In consonance with my resolve to eulogize relations and friends who deserve my eulogy, I have the rare honour today to present my longest time bosom friend, Chief (Dr) Sir Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, hereinafter addressed simply as Emma. Emma addresses me simply as Sydy, and that’s how I’m addressed by my family members. Emma has attained the age of 80 today, 4th September, 2022. I’ve hinted to him, my intention to present him in the manner both us converse whenever we’re together. There are usually no protocols, no formalities, and we’re very frank and down-to-earth with each other. We’ve been like this for 59 years (1963-2022). Our friendship transcends normal acquaintance, and involves our parents, our siblings, our children, our relations and our close friends and associates.
I congratulate and welcome Emma to the exclusive and special octogenarian age bracket which is only attained by the special grace of God. It’s an age bracket where one must bravely face the stark reality that one’s sojourn on earth is drawing to an end. According to Psalm 90 vs 10, this age bracket is inevitably characterized by diminishing physical strength and increased body pain. It’s an age bracket in which one should be closest to one’s God, renew one’s old friendships, forgive and reconcile with one’s offenders, seek for forgiveness by those one has offended, knowingly or unknowingly, and endeavour to be at peace with oneself; in readiness for the “last lap” of one’s life race. This has been my resolve since I joined this revered age group, and this is my advice to “new arrivals” to the age group. It’s my candid advice to my bosom friend, Emma, whom I know will cope, knowing his pedigree, his innate capabilities and his state of spiritual preparedness.
Emma and I first met at the Enugu Campus of UNN, in late September, 1963. I had just graduated from the Economics Department and was admitted to the Economic Development Institute (EDI) of UNN, for a one year post-graduate Research Fellowship programme in Development Economics, with Ford Foundation (of USA) sponsorship. Fresh students of UNN, at that time, spent one year at the Enugu Campus of the University, before proceeding to the Nsukka Campus in their 2nd and subsequent years. Young, slim, dark-skinned and handsome Emma Iwuanyanwu, with another young and handsome Emma Iwuji, both of them from Atta, Ikeduru, met me in the EDI library, and introduced themselves as sons of Ikeduru. That was how and where our friendship started. Emma and I later involved our parents, our children, our siblings and our extended families, to the extent that most people who know me know Emma, and most people who know Emma, know me, or have heard about me. I call my siblings Dèè Christian, Dèè Elfrida, Sister Aggy, Clari (for Claribel), Cons (for Constance) and Ali (for Albert), and Emma calls them exactly what I call them. By the same token, I call Emma’s siblings what Emma calls them; Joe, Sam, Eddie, Jason, Oliver and Priscilla. Our two families relate like members of one family. One rarely sees that type of bonding of friends these days.
Emma has a very soft spot for his parents and siblings. I visited them many times, with Emma, at their pre-war farm estate at Okorodo, near Port Harcourt. They were a very closely-knit simple, but very happy, Christian family who were all very fluent in Ikwerre dialect. Each time Emma and I visited them during Emma’s vacations with me, my car was laden with a variety of farm products which lasted us for weeks. Emma and I also, at various times, visited my retired parents at Amaimo, and my siblings at their various work stations. Emma was never a stranger to my parents, my siblings and my relations.
Emma was a very bright Civil Engineering student at UNN. He won a German Govt. scholarship which relieved his parents of the burden of his University fees. He was one year ahead of my late wife, Georgina who, in turn, was two years ahead of Emma’s late wife, Eudora; all in the same Nsukka Campus. Three of them related like blood ralations in the Campus, and whenever I visited, I saw three of them together as a family. Emma’s first child, Nwadiuto, was born while they were students at UNN, and my late wife is her God mother. Emma’s second child, Eberechukwu (Nnenne), is my God daughter. My first daughter, Chigozie is Emma’s God daughter, while my last daughter, Ekeoma, is Eudora’s God daughter. My wife and I were happy to name our third daughter, Nwadiuto, after Emma and Eudora’s first child. Such is the bond that ties even our own children, till date.
Anyone desirous of knowing who Emma really was, who Emma is, and Emma’s likes and his dislikes, should ask me. Emma is a very simple, friendly, loving, kind, sympathetic, generous and forgiving human being; the like of which is very rare to find in our generation. He could appear unfriendly, at first sight, to people who do not know him closely, but behind that outward appearance is a very soft and meek child of God who cannot behold suffering, without lending a helping hand.
The number of indigent students who went through high schools and universities with Emma’s scholarship is countless. If you ever visited his office or home, and saw the long queue of people wanting one favour or another, you would wonder if this man ever had time for his regular duties, and if he ever rests. This has continued even after his supposed retirement. The remarkable thing about Emma is that he hardly sends the hungry away without food, nor the poor away without meeting their immediate pressing needs. Emma’s generousity extends to institutions and Churches. I know that many universities in our country have appreciated Emma’s generousity with awards of doctorate degrees (Honoris Causa) and Honorary Fellowships. Communities he has variously helped with access roads, water supply, electricity supply, etc, have inundated him with Chieftaincy titles, too numerous to mention. But outstanding, and most fulfilling to him, is his support to Churches, without discrimination of denominations. I can speak of my own denomination, and the two Dioceses I’m a member of; Owerri and Ikeduru Anglican Dioceses. Emma is the highest single donor to the building of the Cathedral of the Transfiguration of Our Lord (CATOL), Owerri, while he single-handedly built and furnished St Matthew’s Cathedral, Atta, Ikeduru. He makes no noise about his contributions to Churches and to charity, and might not like that I mentioned them here. I had to, because I’m writing about who Emma really is, which outsiders and his critics might not have known.
On my personal relationship with Emma, I’m five years older than Emma. Nevertheless, Emma has made very great impact in my life. Emma was my Bestman during my wartime wedding in April, 1969. Donning his smart Army Captain uniform, Emma and his army colleagues from Research & Production, and from the Directorate for Supplies & Transport, scared away soldiers who came to the wedding venue to conscript youths into the Biafran Army. I proposed Emma’s toast at Emma’s wartime wedding, chaired by the Head of Biafra Army Engineers, Col Dr Nwariaku, PhD. Emma and Eudora were wedded by my father in law, Ven Felix E. Chukuezi. Emma rejoiced with me whenever I rejoiced, and mourned with me whenever I mourned. Emma extended his right hand of friendship to me when he invited me as the first Executive Director of his Group of Companies in 1980. It was a difficult decision for me to take, but I took the plunge, hence my resignation from an expatriate conglomerate where I was a top Group Manager. My acceptance of that offer posed a serious challenge to me. I was priviledged to co-found and to streamline the management of many companies under the Hardel & Enic Group of Companies. I was also privileged to travel the world, and to attend international courses, conferences and exhibitions, round the globe; sometimes with Emma himself.
When, as the Group Executive Director/Operations Co-ordinator, of Hardel & Enic Group of Companies, my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer, the Group, under Chairman Emma Iwuanyanwu, gave us every needed support that helped to extend my wife’s life for seventeen years. Of course, the government of Imo State, where my wife served as Director, also assisted us tremendously, along with other friends and relations. We made five trips to London, and my wife’s case was handled by the best doctors in the best London hospitals. When I speak of impact on my life, there can be no greater impact than one made on one when one is in pains. It is Emma’s humane attribute that appeals to me most, and also commends him to many people he has come in contact with.
I have deliberately not discussed, in detail, and do not intend to, Emma’s political side. The reason is that I have always had reservations about Nigerian politics; especially since the Nigerian civil war. The truth is that Nigerian politics, since the Nigerian civil war, has been under the firm grip and stranglehold of the military. I did not think that my friend, Emma, was cut out for Nigerian post-war politics, where one cannot express oneself freely, without offending the obvious remote controllers of Nigerian politics. For him, therefore, partisan politics was more of a distraction, and of nuisance value. Emma would have become Africa’s richest industrialist if he had resisted the lure of Nigerian partisan politics. He was clearly on the lead, and had all the odds in his favour, before the distractions of Nigerian partisan politics set in. Emma is one of the few Nigerians who spent their personal resources on politics, instead of gaining from it.
Emma is a very good-natured man. One needs to come very close to him to appreciate his sterling qualities. Admittedly, many who hang around him and pay lip service to him are the people who misrepresent him, and give people wrong impressions about him. They do so for personal gains. Many of them desert him once they get what they want. But his bitter experiences have not altered his intrinsic good nature. He is human like anyone else, but he is a very humane person, unlike many persons in similar positions.
I thought that on Emma’s 80th birthday, an insider should chip in some words about this man whom God has variously used to transform lives in a very difficult terrain like ours, where recognition is accorded to people who don’t deserve it, while sincere people’s quiet contributions go unrecognized. This write-up has, in a limited way, essayed to play the role of such an insider.
HAPPY 80TH BIRTHDAY CHIEF EMMA!
HAPPY 80TH BIRTHDAY SIR EMMA!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DR EMMA!
WELCOME TO THE OCTOGENARIAN SPECIAL GROUP!
Your Very Dear Friend Of Longest Standing,
Hon Sir Sydney C Ukonu, JP, DCF.
(SYDY)
