A recent Visitor to London during this summer (holiday Season in the United Kingdom) was the Obi of Owa Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Dr, Emmanuel Efeizomor11, JP, and OON.
On a quiet Sunday afternoon in his Streatham Hill, Southwest London residence, the Reverend John Ohen of the Anglican Communion, called me on the phone and invited me to meet the Obi who had been invited to the Ohen’s family home.
The dynamic and progressive obi, 72, was relaxed and exchanged pleasantries with other guest on the occasion including Chief Benedict Nwaeke, the Odabameze of Akumazi Umuocha and President of the Ika Union of Great Britain and Ireland and his wife, Olabisi, Engineer Michael Nwokoro, Clement Asimonye of Onitcha Ugbo, Mrs. Val Ohen and her Aunt, Cutie Lawrence, Mrs. Miriam Morka and the Obi’s pretty daughter, Patricia, who is popularly called “Princess”.
The Obi who ascended on his throne some 50 years ago gave a succinct history of the dynamics of political strategy in Nigeria and rounded off his talk with a robust hope for the outcome of the 2011 Presidential Elections in Nigeria.
On Saturday, September 4, 2010, the Owa Community in London threw a “meet Our Obi Party” in the Meeting Hall of the Ika Union of Great Britain and Ireland in Vauxhall, Southwest London, under the Chairmanship of Reverend John Ohen.
Welcoming His Majesty, Emmanuel Isewegwu of Ika who lives in the Lewisham area of London, expressed the community’s gratitude for his visit. Mrs. Juliet Isedeh, (nee Nosieri), traced the history of the Obi’s friendship with the Kingdom of Agbor and disclosed that only very few people knew of the Obi’s strong friendship with her family.
Mrs. Miriam Morka was full of glowing tributes to the Obi whose kindness and magnanimity, she described as beyond compare! Later, she disclosed that the Obi had in fact, carried out his traditional duties by naming three of her grand and great great grandchildren – Nkencho, son of first son, Matthias – and born after the passing away of her husband, Lawrence, Onyekachukwu, born to her elder daughter, Evelyn and husband in Switzerland and Ewere, her great grandson’s child. On the occasion, she said the usual customary items were used – honey, salt, kolanuts and alligator pepper – accompanied by copious prayers and blessings on the offsprings.
In his own speech at the Evening Get-Together, Chief Benedict Nwaeke expressed his gratitude and joy of the members of the Ika Union to the Obi and recalled that a few years ago, the union had made a donation of an ECG Monitoring machine to the Central Hospital at Agbor but regretted that the machine was not put into use as was intended.
In his reply, Obi Efeizemor advised him to raise such issues in future with Elder Sam Fortune Ebie, the President of the Onu Ika Forum; on his own, he gave the assurance that he would mention the matter to Elder Fortune Ebie. The Obi called upon the members of the Union to pray for our politicians in Delta State which was created 19 years ago. He called for unity among the Ika people, the people of Delta and Nigerians as a whole and to pray that the people of the state in particular and Nigeria in general, to have good leaders in the wake of the Elections in 2010. He thanked those who had organised the get-Together and exhorted them not to be tired of helping those they had left at home in Nigeria.
When the Obi got up to leave for his hotel, there was a tremendous rush to where he was standing as most people in the hall had rushed to appear in a video shoot of the Obi, being recorded by the bright young daughters of the members of those present.
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