By Sir Don Ubani; KSC, JP
Man is, indeed, mortal! If this were not so, who could be death to come near the Colossus known and addressed as His Eminence, Eze Sir (Dr) Bernard Onyenguzoro Enweremadu, not to talk of snatching him?
As at yesterday’s evening, rumour mill had released a piece via Facebook that, though not explicit, had given an imaginative inkling that a personality that naturally towers, in every description and imagination, above the ordinary had made an earthly exit. Moved to to decipher what the coded message of the rumour mill was, I was told the foremost Traditional Ruler in Ngwa Land, His Eminence, Eze Sir (Dr) Bernard O. Enweremadu, had quietly gone to join his ancestors.
All through yesterday, I made several attempts to reach the first son of His Eminence; Prince, The Rt Hon Christopher Enweremadu but to no avail.
Ordinarily, I would have been discouraged from making more efforts at reaching the Prince but knowing my relationship with the late Monarch, I was determined to speak with him. This evening, I was able to reach the Prince, a former Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly. I needed to reach him in order to obtain confirmation from him that his father, the Traditional Ruler had really died.
Having heard from the Horse’s mouth that Eze Ukwu has passed on, I then felt I should, at least, scribble one or two things that I knew about the great Traditional Ruler.
Apart from my father, late Chief Emmanuel Wigwe Ubani, there were four strong characters and great personalities that I had come into contact with in my life, who, by one way or another, impacted on my attitude in both specific and general behaviour. The first was my late Principal at Asa Grammar School, Asa, late Mr M N Onwuma. It was by proxy that I came into contact with the late Professor Chinua Achebe. Chief Francis Arthur Nzeribe’s political pragmatism leaves an indelible imprint on my attitude towards politics. An Icon that I must appreciate to have influenced my attitude towards enhanced community synergy, service and relevance is His Eminence, Eze Sir (Dr) Bernard O Enweremadu.
My contact with His Eminence dates back to 1982. As a young man with the zeal for social and political integration and relevance, I had completed my National Youths Service Programme in Sokoto in 1981 and had been posted, on recruitment as a Teacher, to Ihie High School, formerly Adventist Secondary School, Ihie.
It was in 1982 that His Eminence was assembling a group of dedicated patriotic indigenes of Old Aba Division to set up what is now Ukwa La Ngwa Social-Cultural Association. By Providence, through late Broadcasting Legend and later Traditional Ruler, HRH Eze Alfa Ekekeulu, I embraced Ukwa/Ngwa, as it was then known and called, at its stage of constitution drafting. The venue for our meetings was always the Palace of His Eminence, at Ahiaba-Okpuala in Ngwa Ukwu.
The drafting of the Constitution took us quite a long time. At that stage, I could recollect quite vividly that we were not very many. Among those I could still remember were;(1) late HRM Hon H M J Nwachukwu(MHR) from Asa, (2) Nze Hon A O Arungwa from Ahiaba Ubi in Isialangwa North, (3) late Chief J K Taribo from Ohambele-Ndoki and (4) late HRH Eze Alfa Ekekeulu from Asa.
What appeared to have been a great source of excitement to me in the whole exercise was Eze Enweremadu’s penchant for grammatical accuracy and cohesion. Each time we met, he had a big dictionary on his table and to make sure the proposed Constitution was not hampered by ambiguity, he carefully and effectively made use of the dictionary. I, therefore, marked him as a leader that was painstakingly meticulous and assiduous.
Again, his vision and message for the Ukwa/Ngwa peoples enthused me. As at 1982, the present Abia State was in Old Imo State. Even though he was a Traditional Ruler, widely recognized, highly respected and by every standard comfortable, he still felt that the people of Old Aba Division should have a veritable Social-Cultural Platform on which they could press forth their demands. At all times during our meetings, the Eze Ukwu preached and almost overemphasized Equity, Fairness and Unity amongst the peoples of Ukwa/Ngwa.
Whoever that had the opportunity of getting close to His Eminence must have noticed that he was stupendously magnanimous in reception and entertainment. As a great man, there were myths that made him appear super natural. Many tales were told about His Eminence. Most of the stories instilled fear in many that heard them. Based on such tales, that ordinarily could have easily been watered down through social and natural clarifications or explanations, many in and around Igbo land became self-inflicted by what turned out to be unfounded and unjustifiable ‘Enweremaduphobia’. On the contrary, those of us who had access to his Palace knew that he was ever friendly, even though as a mere mortal, he could not have been perfect.
Royalty and Respectability were intrinsic attributes that defined His Eminence, Eze Sir(Dr) Bernard O Enweremadu. The Eze had both royal mien and a majestic carriage. The Eze Ukwu had what is called Ebube in Igbo language, which could be interpreted to mean radiation of might and miracle, in and around him. Eze Ukwu, like the Lion he was, would not ‘eat the dead’. He was deliberately selective of his circle, friends and associates. He was ever charismatically conscious of the Royalty in him.
It was very rare and unusual for anyone to see the Eze Ukwu outside his Palace. He distinguished himself amongst Traditional Rulers. Whoever that ever wanted to meet him had to seek his audience in his Palace and strictly based on Protocols.
His Eminence, Eze Ukwu of Ngwa Ukwu, foremost Traditional Ruler of Ngwa Nation and an Indisputably revered custodian of Ngwa and Igbo culture was a Man of various exploits, who came, saw and conquered.
Making his earthly exit at 77 is both spiritually and mystically symbolic. Like an actor who had mounted the stage, His Eminence had dutifully, conscientiously and beautifully played his role and has quitted the stage while the ovation was loudest. The good peoples of Ukwa/Ngwa should always appreciate that one of the legacies the Eze Ukwu Ukwu bequeathed them was the birth, weaning and nurturing of Ukwa/Ngwa. May The Labours Of Our Heroes Past Not Be In Vain!
May the soul of His Eminence, Eze Sir (Dr) Bernard O Enweremadu find peace with his Creator, as I sincerely convey my condolences to his family via his first son, Sir, The Rt Hon Christopher Enweremadu.
*Sir Don Ubani, KSC, JP, Okwubunka of Asa, is Founding Member of Ukwa/Ngwa Socio-Cultural Association.
