The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine

Tag: John Igwesi

  • [Nkanu Today] 41 Years On: Remembering the Life & Times of HRH Eze John Egbo Igwesi 

    [Nkanu Today] 41 Years On: Remembering the Life & Times of HRH Eze John Egbo Igwesi 

    By Onochie Jon-Igwesi

    Today, April 11, marks the 41st anniversary of the demise of Igwe John Igwesi

    Born in 1921 as the second son of Igwesi Ogbodo Nwa Nvene Achioke Ukwu Nta, a Warrior and Warrant Chief popularly known for his wealth, personality and character, with numerous praise names such as Igwesi Nvene Okpube (a rich man that provides shelter for others), Igwesi Nvene Odo Owo-Anu na agba doyi doyi na etikpo okita onu (Lion), Igwesi Nvene Ntereja (a man whose wealth is as uncountable as sand), amongst others, I recall an unsuccessful attempt to ascribe a foreign meaning to the name ‘Ntereja’ seven years ago, legendary John Igwesi stood towering among men.

    Onochie Igwesi
    HRH Eze John Egbo Igwesi

    Late John Egbo Igwesi was an academic scholar, a steadfast civil servant in the then Coal Corporation in Enugu, an outstanding and smart politician, an unrepentant clan/community leader who was widely reputed for championing any course for Nkanu and Awkunanaw, nearly becoming clannish, and a revered first-class traditional ruler. Eze Chinawaeze II of Obuoffia was known extensively for the humble commitment of his life and humble wealth to the service of his people.

    Throughout his lifetime, John Igwesi  recorded innumerable political and developmental wins for Awkunanaw and Nkanu. He held many positions of authority in Nkanu Land and beyond, positions which may not be exhausted here. Prominent among them were, Honorable Member representing Udi East Central Constituency in the then Eastern Region House of Assembly under NCNC with the likes of Janeth Mokelu, Dike, etc. His stint as a Representative holding a mandate sacrosanctly given to him by his people was remarkable for consistently promoting, projecting and sustaining the interests of his people.

    History has it that on a particular day, a day which started like any other, but on which Chukwu okike had a bigger plan for Nkanu, John Igwesi stood up on the floor of the Eastern Assembly, his voice towering above his colleagues, as he courageously moved the motion for the separation of Nkanu Division from the Old Udi Division, backing his motion with unarguable facts and ensuring he gained the needed traction for that motion to scale through, a feat he achieved and for which Nkanu was granted autonomy. Would it be an overstretch if I say that were it not for the intervention of God through Igwe John Igwesi, Nkanu may not have been?

    John Igwesi went on to become a Divisional Officer (D.O) and was elected Chairman, Nkanu County Council for donkey years, where he instituted remarkable developments in Nkanu. He was a humanist and philanthropist whose milk and brook of compassion overflowed. You recall that piece I did in 2020 where I narrated how I benefitted firsthand, 39 years after his death, from his good deeds? He uplifted not just the development of infrastructures but also the development of churches, sports and education which he so believed in.

    95-year-old Chief Mark Ngene, Egbe a nu-uzu of Attakwu, Akegbe Ugwu, Chairman of the Peace & Reconciliation Committee of Awkunanaw Welfare Association and a walking encyclopedia and repository of our history had a lot to say about John Igwesi. On the history of Awkunanaw and formation of Awkunanaw Welfare Association, he recalled “we were in school, I was in Standard 5 when the association started in 1945 through ’46, ’47 or so. It started because in Awkunanaw, there was no Standard 6 and the only mission in Nkanu was the Methodist mission in Agbani. Our people saw it as a backward development so began to think of how to have Standards 5 & 6 in Awkunanaw. Okeke ede from Umaa, Igwe John Igwesi, David Ani nw’ogbo met and decided to take the problem to one Revd. Wood who at that time was in charge of Agbani circuit in the Methodist church. They met with him and they were given conditions. The negotiation spanned from 1945 to 1948. The establishment of the present secondary school in Akpasha was as a result of that. Then it was a Standards 5 & 6 school. The establishment of that school was wonderful for our people. As far as the modern Awkunanaw is concerned, her development started from these three human figures”.

    When asked about people who played major roles in the making of Nkanu’s history, he said “Ah, those who made Nkanu a modern Nkanu, those of us who are old still remember them but we are very few now. Fortunately, some of these things have been documented. Coming down to Awkunanaw, we had the paramount chief Ugwunnaji, Agbowo ebiem, Okeke ede, Igwe John Igwesi and so on. I still remember that in Nkanu, it was Dennis Nnaji of Oruku, Daniel Nnamani of Agbani, Igwe John Igwesi, Igwe Edward Nnaji that were at the fore front of the modern Nkanu and their base was at Agbani where we had the headquarters of Nkanu County Council. They first identified Nkanu because we were under Udi District Council. Nkanu said it was not wise for them to go second to Udi area. These men made it possible that Nkanu stood on her own. As at then, Nkanu had just very few schools, the only Standard 6 we had in Nkanu area was at Agbani Methodist Central School because the Methodist church was quite popular in Nkanu then. These names I mentioned were the pioneers that made it possible for each side in Nkanu to build their schools, and have up to Standard 6, which was the maximum then”.

    Igwe John Igwesi may be dead but he still lives on because the fruits of his labour still exist. I recall one of my interactions with an Nkanu West stakeholder who said “Your family is still benefiting from the goodness of John Igwesi.” He was a man who didn’t believe that he alone should stand, a practical crusader of ‘Live and Let Live’.

    Grandpa, as we mark the 41st anniversary of your demise, we thank God for enabling your descendants to attempt to sustain your ideals and legacies. You left a huge shoe which we are trying to fill, for who can easily fill in the shoes of a selfless servant like you? We wish to let you know that the Nkanu you toiled for has continued to be great and that just like in your time, she still has some black sheep. But isn’t that the beauty of life? Chinawaeze, you will forever remain green in our memories. May God continue to grant repose to your soul as we hope that one day, you will be given the loud post humous celebration you deserve.

    As I drop my pen, I feel I should repeat what I had once written. Like someone once said, carve your name on hearts because legacy is not just leaving something for people but leaving something in people. Leave the inheritance of a good name for your children in a world that will feel indebted to them because of the kindness, goodness and compassion of their parents. It was Jonathan’s kindness that caused his crippled son Mephibosheth to eat at the table of the King, David, for the rest of his life.

    Onochie Jon-Igwesi, a grandson of Igwe John Igwesi, writes from Omuoha-Obuoffia.

  • Good Deeds Do Not Die; The Legend Yet Lives On

    Good Deeds Do Not Die; The Legend Yet Lives On

    By Onochie Jon-Igwesi

    Let us go back in time to the evening of June 9, 2020. While putting finishing editorial touches to the maiden Democracy Edition of Pacesetter Frontier Magazine which was planned to be released on June 12, 2020, I received a call from my father, H.R.H Eze Barr Igwesi O. Igwesi. My father, who had taken to farming as one of his ventures, had called to let me know that his car broke down around Obeagu community, as he made his way back to his palace in Omuoha, Obuoffia from the farm.

    My father’s inclination to always call me in times such as what was at hand wasn’t lost on me. Perhaps he had a strong belief in me to always, promptly step up to the matter and get it done, and although working on seeing the magazine released exactly on June 12, 2020 was a priority, I just couldn’t bear the thought of leaving him out there and not being the usual me. By the time he called back to tell me not to bother coming again since his mechanic was on the way, I was already some minutes close to where his car broke down.

    Fast forward to minutes later, I arrived at Obeagu-Amechi Road, precisely the junction leading to the palace of the Traditional Ruler of Obeagu Uno Autonomous community, HRH Igwe Linus Okafor, a fine gentleman. I got to know that he is a successful businessman based in Jos; Ah! the typical Igbo man and his pan-Nigerian mindset again. Let’s not wander too far joor; my father’s car, according to the mechanic’s diagnosis wasn’t going to be fixed that evening so the only available option was to push it into Igwe’s Palace so that the next day, the mechanic would fix it. The only problem was that the car was an SUV and the gate leading to Igwe Okafor’s Palace was up a slight hill.

    While thinking of what to do, we noticed a locked church compound across the road and a residential building with its gate slightly ajar, adjacent the church. I approached the compound to speak to the owner to permit us push in and park the car till the next day.

    “Cast your Bread upon waters, for after many days you will find it again”. Those were the words of King Solomon. As at the time I took decision to enter that compound, I didn’t know that I would see those words play out just as it was written.

    When I got into the compound and knocked, a woman, whom I guess was in her mid or late fifties answered and asked what I wanted. I thought it necessary to speak the beautiful Nkanu dialect to see if it would water the ground for the request I was about to make. I introduced myself as Onochie and recounted my father’s experience with his car and all that had happened till that moment but to my chagrin she said “No”. She said “Daddy”, referring to her husband, wasn’t around and as such she couldn’t decide alone. Thinking about it in hind sight, she displayed the nature of a well-bred, traditional Igbo woman who would never attempt to usurp her husband’s powers without getting a nod of approval (Exhales), Nwanyi bu Ife.

    I left to tell my father and he decided to speak to her by himself. He introduced himself as Obi Igwesi. The moment the woman heard “Igwesi”, she asked “Is it the Igwesi from Obuoffia?’’ My father nodded in the affirmative. She wasn’t satisfied, she asked again “Are you the son of the late John Igwesi?” My father nodded again and immediately, her face lit up and she said “My husband is Philip Ani. He always talks about John Igwesi. He said your father (John Igwesi) trained him back in the days at Umudike (I feel she was talking about the then School of Agriculture, Umudike which is presently known as Federal College of Agriculture, Ishiagu). He said that if it weren’t for your father, things would have become really hard for him. He said he wasn’t the only one your father was training at that time. He also talked about how your mother would always give him a very big portion of food because she and my husband were both from Amechi and she always called him her brother”.

    Onochie Igwesi
    HRH Eze John Egbo Igwesi

    She said so many other beautiful things about my Grandfather while I just watched and listened in awe and admiration of a man who was a Colossus while he lived. My father went ahead to make again, exactly the same plea I made and this time she quickly gave her nod of approval. While we left to push in the car, I overheard her say to her visitor who was there while all these went on: “Daddy wouldn’t have been happy if he came back and heard that I turned back the son of John Igwesi without rendering him the assistance he needed”.

    Yet again, she didn’t disappoint. I think she should be called Obidiya for she could tell what her husband would do at any given situation. Her approval of the request after she came to know whose seed my father was – wasn’t a usurpation of her husband’s powers, it was a strong and undisputable confirmation that good deeds do not die. If they did, how come we came to reap the benefits of the deeds of a man who died many years ago?

    His Royal Majesty, King John Egbo Igwesi (Eze Chinawaeze II of Obuoffia) was a civil servant with the then Nigerian Coal Corporation. He represented Udi Central Constituency in the then Eastern House of Assembly under NCNC. He was the Chairman, Nkanu County Council for 7 unbroken years, a record no other has held till date. He led the formation of Awkunanaw Welfare Association. He was a Scholar, seasoned Parliamentarian and a conscientious civil servant. He was the King of Obuoffia and the clan head of Awkunanaw. He will always be fondly remembered for moving the historic motion that bestowed autonomy on Nkanu Local Government from the old Udi Division.

    He trained and oversaw the establishment and rise of many sons and daughters of Awkunanw and Nkanu Land, some of whom are still alive till date. He personified Justice as a defiant and strong willed WAWA man, little wonder, a typical Nkanu man who had been denied justice will tell you “I will show you John Igwesi.” He was an Iroko and he came, saw, conquered and surpassed a lot of his contemporaries, a man whose political and historical records have been treasured at the Archives of the Enugu State Ministry of Information. This, in summary, was the man whose name at that moment opened onto us a door that was shut.

    King John Igwesi is dead and yet he lives on. Those who are vexed and envious of the great life and times of John Igwesi have at times turned the truth about him and his descendants, to make it stand on its head. Because that position is uncomfortable for the truth, the truth has always, against all odds, reverted to its normal position which is standing on its feet.

    Some days after the car incident, I got to know that Mr. Philip Ani died as a result of an illness he had been down with for some time. Ah! (Hisses) I felt so bad, but I still felt somehow happy, happy because fate was very kind to him. Fate kept him alive till he did a last act of kindness to the first son of the late John Igwesi. I’m sure that as he journeyed to the great beyond, he must have felt fulfilled because he was able to say “Thank you” in his own little way to the late John Igwesi for all the good deeds he did to him and many others in his life time.

    Like someone once said, carve your name on hearts because legacy is not just leaving something for people but leaving something in people.

    Before you die, if you haven’t, ensure that the world owe you a favour, a debt which they would pay to your children and descendants unborn. Leave the inheritance of a good name for your children in a world that will feel indebted to them because of the kindness, goodness and compassion of their parents. It was Jonathan’s kindness that caused his crippled son Mephibosheth to eat for the rest of his life at the table of the king, David.

    I have now learnt to at all times introduce myself as Onochie, without forgetting Jon-Igwesi, so that perhaps one would show me kindness because of the good deeds of Igwe John Egbo Igwesi.

    Shalom.

    Onochie Jon-Igwesi writes from Omuoha, Obuoffia, Awkunanaw.