Onicha-Ugbo,
located in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State, was, recently,
in the news, following reports of alleged rape of women in the community by
Hausa/Fulani herdsmen. Aside this was the report of rancor over the choice of
one of its prominent sons as the Odogwu-designate( a traditional
administrator).
located in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State, was, recently,
in the news, following reports of alleged rape of women in the community by
Hausa/Fulani herdsmen. Aside this was the report of rancor over the choice of
one of its prominent sons as the Odogwu-designate( a traditional
administrator).
But in this interview after the “Ida nzu”
ceremony penultimate Saturday, in Onicha-Ugbo, where the Executive Vice
Chairman of Exxon Mobil and publisher of Hints magazine, Mr Emmanuel Ibe
Kachikwu, bagged the Odogwu title, the Obi of Onicha Ugbo, Agbogidi
Chukwumalieze the first, bares his mind on the activities of
Hausa/Fulani cattle rearers, saying they might have a motive than mere
rearing of cattle in his community. Excerpts:
ceremony penultimate Saturday, in Onicha-Ugbo, where the Executive Vice
Chairman of Exxon Mobil and publisher of Hints magazine, Mr Emmanuel Ibe
Kachikwu, bagged the Odogwu title, the Obi of Onicha Ugbo, Agbogidi
Chukwumalieze the first, bares his mind on the activities of
Hausa/Fulani cattle rearers, saying they might have a motive than mere
rearing of cattle in his community. Excerpts:
What is the celebration all
about ?
Well, you call it celebration. But the celebration is yet to come. In any case,
what is actually going on is that our last Odogwu, in the person of Justice
Maido, passed on last November and, because of Christianity and modernization,
the burial rites took place within a very short time otherwise, traditionally,
it is supposed to be longer than that.
about ?
Well, you call it celebration. But the celebration is yet to come. In any case,
what is actually going on is that our last Odogwu, in the person of Justice
Maido, passed on last November and, because of Christianity and modernization,
the burial rites took place within a very short time otherwise, traditionally,
it is supposed to be longer than that.
With his death, the seat became vacant and there
was clamor for the Odogwu stool to be filled. But Odogwu is not a title anybody
in Onicha Ugbo can take. There is a particular village that takes the title.
For instance, Onicha Ugbo is a community made up of five villages and each is
entitled to a particular traditional title. Ogbobi village, for instance,
has Esama title; Isepe has Odogwu title ; Obekenu has Iyese title; Unulu has
Aza; while Agba has another type of culture because of certain things that
happened in the past. Their own title is Iyese too.
was clamor for the Odogwu stool to be filled. But Odogwu is not a title anybody
in Onicha Ugbo can take. There is a particular village that takes the title.
For instance, Onicha Ugbo is a community made up of five villages and each is
entitled to a particular traditional title. Ogbobi village, for instance,
has Esama title; Isepe has Odogwu title ; Obekenu has Iyese title; Unulu has
Aza; while Agba has another type of culture because of certain things that
happened in the past. Their own title is Iyese too.
Now, when
the late Odogwu passed away, the stool became vacant. And it is only from Isepe
that an Odogwu will emerge. It is not my duty to appoint one. It is the duty
of the Isepe people to appoint. They are to come together and choose a
particular person. When they started bringing different persons, I gave them
eight market days to rub minds and decide to pick one particular person. I gave
that order to the head of the Isepe people , in the person of Odafe, during one
of the council meetings.
the late Odogwu passed away, the stool became vacant. And it is only from Isepe
that an Odogwu will emerge. It is not my duty to appoint one. It is the duty
of the Isepe people to appoint. They are to come together and choose a
particular person. When they started bringing different persons, I gave them
eight market days to rub minds and decide to pick one particular person. I gave
that order to the head of the Isepe people , in the person of Odafe, during one
of the council meetings.
At the expiration o f that eight market days,
he(Odafe) came and appealed that they had not been able to decide and asked for
another four market days. Again, after the expiration of that four days,he came
and told me that they were still unable to reach a consensus and begged me to
give them more time. I said go ahead.
he(Odafe) came and appealed that they had not been able to decide and asked for
another four market days. Again, after the expiration of that four days,he came
and told me that they were still unable to reach a consensus and begged me to
give them more time. I said go ahead.
I was in Abeokuta for a meeting with other
traditional rulers from Anioma, when they called to ask if they could come the
next day that they have chosen somebody . I told him I would send for him at my
arrival. When I returned I sent for the Isepe heads.When they assembled, I asked
Odafe ( their spokesman) who they had agreed to be their Odogwu and he gave the
name as Dr. Ibe Kachukwu.
traditional rulers from Anioma, when they called to ask if they could come the
next day that they have chosen somebody . I told him I would send for him at my
arrival. When I returned I sent for the Isepe heads.When they assembled, I asked
Odafe ( their spokesman) who they had agreed to be their Odogwu and he gave the
name as Dr. Ibe Kachukwu.
But the person in question was not in town. He
was in the United States of America then. He was chosen in absentia. When he
came back, we decided to chalk him (initiate him) and, today, he is at the
palace to confirm his acceptance of the chalking(initiation ) as the Odogwu,
that is to say, he has accepted . That is why I said it is not yet a ceremony
but acceptance of the offer to be the Odugwu(warrior ) of this community.
was in the United States of America then. He was chosen in absentia. When he
came back, we decided to chalk him (initiate him) and, today, he is at the
palace to confirm his acceptance of the chalking(initiation ) as the Odogwu,
that is to say, he has accepted . That is why I said it is not yet a ceremony
but acceptance of the offer to be the Odugwu(warrior ) of this community.
It was in the news recently
that your community had problem with Fulani cattle rearers. What actually
happened?
that your community had problem with Fulani cattle rearers. What actually
happened?
The matter has been taken to the governor. We
tabled it at a meeting in Warri. You see, the Hausa /Fulani are not rearing
cattle here. They are looking for something. We are beginning to discover that
they are here for something else. Tell me, if you are rearing your cattle,
won’t you take them to the bush to eat grass and drink water? Why will they
rape women in their farms? Why do they eat people’s yams? Why do they take
people’s property? Is that what they are expected to do? Eat grass and go if
you are rearing cattle . But no! They will see a blossom farm and lead their
cows to eat up farmers cassava , yam, corn and what have you. We have tolerated
these people enough and have, therefore, shifted everything to the state
government to look into it.
tabled it at a meeting in Warri. You see, the Hausa /Fulani are not rearing
cattle here. They are looking for something. We are beginning to discover that
they are here for something else. Tell me, if you are rearing your cattle,
won’t you take them to the bush to eat grass and drink water? Why will they
rape women in their farms? Why do they eat people’s yams? Why do they take
people’s property? Is that what they are expected to do? Eat grass and go if
you are rearing cattle . But no! They will see a blossom farm and lead their
cows to eat up farmers cassava , yam, corn and what have you. We have tolerated
these people enough and have, therefore, shifted everything to the state
government to look into it.
Kidnapping has assumed a
worrisome dimension and it’s rampart in the eastern part of the country. What
are you doing to secure your community against this scourge?
worrisome dimension and it’s rampart in the eastern part of the country. What
are you doing to secure your community against this scourge?
O nicha Ugbo has a very formidable vigilance
group. The police has no power anymore. If you go to the police station in
Onicha -Ugbo now , you will not see more than one or two persons; the
Division’s officer and one other person. Police cannot cope with the issue of
kidnapping at the moment and it is not their fault but that of
government. This is because they are not well equipped . Go to Onicha Ugbo
police station and see whether you will find policemen there..
group. The police has no power anymore. If you go to the police station in
Onicha -Ugbo now , you will not see more than one or two persons; the
Division’s officer and one other person. Police cannot cope with the issue of
kidnapping at the moment and it is not their fault but that of
government. This is because they are not well equipped . Go to Onicha Ugbo
police station and see whether you will find policemen there..
What is the place of Onicha
Ugbo in the Anioma kingdom?
I don’t think I have to blow my own trumpet. You know Iseluku, Onicha Ugbo and
other towns around. It is you that will access Onicha Ugbo and know whether
there is progress or not. I think you should give us the situation report of
the community. The only thing I can tell you is that we are never hostile to
strangers. As for me, I grew up in Yoruba land and even schooled there and they
never hurt me one day.
Ugbo in the Anioma kingdom?
I don’t think I have to blow my own trumpet. You know Iseluku, Onicha Ugbo and
other towns around. It is you that will access Onicha Ugbo and know whether
there is progress or not. I think you should give us the situation report of
the community. The only thing I can tell you is that we are never hostile to
strangers. As for me, I grew up in Yoruba land and even schooled there and they
never hurt me one day.
With that spirit , I protect the interest of
strangers in this town. You can go and ask. Call any Yoruba man or Igbo man in
this town and ask him how is Obi I treating him or her. If you ask three
people, two will tell you that Obi Chukwumalieze is nice to strangers. But I do
not know whether we are better than Iseluku and other communities around in
terms of social lives and what have you.
strangers in this town. You can go and ask. Call any Yoruba man or Igbo man in
this town and ask him how is Obi I treating him or her. If you ask three
people, two will tell you that Obi Chukwumalieze is nice to strangers. But I do
not know whether we are better than Iseluku and other communities around in
terms of social lives and what have you.
When you read the report that
Onitcha-Ugbo was boiling over the Odogwu issue, what was your reaction?
Onitcha-Ugbo was boiling over the Odogwu issue, what was your reaction?
At first, I was taken aback. But when I read the
report over , I discovered that the reporter did not put his name and concluded
he could have been bought over. I am not a journalist but I know, for sure,
that if a reporter did not put his name, then, he has betrayed the ethic of
journalism and something needs to be done about that.
report over , I discovered that the reporter did not put his name and concluded
he could have been bought over. I am not a journalist but I know, for sure,
that if a reporter did not put his name, then, he has betrayed the ethic of
journalism and something needs to be done about that.
Back to the Odogwu stool, did
you throw your weight behind the Odogwu designate? To make it milder,
what has been his contribution to the progress of Onicha Ugbo as a community to
warrant his nomination among others?
you throw your weight behind the Odogwu designate? To make it milder,
what has been his contribution to the progress of Onicha Ugbo as a community to
warrant his nomination among others?
His contribution is enormous. I will only
mention three. When I ascended the throne in 1999, Onitcha-Ugbo was the only
town that had no access road to the expressway and that issue was like an
arrow in my heart.
mention three. When I ascended the throne in 1999, Onitcha-Ugbo was the only
town that had no access road to the expressway and that issue was like an
arrow in my heart.
Everyday, I kept asking God what we could do? It
was not something we could contribute money to construct. How much are you
going to tell a market woman or a peasant farmer to contribute?. But one day, I
was driving to Iseluku when I saw people working on that access road. They did
it from this road down to the expressway. I was surprised. I approached the
present Iyese who was the contractor and asked , oga, who say make una come do
this work? He said it was Dr Ibe Kachukwu.
was not something we could contribute money to construct. How much are you
going to tell a market woman or a peasant farmer to contribute?. But one day, I
was driving to Iseluku when I saw people working on that access road. They did
it from this road down to the expressway. I was surprised. I approached the
present Iyese who was the contractor and asked , oga, who say make una come do
this work? He said it was Dr Ibe Kachukwu.
The following morning, I went back to that road
and discovered they had started taring it. So, I went to his house and asked if
he was the person constructing the road. He said yes, that it was just part of
his support to his community. I came back and summoned my council chiefs and
told them my opinion to give Dr Kachukwu a chieftaincy title, they agreed. We
wrote to him but he came back and said he would not accept it except his father
gave his consent but that it won’t stop him from helping his community.
and discovered they had started taring it. So, I went to his house and asked if
he was the person constructing the road. He said yes, that it was just part of
his support to his community. I came back and summoned my council chiefs and
told them my opinion to give Dr Kachukwu a chieftaincy title, they agreed. We
wrote to him but he came back and said he would not accept it except his father
gave his consent but that it won’t stop him from helping his community.
But, at last, he took the title of Esaba of
Ezechime. That is one. He has given more than 900 people scholarship. Not only
in Onitcha-Ugbo but in all Ezechime kingdom. And he is still doing it. . Again,
you see, he bought motorbikes for most people ridding motorcycles in Onicha
Ugbo. He does that yearly.
Ezechime. That is one. He has given more than 900 people scholarship. Not only
in Onitcha-Ugbo but in all Ezechime kingdom. And he is still doing it. . Again,
you see, he bought motorbikes for most people ridding motorcycles in Onicha
Ugbo. He does that yearly.
Every year, he gives rice to women of this
community. For women who can not afford a cup of rice, he gives them at least
half a bag every Christmas. Go to Onicha Ugbo All Saints Catholic Church , he
made it so. Last Christmas mass, they demanded for N10 million for a need
ranging from construction and other vital things in the church, he gave a
cheque of N4 million. There is a Catholic nursery and primary school he is
building there. Infact, he told all the Catholic churches to remove their hands
that he will complete it. In addition, the Reverend Father’s residence was
built by him.
community. For women who can not afford a cup of rice, he gives them at least
half a bag every Christmas. Go to Onicha Ugbo All Saints Catholic Church , he
made it so. Last Christmas mass, they demanded for N10 million for a need
ranging from construction and other vital things in the church, he gave a
cheque of N4 million. There is a Catholic nursery and primary school he is
building there. Infact, he told all the Catholic churches to remove their hands
that he will complete it. In addition, the Reverend Father’s residence was
built by him.
Source: Vanguard
