By Ori Martins
The Lord Jesus Christ was brutally crucified and the human race got liberated. Martin Luther king Jr was gruesomely assassinated and it brought sucour to Black Americans as well as constitutional reforms to America. The death of Chief MKO Abiola in detention made possible the emergence of a Yoruba, Olusegun Obasanjo, the executive president of Nigeria for the first time.
Therefore, with the death of (prominent) Mbaise legends and icons, will surely be a source of strength, unity even as it will provide political blessings and thier attendant socioeconomic growth and development.
Since 2000 – the year of covid, Mbaise has been losing some of her brightest brains in virtually all human endeavour to the cold hands of death.
It was one gentleman, the chief executive officer of Agouwa Alluminiun who was a South Africa based industrialist, that practically opened the floodgate of deaths that has been hitting hard on Mbaise wards.
While Mbaise Nation was still mourning the South African millionaire, news filtered through that one of the most honest and disciplined personalities Ndigbo have ever produced, Chief I. D. Nwoga, had passed on. Nwoga, former secretary to Imo State Government, was the pioneer chairman of Imo State PDP. He would be mostly remembered as the man who stood and insisted on fairness, equity and fairness in seeding the PDP’s governorship ticket to Orlu Zone on the grounds that Okigwe Zone had produced Mbakwe and Owerri Zone Evan Enwerem while Orlu had none. That was how Governor Achike Udenwa emerged.
Mbaise Nation is proud of Nwoga for displaying high sense of integrity and invoking the chatter of equity for the purposes of achieving peace, harmony and orderliness. His was a true mark of Mbaiseness in its real and comprehensiveness. May his soul continue to rest in peace.
After the burial of Nwoga, tragedy struck again. The obituary of the chief executive officer and managing director of Manure, Senior Special Apostle Jamike Godson Ibeji, from Umuokoro,Ikenga,Eziudo Ezinihitte Mbaise, took over the airwaves. The Chairman/CEO De Place Manure Restaurant and Bar, Concorde Layout New Owerri, Imo State, was head Cherubim and Seraphim Church in Mbaise.
Manure revolutionized the business fast food and eatery (after Mr Fan’s) in Owerri. His death caused deep, severe pain and agony on Mbaise sons and daughters and all his global associates.
Not too long ago, every adult in Mbaise who follows local, state and national issues was crestfallen when it was confirmed that Lucius Nwosu (SAN), had joined his ancestors. His death was one too many. A legal luminary, a business mogul and a hospitality industry exponent, Nwosu was the proprietor of Oxygen Hotels. He was a reflection of what Mbaise is and what she is not as he transected his businesses openly. Transparency was his watchword.
One death that hit the people of Mbaise wherever they were was the obituary of the stallion, Chief Mrs Ibegbulam Bibiana Egowure(Nee Nwete). Beautiful, hard working and industrious, Madam Ibegbulam was a real Mbaise woman through and entire.
Her canteen located at Aboh Mbaise Junction served as an arena for good and quality foods where Mbaise, some parts of Ngor Okpala, Mbano, Obowo, Ihitte Uboma and Azaraegbelu fun seekers and lovers of decency converged for relaxation – breakfast, launch and dinner. The place was called Ukwube because there was a peer tree at the location which provided serenity to the point. Ukwube provided the same sense of satisfaction that Unicoco Hotel used present in Aba in the 1970s/80s. As a of fact it was Concorde Hotels in the traditional setting of it. Ukwube is buried!!!
Alex Obi was one man who alongside Prof Fabian Osuji, put Mbaise’s name on the political map of Nigeria is in the ill fated Third Republic. He contested for the governorship election on the platform of Social Democratic Party, SDP, after Osuji was disqualified, but lost gallantly to Chief Evan Enwerem.
Obi, bounced back in this dispensation and emerged the chairman, Imo State PDP. Remarkably, he stood solidly behind Udenwa when Abuja based Imo PDP politicians moved to sabotage the governor. He was an Mbaise patriot, great Imo and Nigerian ambassador of good governance. May his soul rest in peace.
And suddenly, Ibe Ekeocha dies. Ekeocha was a banker, stock exchange guru and financial expert. Not given to frivolities, Ekeocha was disciplined, and he contributed in no small measure to the dramatic and sensational transformation of Mbutu from a once primitive enclave to her current status of a great town. The death of Ekeocha took Mbutu by storm as many never knew he was struggling with an ill health condition. May God receive his soul.
There are many others but those mentioned here should serve as a point of contact while they supervise and pray for Mbaise greatness, growth and development.
