By Nnanna Ijomah
On this day the 26th of November three years ago Chief Emeka
Ojukwu passed away, and on this third anniversary of his death, I want to join
millions of Nigerians to honor and celebrate his life. In 1988, I was an
unemployed young Political Science graduate, resident in Lagos, when I first met Chief Emeka Ojukwu,
by way of recommendation and introduction by some mutual friends, one of whom
was my cousin, who had informed me that he, the Ikemba was looking to employ a
Personal Assistant.
The odds of my getting the job was further enhanced and I would
say virtually assured when during the interview at his Villaska lodge
residence, the late Dr Chuba Okadigbo walked in and practically vouched for my
intellectual ability and competence to do the job for which I was about to be
hired. For those who might be wondering how Dr Okadigbo came into the picture.
It so happened that a few years earlier during the commencement ceremony of the
University of Benin, the late Dr Okadigbo had taken
note of me when I was presented with an award, as the best Political Science
student in the degree exams.
On that fateful sunny afternoon, 22 years ago, I found myself
standing before the Ikemba, a larger than life figure, whom I'd heard so much
about all through my teenage years during the civil war. But now in my early
twenties, standing before him, I was not only scared and nervous, but also full
of admiration and respect, while at the same time experiencing an overwhelming
feeling of excitement, just for being in his presence. As I gazed at those
bulging eyes, each time he made a point of emphasis, I could not but feel a
sense of accomplishment, just for achieving this great feat of being there. At
that moment in time as I remember it today, whether I ended up getting the job
or not, I was going to savor this once in a life-time opportunity for all it
was worth. After a few pointed questions and a detailed explanation of what the
job entailed, he proceeded to ask me if I was ready to start work right away.
Thus began my association with the Ikemba. A job which I can truthfully say
afforded me the most learning experience of my life.
During the period I worked for him, Ikemba was more than just my
boss. He was a father figure in the sense that he treated me like a son. He was
my mentor and was very protective of me. When I decided to leave for the United States,
he did not try to dissuade me from doing so. Rather he encouraged me to leave,
since at that point in time some government officials were snooping around,
making inquiries regarding the contents of the book we were working on. The
general impression at the time was that he the Ikemba was writing a book about
the Civil war.
The book generated so much concern in certain quarters that he,
Ikemba got worried about my safety, and in his own words, said to me "
they can never do anything to me, but they can come after you in their attempt
to know what the book is all about and I would not want you to get into any
kind of trouble on my account'. Months later in 1989, he sent me an autographed
copy in New York.
