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THE EXIT OF A NATIONALIST: MY CHILDHOOD COMPANION K.K By: Michael Daniels M.K. Okoronkwo
Late Engnr K.K

Far back, with root in our basic education, a gap was bridged; a communication line was activated; I mean a nuptial nut was tied between us. And the umbilical cord that joined us seemed to be so strong that no one did imagine anything could separate us. Little did we suspect that this rascal ‘Mr. Death’ might make an incision on us that could take us extremely apart from each other even before we could together showcase to the world, our special endowments. Apparently, the generation that grows with us sees us as being very promising to the world. They were not ashamed to hope on us for the future at least that we should add colour to life.
Life style - MICHAEL DANIELS JOURNAL...MDi divsn

With ease, I can regurgitate those days you did fill my gap in my absent: you did freely go to my mum's kitchen, eat the food I ought to eat; go to her farm and did the job I should do. Though, I was not there to see by myself, my mother keeps ringing the bell. Your mum were my mum; your siblings my siblings and mine, yours. We did so many things together just like siemese twins: you knew the girls in whom I had interest just as I know the ones that gave you full giggles and those that broke your heart and set your feet constantly in the street searching.

When it was ripe for us to go by sobriquet, as I rested on 'Unique' and disclosed it to you as the very closest, it did not take you time to go out and publish it as your own name against my expectations--this is the only thing you have robbed from me. Yet I did not drag you before any panel or court of law for prosecution neither did I reprehend you: instead, knowing full well that the name fitted you, I kindly left it for for and shopped for 'Archangel' the one that seems to be divinely assigned for me and which no one did contest with me.

And one thing I do live to remember once I have a retrospective look into what made us who we are, in other words, the origin of our companionship is that: you saw the academic brilliance in me and were challenged. Meanwhile, believing firmly that knowledge is innate, and could be nurtured to excellent, and that there is one in you, you picked up the challenge and resolved to fan into flame your intelligence. “Mike, each time I come to you, you are always reading, and this imposes challenges on me. For that I’m going to put interest in my studies,” you said. Immediately, you curtailed the time you previously assigned for trivialities and give much for constant studies. It wasn’t long you became a bookworm and started competing the first class honour with me. In fact, you were one of my closest rivals. This very act made me to place you on the eerie above your equals. Hence, when I changed to Wilcox MemK.K, 3rd from rightFrom r are Michael daniels, Nnaji U.I,& Late Engnr. K.K orial Comprehensive Secondary School, Aba, you were quite uncomfortable with our former Nkporo Campus—you were like a fish out of the water. And until you changed to Presbyterian Seminary School, Ohafia (all for pursuit of quality education) where you obtained your senior school certificate, you did not have your peace. With this pace, you defiantly encroached into the tertiary institution, University of Benin, precisely, like a wild fire and without being held captive by JAMB and other follow-up exams. Yet, when you went there and were yet to see me against your expectations, you were very much troubled. To hook me up, there was no other gospel you did preach to me except the need for me to be there. As if I were academically stupefied or an ignoramus to whom values of education has not been unfolded, you kept sermonizing to me to suspend every other engagement for now and face the reality ‘education’. You have a keen desire for (my) advance studies. Besides, when you merely knew my advances towards higher learning you shouted “excellent”; the joy in your heart could not be measured. Happily, you encouraged and guided me in certain fields as a don, and disclosed to me your plans to go for your master’s degree. Before now, you have vested yourself with teaching and guiding students on how to beat WAEC, NECO, JAMB, etc hands-down. Through this, many who could not smell the wall of the universities are now in many faculties of learning ranging from social sciences to pure sciences. Oh how is it that you are not here to accomplish the mission you kindly assigned; share your wealth of knowledge; witness my matriculation; and harvest the fruit of your labour! I have missed you dearly! Where on earth would I get a next rival as you? Your innumerable friends have missed you, too, likewise your candidates at Executive Tutors, and the entire Executive Tutors! Who have you handed over your wealth of experience before you left us without saying ‘Goodbye’? K.K on white shirt upon black trousers

Honorable comrades and members of Executive Tutors, our guru has embarked on the long journey ahead of us: we should take heart until we meet again. But as we live, we should emulate his good qualities: he was gentle and kind, ease-going, sociable and peace loving. He could easily sacrifice what might bring rancor between him and his pals. Above all, he was bold to confront anyone that walked contrary to what was conventional. Simple, he professed social ethics. Since we came to be, I did not seen him quarrelling with anyone not to mention of exchanging fisticuffs with any. His hope that future is dense with goodies is a common knowledge. Hence, he was not moved by the present condition no matter how fierce it looks. His very slogan used to be ‘Future wait for me, I’m coming in a style.’

Ladies and gentlemen, K.K, my penchant name for Kalu Obasi Ogbudibia, was a renowned nationalist: he was a lover of humanity and the entire nation more especially, his home town. He had the propensity towards serving humanity. And he was of the progressive, meanwhile; he joined forces with the progressives to serve his community. He was a member of the Etitiama Nkporo Youth Association (ENYA); he was very active in the age grade-like organization and was one of its national executives. To enthrone justice, peace, unity and development in Etitiama and Nkporo at large and the entire nation as a whole were his uttermost goal. Out of the cozy cities in the country he could live happily, he opted to encamp nearer home to grace his chances of knowing the happenings at home and getting involved in every social and political affairs, all to building and sustaining a better government. No wonder he was always one foot in the town and the other at home. He informed me that he wanted to be quite proximity to home to be involving in home affairs, “I don’t want to be far from home but nearer to enable me in serving the community better. As a result, I’m considering Aba and Port Harcourt as my permanent base. Right in the latter, I’ve put application for a job.” This is K.K for you. Alas, he has been nipped at the bud even at the nick of time his services are at a high demand. Yes, K.K, a call for an interview from the company you applied came at the moment you were combating with life and death i.e. the job you applied for ripen early enough but the symptoms of death dwindled you from the harvest. Yet you were very optimistic you would triumph until you breathed the last breath, and reluctantly relinquished the spirit of nationalism and crushed the hope of generations. What an irreparable loss!

O brethren, faithful companions, and people of the great community and Nkporo nation, a rare gem has gone as a morning rose: when we could say “Welcome, an Element,” we were coerced to alter it to “Goodbye an icon.” Oh, an eulogy fit to be delivered on his birth day celebration or on the occasion of one of his happiest moment in life (celebration of success) has been constrained to be sang as a requiem! May the perpetrators of the evil, the devil's machinery, feel remorse for their lethal machination, embrace the Cross for regeneration lest they perish.

Notwithstanding, we need not pique against the Creator nor query His wisdom which is beyond our comprehension, perhaps we become brutish in nature. Instead, we have to apply maturity of mind, bear the pain with His grace on our side, cry no more (though we have the cause) and yet give thanks to God who is the judge of all. Secondly, we have to import a good mind-set and undergo fresh orientations. Rather than bothering our heart over past glory, let us embrace the future with pride. Our comrade, Martin Luther King Jnr. said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands at moment of comfort and convenience but where he stands at times of great challenges and controversy.” Truly, a lacuna has been created and ought to be bridged (again): our chemical engineer has been abruptly cut off from us; therefore, we have a need for a replacement. When Cain killed Abel, a Seth was given to the family for a replacement. And through Seth, a son from whose generation people began calling upon the name of the Lord was raised (Ge.4:25-26). Meanwhile, we need to resize ourselves upwardly to fill the chasm. As for me, I have taken more responsibilities upon myself, a kind more than one man could carry, to ensure the niche made by the absence of my honorable friend is not deeply felt in the world over. Likewise, I want every one of you to do the same. A light has been quenched from the Ogbudibia’s and the community as a whole, and it is a high time to light another—this is the big challenge before us. The onus is upon both the deceased family and the community to produce another star—the future is bright.

Repetitively, I admonish everyone to be very futuristic and conscious of it: tomorrow is bright (er) and better if it is well planned. Keep pursuing it. Never relent. Certainly, you will be there in a style. And to mankind in general, I exhort: shun violence, animosity, acrimony, hatred, etc. Desist from making your heart the Devil’s workshop. Instead, imbibe brotherly love; be your brother’s keeper; pursue peace with all men so that the world would be a better place for us to live, and the community quickly developed.

In conclusion, to our co-traveller K.K who has today come to the climax of his earthly journey, I commit into the hands of the Most High God. May God accept his soul in perfect peace. Rest assured, we do live to remember your strength, ambition and vision. Never will you pass like a coward or be forgot as a stillborn. Forever, you remain a hero.
Goodbye K.K
Adieu Kalu Obasi Ogbudibia
Adios an Element
Au revoir Engineer Ogbudibia.

Courtesy: Michael Daniels M.K Okoronkwo
MICHAEL DANIELS International (MDi)
…The Light of the World… Mchael Daniels
www.michaeldanielsjournal.wetpaint.com
e-mail: michaeldanielsjournal@yahoo.com
08050743871















  14. To be Published By: MDi…The Light of the World
  15. (Press)









  25. Contents
  26. Dedication
  27. Acknowledgment
  28. Preface
  29. Forward
  30. CHAPTER ONE: Introduction/ 1900 Special Events……………………………..4-7


  33. M.K.O’S Family Background…………………………7-11



  37. Occupations……………………………………………11-13



  41. Social Life……………………………………………….13-16



  45. Religion………………………………………………….16-19



  49. Epilogue…………………………………………………20



  53. Smart K.’s Chapter of MKO’Biography…………………21-22



  57. Tributes To Chief M.K.O………………………………..23-25



  61. Government And Rural Development: Nkporo in Perspective….



  65. Introduction to FOREX……………………………………25-



  69. Introduction to MDi…The Light of the World……………25-30













  83. DEDICATION


  86. I DEDICATE THIS BOOK TO THE PROGENITIES OF CHIEF MARCUS KALU OKORONKWO (TO SHOW THEM THE STUFF THEIR FATHER WAS MADE OF). I ALSO DEDICATE IT ONLY TO ANYONE WHO WANTS TO REIGN, RULE AND WIN. ABOVE ALL I DEDICATE IT GOD TO USE IT TO BLESS ALL HUMAN RACE FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION.





















  108. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

  110. First and foremost, I appreciate the almighty God for the wealth of knowledge and infinite grace he bestowed on me which enabled me to write this book. I give Him all the praise. However, my appreciations also go to the entire management of Visa Karena Hotel and especially, its Cyber Cafe department for unimaginable support I received from them during my times of difficulties and also for the printing of this book. Among them, I give greater thanks and admirations to Stephen Ephraim Alongsius, the manager of the Cyber Café who single handed typed the book and also gave me uninterrupted access to the computer at little or no cost to modify it. God used him enormously to make this book a success. May God bless him for me. I equally thank every other person I could not mention their names who helped in one way or the other to make this forte a reality. God bless you all in Jesus’ name! Amen.









































  152. WHAT I’M AND WHAT I HAVE WERE DEPOSITED BY MY FATHER; DEVELOPED BY MY MOTHER UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE GRACE OF GOD THE ONLY TREASURE I HAVE AND CHERISH
  153. Michael Daniels M.K.Okoronkwo






  160. PREFACE

  162. “And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp they went into one tent, and did eat and drink and carried thence silver and gold, and raiment , and went and hid it ; and came again, and entered into another tent, and carried thence also, and went hid it. Then they said one to another, we do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace; if we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us now therefore come that we go and tell the king’s household.” 2 Kings 7:8-9

  164. Well, having taking a retrospective look into the life of my father and saw the stuff he was made of: that in him and around his life dwell hidden treasures that make great men and nations which the world climbs the high mountains and navigates deep seas to find.

  166. And these very stuffs he bequeathed us.

  168. Weighty enough are them, that my heart grows fresh fat daily as I ponder over them—I always draw a new sketch of life for social, economic, religious and community development through touring the life of my dad which is synonymous to nation building.

  170. My father Chief Marcus Kama Ude, as he was fondly called, was God’s gift to the world. When I entitled this book the ‘Cake for Generations’ I was not exaggerating or guessing. He is a package specially garnished by God for His people not only for the generations past but also for the present and the future. He was meant to serve nations across the globe to pregnant them with courage and possibility to keep the ocean going and sail up-stream against the rough tide. He was simply a messenger of perseverance, varieties, success, life abundant, and a research institute for political scientist and diplomats on how to a run a multifarious family or country with diverse ethnic nations and yet keep them within the range of love, peace, unity, and even development—he was a minister of Women Affairs, a renowned diplomat of thought—he handled his family of five wives, a two dozen children, four scores grand children and a ten great grand children and uncountable number of in-laws, and cousins, tactfully till his death, without any fighting one another for one do.

  172. He had good listening ears and patient heart to admit their complaints and attend them according to their needs using the scale of prefereanwhile, as a research institute he is, student of poverty alleviation, orphans and semi-orphans, a nation with mono economy, and generally, economist, etc consult him on how to make a boom out of a meager salary or capital, and without a father’s support (where one is not in extant); and on factors surrounding diversification of economy together with when the diversification is most appropriate and yielding. This was because it was the forte from which he excelled and he has great prowess for them. Even lazy bones are challenged by his business enterprise and acumens to put their hands to the pumps and eke out a living.

  174. But he was yet to be formally educated!

  176. Also, he is a beam of hope to people and families that see no grail hair, who are always assaulted by premature death—mere seeing how long God kept him on earth and protected them from all the arrows of the wicked make them grow fearless of any death that is not of God and have more faith in God that He would see them through all the days of their life on earth.

  178. However, in the crooked world where evil were a custom; people forsook the image and began to pursue the shadow; paid homage to what were not the living God; betrayed brother to take his entitlement, and covered immorality to champion a course and get favor, Etteh Kalu was still focused and determined to hand down uprightness as a legacy. He built his principle on integrity—preached, taught, practiced, and enforced it upon men around him and made it an insignia in his own family. And he seriously frowned when justice is subverted. He led a quiet and responsible life to the level the public could believe and bear him witness. Chief Marcus left many things for us to chew. It is upon these grounds that I chose, against all odds, to put into writing and pass to the world the events that encompassed the 106 years he was on earth writing through his life, and in the heart of men, his many political, economical, social and religious philosophies—the very job he was good at—which have been attested by great minds to be a great innovation so far; so as to take his message farther to where he would have taken it to if he had had the media, and to the exact people God has assigned his journey on earth to be a subsidy and a forte to.

  180. To be candid, I have no contribution in framing his philosophies. He had already made them and stored them in his life. I’m only a custodian to them. Being his lastborn or one nearest to, I spent quality times with him and hence I copied many things mainly the best from him. In fact I picked about 75% of his best interest. In a nutshell, I only record his philosophies as I see them originally written by him in his endeavors.

  182. Frankly, I would be very much unfair to both this generation and generations yet unborn if I have yielded to the forces reacting violently against the publication of this forte from which I excel, and yet, let it elude them. Of course the world would have asked me questions when it sees me in glory and fail to trace my source or at least part of what makes me outstanding. In other word, it is quiet unobtainable to let a king go uncelebrated! Chief Marcus K. Okoronkwo was a king. He reigned and ruled in his days. And because we live he still lives. Hence, we must bestow on him the honor due to him as a chief. Of course, I recommend to the generations after us to keep the pace faithfully to the glory of God.

  184. Also, to appreciate God for the grace He showered upon him to make these high ways for us, is the hidden power that excavated this tome—it is a large and a heavy book not by its volume but by its content or the nourishment it offers. It remains my reference book. I always turn to it for empowerment when great assignment stands before me—I mean when I’m being challenged with Herculean political, social and economical developmental problems; and when I want to know where a hole exists and the ineptitude of men. It is my bible, my very second Bible. I therefore, recommend it only to kings and anyone that wants to reign, lead and win. To God be the glory.
  185. Michael Daniels M.K Okoronkwo.




  190. INTRDUCTION

  192. Many years were that were very remarkable to men because of what they surfaced. The year 1900 was one. It provided great minds with enough to dine on and shift to the generations yet unborn. Hence the majority of what we have now or that transformed us to who we are today dated back to this very year.

  194. For France, 1900 was a moment of her joy as she made her debut in being the host to the world’s most covetable Summer Olympics Games of the Second Olympiad (now Olympic Games). Her capital city Paris was filled to the brim as it featured over one thousand competitors from all over the world who took part in 19 different games some of which were first introduced then into the game industry. Ask Lady Charlotte Cooper, she would tell you it was one of her most blissful moment in life for beside being among the first women that were privileged enough to participate in the Olympic Game for the first time, she was equally the first female Olympic Champion.

  196. In the same year, under William McKinly the 25th US president, US Troops joined international force in putting down Boxer Rebellion in China. Also, US longing for freedom for all, and democratic government in every country of the world, and being at the peak of his administration, William McKinly appointed William Howard Taft who later became the 27th President of US to head the commission charged with terminating US military rule in Philippines. Reversely, hope of freedom dawned on the Philippines in 1900.

  198. Have you heard of Standard Gold Act? Of course you might have. It was in the same year 1900 under William McKinly that the Act was passed, making the gold dollar the sole standard of currency. Guess what! The gold due to its qualities—luster, stability, universality and acceptability, etc. was used to back currencies and hedge them against the influence of US Dollar the bulk of liquid reserves. In the world today, the US Dollar is being used as the international unit of account. Many countries quote their monies in US Dollar to bring it to international knowledge or convert the domestic value into dollar when it comes to international transaction. This is because, if any country is counting on its domestic term—naira for Nigeria, CFA for Togo/Cameroun, Cedi for Ghana, RAND for South Africa, Yen for Japan, EURO for European Union, Pound for Great Britain, WAUA for AU (African Union), Dollar for US, etc. it would create a bit problem in understanding; no one foreigner would understand with ease unlike when the same amount is converted into dollar.

  200. To convert a foreign currency to a domestic one, multiply the value of the foreign currency by the current value of one unit of the domestic currency to the foreign in the foreign exchange market. To convert domestic currency to foreign, divide the domestic currency by the value of one unit of foreign exchange. Among other things, It takes knowing the market value of the currencies you want to trade on to partake in foreign exchange market.

  202. Almost every country has her foreign reserves in US dollar. At the moment Nigerian foreign reserve is $45 million.

  204. The foreign reserve of a country is what gives it balance in international trade. It aids in the balance of payment. If a country’s currency is over valued or depreciated, it takes her foreign reserve to keep her sailing in the market. Trade deficit reduces foreign reserves and also depreciate or lowers domestic currency. And when a nation’s home currency is depreciated her exportation is priced poorly while it cost her dearly to import. To restore or balance a nation’s trade in the global market or make its currency appreciate, the nation has to boost her exportation and minimize her importation.

  206. The three major currencies most countries use to reserve currency remain the Pound, EURO, and the US dollar. And one of the factors that influence each countries choice of currency for foreign reserve is interest rate. Another one is stability or the ability of the currency for foreign reserve to keep low inflation rate. Any country with a better interest rate and higher stability attract many nations to invest in their currency.

  208. Although US dollar makes waves, British Pound and EURO, each of them have a higher market value (purchasing power parity) than it. Yet the British Pound and Euro are nothing to be compared with gold. Change in the price of gold automatically offsets the holdings of these world leading currencies i.e. if the price of gold depreciates holders of pound, Euro or dollar will sell a greater portion of their currencies to buy gold and have more of gold. In other word, if the price of gold soars, it would take extra dollar or pound to get the same quantity of gold unlike before.

  210. Fiat money is protected by gold. Central Banks and the First World Countries have gold as their reserves till date.

  212. Gold does not rot nor rust. The currencies of the world powers vie to be like it. (One ounce of gold is estimated at $625).

  214. More importantly or another reason gold is well cherished as a store of value more than real estates, securities and even government bonds is that unlike fiat money government has arbitrary power over and can re-dominate and devalue thereby setting inflation that deteriorate the value of money the more, it is free from government’s manipulation. With it there is no ‘currency uncertainty’. If you save seven bullion gold of any value today to collect it back by five years, in cash, it will still give you the current price of it then. Let the host nation change her currency or devalues it if she wants, your gold is there for you and will give you back your money any time any where. Gold is market everywhere and at anytime.

  216. Rest assured, although gold has left the market publicly as a standard of currency, it is still competing market covertly with the world’s leading commodities. As some invest in bank shares, automobile companies, oil companies or petroleum, etc many invest in gold. And only men with foresights are transacting on and with it these days. Banks used it to hedge against loans; US also use it to reserve their currency.

  218. Hence, it calls for giving attention. I mean the commodity that was adopted in US in far back 1900, exactly 107 years today as a wealth reservoir is a rewarding business. It hedges against inflation.
  219. “In the absence of gold standard, there is no way to protect savings from confiscation from inflation,” –Alams Greenspan Ph.D. (gold and economic freedom by Alams Green.)

  221. Furthermore, 1900 was a period of opportunities! Roosevelt that later emerged the 26th president of US in 1901was by then the Vice President of US under William McKinley. It was the forte by which he excelled.

  223. Indeed, no year had turned out to be an international year as the very year in question. Africa also inherited its blessings. Before the white, an African were a black monkey, a wide beast that worth not to be associated with—they saw nothing good or in common between themselves and the Africans. Hence they discriminated them to the core. And with time maybe to eliminate them from the face of the earth to avoid them from mixing up with them and affecting their children as they might have perceived that soon Africans would be migrating, they introduced the obnoxious slave trade, an instrument with which they led Africa into slavery and humiliated them beyond standard. As animals they had taken Africans to be they yoked them together and dragged them under heavy burden –naked and hungry. Again, just as a cattle farmer counts his yokes of oxen in hundreds, the Whites counted the yokes of their African slaves in thousands; and as a businessman exports and imports bulk commodities likewise they exported and ordered to be imported the Africans as slaves for dubious activities—they allowed most of them to starve and over laboured themselves to death in the plantations.

  225. Meanwhile, when they considered the exportation of the Africans as slaves tedious and a slow process and envisaging colonization of the entire Africa a swift means to enslave the whole African race and manipulate it they embarked on colonization with vigor. They dominated Africa; chase it away from its resources, suppressed her education, changed her language and culture holding firmly that there was nothing worthy of emulation in Africa (cunningly, they questioned the wisdom of God—God why did you make this race?). To make any trace of Africa not to be seen again under the sun, they take as barbarians, and influenced their (Africans’) consanguinities to also regard as such any African that spoke or practiced African language and culture respectively, and also ostracized from the metropolis any Africans caught speaking African language or dressing in African style.

  227. Right in Africa, our fatherland, they enslaved our fathers, denied them access to what rightly belong to us; imposed upon them what were strange to their nature—as a square peg they inserted us into a round hole and yet forced us to enter. When our fathers teamed-up to revolt their evil administration, the Whites introduced ‘operation divide and rule’ an instrument that has lingered in Africa till date and caused more harm to us. They made some traditional rulers and turned them against their consanguinities.


  230. However, this act being an atrocity no man could accommodate and which defiled every known law, and human right, Sir Henry Sylvester Williams West Indies barrister founded ‘Pan Africanism’ to fight against the Whites’ obnoxious slave trade, racism and colonialism, etc for Africa. Among other things and as time went on the organization advocated co-existence among all races of the world and freedom to participate in the administration of their respective countries and later independence. Other prominent members of the organization were W.B. dubois and Marcus Garvey (founder of Universal Negro Improvement Association {U.N.I.A}, 1914). The organization “Pan Africanism” had its first conference in 1900. And African Representatives in their first-five meetings in London were: Dr. Kwami Nkruma of Ghana, Azikiwe of Nigeria ((Zik of Africa), Jomoh Kenyata of Kenya and Banda of MalIn a nutshell, African hope of freedom and integration into the comity of nations dawned on them in the same year 1900.

  232. And until the same year, Nigeria, now generally acclaimed as the giant of Africa which is currently among the first-eleven world oil producing countries and is strictly pressing hard to rob shoulder with the top 20 world economy and the (next level of) eleven emerging economies of the world after the BRIC {Brazil, Russia, India and China} by 2020, was not in the map of the world.

  234. Yes, in the chain of the special events and figures of the 1900 even Nigeria’s twin and age mate was Chief Marcus Kalu Okoronkwo. Indeed, as the British was celebrating the birth of the African most populated country, likewise did the family of Mr. and Mrs. Okoronkwo Onwuka and the entire member of Ndi Egwuonwu compound, Etitama Nkporo, the melting point of Abia (North) State were dancing and jubilating over the birth of the man that came, saw, and conquered, Chief Marcus Kalu Okoronkwo (MKO) formerly and popularly known as Chief Marcus Kalu Ude (KAMA UDE)

  236. FAMILY BACKGROUND

  238. Chief Marcus Kalu Okoronkwo (MKO), was born at Ndi Egwuonwu compound Etitiama Nkporo in Ohafia L.G.A, Abia State, Nigeria to the family of Mr. and Mrs. Okoronkwo Onwuka who (the father) kicked the bucket when the gem (who lies in state today) couldn’t even through intuition recognize him as his dad.

  240. And Chief Kalu, being a man ordained by heaven to lay golden eggs just as the woman of revelation 12:1-6, was not consumed by fatherless, and as the woman too, he was taken care of and provided a home by an eagle of God, an uncle, Mr. Ude on whose wing he grew and unwittingly took as his biological father; and whose surname and compound (Ndi Okerima Amautu) he bore and took to be his real paternal surname and compound, respectively.

  242. However, the knowledge of who his biological father really was and where he came from emerged very late in his life even when he was generally known by his contemporaries as the ‘son of Ude’ and the son of the soil of Ndi Okerima compound where he lived, married and raised roughly all his children: yet not by the sapient-eagle-eyed old men who outlived his father and criticized him (MKO) for bearing false surname and abandoning his father’s compound Ndi Egwuonwu, the highly valued compound in Etitiama or the compound of the honorable (Eziukwu).

  244. Hence, Chief MKO, not entertaining negligence over crucial matters moved to locate his father’s mountain at Ndi Egwuonwu compound. And through the auspice of the elders of the compound who gave him a warm welcome and so much cherished his ambition to discover and recover his fatherland ‘Okpu Ulo’ in the compound, the reclamation of the piece of land was possible despite that other people had been occupying it over the years.

  246. Meanwhile, when he realized his genuine surname is ‘Okoronkwo’ not ‘Ude’, the later as cancer had eaten deep into the fabric mind of his family and the community as a whole to the degree not even the most coercive detergent could erase it from them because all their documents had been thoroughly stained with ‘Ude’ as their surname. Take for instance, one looking for any of his family members using ‘Okoronkwo’ as a surname sounds funny and will produce a very insignificant result. Nevertheless, I firmly stand here to announce to you that we the household of Chief Marcus K. Okoronkwo (MKO), more especially me, do not want to be identified with ‘Ude’ again as our (or my) surname but ‘Okoronkwo’.

  248. However, because my father had been living comfortably at Ndi Okerima, his guardian’s compound, where he had equal right with the sons of the very soil and Where no one of the sons of the compound knew he was not one of them but shared things equally with him, he did not relocate to Ndi Egwuonwu compound to live. Yet he romanced and shared things equally with the two compounds that vied to win his interest more—he was a dual citizen. And all the two parties were proud of him. And to pacify the two compounds, he gave them a sense of belonging by grouping his children among them. Personally, I was staunchly registered in his original compound Ndi Egwuonwu Amudu while most of my elder brothers get their dividends at Ndi Okerima Amuutu.

  250. Also, when he discovered who his father was and where he came from, he was able to trace his step-brother, Mr. Ochu Okoronkwo, the father of Messrs Nmecha and peter Ochu.

  252. Moreover, because of how industrious Etteh Kama Ude was he later packed out from Ndi Okerima, his guardian’s compound to Ndi Orji Imokwe (Ndi Oji New–Layout, as we later nicknamed it) where he bought two plots of land and developed one of them.

  254. And at Ndi Oji, he lived peacefully with them and even married one of their daughters, Madam Oma Chukwu Awam. There, he lived with his family till date he joined the part multitude had taken. In his later days his house was converted into a conference hall for the elders of Ndi Oji. And he was equally a peacemaker among the people. Etteh Marcus, God bless you for taken me to where I rightly belong.

  256. And concerning Mr. Ude who brought him up as his own very son, and following the law of requital, Chief MKO treated him as a father till his (the step father’s) death. According to tradition and culture then, even when he was still alive, Chief MKO bought a bullock for and gave him a befitting burial at death. To crown it all though out of mistake Chief MKO named his first son Ude Kalu after him (his guardian). But for his own father Okoronkwo who he later came to know before then he named with a son from his fifth and last wife though the child is late by now. It was at his request that one of his sons named his son after his father, Okoronkwo, to immortalize the name. These, together with how he loved the boy (till he was no more, he reserved anything he ate for the boy) convinces me of his interest for the name to cut across generations. Before then when he was trying to erase the old name “Ude” from our mind and instill the new one, he always gathered us around him especially we the children who were close to him then and would start asking us to pronounce our names one by one. Anyone that mentioned his names up to ‘Ude’ he would sharply blow foul; and commanded applause for anyone that ended his name with Okoronkwo.

  258. Thus all these things made me to put it upon myself to carry the name along and keep it alive even if my brothers completely decline as they are currently finding it difficult to switch over to it. Even in one of my articles which I sent to and was published at the back page of one of the national dailies ‘Daily Champion of Wednesday 28 November (although a rejoinder or my comment to someone else’s publication “Who wants Igbo Language Dead?”). Above other things, I commented on my willingness to project the ‘Okoronkwo’. See the excerpt of the article:
  259. “Re: Who wants Igbo Language Dead?
  260. …may Igbo Language never see death
  261. Hello Justus Nwakanma,
  262. I received your message on “Who wants Igbo Language dead?” I must tell you the truth:
  263. The tongue that speaks for the progressiveness, unity, establishment, and stabilization of Ndigbo, I cherish.
  264. Nothing pains me as hearing or seeing an Igbo man messing up his political office or profession; and my joy has no boundary any time I hear or see him making waves…not that I have a slight interest in seeing anyone from another tribe misbehaving—I wish the best to all Nigerians so that the country will be a better place for us to live.
  265. I cry when Ndigbo cry and rejoice whenever they rejoice. In fact, the state of Ndigbo in Nigeria makes me to shed tears.
  266. Hence, I have great love for the tribe. I can exchange fisticuffs for her sake with any- one that tends to deride her. I resolved to sue the federal government one morning I woke up from sleep while the first thing that preoccupied my heart though I did not discuss anything purporting to that with any person nor imagine it before going to bed nor dreamt about it in the night –I just woke up and grew annoyed –because of the Federal Government’s marginalization of Ndigbo particularly the existence of five states in the South-East, where Ndigbo are in the majority, while other geopolitical zones are having at least six.
  267. My love for Ndigbo and my father compelled me into bearing a long name instead of adopting at least my first-two names “Michael Daniels”. Even when I considered reducing the last three “Marcus Kalu Okoronkwo” to “MKO,” yet I was not satisfied because I feared I would be mistaken to a Yoruba man even from the line of the late Chief MKO Abiola—Abiola lived his life! I must live mine, promote my tribe and immortalize my own family name.
  268. And my prayer is and will continue to be “May Ndigbo and Igbo language never see moribund in Nigeria both politically, economically, socially, etc. but permeate into every nook and cranny of the nation, occupy, and reign as they always do (every Northerner or Westerner that crosses the Niger Bridge or enters the East {South-East or South-South} strives to know one language—Igbo language, and feels fulfilled and belong once he can hear or speak ‘bia’). I extend the same to our neighbors’. And let someone that thinks it in his heart to expunge Igbo language from being a national language, a language used in the National Assemblies and as a WAEC course, despite how germane his reasons are be like one of the departed fools who no one have any memory of , even like the still-born.” Can I hear somebody say Amen! It is done!
  269. Michael Daniels M.K. Okoronkwo,
  270. Nkporo, Ohafia LGA
  271. mikedan4@yahoo.com

  273. And as if Grand Pa knew (If what I was informed of, that is accredited to him is real) I would one day project his name ‘Okoronkwo,’ stated earlier, when I was only a few months baby even a dying one, in the hands of my mother, that he said, “Nwa kari uto na-nwa nwa— i.e. grand child gives the best of joy.” In January 11th, 2008, when I engaged Mother in discussion particularly on the things of the past, she made mention of reincarnation and pointed out people in our time that wear the spirit of some other people that had come and gone. Being critical about this, I asked her how they used to know who reincarnated who. At this, she revealed “Some people, when they are young always and unconsciously use their mouth to tell mysterious things about who they were and what they did in their first world and a times exhibit their (the people’s) characters while some are being revealed to the people by priests especially when they are sick and as the priest is being consulted to proffer solution for the people’s ailment. Even you (referring to me) fall among the latter group.” Then, she, together with some other hands there, gave me the following examples: I was informed of one wealthy man who finally died leaving wealth behind and which was inherited by the next to kin. And some years later, as the inheritor of the rich man’s wealth was having a meeting with some people in their general sitting room, a small boy of four came into the parlor and went straight to the central chair the late rich man use to sit when he was alive and asked a man sitting on it to stand up from his seat for him (the little boy of four) to sit. Immediately, the man obeyed having visualized the matter. Once the boy took his sit, he pointed at the inheritor of the late rich man’s wealth and told him point plank that the money he is having belong to him (the little boy) and that he (the inheritor) should use it to train him in school. Hence, the inheritor promised him he would do so, and the boy left them. Another one goes like this: they said, “This boy (they told me the person), when he was young walked to an inheritor of his grand father’s symbol of priesthood and pressurized him to give him the symbol for it belonged to him. And the inheritor, without hesitating, went in, brought out the symbol and gave it to him. Immediately, the inheritor later asked him to give it back to him for him (the inheritor) to keep it for the boy until he grew.” And by this means the people concluded those children were the rebirth (in spirit) of those dead men mentioned above.

  275. The second means affirmed that if somebody (a child) was critically ill, and after many treatment had been applied and yet produced no result, a priest is always met to give direction: in the process, the oracle of the priest would make known of who the person was and what would be used to cure it—the priest only prescribed the herb while the person that came for it would go anywhere in the world to get it and apply it on the sick by himself—and immediately the patience is revived. A baby boy, three months after birth fell sick that the parents had been wearied by it until the grand mom decided to go to the priest to know the fate of the baby. But the first one she went to told her the baby would die at dusk! And being not satisfied by this revelation, she appealed to a higher priest. As she came, the priest asked her,” Have you gone to the one told you the child would just die at dusk? The child would not die.” In addition, the priest’s oracle said this about the baby,” I’m Mesherach! I come from a sacred compound and priesthood. I don’t eat anything I see yet you give me whatever you wish. My annoyance is that you people do not keep my principle. Now, use ogirisi (herb) and bath me I ‘ll be alright.” However, by knowledge, the baby boy was a rebirth of his grand mother’s father who was a priest in his lifetime. Meanwhile, once the sick baby was treated with the herb prescribed, he was automatically healed. The boy is three years by now.

  277. Nevertheless, my mother narrated that I shared the same fate with the baby above. According to her, when I was youngish I fell sick that it seemed as if all hope had gone concerning my survival and that my health deteriorated so much that every morning her mother would come to see if I was still breathing and it was at the peak of that that one of my step-mothers, Mary, recommended to her of consulting the oracle at Ndi Agbor Nkporo to discern and diagnose my state. And, reluctantly she went. And on reaching to the place the oracle unveiled I was a rebirth of my grand father and exposed where he lived and also gave direction on the herb that would be used for my cure. According to Mom the oracle lamented, “Nwa kari uto na-nwa nwa!” i.e. grand child gives the best of joy or to have a grand child is sweetest and of a greater joy. “He is Okoronkwo! If you enter Ndi Egwuonwu Compound, Etitiama, you go by the left. That is where he lives. Boil ogirisi, give him to drink and bath him with it, he will live,” it added. To attest if it really worked on me when applied, my mother said she only regretted why she had wasted time before going to the priest. In other word, it prospered instantly.

  279. Well, this, if it is anything to consider about, only tries to make me to suspect why I’m so crazy about the name ‘Okoronkwo’. But before this age long apocalypse was given to me, I had been canvassing support for my brothers to fully adopt the name!


  282. However, Chief MKO, though the last born of his father, he was the first issue of his, mother Mrs. Ogbararu Onwuka who remarried to late Mr. Uka Ogidi of Amaeke compound, who begot both late Chief Olu, Onwuka, Ude and Uka. (And all my father’s late Younger brothers have their children with us, too numerous to mention). Out of the four late brothers of my father, the last two died far earlier than my father and his other two brothers—Olu and Onwuka— died and could leave nothing behind but children. Till their death, they lived in their brothers’ bosom. But between my dad and his first-two brothers above, Chief Onwuka was the richest and the pillar of their family especially when my father retired from active service. He was a business man living in the town, particularly, Aba though he had lived and done business in Ikan , Calabar before relocating to Aba. At Aba, he traded on yams—the very business he was into until his death in 1997 at the age of 83 years. At Aba he had two shops both at Ahia Ohuru ‘New Market’ where he sold the yams. In fact, he was successful in business! Hence, he could build two houses at Aba and secured undeveloped plots of land though he sold the undeveloped land before his death. But his houses outlived him—as a good father he left inheritance to his children. One of the houses is at # 11 Ogwo Road while the other was at Agu Okorie. And he lived at Ogwo Road with his family till died. And this was the very inheritance of his progenies unlike the one at Agu Okorie which he willed to his extended family, although a son, Uche Orji (not his own direct son) in whose hand was entrusted with the family house’s Certificate of Occupancy connived with his mother and sold the house secretly few years after his death. Yet, the entire extended family (Ofia Ukwu) punished them severely by ostracizing them from among it.

  284. Beside the houses in the town, my uncle also built a one storey building in the village which carries 14 rooms including the parlors. There is also a one storey boys’ quarter which with six rooms altogether; and another three bedroom bungalow; also a boy’s quarter in the same compound. The house is located at Isiafor (Achi). Moreover, Chief Onwuka picked my step-brother Onwuka to live with him. Therefore, he trained him up to a secondary school level as one of his own.

  286. But concerning Chief Michael Olu who I was named after, although he was not as wealthy as either of the two—my dad or Chief Onwuka, he had what was enough for him. Like my father, he was a home base and a farmer. And though he was small in stature, he was strong bodily; he had a natural strength and was as swift as Ostrich while at walk. Anyone that walked along with him on the road especially on farm path would be running to keep the same pace with him. It was from this his habit that his popular sobriquet ‘Oji Oso Aga ,Ozobia Nkpo which is literally interpreted as an ‘Agile Man’,’’ was framed. Nevertheless, his strength for work transpired into a six-bedroom flat he built at Amaeke compound. Also like my father, he was no one’s labourer. He equally had large farms and three wives but not to be compared with my father.


  289. Meanwhile, great love was predominant among the three: as a result there was mutual respect in their midst. No matter what, my name sake could not step an inch forward once my father placed an order! How he had quickly comported himself with terror and respect for my father at the shout of my dad, when he was angrily laying complaints to former was what placed him high before my elder sister as being very respectful. Due to how they love each other, when Chief Onwuka died, Uncle Olu concluded he would not be alive to see Uncle Brown buried before him. Meanwhile, three days to bring Uncle Brown’s body home for burial, the former fell critically ill and died in the morning of the day Etteh Onwuka was to be brought home . In fact Chief Michael Olu Uka was quickly buried that day before the body of Mr. Onwuka could be bought in. Frankly, Chief Onwuka’s death affected his surviving brothers but my father accommodated the situation with a matured mind.
  290. Notwithstanding, Chief MKO himself married five wives who nursed his twenty-two children among whom are Late Mrs. Mercy Uka (who was survived by five children), Jane Smart, Ude, Osiri, Ogbonne Isaiah, Titi Simeon and Smart K. through Late Mrs. Orie; Joe, Miena K. Lekwa, Mainna Ukeh, Hannah Agu and Okoro K. through Mrs. Egbe [Chief MKO had two step-children by her in the person of Mesdames Comfort Otah and Rhize Jacob]. Among the children of Chief MKO are Eleanya, Comfort Oju, Esobe, Onwuka and Ufere through Late Mrs. Mary; Sunday [the mother of Kalu and Moses] through Late Mrs. Oma the mother of Luck Uka, Oyidiya Ude and Madam Amiocha who she raised to another man before she was married to Chief MKO. And Madam Oyidiya Ude, because of her overwhelming love for our dad, and which she highly extended to us, we therefore adopted her as one of us. And only what she is yet to suffer we are unconcern about, while the glory we will deny from her is the one that escapes our grip.

  292. Finally, Samuel, Obasi, Ego Agbai, and Michael Daniel through Mrs. Janet, crowned Chief MKO a complete father of the above number of children. Furthermore God decorated his crown with stars of seventy-eight grand children and nine-great grand children.

  294. Meanwhile, one thing common among the children is that their mother is the father’s wife they meet at home while the food in the kitchen belongs to the hungry soul that comes first. Again, my father’s daughters are the pride of their various husbands -- well loved in their respective marital homes while the males are responsible, promising, and full of visions and thrusting into the future with full hope of ruling the world.


  297. OCCUPATION

His Royal Highness, Chief MKO, though not formally edu



  3. And, due to the level of success he attained to in life, he found it odd to see a failure. He was always proud of himself: “In my days I was not destitute! We were the reigning guys, I bought a bull for my father (Ude) in his lifetime,” he always vaunted.
  4. Z
  5. Nevertheless, I am not good at praising man! I always fill guilty for doing so. Because of this, I rarely venture into it. Right now, I have resolved not to say anything beyond what I know or have experienced about Chief MKO. Though I was not there when he was a youth, the family he married some of his wives assured me he was a responsible man even a man of substance. He must have been wealthy and ‘Absalom’ of his days. Take for instance, his first wife Late Mrs. Orie, was from Mr. Iba Olumba family (a well-known and honorable family in the community residing at Ndi Esere compound) who every person would like to be ingratiated with. The very lady has as her sobriquet, ‘Orie Ji Efi Ewu Ugbogho’, that is, one who cooks vegetable soup with a bullock explaining a great exploit. His second wife Mrs. Egbe was not from a base family, but one to write home about. Excuse me! Who can give his daughter to an outside except he has seen him capable? More interesting, never in the history of men a girl revokes her nationality for a common man unless the one she would get the full giggles from. Chief MKO, you crossed the boarder and brought home an angel from Item as wife. By the way, what moved Awam Chukwu of Ndi Orji compound to approve your marriage with his daughter late Mrs. Oma, if not you have something to show? Of all most surprising was, he broke the king’s security, penetrated into the then incumbent king’s palace and came out successfully with the princess particularly the queen then Miss Eziyi Ude Akpala, as wife.
Late Chief and Lolo Eze Ude Akpala, Eze Ogo 7 of Etitiama, what convinced you to give the hand of your queen in marriage to this hero (resting today in the lord’s arms)? Was it not because of his gentleness or for the sake of his handsomeness and wealth? Or should I ask, Chief MKO, ‘O Di Nma Na-Asa Aru (Absolom); Nwoke Ndi Inyom Huru Gbalatara (Ladies’ Hot Cake)’, how did you get through into these high places you treaded upon? Would you persuade me to accept that the best answer must have been a mystery? Or that they all fell in love with you as you pricked around like a turkey or peacock on your gorgeous outfit, as you usually told us? Well, who among women could turn down the offer of a person of your type even if she would be the fifth wife? Chief MKO {Akajiaku}, another point difficult for me to ratify is how you held all these your wives tenaciously in your house till death separated you. Is it with what? Out of charm, love, patience or endurance, which one played the role? Or was it by your knowledge of equitable allocation of resources? I am convinced that your soccer game experience was one the vital keys! Dad with his first wife Lolo Orie SOCIAL LIFE Yes, the fact that my father ate and drank at will and kit elegantly showed for certainty that he was hard working and successful. In Etitiama and Nkporo at large, he was well known for his neat and gorgeous attire. Due to this, he was greatly admired by all men. Let me show you one quasi-drama that occurred during his retirement ceremony: Then as they danced down to Ndi Agbor Nkporo, two Idda people, residing there, join his train on his way back. They were a man and lady. Their presence was noticed at home when everyone had gone. Then the man was inquired about his whereabouts he revealed he followed my father because he loved his style. But, for the woman who laid the same complain as the man, my father for a reason personally known to him ordered his wives to take care of her. The second wife served her food which she declined from eating, while the first wife made bed for her and told her to go and lie down and wait for him. At this, the lady caught by her conscience, burst, ‘Orie, m zulere di gi?’ That is “Orie have I stolen your husband?’ And she hastily jumped out of the house and disappeared into the thin air. Moreover, the elderly ones were also among his fans. In his words, “In those days the elderly ones always took me to (their special) occasions as a sample, and to pose with. His eldest and most favorite friend who was separated from him with great pain by death was Mr. Okoko Ude, the father of Akanu Okoko, another respectable family in the community. Even in his age grade ‘Lucky Age Grade’ Chief MKO was very friendly and influential. He was one of the important men of the peer group. His age-grade friends who death had equally snatched from him a long time ago were Messer Marcus Kama Mba and Egwu Arunsi (the latter), the father of Mr. Orji Egwu, Iro Egwu (the only Virgin or Amaghi Inyom) and co. In the age grade he observed a luxuriant ceremony of their time ‘igbuji Abah’ a kind of ceremony to show affluent which in our today’s world may be likened to a high grade of retirement festival. Politically, Chief MKO was a natural politician, well imbued with the instrument of democracy. He had ‘the majority’ as his watchword – first he opted for what will be for the good of the sovereign majority. In other words, he believed in the majority vote; in the life widely proclaimed as germane and which in its acidic and moral test is not corrosive but a true answer to the yearnings of the man in the street. This is simply the wishes of the masses. If he proposed a policy void of convention he didn’t insist on its implementation for his personal aggrandizement. Nevertheless, he always camped with the minority that made sense, and to protect their interest. He is both a majority and minority leader—these qualities manifested in him. I always watch how he resolved matters as he took precedence of their parley. And it was from there I espied these traits in him. Also, as a blind judge he always allowed the sword to fall helplessly once the scale slid either side wards. The next thing common with him was that he was community-development conscious and loved adventures. In one of those days, after work, as we relaxed in our open-compound for fresh air under the moon, he teased me this viva voce, ‘’ what will be the name of your peer group when the time comes?’’ Immediately, I answered him “Ako N’ Uche (Intelligentsia)” even without thinking as though I had already parboiled it. Then he vowed to see the reality of it. Unfortunately, it occurs at his back. Yet, this inspired me he must had been a figure in giving his age grade their name ‘’ lucky Age Grade,’’ and in most of the important things that happened there. Obviously, age grade in our community is an agent of social, economic and psychological development. It also provides internal and external security. As an analogy, the school blocks, markets (lock-up stalls), Motor Park, hospital, electricity, conference hall, and many other similar projects that are still under construction in our community are carried out by different age grades in the community. Meanwhile, my dad wanted this to continue, and was also desirous that I would be a party to it. That was why he liked me to espouse the age grade. Chief MKO, being a gregarious human being was a member of a popular social club ‘’Akperi” Work and Have Pleasure (by interpretation) whose primary purpose was to share one another’s burden. One can’t count a few number of handsome persons that founded and upheld this club, which attracted the elites of the community, and be right except he has given chief MKO a good place (chairman or treasurer) among them. Of course, he was their treasurer. Moreover, the magnificent-spherical-multiple colored (like that of the rainbow) canopy of this group whose high rise competed with the tallest trees, which took days to be sewn, was knitted in our compound by the experts under my dad’s supervision. Concerning hospitality, Chief MKO was not lacking! He divided his food with his visitors. Though he would not be on table, sighting a hungry man in his house he ordered his food to be brought to the person. None of his wine was opened secretly nor had its cork remain intact on it at the presence of any guest. Kola nut never get dry in his house. The first thing he ordered us to bring when there was a visitor was ‘Nzu’ powder followed by kola and wine. He knew how to entertain guests! Until his translation into glory on 7th October, 2006 by 11pm at the age of 106, one could not sort out who was or is his foe unless the person hated or disdained him out of jealousy. Big dad led a quiet and challenging! He was not only hospitable to aliens but also to his own family. Till he lost his uncles Jonah Ukaeje of Elughu, Arua Uka Echem of Ndi Okude-Etitiama and Mr. Urum of Amurie, he was living peacefully with them, and with his immediate younger ones. None of the later stayed four days without coming to his house. The love of all this brothers’ wives and children were upon him and vice-versa. Not one of them counted his Yule holidays in the village a feat except the person had come to tell him he/she was in town or is returning to his or her base on this or that day; and had blessed him with a gift or two (one of the sources of the plenty wine, kola nuts, stockfish, etc. in his house), and received likewise from him. Not even his in-laws could dodge his presence nor come to him to gratify all righteousness but with love for him. Right from when he assumed the eldest position of his family, his house turned to a ‘Supreme Court’. All cases were brought to and settled at his table to the satisfaction of everybody. Till October 2006 when his life on earth was interrupted as a Justice of peace (JP), he was the last resort of his people. The cross section of the mammoth throng here are his cousins from Elughu, Etitiama, and Amurie who had come to pay their uncle, father, in-law, etc. the last respect they owe him due to his enormous services to them. MKO’S RELIGIOUS LIFE Chief MKO believed in the culture and traditions of his fathers and followed them strictly. Like every man of the community from his days till civilization and Christianity came into the land, he honored the popular ritual ‘Egbele’ of the community where male children are initiated. Hence he initiated all his male children into ‘Egbele’, both to exhibit his affluent and prove himself a fulfilled man, according to them. Though there were sects like ‘ Dibia and Akpam’ (spiritual sects) to mention but a few, people proudly belong and sacrificed to gods with wine, kola, animal etc. and at times do bad to their fellow human beings, Chief MKO (JP) had no little interest in these—he despised them greatly and had no iota of commitment with any one that belong to any of these sects. Throughout his life time, I didn’t for one day saw him at any place with any one that has a public bad record or who was or is (publicly) criticized as an evil one. To add weight to this, my elder sister Madam Ego Demain shared with me her joy after the burial of my father: it was all about my dad’s integrity. She exhumed, “Nothing makes me glad like seeing the burial of our father being over without any secret cult coming to claim him as their member or require one thing or the other for settlement as I witnessed in some others even those that acted so pious.” My father’s wives particularly his second wife Lolo Egbe did not shy away from praising his integrity and effort in life. In a manner which I dubbed the true confession from a true heart she said: “Your dad was truly a man a man! He tried as a man should when he was full of blood and lacked nothing. He was one guys in town yet he did not make trouble with any. The only fault of your father was that he was yet to know to know the true cost of affording education to his children (beyond basic education).” In fact the glory we received from the members of the community concerning the life of our father made us fat, although we returned it to God. People adored his quietness, gentleness, and greatness and thanked us for that as if we to helped to it. Chief M.K.O was generally acclaimed as a man of ‘principle and integrity’. To our eldest (daughter) or who we take to be so, Mrs. Janet Smart Ukwu, nothing piles up her joy and love for my father and helped her to hold our dad in a high esteem as accessing the dozens of my father’s children and scores of his grand and great grand children without seeing a dissident or anyone that is a threat to the society. My father’s integrity is not far fetched. Rather it is a common knowledge. My brother Mr. Smart K. at his own corner and in his own capacity wrote his own chapter of my father’s life or what he knows concerning him, and this together with the first edition of my own chapter of my father’s life circulated the celeration of life ground of my father. And his writing instead of paraphrasing it in this for being the cause of his or her (the person’s) downfall. No wonder he lived his life healthily for several years and slept gently in the lord after he had gathered us (his children) around him and gave us his blessings two months before he took off. Then he lectured us saying: “God made some short, while He created others tall; some slim and some fat. I do not jealous anyone over what God has given him. Be content with what you have of God. Above all, continue in the love among you.” He thought it wise to compile avalanche of wives than to date outside wedlock. Consequently, each of his wives has a legal marriage certificate. And he lived with them till death started separating them. It was not he did not quarrel with any of them for one. He did! But they always settled. One incidence I do remember though I can not recollect the cause was one when I was still very young that my mother divorced him temporarily and took us to her mother’s place and there we lived but not up to three days before we returned. There was this other incident that took place when I and my late younger brother were initiated into ‘Egbele’ the popular ritual as we came to eat my father with a parable asked us if we had eaten as my mother overheard him, she misunderstood him and was embittered in her heart although she did not say anything then yet she treasured the word till one month after we were through with the ritual when she confronted him over it and fought him verbally. But my father behaved himself maturely without fighting back after in it but not to the level of living his house—it was an internal divorce. Both of them lived together till date but without exchanging anything except greeting and any insignificant paraphernalia. Our grand Ma claimed she was living in the house for her children. She was right, anyway. One serious misdemeanor I saw in my father though many people may call it ‘minor and natural’ was that he could disgrace a whisky until the latter turned round and to manslaughter i.e. accidentally shot someone dead in the forest and irrespective of much and sincere pleadings of surviving in the face of difficulties, even in the absence of a father—for he finally emerged successfully after the early death of his dad. He taught us also, to be industrious and keep transforming and or be diversifying our economy (production possibility frontier) until we become successful or obtain what makes us so. This was seen in his involvement in trading architectural and farming activities, which gave him access into the high places he moved on. Orji! Au revoir Etteh Kama Ude! Goodbye Chief MKO

MKO’s Biography, according To Mr. Smart K. on behalf of Mr. Ude Kalu, for the Family

Hospital built at the Chinedu Age Grade Hospital site by a philanthropist Chief MAO Pix By: Anya De Nyasca Also in sight at the Etitiama Community was a Community bank one of its sons Chief Ude Egwu Nkele (Mosco), now late, was building for it. The bank had already approached completion. The building had been raised, fenced and painted. It was left at furnishing. Also, if any of the financial institutions in the country could come and take over the bank and operate it, the community would equally be happy. A functional bank in the community will relief the people the burden of carrying money around or travelling out to bank in the town or else where. Another interesting site to behold in this community is a recreation center built by the youth of the community under the aegis of Etitiama Nkporo Youth Association (ENYA). This is situated at the strategic area of the community. The Youth in addition bought a commuter bus for its Council of Chiefs i.e. to Etitiama Council of Chiefs However, the major project according to them, that is commenced by the government from the late 70s or early 80s which is still going on and has not assumed any shape till now is a pipe-borne water project. The Nkporo community, especially its Ndi Elu ward that lied south-west of the community is faced with serious problem as long as water is concern. The only stream in the region which serves the entire Nkporo community find its way out of Nkporo town through the north-west as it runs, from east to the northern side of Nkporo serving only the Etiti ward and Ndi Agbor ward of Nkporo—these people can just take a cup and open the backyard door to fetch water from the River to a visitor if the person requests for water. Notwithstanding, the whole Nkporo town needs a good drinkable water. But it takes those at Ndi Elu more than one and half hour to go and fetch water from a place the river made a pass near their area. As an alternative, some of the people at Ndi Elu who are too separated from the river move a bit westward and southward to a spring where they use cup to fill their cans from a pothole spring, to fetch water.Uzor Kalu’s administration to continue the water project was so huge that they succeeded in finishing all but a second water reservoir with no water pipe connecting it to the plant, and abandoned it again. The second water tank was at close to Etitiama Satellite Town unlike the first that is at the community’s ancient city. When they (the workers) returned after a long period of abandoning the water project to carry their remaining equipment to make their final exit, the Youth was irritated and resisted them and ceased the equipment (a power generating plant (leister) with which they were welding the tank) from them. The second water reservoir Now, it is the turn of Chief T. A. Orji, the current Abia State Govern






















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