The Ancient Kingdom Of Arondizuogu And Her People Are Not Defined By Odumeje Nor Strictly By The Late Legend Pericoma.

(It is time to move on)

Chris O. Maduka is a seasoned Public Affairs Analyst of International repute who has lend his voice in so many issues both local and abroad especially in the Nigeria political arena and ill treatment of parts of this country.

He has been a guest to channels television on many occasions and guest writer to New Media Galaxy Online News Blog and other media houses and publishers.

This time he has lend his voice on the trending news about Odumeje and insult on the people of Arondizuogu in an Interview with gisthub24.com an Owerri based news Blog, this is indeed a Master piece to all that have been said before.

Read his response below!!!👇🏻👇🏻

“I’ve reserved my comments about the issue of the condescending remarks of Prophet Chukwuemeka Odumeje. I’ve made some side commentary joining others in condemnation of such gaffe and ignorant expression.

Infact what he said spoke more about his ignorance and shallow knowledge of his genesis than anything else. Coming from Orlu zone in Imo state he should’ve realized that talking down on Arondizuogu will not make him to rise nor make Orlu what it is not. Because a son cannot have a son before his father. It is not possible.

At the height of this controversy when the cacophony of the noise generated by this reached its highest crescendo, I saw an opportunity this development generated to educate those who have this parochial narrow and ignorant view of this ancient kingdom, the citadel of education and the last bastion of hope in the preservation of Igbo and African culture propagated decades ago by their own beloved Son late Mazi Mbonu Ojike the very erudite and bold boycott king. How many Igbos know or realized that the late Mbonu Ojike was from Arondizuogu. How many of them realized the role he played in the mere 42 years he lived before he died on 1956.

How many people are aware that literally speaking that without Arondizuogu that the Nigeria freedom and independence from the British imperialists wouldn’t have been possible. That’s a story for another day. But the few key players that fought along Zik and even financed some of his exploits were from the great Ancient city of Arondizuogu.

Specifically, it was Dr. K.O. Mbadiwe’s brother Mazi J. GREEN MBADIWE who was a multimillionaire business mogul in the mining industry who not only encouraged and funded the sojourn of eight young Nigerians of Igbo ethnicity to the New World, the United states of America for the pursuit of the higher education the famous Golden fleece.

They are late Mazi Mbonu Ojike, Dr. K.O. Mbadiwe. Mazi George Mbadiwe ( All three from Arondizuogu in the Old Orlu Province or division). Then you have the others like Ikejiani, Okongwu and others. Dr. Nwafor Orizu who didn’t make the trip with them in 1938 joined them in 1939 thanks to the benevolence and vision of Chief J. Green Mbadiwe who funded his education.

Still in doubt?

It was the same J. Green Mbadiwe who supported and helped to finance the Zika’s West African pilot News paper that fought the colonialists to a halt with the weekly column by the Late Mbonu he entitled the weekly Catechism.

Does Odumeje realized that the Christian faith he’s standing on to do his abracadabra has it roots in the same Arondizuogu. Does he realize that this ancient kingdom boasts of more professors and clergies of the highest ranking of Bishops and more. Does he realized that Bishop Mark Unegbu of old greater Owerri Catholic Diocese was from Arondizuogu?

Does he realized the Anglican Bishop Emeritus Nwizuzu in from Arondizuogu? Does he know that in their entire old division that Christianity first touched down in Arondizuogu at the St Peter’s Anglican church that is today the residence of the Archdiocese of Ideato by merit of being the very first and above others in Anglican Christendom.

I wonder if those with Odumeje mindset that defines Arondizuogu strictly by the great legend Pericoma and the Ikeji of course the greatest and arguably the biggest cultural carnival in the entire continent of Africa which has been sponsored by major corporate bodies like the MTN network, Promasidor among others, do they realize that Pericoma Nwankwo Okoye Emezuo’s elder brother in the extended family is Professsor Green Nwankwo. He is a retired professor of Economics from University of Lagos.

He served as Executive director Monetary and Banking policy for the Central bank of Nigeria CBN where he helped so many qualified Igbos to gain employment. He was also the former Chairman of the Union bank Plc. And now the traditional ruler of AroAmuro.

Am not going to bore anyone reading this by telling them that Arondizuogu established two Secondary Schools not by the British or by the Church but by the community. Both National High school and Iheme memorial Grammar school were established by the people Odumeje is busy castigating forgetting that who is who among the people in the old Orlu division and across Igboland benefited from this visionary investment in the human capacity building.

Do I remind the Odumeje fans that it was in Arondizuogu that Ojukwu family took refuge during the civil war. Do I remind them that it was Mazi T.C Modu from Arondizuogu that championed the Biafran cause all over the world.

Do we talk about the fact that soon after the war that Late Chief L.N. Obioha has already established an alternative kind of oil for Export ( the palm kernel oil) extracting industry NIPROC in Arondizuogu with thriving middle class employees including expatriates resident in the Arondizuogu GRA around Ndiejezie Arondizuogu.

You talk about Pericoma, but you completely missed the Amazon Adamazi Onyeka Onwenu who’s father was a member of parliament late D.K. Onwenu.

You cannot possibly pass through school in the Eastern Nigeria without reading the Novel by Mazi Peter Nwanna. The great OMENUKO book that made its debut before things fall apart.

I could go on for ever talking about the Arondizuogu people. but let me stop and digress on the lesson we can all learn and grow from this.

In my view, it is an unprecedented opportunity to let the world back into the Arondizuogu world they’ve misunderstood due to ignorance of history and misinterpretation of what the Great Philosopher and poet late Pericoma represented. It is opportunity to let the world know that Arondizuogu people are the most hospitable people in the entire Nigeria if not Africa. Perhaps a trial will convince you.

Contrary to the misguided belief that Arondizuogu people are neck deep into fetish stuff and voodoo, the truth and reality is that there no serious outstanding high ranking voodoo priest or native Doctor from Arondizuogu. You can confirm independently. Sorry to disappoint so many of you by also telling you here on authority that the Late legend Pericoma was neither a voodoo priest nor a native Doctor.

He was a proud son of Igboland who jealously guarded and revived some of our very unique primordial Igbo culture and philosophy such as : Live and let live. He preached just like any other preacher. He evangelized with what God gave him and he had the confidence to believe that the Igbo ways and by extension Africa ways are equally valid and legitimate without apologies.

He once made a song in which he mentioned who’s who among high ranking voodoo priests, not in condescending manner but in recognition of their chosen path as long as they put the Good God Almighty first. That’s the guiding principle and belief of the late legend. But even at that, not even one of those in what seems like a hall of fame is from Arondizuogu that I know. So where does all these perception about Arondizuogu and voodoo coming from?

LET ME NOW DIGRESS;👇🏾
Having tried to set the records straight, with the attempt to correct some impressions that came to full circle of critical mass with the Odumeje issue,
I think is time for our people to move on. I think we are expending too much energy on this matter Enough already.

Let the whole matter fizzle and die down as everything else in life. Incontrovertible points have been made and unambiguous message sent to other flippant mouth ignorant others who think they can only rise by denigrating others.

If we continue to push further, we may suffer a backlash. People must remember that some of these things have collective guilt and cultural implications.

Some communities are still wondering why suitors hardly come for their daughters. Or why their sons a times have a little bit challenges finding wives, Or why people approach them with extreme trepidations.

Our people still have tremendous goodwill, and must work hard to preserve and enhance it. This type of Odumeje issue while outrightly condemnable, and we reserve the right to be outraged and follow through with some kind of actions as we have, it is time to slow our roll and embrace peace with all men.

It is time we use this opportunity to let the world know once again who we are and the contributions we’ve made towards the growth of not just Nigeria, but the entire human race. That’s what I’ve tried to do in the first half of this long write up. You too can lend your voice and tell the world the great things about these people that they don’t know.

Let’s get off this pedestrian bandwagon retaliatory threats and posturing and take the high road of dignity and honour while we have the window of opportunity to do so. The guy has apologized. Let’s embrace him and realize that the young man has his own nuisance value. He’s also a champion in the religious politics that our neighbors in the West have eaten our lunch.

I want to see some of the Funds we’ve poured in the Ogun state based Churches come to Onitsha. Of comes through Odumeje so bait. Let him build schools, and estates in Onitsha or even Arondizuogu who knows 🤷🏾‍♂ afterall where’s the Winners chapel and Shiloh, wheres the Synagogues where’s the Redeem camp? Is this not another form of Akurueuno that Odumeje represents ? Forget about all the moral relativismod some claiming to know God more than others. Look at the economic and financial added value and you will understand why we shouldn’t destroy Odumeje.

Let’s not forget that the youngman is from Orlu just next door to Arondizuogu. We all used to be under one local political zone and local government administration called ORLU DIVISION, with our own Late Dr. K.O. Mbadiwe the man of timber and caliber. We were so United under one umbrella that his home in Queens drive Ikoyi was named ORLU MANSION. Yes indeed.

Let’s reflect deeper and embrace our arrant son and brother once again. It is the right thing to do now and we must do so now.

For it is only a fool that errs and can’t cash in on the experience. We’ve made our points. The world have heard us, Others have learnt their lesson. If it is a battle we have won.

So Let’s leave the matter while we have the moral latitude. Let’s leave while the ovation is the loudest.

Let’s cash on the opportunity this moment presented to strengthen our
ties with our neighbours. Let’s be the leaders we’ve always been by default of the divine providence.
Let’s end this Odumeje issue on a high Note.”

May God bless the great people of Arondizuogu.
Long live the Old Orlu division!
Long live the great Igboland! and May
Peace return to this troubled world alas …Amen …iseee!