For me, I started to hear about Uche Okwukwu in 1999 when he contested for Rivers State House of Assembly, Ikwerre Constituency. Uche clearly won that election, but those who would not allow destiny to take its natural course upturned it.
Uche was undaunted and soldiered on with life. The next time his name rang bell was when he embraced Biafra, recognizing so early, that we of the Eastern part of the country boarded a wrong ship, which did not tally with our God – ordained destiny, that is the Nigerian State. The heinous crime against humanity by Lord Lugard in 1914, in no small measure, retarded our potentials and growth as a people since the past 103 years.
Uche Okwukwu knew this and fell headlong with the Movement for Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB). This was a first step towards the extrication of his people. Today, in a similar bid, he is the Secretary General of the Ohaneze Ndigbo.
For accepting this lofty Office, he has drawn the ire of his people, the Ogbako Ikwerre. In a recent, meeting of the body, Barrister Uche Okwukwu was the focal point. What sanction to give him is being seriously contemplated by his kinsmen.
They have gone as far as telling the whole world that they migrated from the Benin Kingdom and have nothing in common with Ibos or Biafra. I’m neither an anthropologist nor in any position to raise a question against their claims, especially with regard to their intellectual prowess, but what I suggest in essence, is that they should also consider dropping those names that deeply associate them with Igbos. Such names as Emenike, Chima, Chinedu, Azubuike, Chinyere, Chijioke, Ngozi, Amaechi, Chibuike, Uche, Chidi, Eberechi, Chigoziri, Amarachi, Amadi etc.
Uche, you have risen above where mere House of Assembly membership would have taken you to. You are a man of destiny. I wish you luck for "he who laughs last laughs best".
Publisher: Prince Richmond C. Amadi
0 comments so far,add yours