Emeka Esogbue

Omus Display Emeka Esogbue Book on Omuship By John Chukwuka Morha Rising from their meeting of yesterday, supervised by HRM Obi Dr Martha Dunkwu, the Omu of Okpanam/Anioma, the various Omus in Anioma happily displayed the book, "A Short History of Omu", authored by foremost Nigerian Historian, Elder Emeka Esogbue.  The Omus who had in the meeting commended Anioma monarchs for their support to the Omus of the region have in recent times been receiving commendations from the Region for globalizing the female traditional institution and selling the people's culture to the world. However, after the important meeting, the Omus displayed the book which commentators on the region say has contributed to raising consciousness about the institution, promoting it beyond their boundary.  The book, "A History of Omu" is noted to have reawakened a number of communities to enthrone the institution in their communities. Esogbue hails from Ibusa in Oshimili North Local Governmen...

 ERASMUS NWABUOKEI (1930-2021): THE STORY OF THE ONICHA-OLONA PRINCE WHO LOBBIED MONTHLY SALARIES FOR ANIOMA MONARCHS - Emeka Esogbue He played great roles in the salaried life of monarchs of Anioma and others of the Western Region when the Nigerian nation gained independence from the British colonial government. WHO WAS HE IN HISTORY? Born Prince Erasmus Nduka Nwabuokei on March 25, 1930, to the Nwabuokei family of Idumu-Ugbe, Ogbeobi in Onicha-Olona and an Ibusa mother, simply identified as Madam Mgbor who was the daughter of Obi Eseagwu who hailed from Umuneze in Umueze Quarters of the town; both communities of Delta State, Nwabuokei worked as a well-known Clerk.  Ubiquitously, Erasmus grew up to become familiar with both Onicha-Olona and Ibusa communities and uniquely, he never lost his cherished relationship with his Ibusa mother's hometown because, "Ikwu Nne Bu Isi" - Mother's ancestry is Supreme as he lovingly held. For him, it was also a matter of "Ishi N...

 OMUSHIP: CHICAGO PROFESSORS TRAVELED ALL THE WAY FROM AMERICA JUST TO LISTEN TO OMU ANIOMA LECTURE By Emeka Esogbue * How the Omu Gathered other Anioma Omu for the Americans * How the Omu of Anioma Got the Professors to Speak with Pen Master In what is becoming examples to other custodians of the Anioma culture, the Omu of Okpanam/Anioma, HRM Obi Martha Dunkwu is effortlessly and in true Anioma spirit, staying and remaining in the forefront of the promotion and preservation of the Anioma culture especially on Omuship, which is unique to the people. Yesterday, in what looked unprecedented, amazing, and interesting, two distinguished professors from the University of Chicago who have heard of the Omuship with its uniqueness, traveled down to Okpanam Palace of the Omu Anioma to listen to the Omu Okpanam/Anioma lectures on Omuship.  Interested in this aspect of Anioma culture and being long-time admirers of Obi Dr. Martha Dunkwu, the Omu of Okpanam/Anioma even from afar, the two ...

 St. Thomas College Ibusa: The Establishment, Attempts to Liquidate it and the Fate of Survival Emeka Esogbue “It is ironical for the people of Ibusa that rather than pinnacle St. Thomas Teachers Training College to the elevation of a polytechnic or university eminence that it should expectedly be, it was downgraded to a same-sex school that it is now. If it is a bit of sardonic laughter that an institution of this magnitude, the senior, better equipped and first-conceived higher institution in the whole of Mid-West Region was downgraded, the policies of the government in which they have been spreading the birth of higher institutions across the state to the detriment of this one with quality facilities, ready for upgrade, is ill-starred in the modern educational history of the community and social advocacies of the people”. Emeka Esogbue Despite the historical enjoyment of the status of the first higher institution in the whole of the former Mid-West Region, the history of St. Tho...

 Between Igbo and Ijaw: The Historical Misplacement of Reno Omokri's View in Jaja of Opobo By Emeka Esogbue It looks like a historical misapplication and irrelevance, reading through respected Reno Omokri take to the historical course of a slave and master thesis, and Igbo and Ijaw social media presentation while using King Jaja Opobo to justify his primitivist case study. Worse still, the theory resurrected by him is far from constituting beneficence to the Igbo, Ijaw, or Nigeria as a whole socially, politically, or economically. What then is behind his immediate constitution of this history class? How does Omokri, a giant Nigerian politician historically benefit from whether Jaja of Opobo was a slave of the Ijaw or not in modern Nigeria and global 2021? It is needless to emphasize that the discipline of history is not an instrument of ethnic superiority, promotion of disunity, or determination of racial powers and preference. History is a Bible of lessons which one should study, ...

 ANIOCHA-OSHIMILI CHAIRMEN: APPROVE MONTHLY TOKEN FOR YOUR OMU  - Emeka Esogbue The time is here and now for the Aniocha North and South and Oshimili North and South Councils to pay the Omu token on monthly basis. With the campaign for votes, they move to Omu Anioma palace because they understand the role and influence of Omuship within the Enuani society but when elections have come and gone, they soon forget where they started.  Times have since changed and the government should recognize that the Omu should be catered for. We have a tradition, a woman leaves her husband and occupation because Omuship has called, a palace is built for her, with a retinue of domestic staff to cater for, and she takes up societal responsibility for her people's over all wellbeing.  She was formally in charge of markets within her vicinity but with foreign invasion by colonialists, she became stripped of this headship with the local government put in charge. The same council collects ...

  Famous Ibusa Family: The Historical Wealth of the Chigbue By Emeka Esogbue The story of the Chigbue family shows that from time immemorial, the Ibusa community is known to be rich in human resources. The Isieke family especially, to which this author ancestrally belongs, connected by the long, thin piece of land and divided by the narrow path called "Isieke High Street", is known for the great number of men and women famoused for achievements in their particular fields.  On the other hand, as typical of most  African societies, the people of Ibusa are rarely known to document biographies, autobiographies or provide documented family histories for the study of such families hence, the greater part of this story is derived from oral sources available to the author. The Chigbue family of Isieke in Umuekea Quarters of Ibusa enjoys fame within and outside the community. However, like the Ajufo family of Umuehea of the same community, the Chigbue family seems more to many a '...

 Omuship in Ibusa: The Crisis and End of a Beautiful Traditional Phase - Emeka Esogbue Since foundation, Omuship has always been the beauty of the Anioma people. The institution reigned in several parts of Anioma particularly the Enuani and Igbodo, a community of the Ika people. The presence of the institution also extended to Onitsha and Ogbaru, two other Anioma communities outside the present Delta State where it was also in place. In Onitsha, Omu Nwagboka Egwuata, the Onye Isi Ikporo of Onitsha who died in 1886 was the last known Omu of the community. For some unclear reasons, the Onitsha traditional leadership could not get a successor to the once viable throne which ended the institution. Omu Okwei was a well-known Omu of Osomari, another settlement of Anioma lineage.  The Anioma historians described her as a powerful female merchant of her time which though was not strange considering that the Omu stayed in charge of markets and were spiritually held as the 'goddess of t...

 OMU MARTHA DUNKWU SET TO ESTABLISH CENTRE FOR OMUSHIP IN OKPANAM. The Omu of Okpanam/Anioma, HRM Obi Dr Martha Dunkwu has made her intention known to institute 'Centre for Omu in Anioma Nation'.  Please read the below:  I must continue to commend and appreciate our own Anioma Historian, Emeka Esogbue for his patriotism to Anioma Nation and his devotion to the Omu Institution, in particular, the book he wrote on Omuship. I have humbly requested Emeka Esogbue to do a second comprehensive book that will be a reference point to omuship. About two to three pages will be devoted to each Omu from our Anioma, interviews from experienced elders who are conversant with Omuship and Omu-friendly Traditional Rulers will also feature in the proposed Omu history book. Already, he is in touch with researchers from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and is trying to reach out to researchers at the Cambridge University, England and University of London. At the moment, I am trying to regist...

 ANIWALO: ONE PIECE OF LAND, CONTESTED BY THREE ANIOMA COMMUNITIES  By Emeka Esogbue Have you heard of Aniwalo, properly pronounced as "Ani-Nwalo?" The "Aniwalo" name defines "The Land of the Child of Alo" yet, the children of the Alo that should own the land are not known giving rise to the current conflict. It is for this reason that a number of three Anioma communities are currently at loggerheads over the ownership of the land of the Child of Alo - Aniwalo. However, claims of ownership are stronger between Akwukwu-Igbo and Illah, two neighbouring communities that now seek the judgement of the court to determine the rightful owner. By this judicial venture, Ezi Kingdom, the third claimant has gone out of the full picture. Information available to Pen Master shows Aniwalo to be a large portion of land that geographically connects Illah to Akwukwu-Igbo community. It was originally a camp that acted as a temporary accommodation with tents and other makeshi...