Emeka Esogbue

 Omu Martha: Nze Omu, ​ the Okpanam Sacred Staff of Authority Passed to Successor By Emeka Esogbue ​The revered Nze Omu, the traditional staff and symbol of authority of Okpanam, which was held in trust following the passing of the legendary Omu Martha Dunkwu, has been successfully transferred to the newly enthroned Omu of Okpanam. ​According to a report by Patrick Ochei, publisher of Anioma Trust and former Media Assistant to the late Omu, the Nze had been under the strict, dutiful custody of Dr. Afamefuna Dunkwu, the son of the late Omu. For two years, Dr. Dunkwu bore the profound traditional responsibility of safeguarding this sacred object, which symbolizes the absolute power and spiritual essence of the Okpanam Omuship. ​With the Nze now officially transferred to the substantive occupant of the throne, Dr. Afamefuna Dunkwu has fulfilled his traditional obligation and is now culturally absolved of the custodial responsibility. ​The late Omu Martha Dunkwu was a towering, highly ...

 Omu of Asaba Commends Asagba’s Gender-Inclusive Leadership, Advises Other Anioma Monarchs to Emulate Him  ​By Emeka Esogbue ​The Omu of Asaba, HRH Obi Dr. Ada Nwanneamaka Biosah, has expressed profound appreciation for the inclusive leadership style of the Asagba of Asaba, HRM Obi (Prof.) Epiphany Chigbogu Azinge, SAN. In a recent exchange, the Omu lauded the monarch for fostering a progressive environment where the voices of women are not just heard, but integrated into the highest levels of traditional decision-making mechanism. ​The Omu’s remarks came as a response to observations made by the Pen Master (Emeka Esogbue) on his social media space regarding the composition of the Asagba-in-Council.  Following a recent council meeting, it was noted that the Omu, the traditional female head is a fully integrated member of the council, a practice that stands in stark contrast to many other traditional settings despite the age-long practice and government white paper expecta...

 One Year Without Omu Anioma: Obi Martha Dunkwu Lived and Died for the Anioma Cause By Emeka Esogbue Today marks the one-year anniversary of Omu Martha Dunkwu's passing, a legendary figure who left an indelible mark on the Anioma people. As the Omu of Anioma, she was a trailblazer, breaking cultural barriers and paving the way for women's leadership in Anioma society. Since the days of modern Anioma, there was no female figure in history who enjoyed cultural and global fame as did Obi Martha Dunkwu, the Omu of Anioma; since the days of modern Anioma, there was no female traditional leader from Anioma who cut cultural influence as seen in Obi Martha Dunkwu, the Omu of Anioma. By January 26, 2002, when she was installed as the Omu of Okpanam, an Anioma female leader had been born in her. By January 15, 2019, when she became crowned as the Omu of Anioma, the people were becoming conversant with the female cultural leader, the like of which was never seen in the history of the peop...

 How Ndudi Elumelu Remembered the Omu Institution with a Palatial Edifice - Emeka Esogbue HRM Obi Dr. Martha Dunkwu, the Omu of Anioma means so many things to so many people but to the Anioma nation, she is an exemplification of the elevation of the Omu traditional institution.  Once crowned the Omu of Anioma amid severe criticisms from her Anioma people, Omu Dunkwu took up the female institution and made it her pet project. From a dying institution, she worked hard to miraculously sell the institution to the world and it became the envy of other traditional institutions in the region.  She told her followers the story of her journey, "I met about five to six Omus when I became Omu, two are remaining from that era. Through advocacy by our Great Anioma Historian Emeka Esogbue, Anioma Association USA, Prof E. A. C Nwanze, late Prof Onwuejiogwu, Dr. Ikechukwu Enwenwa, Comrade Patrick Nweike Ochei, my humble person, etc, we have over ten Omus today. We had about fifteen but f...

 Ndudi Elumelu Includes Omu Anioma's Palace in His Constituency Project - Omu Anioma Reacts to Constituency Favour By Emeka Esogbue Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu has commenced the construction of the palace of HRM Obi Dr. Martha Dunkwu, the Omu of Okpanam/Anioma as part of his constituency projects.  PEN MASTER can authoritatively reveal that the new Omu Anioma Palace under construction is a 6-bedroom flat.  To let you into this awaited exotic official residence of the Omu, it contains (Upstairs), four bedrooms, each with a toilet and bath, a lounge, a library, and a sit-out. (Downstairs), contains, two bedrooms, each with a toilet and bath, two parlours, a kitchen, laundry, dinner, pantry, visitors toilet, etc.  Hon Elumelu has remembered the Omu institution of the Anioma people and is doing what no government official ever thought of. In the male-dominated society of the country, rarely do occupiers of the prestigious tradi...

 I WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH OKPANAM YOUTHS, CHUKS OKONJI, DELTA HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY FAVOURITE ASSURES OMU ANIOMA ON HER 67TH BIRTHDAY ANNIVERSARY - By Emeka Esogbue The Delta State House of Assembly favourite in the forthcoming election, Sir Dr. Chuks Okonji has sent his congratulatory message to HRM Obi Dr. Martha Dunkwu, the Omu of Okpanam/Anioma. The APM Delta State House of Assembly hopeful is delighted that within her period of Omuship of Okpanam and Anioma, the Okpanam has made so much impact on the traditional institution of Anioma. The Omu is a rare gift to the women folk, he said.  "It is a thing of happiness that not only has the Omu united the Anioma women using Omuship as an umbrella but has given women a voice." "Seriously, Omu Dunkwu has made women partners in the socio-cultural task of the Anioma society." "Getting the likes of Omu Dunkwu is not to be easily expected in every generation. This makes her likes rare to find in any society." "N...

 OMU JOSEPHINE NWANNABUOGWU VISITS OMU ANIOMA ON HER BIRTHDAY  - Emeka Esogbue The socio-cultural relationship between the people of Ibusa and Okpanam, two sisterly communities in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State was boosted with the historic visit of HRH Obi Josephine Nwannabuogwu, the Omu of Ibusa to HRM Obi Dr. Martha Dunkwu, the Omu of Okpanam/Anioma on Wednesday.  It was the 67th birthday anniversary of HRM Obi Dr. Martha Dunkwu, the Omu of Okpanam/Anioma in what was widely celebrated and Obi Nwannabuogwu's beautiful gesture was the historic visit to her Okpanam Palace which added glamour to the celebration of the Nne Oha on a day that the social media was also awash with felicitations for the Anioma Queen Mother.  Dressed in her usual Akwa-Ocha attire, supported with beads and a red cap to traditionally harmonize her attire, Omu Nwannabuogwu in the company of her Nzele Omu entourage was seen making her way to the Palace of the Omu of Anioma, ...

 Ibusa Pays Final Respect to Omu Augustina Nando, the late Omu of the community  By Emeka Esogbue The final funeral rites of the last Omu of Ibusa, Omu Augustina Ogugua Nando was conducted in Ibusa yesterday being Eke day. The final rites of the funeral natively known as "Ife ilo" were conducted to give the late Omu who was popular for her discipline and knowledge of the Ibusa customs and tradition, the last respect culturally expected of an Omu in the community where culture is heavily cherished.  Omu Nando was the last Omu of Ibusa whose reign ended the more than 400 years of the traditional institution of the Anioma people in the community. Since then, the community has been struggling to rebirth the foremost traditional female institution which gave women in the community and Anioma as a whole, a true sense of belonging. The institution once acted as a voice for the womenfolk and as a check on societal excesses. For instance, the Omu of Ibusa is empowered to attend th...

 IN MEMORY OF OMU MGBOUSHE OF ASABA: THE CIVIL WAR HEROINE, BETRAYED BY HER PEOPLE AND KILLED BY SOLDIERS  By Emeka Esogbue Although the Omu Mgboushe of Asaba statue stands reverently erect in front of Ogbeogonogo Market in Asaba, most visitors and natives alike do not know the history behind the statue. Nevertheless, the statue stands to historically testify to the wartime atrocities and deaths that the people of Asaba suffered during the Nigerian Civil War. Omuship is a 500- year female traditional institution that exists among the Anioma people. The institution also once existed in Onicha Ado (Onitsha) and Ossomarri, two other Anioma communities that are now outside the geographical Delta State.  Omuship, charged with the spiritual, economic, and political responsibilities to their respective Anioma communities is the pride of the people. It is also the traditional vehicle for the movent of women in this region. Take for instance, in Ibusa, a community of about 6 miles...

 7 PERSONAL HOMES AND PALACES IN ANIOMALAND THAT WILL INTEREST YOU - Emeka Esogbue (Pen Master) The Anioma people are known to be rich in human capital with their influence spread across the world. But beyond this, over time, some Anioma natives and monarchs have so influenced their communities with the geniuses of their feats, love for mankind, and exertion of power, to manipulate their homefronts, making it a beehive of activities. In the same vein, some are so influential that everything seems to positively happen in there. You cannot move into any of these communities without asking to see these places. This compendium brings you 7 homes and palaces you cannot take away your eyes once you are in that community.  Note that they do not appear in any particular order. 1. ASAGBA PALACE, ASABA: The Palace of the Asagba of Asaba is by itself, a monument of some sort. Favoured by natural geography, Asaba is beautifully located by the mouth of the majestic River Niger which gave h...