Sir Louis Ojukwu, facts.

 1. Sir Louis Ojukwu was a great man. He accomplished and made so much wealth before he died. All without Oil. 

He was so Rich he did not need official papers to visit the Britain.

Sir Ojukwu's Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith LWB

was used to chauffeur Queen Elizabeth during her 1956 visit. 

2. According to Forbes Africa, Sir Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu, who founded the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), was the first Billionaire in Nigeria. 

He practically owned Victoria Garden, Lagos. 

3. Sir Ojukwu went to lagos with nothing in 1929 aged just 20 but 10 years later, he was already managing his own chain of businesses which included, Ojukwu Stores, Ojukwu textiles and Ojukwu transportation company.

4. By 1950, just Ojukwu Transportation company had over 200 trucks in its fleet. How did he do it?

Born Louis Philip Odumegwu Ojukwu in Nnewi in 1909, the only boy and second of four children,Sir Ojukwu went to Government primary School Asaba.

5. In 1922, he proceeded to the only secondary School in the Eastern region at the time, Hope Waddell training institute, Calabar. After completing his secondary School education in 1928.

Sir Louis secured a job as a tyre sales clark with John Holt lagos in 1929.

6. It was working as a tyre clark the Sir Louis Ojukwu noticed that many Igbo traders who came to lagos to buy tyres also bought textiles as well. 

With his meagre saving, Sir Louis travelled down to Onitsha where he opened his first business venture called "Ojukwu stores"

ARE YOU A RICH MAN? THOSE SONS OF YOURS MAY KILL YOU IF YOU DON'T DO SOMETHING NOW.

By Anayo M. Nwosu

 It was an unplanned gathering of very wealthy Nnewi men, each with a head bowed in regret as one of them was informally addressing them, making his points with known examples.

 It was then that the elderly ones amongst the rich who were particularly based in Lagos realized the great disservice they had done to themselves and their families.

 Ogbudaa Akaekpuchionwa 1 of Nnewi might not have accumulated enough money to justify his guts to address his wealthier kinsmen but whatever he lacked in his bank account he made up in wisdom and eloquence.

 The wealthy sons of Nnewi had converged in the house of one of their kinsmen who had just died on a condolence visit, as it is the practice whenever a kinsman dies.

 Upon receiving the news of a kinsman's death, everyone would immediately head towards the deceased house to condole with the family and to ascertain funeral plans and any area they could assist.

 When a wealthy man of Nnewi extraction dies, within an hour, his house would be besieged by sea of heads, both of the poor and of the rich.

 Chief Akuenwebe's death was not unexpected as he had slipped into coma six months ago after suffering a multiple heart attack. His death was seen as a relief by his close friends and family members who knew what he was passing through.

 Ogbudaa Akaepuchionwa believed that his message would be better appreciated by his wealthy kinsmen while still under the sober mood caused by the death of Chief Akuenwebe.

 And he cashed in on it.

 "Umunaa (meaning 'my kinsmen') for how long shall we continue to allow the same thunder to strike us twice?" he started.

Uzokwe's Searchlight: NIGERIA - THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE UGLY - OBSERVATIONS FROM MY 2016 DECEMBER VISIT TO NIGERIA

Written by Alfred Obiora Uzokwe, P.E
Email: obiuzokwe@comcast.net
Author of the books:
1. Nigeria: Contemporary Commentaries and Essays
2. Surviving in Biafra: The Story of the Nigerian Civil War


n May of 2016, after a four-year hiatus from Nigeria, my wife and I decided to visit again. The last time I visited was for something painful – to bury my beloved mother. I left Nigeria then with many painful memories that dampened the prospects of future visits by me. This time, though, after overcoming my skepticism about visiting, we were determined to make the visit an enjoyable one.

Our departure date was set for December 13, 2016 and preparations began. On the appointed day, we drove to Washington DC Dulles airport. After checking in and boarding, by the time the 7:00PM hour came around, the wide-bodied Lufthansa 747 jumbo jet was already “kissing” the evening skies headed to Frankfurt Germany. Except for a few moments of air turbulence, when my wife would grab and tightly hold onto my hands as if that would ease the turbulence, the flight was smooth. I later teased her that she was acting in consonance with the biblical admonition that a woman must leave her family, join together with her husband and they shall be one and not even aircraft turbulence would put them asunder judging from the way she held onto me. We laughed about it.

After our layover in Germany, we boarded a Lufthansa airbus and the flight to Lagos Nigeria commenced. The flight was also smooth but just when the aircraft was roughly about 90 minutes to landing, two young men, each with a glass of red wine in his hand, appeared in front of our cabin. One was burly and of average height. He had a series of gold jewelry around his neck and a few tattoos adorned his arms. I had earlier seen him sitting in the business class cabin fully clothed but now he was wearing just a black tank top. I thought to myself that someone who could afford the business class should at least have the decency of not wearing tank tops in an airplane. He seemed to have removed his shirt on purpose to “show off” his tattoos and I wondered if he was aware that not everyone is enamored by tattoos.

The second man was very thin, in fact he looked malnourished. His pants were pulled down below his waist, fully exposing the boxer shorts he was wearing. Both men began a conversation, at first in low tones, but as the minutes passed, they became louder and louder. I must have been sitting about 10 rows away from them but I could hear some of what they were saying. Passengers trying to use the rest rooms located next to them were having hard time going past because they were partially blocking the right isle. With every minute that passed, they grew louder. They must have been there for about 35 minutes when one passenger, sitting closer to them, stood up angrily and addressed them: “Go to your seats,”, he said, “you are disturbing the rest of the passengers”. It was as if he spoke for the rest of the passengers in the cabin because many nodded their heads in agreement and started looking to see what the men would do. The burly man simply said they would lower their voices but the slim one erupted. He claimed to have been insulted by the passenger. 

Dashing toward the passenger, he boasted: “When the plane lands in Lagos, I will deal with you, you don’t know who I am”. I took one look at a guy who was telling someone that he would deal with him and he looked so malnourished and did not seem as if he could withstand a slight shove. I wondered where he was going to get the strength to “deal with “someone. It would have been laughable if not for the seriousness of what was unfolding.

Tension in Anambra community, as Igwe-nominee dies 2 days after nomination • Community in court

Written by: Suzy Oruya -Onitsha
~Nigerian Tribune. Thursday, June 23, 2016

A radical lawyer and the immediate past President-General of Utuh Development Union in Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Mr Emeka Aghanonu has dragged the leadership of the town union to an Nnewi High Court, following the death of the Igwe-nominee two days after his nomination and what they alleged as a breach of the community's constitution.

When the matter came up on Monday, before Justice O. M. Anyaechebelu of Nnewi High Court 1, the plaintiff told the court that the matter before him was predicated upon the fragrant abuse of office and breach of the town's constitution by the incumbent president of the town in the process of selection of their traditional ruler.

In a 33-paragraph affidavit in support of his originating summons brought to it, and pursuant to order 3 rule 6 laws of Anambra State, among other things, for a declaration, that nomination of members of selection committee of the new Igwe/Obi of Utuh by officers of the union and chairmen of various villages is inconsistent with the provision of Utuh Development Union constitution and therefore null and void abnitio.

"That it is the right of the Central Representative Assembly or Annual General Assembly in any of their various meeting to nominate two members each from the three quarters of the town: namely Enugwu, Amakom and Ebenator as the members of selection committee of a new Igwe/'Obi of Utuh and not officers of the union or the village chairmen, or any other person or group among others."

In his reply, the defence council and the Legal Adviser of Utuh Development Union, Mr Charles Elodi, told the court that he had a preliminary objection, but the plaintiff denied report of service.

The presiding justice, at this juncture, directed them to go and complete their report of service, saying all motion and interlocutory injunction or motions should be taken together and adjourned the matter till 13, July 2016 for continuation.

Ojukwu led us to clear Nnewi evil forest - Igwe Orizu

The many colours of the Ofalla festival

Chief Nwafor Orizu (middle)

The foremost educationist and a former president of Nigeria, Chief Nwafor Orizu, of blessed memory, was an Nnewi man. At a time many of the communities across the country can not boast of a single motor car, the town already had a multi millionaire in the person of Chief Ohukwu whose luxury car was used to convey the visiting Queen of England round the country when she visited Nigeria many decades ago.

Nnewi is made up of four quarters, Otolo, Uruagu, Umudim and Nnewichi, with each of the independent but interrelated communities in the town having its own Obi. Otolo-Nnewi, however, produces the paramount traditional ruler of the town in the Orizu royal family. The succession system is hereditary which automatically removes the tension and acrimony associated with installation of a new king in Igboland in particular and Nigeria in general. It has insulated the kingship from opening it up for the highest bidder.

When destiny beckoned on Igwe Dr Kenneth Orizu 111 to mount the throne of his fathers 52 years ago, it was obvious that the man with the Midas touch would turn things around in the then sleepy community. Igwe Nnewi was instrumental to the establishment of the Nnewi main market after the idea was mooted by Dim Chukwemeka Ojukwu(Ikemba Nnewi) of blessed memory. The paramount traditional ruler also played a pivotal role in the industrialization of the town as he single-handedly carried the gospel of transiting from buying and selling to the setting up of industries to the affluent ones in his town. He assisted many industrialists to get land for the smooth take off their outfits.

The royal father, while talking about his staying power, said: " It was God that helped me but then I worked very hard because I knew that if I must break the poverty circle, I must work very hard. I was ready to do just anything with my hands even if it was laboring to make money for myself. My salary was less than nine pounds when I joined Outlook Newspapers but it rose to 52 pounds before I left in 1962." Orizu was instrumental to the bringing of electricity, post office and an educational institution to Nnewi which today has assumed the status of a city.

Why traditional marriage is very important in Igbo land

Written by Chimaobi Nwaiwu - Vanguard, Nigeria. 

NNEWI - TRADITIONAL marriage is a popular event in Igbo land. Young ladies and men who are getting married use it to bring their friends and well wishers to their homes, to showcase the families where they are coming from unlike before especially in the early 1980s, when it was not as popular as it is today, because at that time, young ladies would bring their suitors to their parents and kinsmen who drew up a list of things to be done, including the dowry to be paid, other expenses to be incurred as well as going to the church to solemnise the marriage.

Right to left, Chief Sunday Ezenwobi, Chairman of New Tire Market Nkpor and father of the bride, his Wife Ngozi, Chief Victor Umeh, former National Chairman of APGA, the bride Chidinma and her husband Mr Clement Okafor and Chief Mrs Prisca Umeh, wife of Chief Victor Umeh.

However, traditional wedding cannot be done today in Igbo land without traditional marriage being performed between the parents and relations of the bride and suitor.

“What is actually celebrated as traditional wedding today in Igbo land, is actually the traditional marriage right that has been performed earlier before the eating, drinking and dancing that precedes it, by friends and well wishers of the couple, who are normally not part of the traditional marriage rights that has earlier been done and is most times not celebrated .

South East Voice witnessed the traditional wedding of Chidinma Ezenwaobi, daughter of an Nkpor and Onitsha, popular market leader, Chief Sunday Ezenwobi, known as “Seeman,” who is the Chairman of New Tire Market Nkpor, which attracted who is who in Onitsha Nkpor and Anambra State business and trading community, including politicians and traditional rulers, some of whom ha the following to say about tradtional marriage.

Why Nnewi model can transform Nigeria

Written by Azuka Onwuka

Follow on Twitter @BrandAzuka

Any time Nigeria is compared to a smaller country like Ghana, some great logicians would retort that "Ghana is just as big as Lagos State," as if the more populated a country is, the more underdeveloped and disorganised it should be. When such "Aristotles" are reminded that, except for Pakistan, the other five countries that are more populated than Nigeria - including China and India that are individually almost 10 times larger than Nigeria - are ahead of Nigeria in all development indices, such people keep quiet or look for other feeble excuses. Therefore, it will not be surprising to see such people scoff at any comparison between Nigeria and Nnewi: "a mere town in Anambra State of Nigeria." But it is incontrovertible that attitude is far more critical to success than size.

Nigeria has perennially been "work-in-progress," with its democracy always "nascent." We are always changing our systems and policies, deceiving ourselves that they are the cause of our problem, like the typical poor workman that always blames his tools but never himself. Although Nnewi has some things in common with Nigeria, comparatively, it has evolved a system that works for it, a system which gives it peace, stability, growth and development: luxuries which have eluded Nigeria for over 50 years.

Just like Nigerians, Nnewi people are proud people; some would say "arrogant". There are some reasons for that. Like Nigeria, Nnewi is bigger and richer than all its neighbours. The town has produced many prominent figures. Among them is the first President of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Sir Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu, described as the richest Nigerian of his time: a man who lent Nigeria his Rolls Royce and personal driver for the use of Queen Elizabeth II when she visited Nigeria in 1956. There is also his Oxford University-trained son, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the first military governor of Eastern Nigeria, the leader of the defunct Republic of Biafra, and a folk hero among the Igbo. Then, there is Dr. Nwafor Orizu, Nigeria's third Senate President and three-month Acting President in the First Republic, as well as Dame Virgy Etiaba, Nigeria's first female governor of a state. There are also many business moguls and industrialists like Chief Augustine Ilodibe, founder of Ekene Dili Chukwu Transport, and Chief Innocent Chukwuma, Chairman of Innoson Motors, whose company manufactures motor vehicles in Nnewi. In all modesty, it is doubtful if there is another town in Nigeria that has more millionaires than Nnewi town.