CHIEF WILLY IKOLODO LAID THE FOUNDATION FOR GOOD WORKS IN IBUSA COMMUNITY

CHIEF WILLY IKOLODO LAID THE FOUNDATION FOR GOOD WORKS IN IBUSA COMMUNITY

Chief Willy Ikolodo in Uwolo regalia

FAMILY PLANS POST-HUMUS HONOUR FOR THE LEGENDARY PHILANTHROPIST AND LATE UW

Chief Willy Ikolodo with his wives

OLO OF IBUSA

By Emeka Esogbue

"The kernel of truth is in Chief Willy Ikolodo, a leading protagonist in the social history of Ibusa".

- Pen Master

Many would agree that the history of philanthropism in Ibusa started with the foundation laid by him. Hence, the legend was Igbuzo and Igbuzo was him. 

In 2010, the Ibusa community in Delta State lost one of her greatest legendary  assets in history, the man who goes beyond the traits to establish true character of passion and honour; an enigma and an Igbuzo name that cannot be wished away and the first among equals in selfless service to Ibusa.

Hon High Chief Willy Ukadikebunazua Ikolodo was a man who believed in Ibusa and Ibusa people, a commander and exerciser of control over the community's affairs, one whose legacy many were to later ride on to become what they are today to the existent that the history of human and infrastructural development of Ibusa remains incomplete without his mention.

The Ibusa Politician, Lawmaker, Business Tycoon, Entreprenure  Philanthropist and Traditionalist hailed from Umuakue, Umuidinaisagba in Ibusa, Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State and till date, remained not only a proud son of that quarter of the community but the community at large. 

Ikolodo towered high above his contemporaries due to his love of the Ibusa community, devotion to the welfare of his compatriots and remarkable virtues and actions of a patriot possessed by him. Like one prominent Ibusa indigene said of the Ibusa Sage to Pen Master, "Ikolodo was the first to love his community". In his life and times, his Egbeda home was a behive of Ibusa activities for Ibusa indigenes as he was particularly, a man that hated to see loafing in Ibusa indigenes. Never was the gate shut against any  Ibusa son or daughter. It was not therefore unexpected that he established a number of companies with a sizeable percentage of workers being Ibusa indigenes. Amazingly, he found no name to name his building other than "The Ibusa House".

He established Patovilki Industrial Planners Limited which carries on the business of cleaning services with several branches across the nation. This company remains operational today. He would later move his employment of Ibusa indigenes further through a printing press, an annex that he situated in his Ibusa community to help the youths to become economically engaged. 

The late Ikolodo was not known for giving Ibusa fish but teaching them how to catch the fish. Hence, he, again established the Crusade Secondary Commercial School to add to the increase in the number of commercial schools in the community that was lacking at the time. The Ikolodo school became something of dearness in the community. 

Known for laying the foundation of selflessness in Ibusa, he contributed to infrastructural growth and development in the community in no small way. He single handedly built and donated a block of Six Classrooms to Omu Boys Primary School, a school that was incidentally Pen Master's Alma Matta. In the same vein, he built and donated the Nkwuaka Hall to Umuidinaisagba while also offering scholarships to indigent students in the community. 

A player in the policies and administration of Ibusa, not many will forget the roles positively played by him towards the emergence of the Obuzoship in the community. The foremost traditionalist introduced and established in Ibusa, the "Nmawu Umuisagba". All of his commitments did not go in vain in the heart of Ibusa as he was honored with the prestigious Uwolo of Ibusa and Asakwuludu Ajie of Ibusa. It was also an honour that materialised in his favour through his honest emergence as an honourable member of the Federal House of Representatives in 1983. After him, no  other Ibusa indigene has again occupied this position for now and Pen Master is fully aware of this. In 2017, Pen Master listed his donation of block of six classrooms in the list of "13 Selfless Gains of Ibusa from Ibusa" as authored by him. It was again listed in "Events in Ibusa History", published in Ibusa Community Development Union Event Magazine for the Gala/Award night while he also made the "List of Ibusa Demised Legends" which was published on the internet in series. 

On August 7, it will be exactly ten years of his demise and the family is set to mark the glorious passage of the Man of the People and leading protagonist in the history of Ibusa in an auspicious ceremony in Lagos.