The Day Common sense Forced Ojukwu's Kinsmen To Reverse A Heavy Sentence They Passed On The Former Biafran Warlord

As written by Anayo M. Nwosu

By 1988, Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu had been completely demystified by his kinsmen in Anambra state few years after his heroic return from exile in 1982.

Ojukwu had stayed on exile in Ivory Coast following the defeat of the Biafra he led since 1982 when President Shagari granted him amnesty and permission to return to Nigeria.

Still filled with the zeal to serve his people, Ojukwu decided to stand for election into Nigeria's senate to represent Anambra state to the utter awe of the federal government who were not prepared to risk his presence at the centre.

The top leaders of National Party of Nigeria (NPN) didn't want Ojukwu in the Nigerian Senate and had to rig the election in favour of little known Anambra
state commissioner for health, Dr. Edwin Onwudiwe of NPP even though NPN won the governorship position.

It was unbelievable and shocking that Ojukwu could lose an election anywhere in Igbo land but the federal government rigging machine made it possible despite the presence of a powerful Ojukwu militia named Ikemba Front made up of a remnant of former Biafran soldiers who still felt young and some enthusiastic young men.

Few months down the line, Ojukwu's stolen senatorial mandate was rendered useless by Buhari military coup and sacking of the civilian government.

The iconic Ojukwu became more human by marrying a far younger woman in Bianca Onoh, a beautiful woman created early Sunday morning when God's molding materials were still fresh.

Bianca then was a beauty queen and a wife meant for Ojukwu who was the most revered Igbo man living.

It then happened that a member of Ojukwu's extended family or clan reported a certain matter or issue he had with Ojukwu to the family court of Umunna.

Ojukwu's family tried the matter and found Ojukwu guilty and pronounced him ostracized or excommunicated from the umunna.

Ostracism or excommunication is severe punishment meted out to a family member who had refused to serve a punishment for an offense like paying a fine or tendering an apology to the offended.

An ostracized person is worse than a medieval Igbo outcast. No member of the extended family is expected to visit him and his family.

In the market, the kinsmen of the ostracized would not buy or sell wares to him or her. He or she is also forbidden from going to a neighbour to borrow a smoking charcoal or firewood to ignite fire for cooking or to borrow an axe to chop wood.

It is a total isolation geared to bend the will of the ostracized to comply or to submit to the magisterium of the extended family or  Umunna because it is believed that "Umunna ka"  or that "the extended family which is the first unit of government in Igbo land is supreme".

Chief Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu was still ostracized up till 1988 when the then military government of Gen.Babangida decreed a Constituent Assembly to formulate and draft  the 1989 Constitution.

 The membership of the Assembly was to be determined by elections.

Each tribe in Nigeria was expected to send their first eleven hence Ndigbo at home and diaspora beckoned on Ojukwu to go to Abuja to ensure that the interest of the Igbos were protected and he agreed.

But Prof. Eme Awa's National Electoral Commission had insisted on a system called Option A4 whereby contestants must first win at their ward levels followed by local government levels then senatorial zonal levels and up till the state levels.

A candidate standing an election would stand and his supporters would stand behind him or his poster to be counted. The candidate with the highest number of votes was declared winner there and then.

Option A4 was an antidote to election rigging in Nigeria.

But Chief Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu had to cross the huddle of getting the support of his own ward which consisted of his extended family members that had ostracized him.

Applying the rules of the ostracism, nobody would vote for Ojukwu.

Therefore one popular Nnewi politician named Chief Ken Emechebe, alias Ebekuo Dike, saw an opportunity to win the election in the constituent assembly and he was sure of beating Ojukwu.

"After all, if Dr. Edwin Onwudiwe could do it in 1983, I too can defeat Ikemba", Ebekue Dike assured himself.

The elders of Nnewi saw the Constituent Assembly elections as a bug that has perched on top of the scrotum which must be handled with care.

The elders met and decided to firstly chase away the kite that had come to snatch away the chicks and later settle issues with the careless hen that had exposed the chicks to the kite.

The elders would not allow a pregnant goat to deliver while tied to the tethers especially when they are aware that there is a dangerous snake that would kill Ndigbo's interests is hidden inside the roof.

Nnewi would not want to be blamed for not releasing Ojukwu to fight for the interest of Igbos in the assembly of tribes of Nigeria.

The resolution at the elders meeting was disseminated through a town crier to the disbelief of Chief Ken Emechebe, Ojukwu's opponent.

On the Election Day, candidate Ojukwu, the Ikemba Nnewi, stood in front and all the members of his Ward stood behind him.

Only Chief Ken Emechebe and his wife didn't vote for Ojukwu. The wife voted for the husband.

Ojukwu's opponent was surprised to see his brothers and other members of his own family behind Ojukwu.

The wife couldn't do otherwise for obvious reason. She needed to stand by the father of her children.

Who says that Ndigbo lack circumspection?

They don't.

Not after the Civil War.

They act when they should. And when they do, they do it at a profit.