Emeka Esogbue

 ANIOMA WATCH TAKES MATERNAL CARE OUTREACH TO AMAI, AS EVANGELIST DORIS ABOH, HON. GABRIEL OSEH JOIN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT  By Emeka Esogbue The Anioma Watch Association has taken its five-day maternal and child healthcare outreach to Amai in Ukwuani Local Government Area of Delta State, providing new-life starter packs and health education to expectant mothers at the community’s Primary Health Centre. The outreach, held on Friday, brought together expectant mothers, healthcare workers, community representatives and members of the Anioma Watch Association, with prominent Amai personalities, including Evangelist Doris Aboh and Hon. Gabriel Oseh, among those who graced the event. The programme commenced with an opening prayer by Miss Joy Ozeh, followed by the introduction of the Anioma Watch team by the association’s President, Engr. Abela Emuebie Ihienkaegho. Welcoming the delegation, the Matron of the Primary Health Care Centre, Amai, Mrs. Benedicta Egwuenu, expressed delight o...

 Anioma Watch Extends Maternal Support to Expectant Mothers in Onicha-Olona By Emeka Esogbue The Anioma Watch Association has extended its community-based maternal support initiative to Onicha-Olo na, Delta State, with the distribution of maternal starter packs to expectant mothers at the Onicha-Olona Primary Health Centre. The outreach, which brought together expectant mothers and community leaders, was designed to provide essential items to women preparing for childbirth and the early care of their newborns. The initiative underscores Anioma Watch’s commitment to promoting maternal and child wellbeing and supporting families within Anioma communities. The programme commenced early in the morning, with expectant mothers arriving at the health centre from about 7:00 a.m. The Matron of the facility, Mrs. Okoh Ewere, welcomed the Anioma Watch delegation and expressed appreciation to the association for selecting the health centre as a beneficiary of the intervention. Welcoming the An...

 Evangelist Doris Aboh Named Special Guest of Honour for Anioma Watch Maternal Care Outreach in Amai By Emeka Esogbue Evangelist Doris Aboh, a prominent indigene of Amai Kingdom and Nigerian Christian evangelist, has been named Special Guest of Honour for the Anioma Watch Association’s maternal care and antenatal outreach programme in Amai, Delta State. The announcement was contained in a statement made available in Asaba by the President of Anioma Watch Association, Chief Abela Emuebie Ihienkaeghor, alongside other prominent community leaders involved in the initiative. The Anioma Watch Association, a registered socio-cultural organisation representing Anioma people at home and in the Diaspora, is currently implementing a maternal care programme aimed at supporting expectant mothers across selected Anioma communities. Aboh’s appointment adds a notable community dimension to the Amai leg of the programme, as she is expected to attend the outreach and support the Association’s effor...

 Pilgrim Baptist Hospital Trustees Applaud Anioma Watch for Maternal Care Outreach in Issele-Uku By Peter Oshagwu The Board of Trustees of Pilgrim Baptist Hospital, Issele-Uku, has commended the Anioma Watch Association for presenting mother-and-child starter packs to expectant women in the community as part of its ongoing antenatal outreach programme. The initiative, held on Tuesday at the hospital, provided essential new-life care items to expectant mothers and marked the second community to benefit from the organisation’s latest outreach programme. The Anioma Watch team, led by members of its Board of Trustees, had on Monday visited Ibusa, where expectant women from different ethnic and religious backgrounds also received similar support. The Issele-Uku event opened with a prayer led by the Moderator of Pilgrim Baptist Hospital, Rev. Gabriel Ojji Okpala. Rev. Samuel Ugbaja, who welcomed the Anioma Watch delegation, provided an overview of the institution and introduced members o...

 The Rare Picture of HRH Justina Okuakeleke Ntorka, the Last Omu of Onicha-Olona From the Pen Master Archives Here is a rare picture of HRH Justina Okuakeleke Ntorka, the last Omu of Onicha-Olona, a woman whose name remains etched in the history and memory of the community. Born Justina Monyei, she ceased to be known by that name following her coronation as the Omu of Onicha-Olona, assuming the royal identity and responsibilities that came with the revered stool. Historically, Omu Ntorka succeeded HRH Ada Ifesimehone Amambiwemdi-Okoh, one of the most remembered Omus in the modern history of Onicha-Olona. Born in 1906 at Idumugbe, Ogbe-Obi, Omu Amambiwemdi-Okoh occupies a special place in the community's history, particularly for the role attributed to her during the Nigerian Civil War, an episode preserved not only in historical accounts but also in the enduring oral traditions and legends of the people. With the planned installation of Cynthia Nwamaka Jibunoh, the recent history o...

 Expectant Mothers in Ibusa Receive Essential Newborn Care Packs from Anioma Watch Association By Peter Oshagwu Nearly 100 expectant mothers at the Ibusa Primary Health Care Centre, opposite St. Augustine’s Catholic Church, on Monday received essential mother-and-baby care packs donated by the Anioma Watch Association as part of its antenatal outreach programme. The initiative, which brought excitement to the beneficiaries, was designed to support expectant mothers with basic supplies ahead of childbirth and promote responsible motherhood in the Ibusa community. The event, which commenced at 11:00 a.m. with an opening prayer led by Miss Joy Ozeh, featured the introduction of members of the Anioma Watch Association, led by its President, Engr. Abela Emuebie. Welcoming participants, the Chairman of the association’s Board of Trustees, Emeka Esogbue, explained that the New Life Care Pack was conceived to provide practical support to mothers preparing for childbirth. Esogbue expressed ...

 Omu Josephine Urges Ibusa Expectant Mothers to Raise Responsible Children By Emeka Esogbue The Omu of Ibusa, HRH Obi Josephine Isioma Nwannabuogwu, has urged expectant mothers in the community to embrace the responsibility of raising children who will grow into responsible, productive and valuable members of Ibusa society. Obi Josephine made the call while serving as Special Guest of Honour at an antenatal outreach programme organised by the Anioma Watch Association, a registered socio-cultural organisation of Anioma people, in Ibusa. Speaking to the expectant mothers, the Omu acknowledged the biological and physical challenges that accompany pregnancy, noting that such changes are normal aspects of the journey to motherhood. She, however, stressed the importance of proper upbringing, training and guidance in shaping children into responsible members of society. She encouraged the women to see motherhood as a major responsibility and to prepare themselves for the task of nurturing...

 Pen Master Unveils Photos of Cynthia Nwamaka Jibunoh, Set to Emerge as New Omu of Onicha-Olona For the first time, Pen Master is unveiling photographs of Cynthia Nwamaka Jibunoh, the woman widely favoured to succeed the late Omu Ntoka, the former Omu of Onicha-Olona, and assume the revered traditional leadership position of the community’s female institution. The development follows recent efforts by the Onicha-Olona community to revive its female traditional institution after a six-year interregnum. In the course of the process, Cynthia Nwamaka Jibunoh, an indigene of Idumu-Ozolumuna in the Ogbe-Obi axis of Onicha-Olona, has emerged as the leading candidate for the prestigious position. Her anticipated emergence is significant, as the installation will restore continuity to an institution that has remained without an Omu for six years. If installed as expected, Jibunoh will become the latest Omu in the Anioma region, further underscoring the cultural importance of the occasion. P...

 When the Living Must Not Dance: The Sacred Dance of Ibusa's Ulor By Emeka Esogbue During the Ulor Festival celebrated by the Umueze Quarters of the Ibusa community, there comes a solemn and mysterious moment when a particular dance is performed, one to which the living, even those gathered within the festival arena, must never surrender their bodies. At this sacred hour, the drummers sit or stand with their drums firmly secured between their legs, beating the resonant instruments with their bare hands. Elderly men and other ritual characters summon from the drums a deep, solemn rhythm, while sonorous male voices carry a hauntingly beautiful chant into the air. Yet, beautiful as the music may be, the living must not dance to it. This is a sacred dance offered to the ancestors, many of whom, while they walked the earth, once participated in the very festival now being celebrated in their honour. The music seems to belong to another realm: its melody is soulful, its rhythm hypnotic, ...

 Onicha-Olona to Install Nwamaka Jibunoh as the New Omu of the Community By Emeka Esogbue All is set for the people of Onicha-Olona, an ancient Anioma community in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State, to install Nwamaka Cynthia Jibunoh as the new Omu of the community. The installation ceremony is scheduled to take place on August 28, 2026, at Umuozolumuna, Ogbe-Obi Quarters, Onicha-Olona. In a message to the Ogbe-Obi family and the general public, the community called for collective prayers for the new Omu and expressed hope that her reign would usher in blessings, peace and greater development for Onicha-Olona. The message also charged the incoming female traditional leader to deploy her leadership to advance the fortunes of the community and take Onicha-Olona to greater heights. The installation will mark a new beginning since the passing of Omu Ntoka, the last Omu of the community. Before Omu Ntoka was Her Royal Highness Omu Ada Ifesimehone Amambiwemdi-Okoh. Onich...

 The Local Meaning Behind Ibusa’s “High Street” By Emeka Esogbue Pen Master "Pen Master explains the English origin; Onowu Chuks Esogbue explains the local resonance." After Pen Master (Emeka Esogbue) wrote his article on Ibusa’s Isieke High Street, titled “Isieke High Street, Ibusa: How an English Urban Concept Was Naturalized Within an Indigenous Settlement,” Onowu Chuks Esogbue followed up with a complementary contribution that enriches and deepens the account. While Pen Master’s article establishes the linguistic and historical thesis that Isieke High Street represents an example of an English urban concept being absorbed, adapted, and naturalized within an indigenous Nigerian setting, Onowu Chuks Esogbue’s response takes the discussion further by offering local reasons why the appellation “High” may have been particularly apt for Isieke, beyond the conventional British meaning of High Street. Onowu Chuks proposes that Isieke was “high” in several locally intelligible sen...

Asaba Set to Immortalize 1967 Massacre Victims with Monumental Memorial By Emeka Esogbue Pen Master Plans are underway in Asaba, the Delta State capital, to immortalize the victims of the October 1967 Asaba Massacre with a monumental memorial that will preserve their memory for generations to come. The initiative features prominently among the priorities of His Royal Majesty, Prof. Epiphany Chigbogu Azinge, SAN, OON, the Asagba of Asaba, who has demonstrated a strong commitment to preserving the history, heritage and collective memory of the Asaba people. As part of the initiative, internationally acclaimed artist and sculptor Mr. Enyi Echezona Jr., a multi-talented painter and sculptor of Anioma origin, has been approached to develop the proposed memorial. Echezona has already presented a proposal for the construction of a gigantic symbolic monument dedicated to the memory of those who lost their lives during the tragic events of October 1967. The proposed monument is expected to serv...

 The Russia–Ukraine War: A Classroom in Post-WWII Diplomacy By Emeka Esogbue As a passionate student of history and diplomacy, I have followed the Russia–Ukraine war with more than ordinary interest because, beyond the battlefield itself, the conflict has become a remarkable demonstration of how post-World War II diplomacy actually operates. What we studied in classrooms as theories of alliances, strategic partnerships, deterrence and balance of power is being played out in real time. This makes sense to me more than the classroom explanations and illustrations by teachers. I am not listening to my lecturers or reading books on diplomacy but watching the conflict play out exactly the way a passionate student of the subject will understand it. Russia, China, North Korea, Ukraine, Turkey and the USA appear to be practicalizing the warfare for us, the students. The war is, on the surface, a conventional conflict between Russia and Ukraine. But beneath that conventional warfare lies a ...

 Aunty Rosemary Adams, Miss Independence 1960, is 85 years today. God has indeed blessed this Nigerian beauty. Since my childhood, I have loved and followed Aunty Rosemary as an enthusiast, journalist, and advocate of the Enuani people even when she was completely unaware of my existence. I first encountered her through her character, “Ngozi,” in Adio Family, a family social drama broadcast by the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). My father would always point at her on the screen and exclaim, “She is our Enuani sister!” I would watch her with fascination, over and over again. A few years ago, as part of the team of the Organization for the Advancement of Anioma Culture, our crew visited her home to interview her. That memorable interview was subsequently published in Anioma Essence Magazine. A few weeks ago, while in Onicha-Olona, I specifically appealed to my guide to take me to her family home. I was shown an upstairs building belonging to the family, a modest but deeply meani...

 Ibusa Legends of Yesteryears 16th Memorial Anniversary of Hon. High Chief William Ukadike Ikolodo By Emeka Esogbue Hon. High Chief William Ukadike Ikolodo was a distinguished Nigerian politician, traditional leader, businessman, and philanthropist from Ibusa in Delta State. He served as a member of Nigeria's House of Representatives during the Second Republic (1979–1983), representing his constituency until the civilian administration was overthrown in the military coup of December 1983. Beyond politics, he held the revered traditional title of Uwolo of Ibusa, the community's traditional war leader, a position synonymous with courage, leadership, and the protection of communal interests. High Chief Ikolodo was widely admired for his unwavering commitment to education and community development. He sponsored scholarships, assisted countless young people in securing employment, and invested generously in projects that improved the welfare of his people. His generosity, mentorship...

 Unearthing the Ibusa Experience: Recovering an Overlooked History of the Nigerian Civil War By Emeka Esogbue In the course of gathering primary source materials for the book, "The Nigerian Civil War: An Ibusa Perspective," this author, under the guidance of Joy Ozeh, undertook extensive fieldwork across Ibusa, conducting interviews with surviving veterans, eyewitnesses, and other individuals whose lives were directly shaped by the Nigerian Civil War. The objective was to preserve firsthand accounts that might otherwise be lost to history and to document the wartime experiences of the Ibusa community from the perspectives of those who lived through the conflict. The historical investigation yielded a wealth of invaluable testimonies and personal recollections. Most of the individuals approached willingly shared their experiences, recognizing the importance of preserving their memories for future generations. However, two potential respondents declined to speak. Remarkably, de...

  Anioma Press Release! Anioma Watch Social Association Appoints Officers into Executive Positions The Board of Trustees (BoT) of Anioma Watch Social Association, "Anioma Watch," a registered socio-cultural organization of the Anioma Nation, duly incorporated with the Corporate Affairs Commission, hereby announces the appointment to key executives, its members. The appointees are entrusted with the responsibility of serving with selflessness, integrity, patriotism, courage and a spirit of sacrifice. They are expected to uphold the values and ideals of the Anioma people, support the genuine Anioma cause through the Anioma Watch platform, and work diligently toward the advancement of the Association's vision, mission, and objectives. Furthermore, they are encouraged to promote the rich heritage, virtues, and goodwill of the Anioma Nation, while expanding its reach and positive influence across the global community. Through their commitment and service, they will help se...

 Isieke High Street, Ibusa: How an English Urban Concept Was Naturalized Within an Indigenous Settlement By Emeka Esogbue Among the many streets that traverse the ancient town of Ibusa in Delta State, Nigeria, one name stands out as a subject of historical and linguistic curiosity: Isieke High Street. To many Nigerians, the expression “High Street” sounds unusual, as it is more commonly associated with Britain, where it traditionally refers to the principal commercial street of a town. Yet, in Ibusa, the name has long formed part of the community’s own geographical vocabulary. Rather than being merely a colonial imprint, Isieke High Street appears to represent a locally embraced designation that combines an indigenous place name, Isieke, with the English urban concept of High Street. The name offers a fascinating example of how foreign linguistic elements can be absorbed, adapted, and given local meaning within an indigenous settlement. It reveals the interaction between British li...

 Isieke High Street, Ibusa: How an English Urban Concept Was Naturalized Within an Indigenous Settlement By Emeka Esogbue Among the many streets that traverse the ancient town of Ibusa in Delta State, Nigeria, one name stands out as a subject of historical and linguistic curiosity: Isieke High Street. To many Nigerians, the expression “High Street” sounds unusual, as it is more commonly associated with Britain, where it traditionally refers to the principal commercial street of a town. Yet, in Ibusa, the name has long formed part of the community’s own geographical vocabulary. Rather than being merely a colonial imprint, Isieke High Street appears to represent a locally embraced designation that combines an indigenous place name, Isieke, with the English urban concept of High Street. The name offers a fascinating example of how foreign linguistic elements can be absorbed, adapted, and given local meaning within an indigenous settlement. It reveals the interaction between British li...

 Europeanization of Ceuta: An Injustice on African Territory and Heritage? By Emeka Esogbue Did you know that Ceuta is geographically in Africa but politically part of Europe? This small city, located on the northern coast of Africa across the Strait of Gibraltar from mainland Spain, is one of history's most enduring geopolitical paradoxes. Although it lies on African soil, Ceuta is administered by Spain and forms part of the European Union. Ceuta sits on the northern tip of Africa, sharing a land border with Morocco. With a population of approximately 85,000 to 90,000 people, it has been a Spanish autonomous city since 1995. Morocco continues to claim sovereignty over Ceuta, maintaining that it is an integral part of its national territory, while Spain exercises full administrative and political control over the city. The city's history stretches back thousands of years. Founded by the Phoenicians, Ceuta later came under the control of the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, a...