Anioma's Atuma Community in Mournful Mood as Chiazor, Nigeria's First Commissioned Naval Officer

Passes.

- Emeka Esogbue

The Anioma traditional flag has remained at half mast following the passing of Commander Onwurah Zonyenuno Chiazor, Nigeria's first commissioned Naval Officer and only a few in a nation of more than 250 million people are aware of the colossal loss of a high-ranking Naval Officer of his caliber. Incidentally, not many residents within the local government of his origin are also aware of the loss sustained by them hence life goes on.

Navy Commander Chiazor was an indigene of Atuma in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, a community in the same local government affiliation with Ibusa, Akwukwu-Igbo, Okpanam, and others.

Navy Commander Onwurah, initially with the Canadian Navy, was the most celebrated Nigerian Naval Officer of his time perhaps, and upon his return, prominent in building and indigenizing the Nigerian Navy based on Canadian experience.

In his tribute to the departed officer, veteran Journalist, Sylvester Asoya in what he titled, "A Sailor Sails Home: (Royal Canadian Navy, 1957) takes a final bow," delivered an overview of his background.

"In 1948, he left the shores of Nigeria for a great life that awaited him in the Canadian Navy. Before joining the navy in Canada, he had completed his first MB in medicine but he eventually abandoned health sciences for the sea and the adventures therein," the veteran Journalist who is from nearby Okpanam wrote.

Attached to the Canadian Navy, Chiazor, a senior officer was fulfilled but his life took a turn-around when something happened as further explained by Asoya.

"That unforgettable moment came when he encountered in 1958, some First Republic Nigerian politicians in a story that developed like an episodic plot in a tragic drama. Leaders of the National Council of Nigerian Citizens, NCNC, had visited Canada a few years before Nigeria's independence. While in Canada, ostensibly to understand the country's robust government system and also brainstorm on Nigeria's future, Chaizor who played a major role in the comfort and safety of the visiting Nigerian delegation got in the mix. In Vancouver where the meetings were held, Chiazor ran into Dennis Osadebe, leader of the delegation, and other prominent First Republic politicians like Mathew Mbu and Jereton Mariere. Osadebe who thought Chiazor was an African-American officer was ecstatic when he discovered that Chiazor was from Atuma, a town that is a few kilometres from Asaba, his ancestral home."

Moments afterward, Osadebe convinced Chiazor to return to Nigeria to help rebuild the nation's navy which needed indigenization at the time.

Chiazor would later regret his return to the country due to some challenges he faced leading to his eventual abandonment although he helped to build the Nigerian Navy.

He was commissioned a Sub-Lieutenant in the Royal Canadian Navy by Queen Elizabeth 11 before Akinwale Wey who eventually became the first Nigerian Chief of Naval Staff.

That did not go down well for him having left his Canadian 'haven' on the invitation to help rebuild the country's Navy.

Worse still, the brave and meritorious officer of Anioma extraction from Atuma in his long years of sickness was reportedly abandoned in oblivion despite his patriotic contributions.

He died at the ripe of 96.

Picture: courtesy of

Sylvester Asoya

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