Preamble
Computer technology that gave birth to internet and its various attributes was meant to facilitate genuine information sharing worldwide and not fake ones, thereby making the world a global village.
Recently, some people that can be described as anarchists, doomsday disciples, dream merchants, rabble-rousers, propagandists, mischief makers, pranksters and what have you have virtually overtaken proceedings in the social media. These people with nothing better to do post all manner of ridiculous, libelous, moronic and devilish articles to draw unnecessary attention to themselves.
They target public figures, living or dead and use false facts and figures to tarnish their meritorious and hard-earned accomplishments, image and place on the sands of time. Many damaging posts had seen the light of the day on social media purported to be sent by world leaders notably U.S.A. President, Donald Trump, Muhammadu Buhari and others. The First Lady, Aisha Buhari was given high blood pressure when her husband was falsely credited with wedding another wife. These mindless and faceless writers can go to any extent.
To them, there are no boundaries to the lies and falsehood they can concoct and allow to flow from their poisonous pens. This brings me to the recent post that Late Nnamdi Azikiwe, the Owelle Osowa of Onitsha was actually from Agbere, western Ijaw, Delta State, born to a man, Lewis Apams, a carpenter with Royal Niger Company. The author of this blasphemy said that Zik was born out of wedlock. To say that whoever wrote that is overdue for a psychiatric evaluation and consequent admission into a mental facility for people with advanced cases of psychosis is an understatement.
Facts of the matter
Fact One: Zik’s Antecedents Benjamin Nnamdi Azikiwe was born on Wednesday, 16th November, 1904 by 12noon at Zungeru, Niger State to Obededom Chukwuemeka Azikiwe of
Ogbeabu Village, Onitsha and Rachel Chinwe Azikiwe from Ogboli Eke Village, Onitsha. Zik’s father was the son of a titled man Nwawuluaru Chude Azikiwe of the Houses of Molokwu and Mbidokwu, Ogbeabu Quarters, Onitsha.
The mother of Zik was the daughter of a Red Cap Chief, Aghadiuno Ajie, the Ozi of Onitsha and a great granddaughter of the 13th Obi of Onitsha, Obi Udogwu, who reigned from 1820 to 1840. He was from Ogbeoza Village, Onitsha.
So, Zik was not only an indigene of Onitsha but what is described as “onye Onicha aka na abo” meaning an Onitsha indigene from both paternal and maternal sides. He was from a Royal Clan, Okebunabo and fully qualified to be the Obi of Onitsha. All the facts here are verifiable starting from 1904 to the present day.
Fact Two: Titled Associations Nnamdi Azikiwe a.k.a. Zik took all the titles available to every
full-fledged Onitsha indigene. On 1st of January, 1944, he was initiated into the prestigious Agbalanze Society of Onitsha as ‘Nnanyelugo’. At this point in history, only bonafide and freeborn Onitsha indigenes were privileged to belong to this exclusive group of noblemen. In March, 1973, Nnamdi Azikiwe was conferred with the title of a Red Cap Chief, Owelle Osowa of Onitsha.
Anybody without untainted Onitsha blood running through his veins can never dream of becoming a high chief like Zik during his lifetime. These pieces of information can be verified from Agbalanze Onitsha Directory and various yearly calendars at Ime-Obi Ezechima situated at Awka Road, Onitsha.
Fact Three: Landed Properties Nnamdi Azikiwe was the owner of the massive and sprawling Inosi Onira Retreat along Onitsha-Enugu Express way. He was the owner of over thirty buildings known as Zik’s flats at Enugu Road, Onitsha. These were later sold off by Nnamdi Azikiwe. These are easily verifiable facts.
Fact Four: My Odyssey: Zik’s Autobiography Late Nnamdi Azikiwe was a visionary extraordinary, elder statesman, inspirational/motivational speaker par excellence, Nationalist
extraordinaire among other things. He foresaw the situation we are facing today from faceless social media pranksters. As a result, he wrote about himself. All that one wishes to know about Zik are contained in this book. So, our faceless writer on Zik being an Ijaw man, your write-up is simply ridiculous and an outpouring of falsehood on a large scale. Due to Zik’s popularity and legacies, many people claimed he was their son notably Nsukka. However, he clarified the issue in his Autobiography, “My Odyssey”. End of controversy!!!
Conclusion
Late Nnamdi Azikiwe was a national monument and a founding father of the Nation. In his lifetime, he was passionate about two things namely Nigeria as a country and his town, Onitsha. In trying to live up to his role as a Father of the Nation, he tactically played down his
infinite love for Onitsha, his hometown. He wrote a poem about Onitsha which was later adapted as the National Anthem of Biafra.
He was a member of his age grade, Ndokwaka in Onitsha. Zik took the titles of the town, ‘Nnanyelugo’ and ‘Owelle Osowa’. Nnamdi Azikiwe was a typical Onitsha man from a prominent Onitsha family. Those that insulted Zik during his lifetime lived (if they were lucky) to regret it and those that deliberately announced his death before he died were buried before him.
Those that are trying to tarnish his image and place in History via the social media should be careful to avoid a fate worse than disgrace. None of the facts presented by he writer can be verified. No Onitsha man dead or living can claim to be more bonafide or indigenous than Zik. He was the face of Onitsha and strived more than most to put Onitsha on the map of Nigeria.
CP Onwa Ikechukwu Ayo Aduba, NPM, PSC+, FCIDA(Ghana), J.P. (Rtd) Anyanwu Ututu of Asaba Chairman/C.E.O.Aduba Redline Security Ltd Onitsha – Asaba – Abuja. CP Aduba, a reired Commissioner of Police, is also Chairman of Anambra State Vigilante Supervisory Committee and Senior Special Assistant to Governor Willie Obiano on Vigilante Matters
