Emeka Esogbue

DR. NNAMDI AZIKIWE HAD IBUSA, ASABA AND IGBANKE BLOOD IN HIM By Emeka Esogbue It may sound surprising to know but it is true that the Owelle of Onitsha and Nigeria's first President, the Rt. Hon Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe shares line of ancestral descent with the people of Ibusa, Asaba and Igbanke in Edo State by maternal lineage. In fact, the mothers of two Obis (Kings) that ruled Onicha Ado n'Idu (Onitsha), an Anioma community which was the late Owelle's homestead were from Ibusa and Igbanke. The mother of Obi Ijelekpe who was the twelfth Obi of Onitsha was an Ibusa woman while the mother of Obi Udogwu, the thirteenth Obi of Onitsha that actually succeeded Obi Ijelekpe, the Ibusa people's in-law hailed from Igbanke. On the other hand, Nwabunkie who was born about 1880 was to marry Obi Okoye of Asaba. Now, here's the connection: Zik's mother hailed from Ogboli Eke and she could trace her ancestry from six kings of Onitsha, two of whom I have mentioned

Tinie Tempah: UK's Biggest Rapper Of Today Is An Anioma Son From Asaba By Emeka Esogbue  There seems no end to the blessings naturally enjoyed by the Anioma people of Nigeria in nearly every human endeavour. This is Tinie Tempah. Making waves and breaking chats in the Diaspora, Tinie seems UK's biggest rapper of today winning and sweeping over nearly all the Nigerian and international awards available to musicians. Among these awards are Brits Award, Nigeria Entertainment Awards, BET Awards for the Best International Act among several others. Added to these are his four nominations in MOBO. Born in South London, Tinnie was in his Nigerian homeland for the first time to perform in his first ever show in this country where he was watched by thousands of his fans including those who followed him down from the UK. The event recorded one of the biggest musical shows in Nigeria and this was in 2003. Great guy with great charm, Tinie is a crowd puller any day who

THE UNIQUE WRITING STYLES OF THE YORUBAS, BENIN AND ANIOMA COMMUNITY OF IBUSA By Emeka Esogbue (Pen Master) Some Nigerian societies enjoy distinct locutions in English language yet the word remain the same. These unique spellings are usually reflective in the forenames or family names, items or places of these people. Telling the etymologies of these words is a difficult task but we know that while the change was a gradual occurrence in some of these societies, conscious efforts were made in some of these societies to adopt the change as noted among the Yorubas. For the Yorubas, it was a conscious effort of scholars then others followed while for the Anioma community of Ibusa, no one can tell its origin. Among the Yorubas, 'Shade' is 'Sade' yet the same 'sh' is retained in the name, 'Folashade' from which the 'Sade' is derived. 'Funsho' is 'Funso'. 'Orise' is something a layman would hurriedly pronounce as