"Controversy is a factor of fame" is one of Icheoku's most favorite saying of the departed legend and hero of Wawa (Enugu State) people of Nigeria. And he was controversial and famous indeed! Aninefungwu Okaa Omee 1 of Ngwo, barrister/attorney at law, civil-servant, administrator, businessman, politician, great philanthropist, one time member of House of Representatives, former governor of then Anambra State Nigeria, husband, father, grandfather, community organiser and leader, author, influential, wealthy, war hero and activist, Chief Christian Chukwuma Onoh aka CC is dead! CC was 82 years old; and passed on peacefully at his country home in Ngwo, Enugu State Nigeria on May 4, 2009. A native of Ngwo, Enugu State, Nigeria, CC was born at Ovim in present day Abia State on April 27, 1927 to late Mr. Gabriel Okwo Onoh and Mrs. Esther Nude Onoh. CC succeeded in all he did as a lawyer, politician and businessman; but he is chiefly reputed as a land owner and speculator, who was the Lagos State's Oloto land owning family man of the South-east? CC was guesstimated to own 510 undeveloped plots in Enugu as well as 1,187 fully developed properties in the city of Enugu? Icheoku asks, what then is left for others in a city as small as Enugu? An avid and convinced one man riot-squad/fighter, CC never shies away from the good fight; in a memorable one liner, the late Chief while commenting on his ordeals through his struggles, said, “Twice, I escaped assassination. My jeep was taken away from me. My people were intimidated by government agents, but these acts were not enough to cow me because I believe in the Wawa struggle of truth. Icheoku says, an "Iroko" tree has fallen and politics in Enugu State will never be the same again, with the exit of this indefatigable leader of the people. CC was survived by his children Gabriel, Bianca, Ken, Sandra, Stella and Lilian; numerous grandchildren and his people of Enugu State. His father Gabriel Okwo Onoh and mother Esther Nude Onoh as well as one of his daughter Josephine, had all since predeceased him. Some of CC's obituaries read as follows:- 1. He will be remembered for his consistent and dogged fight for the emancipation of the Wawa stock of the Igbo race, which led to the creation of Wawa State which is today known as the new Enugu State! 2. He will remain one of the most consistent Igbo men that ever lived! 3. He was a hero who died fighting for the betterment of his people! 4. He should be praised for his doggedness and courageous spirit! 5. His life ran on a vortex of struggles! 6. He was a philanthropist extraordinaire, an iconoclast and controversial figure! 7. He was the light of Wawa people! 8. He was a strong and fearless man! 9. With CC you know where he stood, no man intimidated him! 10. He criss-crossed the political firmament like a colossus; Ndi-Igbo and Nigeria have lost a great man! 11. He was a moving history of Enugu, the city, the people, their culture and their lives! 12. He lived and died for Enugu, and it was something he could never have been ashamed of or pretend it was an unworthy cause! 13. He was a man whose unique politics was about the protection of his people! 14. Love him or hate him, but there was never any doubt about where this man stood on any issue! 15. His demise further depreciates the number of those who fought for Nigeria's independence and lived through today's rot and decline from their then high hopes to today’s wishes for yet another set of good leaders who can dream and have thoughts for the good of their people! 16. He was the father of Enugu State and the most prominent politician to ever come out of Enugu State! 17. He was an astute and fearless politician who genuinely criticised the government of the day without rancour! 18. One admirer surmised that Onoh was the greatest politician that ever emerged from the entire Enugu State and Icheoku concurs that you cannot talk about the Wawa people or Enugu State without C.C Onoh! Icheoku calls CC, the father of Enugu State and the man who led the effort to make that state a reality!
A man who always spoke his mind irrespective of whose ox is gored, and who once blamed the numerous problems facing Nigeria today on an existing structural imbalance in her 48 years of existence. It was his believe that Britain is the root cause of Nigeria's problems as not only did they unwillingly grant Nigeria Independence in 1960, but went on to rig the 1962 election to produce a Northerner as Prime Minister, when the Sardauna of Sokoto Ahmadu Bello, leader of the North then, never wanted one Nigeria! This, according to him, began Nigeria's problems with an unwilling leader leading a reluctant people. With his exit, Nigeria, South-East, Igboland and Enugu State in particular have lost a real patriot! Icheoku agrees that the ranks of the country's elder statesmen has further been depleted with the passage of this great man, Chief Christian Chukwuma Onoh. We pray that the Almighty God rewards him according to his good deeds and for his tireless effort to make the Wawa person walk erect with his head high in Igboland. CC made Wawa people "real" persons in Igboland and for this, every Wawa son and daughter owes him a debt of gratitude and prayer for the repose of his soul. May his family and the good people of Enugu State find the fortitude to bear the great loss; and his shoes like that left by Obafemi Awolowo in Yoruba land, might be too big for any one feet to fill, just yet! Adieu CC !
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Christy 'Apena' Essien-Igbokwe , the wife of Jegede Shokoya of the New Masquerade and Nigeria's lady of songs is dead; she was 51years old. Although her family claimed that "brief Illness" killed her like so many Nigerians; Icheoku retorts that it was most likely AKwa Ibom voodoo and remote control that was used to arrest her. It is on record that she had fallen out with the governor of her native Akwa Ibiom State and have been having a relentless war for political turf with the governor? So who knows whether she was sacrificed to Ekpe cult or even Alusi-Okija as an offal; afterall African science is still very much alive and portent. May her soul rest in peace.
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Onoh’s last moments, by Bianca Ojukwu
ReplyDelete•Nwobodo, Anyim, Nnamani, others pay tribute
CHUKWUDI ACHIFE, Enugu
Prominent Nigerians have continued to troop to the country home of celebrated Igbo lawyer, politician and businessman, Chief Christian Chukwuma Onoh, who passed away last Tuesday at 82 to pay their respects.
Among those who visited yesterday, were late Onoh’s former political rival and former governor of old Anambra state, Senator Jim Nwobodo, two former Senate presidents, Chief Ken Nnamani and Chief Anyim Pius Anyim as well as Senator Ayogu Eze and Emeka Etiaba, a gubernatorial aspirant in Anambra state.
Onoh’s daughter, Bianca Ojukwu, a former beauty queen, now married to ex-Biafran leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, however, took out time to give newsmen an insight into her late father’s last moment’s on earth.
According to her, Onoh’s last night was very restful but he woke up six times to ask his family members what time it was and as soon as it was 6 am on the fateful day, he asked to be taken to the entrance of his house. She continued with the story thus:
"One amazing thing about my father was that his last night was actually very restful. However, he woke up six times and each time he did, he would ask us what time it was. As soon as it was 6 o’clock in the morning, he asked to be moved to the entrance of his house.
"His breathing was a little laboured and we wanted to take him to the hospital but he refused.. When it occurred to him that we were going to force him, he agreed to go and asked his driver and assistant to go and get the car ready and they went out. But less than 10 minutes later, he was gone."
Going further, she said, "My father always wanted to die in this house and his wish was fulfilled. Even when he was governor (of the old Anambra state), he refused to live in the Government House. He operated from this house. He had always wanted to die in his father’s house.
"You know this house was actually built by his father in 1922 but my father had always lived there. Even when he built his own house, he continued to live in his father’s house. We are happy to know that this was where he lived and died."
Describing her father as a fearless man, Bianca Ojukwu said his children never believed he would live as long as he did because of restlessness and fearlessness.
She said: "My father was the only man that I know for whom the word fear did not exist. He was an incredible man; he was a very supportive father. We have lost a pillar. Our community has lost a heroic son, who contributed to the success of many, even at our own expense.
"Humanity has lost an uncommon man. His presence was awesome. Some of us who were close to him actually believed he was immortal. He battled death ferociously for the past two years. We are indeed happy that he lived and died in his own time and on his own terms."
The ex-beauty queen revealed that contrary to views held in some quarters, relationship between her late father and her husband, Ojukwu, was actually very cordial and the two statesmen had recently spent six weeks together abroad during one summer. She added that her husband considered Onoh a very close friend, even though they disagreed on some occasions or issues and was very saddened by his demise.
In their own separate tributes to the fallen politician, Senators Nwobodo, Nnamani, Anyim and Eze all described him as a fearless anti-corruption and anti-injustice crusader, who brought succour to so many that were hitherto oppressed.
Nwobodo admitted that he had been one of Onoh’s political foes but said they became very close towards the end. He recalled that months before Onoh’s death and while he was sick, he (Nwobodo) had visited him in his house and when the octogenarian started asking about certain issues and people, he had jokingly asked him whether he (Onoh) was still fighting and he had answered in the affirmative.
"C.C (as Onoh was fondly called) was a fighter; he fought all his life but mostly for other people. He fought all his life for the Wawa people, for the people of old Anambra state, the Igbo race and for Nigeria. He fought all the governors of old Anambra and Enugu states on the issue of corruption. He always had his facts and they were always accurate. Towards the last days of his life he was still speaking out on a number of political, cultural and social issues. He was indeed a very good fellow and I, particularly will miss him," he said.
For Chief Ken Nnamani, Onoh will be best remembered for his principled war against corruption and injustice, adding that he was a "Trojan and the greatest war horse from this part of the world, who took on even those that nobody else dared talk to."
Nnamani’ predecessor in office Chief Anyim recalled that when he visited Onoh two months ago, he promised to make sure that peace reigned in Ebonyi when he became well enough to visit. Anyim said this underscored the late statesman’s concern for the well being and peace of his people, adding that he remained concerned about the state of the nation until death.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
ReplyDeleteC. C. Onoh (1927 - 2009)
CHIEF Christian Chukwuma Onoh, the mercurial and unforgettable politician, has died in his Enugu country home at the age of 82. C.C. as he was popularly known was a remarkable man with enormous capacity for standing firm in whatever he believed in. At a time when Nigerian politicians are noted more for unprincipled behaviour and unreliable utterances, Chief Onoh stood out as one politician who, like him or hate him, would always stick to his principles without fear or favour. Politically, he had no friend and no enemy. For him the goal justifies the means and he was unswerving in reaching that goal.
He was a gadfly and a stickler for what is right, just and fair. Always outspoken, he did not spare anyone who crossed his path, civilian or military, particularly in his home state of Enugu. He was a dogged fighter for the rights of his Wawa people and was largely instrumental to the creation of Enugu State which was conceived as a solution to the marginalisation of the Northern parts of the old Anambra State by their Southern neighbours.
C.C. was born at Ovim, Abia State on April 27, 1927. At the age of five, he began to live with one Catechist Nwafor at Umuabi village in Udi division of Enugu State where he started his formal education. But Catechist Nwafor was a very stern man so that the young C.C. had to run back to his home at Ngwo, Enugu State, to complete his elementary education. He eventually went to the College of Immaculate Conception (CIC) from where he obtained the Cambridge School Certificate.
Chief Onoh was born into wealth as his father was a very rich landlord. By the age of 30, he was already a millionaire by inheritance. Not a man to rest on his oars, he struck out on his own and increased the family fortune several times over through punishing hard work and enterprise. First he was a building contractor, then he migrated to the Department of Marketing and Exports, Produce Inspection Unit, Ibadan. Not satisfied, he left for the north where at various times he traded in cattle, goats, pigs and ginger. He was later to become the biggest landlord in Enugu. But he lived a frugal and ascetic life, dressing simply as if to ensure that his stupendous wealth did not browbeat anyone. He prided himself in being seen as a man of the people and was instantly accessible to all callers. A philanthropist, he was always on the side of the downtrodden.
In 1954 he left for the United Kingdom to study law. He was successful and was called to the British bar from the Inner Temple in London. He returned home in 1957 as the first lawyer from his area. He launched into private legal practice before venturing into politics. He won election into the House of Representatives in 1958, and became chairman of Coal Corporation in 1959. Onoh was administrator of Enugu during the Nigeria civil war, as well as a member of the Biafran Consultative Assembly. At the end of the Biafran war, he sold planks and timber at a local market. He later went back to law practice and became chairman of the East Central State Marketing Authority in 1974.
Onoh was Councilor for Enugu Municipality and later won a seat to the Constituent Assembly in 1978 to represent Enugu. He was in the forefront of the movement for the creation of Wawa State, out of the old Anambra State, which materialised as Enugu State. For this feat he was honoured with the chieftaincy title of okaa omee (what he says, will happen)
Onoh was governor of Anambra State for only three months in 1983 before being pushed out in a military coup. A devout Christian, he was at one point the local Chancellor of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion.
He was a member of the defunct National Union Movement and the National Party of Nigeria (NPN). In 1996, he was appointed member of the Constitution Review Committee, which reviewed the report of the National Constitutional Conference.
He was clearly a man of many parts who exerted himself continuously in whatever cause he believed in. He was lawyer, businessman, farmer, author and a prominent member of Oha-na-eze. He had several children including Bianca, the lawyer and beauty queen, whose marriage to Biafran leader Odumegwu Ojukwu rankled an angry Chief Onoh. Over time, a mellowed C.C. was persuaded to reconcile with his son-in-law.
It is difficult to summarise the life and times of Chief C.C. Onoh. He belonged to a dying breed of Nigerian politicians who believed in a life of hardwork and service and who had no room for corruption. He soldiered on until death stopped him. The people of Enugu state will remember him as one who lived and died for their sake. Nigerians will miss his candour and unabashed advocacy of truth and justice for his Igbo people.
Ojukwu Mourns Onoh
ReplyDelete• Burial slated for July 3
From Francis Ugwoke in Enugu, 05.13.2009
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Biafran warlord and Presidential candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, yesterday described the death of the second Republic Governor of old Anambra State, Chief C.C. Onoh, as a big shock to him, adding that he had not been himself since the sad news.
This is as the family yesterday announced July 3 as date for the burial ceremony of the late sage.
Onoh’s widow, Caroline, said this while receiving APGA’s executive who paid a condolence visit to the family at Ngwo.
Ojukwu, who spoke at his Casa Bianca, GRA, Enugu residence when the National Executive of APGA, led by the Chairman , Chief Victor Umeh, paid him a condolence visit said that he was at pains because he had lost not just a father-in-law but a bosom friend.
He said that since he received the news of Onoh’s death, he had been full of regrets that he will no longer sit together to share old memory jokes he used to enjoy with the former governor.
Ojukwu who said he knew Onoh during his childhood days at Udi, disclosed that he had been so close to Onoh in the recent past that there was nothing he did without consulting him, describing the late politician as very honest.
“Onoh was not just an in-law but a great friend. The relationship was such that anything that concerns me I consulted him because he will not mislead me. He does not mislead anybody”, he said.
Ojukwu described Onoh as a great man who did not hide his position on any given matter, and said that Igbos will continue to miss him.
Ojukwu said that though Onoh was not a king, he was more than a king, adding that the late sage gave him the best gift of life by allowing him marry his daughter, Bianca.
He advised that Igbos should mourn Onoh with ìprogress and dynamism and not with weepingî, adding that all that was needed was to continue with the legacies he left behind.
‘Onoh’s death is a big blow to the Igbo race, because he was very courageous.
Everyone knew where he stood, unlike some of our present leaders. In history, he never sabotaged any Igbo course, APGA will mourn C.C. just like any patriotic Igbo personî, he said