published by AuthorHouse 08/06/2015

ISBN: 978-1-5049-2560-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5049-2561-7 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5049-2559-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015912293

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Contents

Dedication

Acknowledgements

Foreword

Preface

Introduction

Prologue

Chapter One

Ahaba Origin And Historical Perspectives

Chapter Two

Leadership Structure And Institutions

Chapter Three

The Revered Asagba Throne

Chapter Four

Edozien: The Making Of A King

Chapter Five

An Icon Of All Ages

Chapter Six

Inside The Palace Of Ahaba Monarch

Chapter Seven

The Kolanut Saga,1994

Chapter Eight

Reformation Of Asaba Traditional Rites

Chapter Nine

A Day In The Life Of Asagba J. C. Edozien

Chapter Ten

Carnage At Dawn: Echoes Of October 1967

Chapter Eleven

Edozien: The Nigeria Of My Dream

Chapter Twelve

Asagba And The Quest For Anioma State

Chapter Thirteen

Twelve Years Of FUNAAB Chancellorship

Chapter Fourteen

Asagba In The Eyes Of The Nigerian Press

Chapter Fifteen

Challenges Of Asaba Land Reforms

Chapter Sixteen

90 Ninety Years On: The Peoples Verdict

Chapter Seventeen

Harmonising Resources For Development

Chapter Eighteen

Family Tributes

Appendix

Glossary

Author

IFEOHA AZIKIWE

[email protected]

+234 806 539 4892, +234 807 998 0135, +234 902 137 7133

Cover concept, design and illustration by

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Abuja, Nigeria 08079980135

Foreword by

His Excellency

General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida GCFR

Dike Doziani of Ahaba

President, Commander-in-Chief

Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1985-1993

Edited By

Professor Epiphany Azinge

Former Director General

Nigeria Institute of Advance Legal Studies, Abuja

Dedication

T his book is dedicated to all Asaba sons and daughters who were massacred in cold blood during the unprovoked pogrom perpetrated by the Nigerian army on October 7, 1967 and thereafter. May they continue to rest peacefully in the bosom of the Lord. Amen.

Acknowledgements

P ackaging the biography of a living legend is predicated on a number of variables: confidence and recognition of your intellectual aptitude to deliver but most importantly, availability and management of materials. In all of these, and at every stage of this project, I found a number of resource persons willing to participate. It is only natural that such vital links are sincerely appreciated. First and foremost is the main personage without whom this whole idea would have been a nullity. For this reason, I am highly indebted to His Royal Majesty, Professor Joseph Chike Edozien CFR, Asagba of Ahaba, for finding me the worthy and proper person to write his biography, and for making his precious time available for lengthy interview and discussion sessions. I feel greatly honoured.

As we say in Igboland, A man does not reach the tree top by miracle, he must have climbed through the tree trunk or aided by a twig anchored on its branches. So, there was a link to the Asagba’s palace. And for that matter, credit goes to Professor Epiphany Azinge for providing this crucial link, resilient and staunch.

Quite a number of Ahaba titled chiefs made themselves available to me appropriately for interviews on their specific roles and responsibilities as members of Asagba’s ruling class. Prominent among them is Ogbueshi Dr. Patrick Isioma Goodluck Onyeobi, retired Secretary to Government and Head of Service of the defunct Bendel State, and the traditional Prime Minister of Ahaba. Others include Ogbueshi Ubaka Attoh, Onihe of Ahaba Kingdom, and Asagba’s closest confidant, and Obi Nduka Ogochukwu, a red-cap chief, an Eze in the long list of Ahaba traditional titles. Nothing could be more valuable to me than the depth of information they provided. I appreciate them all.

Ahaba has a leadership structure that makes historical facts and figures readily accessible at all levels of local administration. I was amazed at the quantum of records kept by aged heads of the five quarters that make up Ahaba Kingdom. They are known as the Okpala-Ukwu of their respective quarters. My first contact in this category of interviewees, conducted in order of ancestral seniority, not on individual age, was Ogbueshi Patrick Chris Ikemefuna, the Okpala-Ukwu of Umuezei, (Ezenei) first son of Onne and direct son of Nnebuisi, the primogenitor of the children of this historical town, AHABA.

Coming next are Ogbueshi Ngozi Nwajei (Ochendo), Diokpa of Ugbomanata, Ogbueshi Francis Tolue Awele, Okpala-Ukwu of Umuagu, Ogbueshi Emmanuel Chike Enyenabo, Okpala-Ukwu of Umuaji and 95-year Ogbueshi Sunday Joseph Okolo, Okpala-Ukwu of Umuonaje, the oldest of them all. All of them willingly volunteered invaluable information on Ahaba history and tradition. Their contributions simplified my research work.

The list is long but nothing could be considered to be too much in appreciation of those who spent their time in support of a worthy course, not least, the biography of an icon, Professor J.C. Edozien, Asagba Ahaba. After all, a highly placed traditional chief of the town bluntly refused to talk. Fortunately, his unguarded silence did not stop this book from going to press. Therefore, I will equally take some time and space to record, for posterity and with thanks, all those who in one way or the other contributed to the success of this project. Among them are Chief Benedict Chukwunweike Obienwe, a man who has spent 57 out of his 86 years on earth in the service of past and present Asagbas of Ahaba. He has become an encyclopaedia, and repository of palace records. He gave me a lead to many subjects.

Ahaba is blessed with a good number of intellectuals whose past works also provide handy information on a wide range of topics, concerning the beliefs, traditional norms, chieftaincy and customary practices of this great Kingdom, Ahaba Ibokwe. They include octogenarian Chief John Iloba, Olikeze of Ahaba, who doubles as secretary to the Asagba-in-Council, and member of the Adversary Council to Ahaba community. He is the author of the book, Awareness is the springboard of life. I learnt from his book that Isaac Spencer, a Sierra Leonean Catechist of the Church Missionary Society (CMS), wrote the first documented history of Ahaba as far back as 1879.

In his own right, Ogbueshi Augustine Ndili, a reputable author of many books has done much to preserve Ahaba history in one of his works, Guide to customs, traditions and beliefs of Asaba people, which I found abundantly useful. Also, Dr. D.N Maduemezia’s book Omenani Ahaba, is rich in the core values of Ahaba tradition. I learnt quite a lot from him, especially his ability to draw metaphysical analogies to Ahaba traditional norms. Most striking of them all is, well not really a book in the strict sense, but a pamphlet on The unwritten constitution and standing orders of Asaba, which the author, Dr. J. B. Azinge tags A modern trado-democracy for Nigeria.

The first unprovoked massacre of innocent, and defenceless civilians by trigger-hungry federal troops at the early stages of Nigeria’s unforgettable genocide war against Ndigbo happened in Ahaba land on October 7, 1967. Here, Ogbueshi Emma Okocha’s book, Blood on the Niger came handy as a reference point. It provided backup information for Chapter 10 of this title. With all these, I had more than enough to uplift the book from just the biography of the Asagba of Asaba, to more or less a documentary.

Ahaba people who witnessed the pogrom of 1967 and a repeat of 1968, are always eager to discuss it at the least provocation. This is because of the indelible impact it has, not only on the psyche of indigenes till date, but for the fact that there is virtually any family in Ahaba that was not afflicted. Lucky enough, I was part of the October 2014 remembrance day in Asaba where I encountered a number of eye witnesses of that malicious atrocity.

For instance, young Andrew Ejoh, joined the retreating Biafran soldiers, fought on the Biafran side, only to discover at the end of the war that his father and grandfather were eliminated by the federal troops, as if it was meant to teach him a hard lesson. He made eloquent contributions, so also did 87-year Ogbueshi Kaashienwanne Umunna, who joined the Nigerian police service before the war but was forced back to Asaba. He witnessed it all. Others such as Chief Stanley Ike Amuwa, the Eze Ugbo Ayuwe of Ahaba, and Ogbueshi Patrick Ndili, also a veteran of the civil war spoke their minds.

My fervent thanks go to the palace staff, who dutifully coordinated my activities in Ahaba. Amongst them are Ogbueshi Patrick Ndili, Administrative Secretary, Ogbueshi Anthony Madukachukwuiwe Egbuiwe, Director of Protocol, Felix Kanayo Iyeh, Personal Assistant to His Royal Majesty, and Iyke Onyetenu, Community Relations Officer.

Several personalities and non-indigenes of Asaba also paid glowing tributes to Asagba on his 90th birthday anniversary and 24 years on the throne that cannot be wished away. In this regard, I sincerely appreciate the input of Dr. Leo Osagie Erhunmsee, Chief Medical Director (CMD), Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Ahaba, retired Commissioner of Police, Ikechukwu Ayodele Aduba and Rear Admiral Ndidi Patrick Agholor, Commandant, National Defence College (NDC), Abuja. Chris Onyemenam, D General, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and Dr. Eugene Juwah, Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) deserve special mention in this book. They provided the logistics at the most critical time to facilitate this project.

His Royal Majesty, Agbogidi Obi Victor Chukwumaleze, the Obi of Onicha-Ugbo, led a team of traditional rulers to Asagba’s annual Iwaji festival on September 13, 2014. They came to honour the man they regard, not only as their father but who provides a resistant umbrella for them, under the auspices of the Anioma Congress. He explains what Asagba Professor Edozien means to them as their mentor. And on behalf of the Yoruba community resident in Asaba, Alhaji Lawal Amos contributed meaningfully to expand the scope of this book. I sincerely express my gratitude to them.

I am equally grateful to the Edoziens, Professor Emmanuel Chukwuma Edozien, Dr. Francis Edozien, Mrs. Theodora Okechukwu, Chief John Edozien and Mrs. Eugenia Spiropolos for sharing the memories of their lives at childhood under the leadership of Asagba as their father’s surviving eldest son and big brother.

Professor Joseph Chike Edozien has five children, having lost one, Magaret, at her tender age. (May her soul rest in peace. Amen). In their tributes to Daddy at 90, each of them, Joseph, Tony, Valerie, Louis and Frances, presented views, which depict various degree of passion, emotion, love and affection. In fact, the piece Okpala Joseph Edozien wrote, was adopted as prologue to the book.

In all, our elders say, Chukwu na eke olu wa na-eje. It is the Almighty God that schedules every assignment. Were it not for his divine mercies, our efforts as human would amount to nothing. Therefore, may his wonderful name continue to be glorified for making this project a huge success.

Foreword

T he life and times of Asagba Professor Joseph Chike Edozien is comparable only to the memories of Theodore Roosevelt, who served as the 26th President of the United States of America. Roosevelt is celebrated for his exuberant personality and achievements. But they had some remarkable differences. Roosevelt succeeded in arts and humanities as a politician, author, naturalist, soldier, explorer, and historian; Edozien majored in science and medicine. Nature could be said to be cruel to Roosevelt because he died at his youthful age of 61 years. But death is divine, and no one dies before his old age. On the contrary, we celebrate Asagba’s greatness at 90. However, Roosevelt left a word on marble that aptly applies to the exemplary life of Professor Edozien, the Asagba of Asaba.

In the words of Roosevelt, Old age is like everything else. To make a success of it, you’ve got to start young. This was the dictum that played out in the life of Asagba Chike Edozien. Similarly, an African maxim says, The fire wood that a man gathers in the morning gives him warmth at night. Asagba started young, and gathered as much as he could, not too much in wealth, but in knowledge, versatility, friendship and goodwill that has kept him going all through life, the result of which we celebrate today.

Asagba is a great and accomplished personality. In writing the foreword to his biography, I remember such other great men as Mahatma Gandi, Mao Zedong, Martin Lurther King, Joseph Stalin, Kwame Nkrumah, and our own Nnamdi Azikiwe and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, to mention but a few - great men whose ideas ruled the world, and impacted positively on mankind. Although not in their realm as Presidents, but as an academia and traditional ruler, Edozien has, so far, left indelible footprints on the sands of time.

I am highly motivated to be part of Asagba’s biography because of my sentimental attachment to Professor Edozien as a bosom friend, and the people of Asaba as my in-laws. Needless to mention here, that my wife Maryam of blessed memory was a native of this great Kingdom.

She was the daughter of Chief Leonard Nwanonye Okogwu of Ogbeogo in Umuonaje quarters, therefore, a direct descendant of Nnebuisi the ancestral father of Asaba. And from that relationship, we were blessed with four children, two boys and two girls. We kept faith with our matrimonial vows until the Almighty God did His Will.

I am glad that in spite of this monumental loss, the Asagba and people of Asaba have remained faithful in our close companionship. I am aware that a major street in Asaba is named after my late wife in recognition of her contribution to the community and as an illustrious daughter of the soil.

Besides, in 2005, His Royal Majesty, Asagba Professor Edozien honoured me with the highly dignified traditional chieftaincy title of Dike Doziani of Ahaba Kingdom. These gestures give me absolute sense of belonging in a community that I still feel I owe some measure of reciprocity.

As the President of this great nation, my Administration had to do what was necessary to ensure a balance in the geopolitical equation at both the federal and state levels. This led to the creation of additional states in 1991, of which Delta State is one. Incidentally, Asaba was chosen as the state capital in conformity with its historical antecedents as once the administrative capital of Nigeria, even before the amalgamation of 1914, than any other extraneous consideration, as was being erroneously insinuated.

The personality of the Asagba of Asaba is one that no one could easily gloss over in a sentence. He is one of the early Nigerians who challenged the unknown to travel by sea to Europe, a journey that could last for an upward of three months, in search of greener pastures.

His adventure rightly paid off, and he returned to Nigeria with a bag of degrees from the world of academics. I am aware that Edozien is one of the most prominent doctors this nation has ever produced. This was exhibited when he took up the challenge as the first African Dean of the College of Medicine at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, 1962.

There is no other yardstick to measure a man’s act of patriotism as shown by the exemplary life of Professor Edozien. He is completely detribalized, and devoid of phobia in a multi-ethnic society like Nigeria. With no iota of suspicion, Asagba, at a point in his life, had Nigerians from virtually the six geopolitical zones as personal and domestic staff. Well, of course, I wouldn’t like to overstretch the fact that as an Igbo man, he has married not just to a Yoruba woman, but one with royalty flowing in her blood.

Here is a man who denounced the comfort of the academic environment, and the allure of American society to pick up leadership role as a traditional ruler. I have flipped through his biography and discovered that the author has much to project the ideals and virtues that moulded the character and personality of the young Edozien, from cradle to his current status as a nonagenarian. It is all summed up in his Thoughts, Words and Vision, as this volume was appropriately captioned. It is a book for those who seek knowledge, and for that matter, a title for every bookshelf.

Ninety years on earth calls for celebration, and it is only natural that I use this medium to congratulate our erudite Professor and Royal Father, and wish him many more years ahead. May the Almighty Allah grant him the peace of mind to lead, and the wisdom to judge, as we look forward to continued peace and progress of his Kingdom.

GEN. IBRAHIM B BABANGIDA, GCFR

President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces

Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1985-1993

Minna, Niger State, July 2015

Preface

T he Asagba of Asaba, His Royal Majesty Professor Joseph Chike Edozien, is no doubt, a personification of the institution he represents. You cannot effectively discuss Asagba without Asaba, neither can you talk about Asaba without Asagba. That is absolutely what his biography is all about. This on its own, makes the assignment more challenging, even to the most discerning biographer. To him as an intellectual, meticulous, and a man of high standards, you must be careful about your language and choice of words. As a traditional ruler, you must maintain enough discipline in order not to offend the sensibilities of his subjects. That notwithstanding, it has been a worthy experience for me working on this project. It gave me an in-depth knowledge of Asaba, a town I dreaded most until the age of reasoning.

I became scared of Asaba, not for any other reason than the sad experience I had, visiting the town for the first time at childhood. As a boy of eight, I accompanied my mother on one of her trips to Asaba and Onitsha markets. My curiosity was to see the magnificent River Niger. It is a distance of approximately 30 kilometres from my home town, Igbodo but which could take an upward of two hours because of the type of vehicles used, the narrow and winding nature of our roads in those good old days, and the fact that drivers made frequent stops in every town. That was in 1964, I remember vividly. Then, I was still in the elementary school.

My father was deeply angry that Mama took me, a boy for that matter, to a distant market without his permission. Besides, we came back pretty late and behold, my father was waiting at the door with his cudgel properly positioned to smirch. My mother and I had the beating of our lives that night. It was an incident that almost led to divorce but for the quick intervention of both families. From that moment, the joy, the happiness of crossing the grand Niger River, turned to sorrow and grief. But one thing was clear, the beating strengthen my memory of that escapade, which today remains an invaluable asset.

I still remember with nostalgia, how we crossed from Asaba to Onitsha in a ferry popularly known as Ericho then, and the picturesque and serene view of the prestigious Niger Bridge and its shadows, cast on the background of the swift flowing mass of water. Though still under construction at the time of our visit, it was conspicuous from the pontoon that used to ferry men and material across the Niger. After the beating incident, I dreaded any mention of the word, Asaba. It was not until adolescence that I eventually conquered that phobia. And here I am today, writing on the same town I feared with rage.

His Royal Majesty, Joseph Chike Edozien, became a professor when I was a toddler; therefore, too young to appreciate the worth of a professor. By the time I became a teenager, he had long relocated to the United States of America for greener pastures, a move facilitated by the unpleasant incident of the Nigerian civil war. Yes, other professors emerged later, Professor Chike Onwuachi from neighbouring Igbuzo (Ibusa) and Professor Emmanuel Osamor of Ogwashi-Uku. Now, Asaba can conservatively boast of at least 20 professors, retired or still in service.

My first direct contact with HRM Asagba of Asaba was in 2005, in our days at the ECOWAS Mission in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. On one of our retreats, I had the privilege to know in advance from my boss, Ambassador Raph Uwechue, that one of the personalities we were scheduled to visit on arrival in Nigeria was Professor Chike Edozien. And characteristic of him, Raph asked, Do you know him? Yes, Your Excellency, I replied, but not at very close range. I equally reminded him that His Royal Majesty was at his 70th birthday celebration held on May 23, 2005, at Ogwashi-Uku.

There and then, he opened up on their relationship. Edozien was already a senior lecturer at the University of Ibadan when Raph enrolled to read history at the same institution. Not only that, he narrated the role they played together in Paris, France, during the Nigerian civil war that influenced international opinion and drew sympathy to the Biafran course in Europe generally and particularly from their host country, France.

Right in my heart, the excitement kept burning that I was going to step into the Palace of the Asagba of Asaba for the first time in life. But for what purpose, my boss would not disclose until we arrived Abuja. It was then he told me that Asagba was going to celebrate his 80th birthday and that he was one of those His Royal Majesty had picked to confer with chieftaincy titles in commemoration of the anniversary, and in appreciation of his contributions to humanity. The ceremony was a little over a week ahead.

What do you think we can do? My boss asked me. Your Excellency, based on your long cordial relationship, we could take full-page advert in one or two national dailies to congratulate him, I replied, apart from the usual traditional homage to a King. At least, we need to reciprocate his kind gesture of having to grace your 70th birthday anniversary with his royal presence barely two months earlier.

Excellent idea, so get on to work, he responded. By the next morning, the camera-ready artwork was presented to him in hard and soft copies. Ours, was duty with military precision and he needed not to remind you of it. So, we packaged and sent the materials to two newspapers before we departed Abuja to Delta State.

The next day, my boss was at the Asagba’s palace to announce his safe arrival to His Royal Majesty, and to find out details of the anniversary preparations. The entourage was a very moderate one but I was the only one that accompanied him to the inner chambers of the palace, where the Asagba received him. After the usual greetings, and exchange of pleasantries, Uncle Raph introduced me, and thereafter I received a royal handshake from the legendary Asagba of Asaba, a professor who descended from the ivory towers to seat on the coveted stool to protect the interest of his people. I was pleased, therefore, took my bow to enable them discuss more intimately.

On Saturday, we came to the palace for the event proper, celebration of Asagba’s 80th birthday and conferment of chieftaincy titles on Ambassador Raph Uwechue and two others as part of activities slated for the day. Uwechue was honoured with the rare traditional title, Ochudo (Peacemaker) of Ahaba Kingdom. Other recipients include Sir Nath Okechukwu, Chairman, Inter-Bau Construction Company. He was conferred with the title, Eziafa (Good name) of Ahaba. The former long-time Military Governor of Bendel State, General Jeremiah Timbut Useni was decorated as the Omeloha (Benefactor of mankind) of Asaba.

The ceremony was more of a carnival. It attracted the creame de la creame of the Nigerian society. But one unfortunate incident happened; I lost a very precious handset to the mammoth crowd. However, the pain did not last long as my boss promptly replaced it way back in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. That was my vintage boss, Raph Uwechue of blessed memory.

Sometime in 2012, I went to visit Professor Epiphany Azinge, then Director General of the Nigeria Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) in his office with a request for an interview on the evolution of the Nigerian judiciary. It was to beef up a chapter in my new book, Nigeria: Echoes of a century, 1914-2014, then in the making. And I gave him a copy of my earlier title, Africa: Conflict Resolution and International Diplomacy.

He was exited, and bought the copy off my hands in admiration. It was in the course of our discussion that this project came up. He told me he would be grateful if I could do the biography of His Royal Majesty, the Asagba of Asaba, as he was fast approaching 90 years of age, therefore, should be celebrated as an intellectual. He promised to drive the project in appreciation of Edozien’s exemplary leadership, and the wonderful reforms he had introduced in Asaba. And I said, why not, with all pleasure. The result is the copy of his biography in our hands today.

Our first meeting with His Royal Majesty, effectively to discuss the project was on Sunday, August 10, 2014. Professor Azinge and I were received in the inner chamber of the palace. And I sat on the same seat I was ushered into on my first visit to the Palace in 2005. He flipped through my earlier titles, and thereafter, we discussed the general principles of his biography. From thence, work began in earnest. And for the next three months I was in Asaba, conducting interviews, and gathering materials, aided by a letter of introduction duly signed by His Majesty, addressed to whom it may concern.

My long stay in Asaba was deliberate. It was the period of the annual festivals and traditional ceremonies. Within the period, I had the opportunity to speak with a cross-section of Ahaba community, most importantly, the Okpala-Ukus, Olinzeles and other categories of chiefs.

At that time, all burial activities had stopped until after the last in the series, Iwaji Eke or Ine festival, which was held on October 13, 2014. By the time the festival ended, I realised I had more than enough information required to write Asagba’s memoirs. It was now more of a documentary on Ahaba Kingdom than the biography of an icon. In any case, the distinction is too narrow to observe. As the custodian of the people’s culture, customs and tradition, Asagba is a reflection of the entity he administers as a traditional ruler.

Within the period, I witnessed how the Asagba manages his crowded daily programmes and wondered how he copes at his age. At 90, he still speaks eloquently, unimpaired by senility, speech distortion, and euphemism characteristic of nonagenarians. He moves around without a walking stick, and does not even want to be assisted by anyone. He stands erect to take group photographs with his guests. It is unbelievable how much strength he still has at his age, and as one of his guests, Rear Admiral Ndidi Patrick Agholor told me, It is an evidence of good living and divine providence. Not many nonagenarians could still walk straight unaided.

The next, and for that matter, the last item on my agenda, was to hear from the horses mouth to confirm or deny the much people had said of him. From the outset, we agreed that the interview should be spaced out to avoid too much pressure. But to my greatest surprise, our first session lasted for almost three hours. We covered a lot of grounds, except those areas he felt reluctant to discuss immediately.

I conceded that it was absolutely his right to comment or withhold his views on any issue he felt would not make a difference in his biography. But at every stage of our discussion, he had something new to add. Our next session came much later.

I was amazed at his level of mental alertness and astute disposition. We discussed his life and times from cradle, his student life in Ireland and work experiences in the United Kingdom (UK), the United States of America (USA) and sojourn in the Southern American countries of Peru, Bolivia, Brazil and others. And most painfully as he puts it, we discussed his role during the Nigerian civil war, how he escape to France and its impact on his life.

We touched on a wide range of domestic, local, national and global issues, and for the first time in my life, I saw a man full of pity and regrets for his fatherland at old age. At his age, Asagba has no inhibition whatsoever, saying it as it is,