ABOUT EMEKA ESOGBUE

ABOUT EMEKA ESOGBUE 

Emeka Esogbue has been working as Research Editor of Anioma Essence Magazine, a publication of the Organization For the Advancement of Culture (OFAAC) since 2008. He was an undergraduate and postgraduate student at the Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos, Nigeria from where he received his B.A. (Hons) in History and International Studies and M. A. in History and Diplomacy. He is an intellectual historian, writer, researcher and Anioma Advocate.

His areas of research include history of Anioma communities and pre-literate and literate history of the Anioma people, history of Igbo with particular reference to Isu and Nri, colonialism in Nigeria, study of traditional institutions, war and diplomacy in Anioma and biographies of living and deceased persons. He is currently completing research on “Ekumeku and Resistance to Colonialism: Aspect of History of Anioma”, with special emphasis on the response to imperialism; social and economic development, Christianity in Anioma, realization, formation and development of Anioma entity and development of their civilization.  

Emeka Esogbue rose from the position of the former Associate Editor to Research Editor of Anioma Essence. He was the contributor with Gold Fad, an Ondo State-based Magazine, Omania Magazine, a Lagos based magazine and currently works as contributor with several newspapers and magazines which include Integrity Watch, an American-based Magazine also published in Nigeria and Anioma Trust, an Asaba-based newspaper published by Wilink’s Publishers. He is also the Associate Editor of Homage Magazine and was the pioneering Editor-in-Chief of Agogo Ibusa, a publication of the Ibusa Community Development Union of the Ibusa people.

As a historian, journalist and writer, Emeka Esogbue has published extensively, over 500 scholarly articles and popular essays on aspects of Anioma people with their surrounding neighbours. These articles are published in newspapers, magazines and journals while some of them are variously published online by different bloggers and websites.

Emeka Esogbue is an active participant in groups, conferences and events geared to the innovative development of ideas and blueprint for Ibusa, Anioma and their society at large. He is thus a regular attendee of conferences of the Anioma people.

He was between 2013 and 2017 the Chairman of the Selection Committee of Anioma Trust’s Anioma Personality of the Year which b popular votes from the Anioma people awarded Arc Kester Ifeadi, Dr Awele Nwabuokei, HRM Dr. Martha Dunkwu, the Omu of Okpanam/Anioma and Chief Mrs. Juliet Olejeme the Anioma Personalities of the Year at different times within the stated period.

In 2012, Esogbue was appointed the Public Relations Manager by the organizers of Nwada Anioma Cultural pageant and in 2016, Public Relations Officer of Miss Teen Anioma to which he belongs. The last of Miss Teen Anioma which held at the residence of Prince Ned Nwoko in Idumuje Unor was won by Miss Precious Utulu, a Law Student of the Delta State University, Abraka from Igbodo, Delta State. Miss Teen Anioma is an annual event of Yinki Entertainment founded by Mrs. Kate Igbodo Odoe from Ibusa, Delta State and the event seeks the promotion of Akwa-Ocha of the Anioma people.

Esogbue is the founder and President of Igbuzo Singles Meet, a youth socio-cultural organization of Ibusa extraction which aims at the bringing Ibusa youths from around the world together, fostering unity among them and most importantly, facilitating Ibusa inter-marriage among them, which is the major reason for establishing the group. The group has recorded several marriages among its members since 2013. Members of the group receive enlightenments via annual conferences organized by the Association which usually takes place in Ibusa.

He is also one of the leading founders of Ndi Anioma, a registered socio-cultural group of the Anioma people and a member of the Ibusa Community Development Union (ICDU) together with Ms. Lauretta Onochie, the Personal Assistant to President Mohammadu Buhari on Social Media, Barr Mrs. Gloria Eluebo Adagbon, founder of Igbanke Nationals Progressive Association (INPA) and Mr. Emmanuel Nwaokolo from Onicha-Olona, Igbanke and Ogwashi-Uku respectively. He is also the co-founder of Agboju Secondary School Old Students Association (‘83/88 Set).

Esogbue has the following publications:

·         A Study of the Origins and Migrations of Anioma Settlements, 2015

·         A Short History of Omu, 2015

·         Essentials of Anioma History, 2016

·         A History of Ibusa, 2020

Soon after the publication of his work on Omuship in Anioma, Esogbue started to advocate the revival of Omuship. His advocacy was followed with sudden reawakening in the age-long female traditional institution of the Anioma people in which Omuship was enthroned Issele-Uku, Akwukwu-Igbo, Obior, Onicha-Olona and a few others in quick succession.

His list of awards is numerous but it includes the following:

·         Nominee, Igbo Legendary Award, 2010

·         Who’s Who in Anioma, 2011

·         Who’s Who in Ibusa, 2011

·         Umuigbuzor Man of the Year, 2015

·         Patriot Award Presented in Recognition of Extensive Research and Literatures on the Anioma People by Anioma Association USA, Inc, 2015

·         Social Media Personality of the Year, 2016

Emeka Esogbue, a Christian is happily married with children and his hobbies include writing, reading and traveling. He hails from Ibusa, Oshimili Local Government Area of Delta State.