Dibueze Chinyere Asika- a life in words and pictures

A L i f e i n W o r d s a n d P i c t u r e s 1
A life in words and pictures
Dibueze
Chinyere
Asika

2 D I B U E Z E C H I N Y E R E A S I K A
Published by Outsource Media. First published by Outsource Media in 2015.
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All text ©the author, Ed Emeka Keazor
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A life in words and pictures
Dibueze
Chinyere
Asika
ED EMEKA KEAZOR

Contents
Foreword by Ojinnaka Obi Asika 6
Chapter 1: Early years and family life 9
Chapter 2: Love and marriage 21
Chapter 3: Life in a time of crisis 1966-1970 33
Chapter 4:The first lady of the East-Central State 1970-1975 47
Chapter 5: Life outside Government House 75
Chapter 6: 1994-2004:The true sacrifice of love 99
Chapter 7: Final steps of a distinguished life 115

Foreword
E
ver since May 3 2015, I have asked so many questions since
my mother passed away that Sunday morning. I knew my
mother as well as any man can know his mother, and I was
privileged to have her in my life for over 46 years. For that and
so many reasons, I am thankful. For the privilege of being the
only biological son of the mother of hundreds.I am proud of the
person she was, beyond any titles or public positions, beyond
vanityorhubris.Mymotherwasalllove.Shehadanunstoppable
optimism about life,about Nigeria,about the capabilities of her
many peoples and especially of her Igbo people.
She was a thorough anthropologist and all her collections
were connected to the origin and culture of our people. From
books to fabric, from art to antiquities, my mother collected it
all. Almost every day of her life, if you listened well enough, you
would learn something about Nigeria and Nigerians and the
emergence of the Igbo as a global ethnic nation. Her abiding
love remained my father and although I had to grow up fast
when he fell ill, her actions and love drove the family forward at
our darkest moments.With her and my sisters taking incredible
care of him and allied with his own indomitable will to live, my
father lived a decade beyond his stroke.None of this would have
been possible without the love and support of a wide network
of friends and family, but I know more than anybody else who
suffered the most, and it was her. After my father passed, my
mother entered yet another phase of life,calmer,more reflective
and still continued to chart amazing firsts for herself and I think
the joy that Nwando, my youngest sister, brought to her life,
played a major role in all of this. In that period, she enabled
me to re-learn my personal and family history and empowered
me with the shared dreams of my parents and thousands of
conversations, images and documents.
My mother lived a life of service. Service to God, humanity, her
community, her people, her family and her country. She never
sought honours, titles or awards- which did come her way- but
treasured her family, friends and those endless conversations.
This mini-bio was lovingly crafted by my good friend Ed Emeka
Keazor, my father’s biographer, and over the past four years
we have embarked on this amazing journey, through over

20 thousand images and documents. She was always there,
guiding, interpreting, and suggesting cross reference sources.
My mother was excited to be returning to Tanzania (where
she had been a research associate at the University of Dar-Es-
Salaam) and honoured to be representing Africa as she put it.
I hope this biography gives you some insight into the life and
times of my mother and enables you to reflect, enjoy, share
and keep her alive in your hearts and minds. She had a knack
of connecting with people, no matter their station in life. From
the beginning she instilled humility and compassion as the
principle form of engagement and encouraged us to focus on
work and the preservation of our father’s legacy.
I truly believe that she was an absolutely good person.Someone
who by nature was inclusive and confident enough in herself
to celebrate others. She had friends from all over Nigeria and
took them as family.She taught us what it meant to be Nigerian
and she showed us the sacrifices that were made to preserve
Nigeria.
After all is said and done, after the events and ceremonies,
the pomp and pageantry, the tributes and eulogies. The one
abiding thing about my mother was that she was a pure force
of nature, a fighter and consensus builder. Fiercely proud of her
origins and people, and if my father’s epitaph was “I was born a
Nigerian and I have lived as a Nigerian and I have little doubt I
will die a Nigerian”, then her life journey gave us the compass
of my family and its bloodlines. From Yola in Adamawa to Elele
in Rivers through Egbu and Onitsha, she showed me not just
where we were from, but who we are. She drilled in us, her
personal and abiding hope and belief in Nigeria for the greater
common good. She was a true believer and made all who
encountered her marvel at the range of our languages, culture,
clothes, history and evolution. In another life my parents would
have lived out their life plan as academics on campus, I am glad
destiny intervened and i am proud of their combined service to
this country.
I feel a great responsibility to tell the stories of Nigeria and
through the incredible lens of Ed Keazor, I hope we have given
you some insight into this woman and her life and times.For me
and for her children we want to simply say thank you mum, we
love you and will continue to honour you in our daily lives.
I have heard that it is good to be full of life when you die. My
mother was full of life and left us with that same dignity and
elegance that was her earthly manner.We are all grateful to the
good lord, for granting her that grace. So while we mourn her
passing,I will always celebrate her life and she lives deep within
us, sleep well mum and may your soul rest in peace.
OJINNAKA OBI ASIKA

CHAPTER1Early years and family life

C
hinyere Edith Ejiogu was born in 1939, the first born of one of
Nigeria’s foremost educationists- Nathan Okeoma Ejiogu,the
first indigenous Chief Inspector of Education in Eastern Nigeria.
A narrative of Chinyere Ejiogu would be incomplete without a
brief summary of her historical antecedents. Nathan Okeoma
Ejiogu was born in July 1911 to Ejiogu Ekeji and Iheoma Nwogu
of Umuayalu, Egbu Owerri in Imo State, one of two children of
this wood-carver, the other being his sister Christiana Njirigwa.
Nathan Ejiogu lost his father at an early age and was brought up
by his mother Nwanyiaku, who is described as petite, dynamo of
a woman.
Nwanyiaku determinedly brought up her children on her own.
She was known for her strength of character and sheer tenacity,
she once wrestled and killed a hawk that had attempted to steal
one of her chickens. She was as protective over her two children,
working tirelessly to bring them up on her own. Her inspirational
tale is crowned by her acquiring such substantial wealth from
her farming and trading, that by the 1915, she had become a
moneylender, often extending loans, with collateral.
When the Church Missionary Society extended its work to Egbu
Owerri, she donated land for the Church to build on, they built a
School and a Church. Whilst she sent her children to the school,
as well as allowing them to be baptised in the Church, she
pointedly refused to convert to Christianity herself. The young
Nathan was described as a prodigiously intelligent,hard-working
child who applied himself diligently to the task of attaining the
Western Education,he had set himself.He completed his primary
school education at Government School Owerri, after which he
taught for a short while, before moving on to the Bonny Normal
College, where he gained a Grade III Teacher’s Certificate at the
of age 17 in 1928 and his Senior Teacher’s Certificate at the age
of 22 in 1931. In 1933, he travelled to England, where he gained
an Advanced Associate Diploma in Education, Organisation and
Administration. He was the first and only person in Eastern
Nigeria to pass the London Matriculation Examination when it
was first administered in 1944 (there were only five successful
candidates throughout Nigeria
In the course of his career, he was variously the first Head Master
of Government Middle School Owerri (1935), School Master at
the Government Middle School Aba and Government College
Umuahia between 1949 and 1950. He then served as a Travelling/
Visiting Teacher and Regional Adult Education Officer from 1950-
1953. He was the first African Principal of a teacher training
institution in Eastern Nigeria – The Teacher Training College
Uyo, between 1953 and 1958. In 1960, he was once again the first
African Chief Inspector of Education in the then Eastern Nigeria.
His gravitas was such that even after his retirement in 1965, he
was recruited as an Educational Consultant to UNESCO and the
Ford Foundation. He was also to serve as a Research Fellow at the
Institute of Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He had also
in 1963, been honoured at National level by the award of Officer
of the Order of the Niger,to his contributions to the development
of education. He was clearly a distinguished man.
He had a single-minded dedication to both the Egbu and indeed
larger Owerri and dedicated himself to Community projects from
an early age.At 17,he became the General Secretary of the Owerri
Union, serving in numerous other roles throughout his life. He

was also a prolific writer,on a broad range of subjects,of which he
seemed at ease and authoritative. Examples being‘Owerri Mbari
Houses’(The Nigerian Teacher-1935);“The Report Of Comparative
Technical Education Seminar Abroad And Recommendations For
A National Plan Of Vocational And Technical Education In The
Federal Republic Of Nigeria” co-authored with Dr. Adam Skapski,
Dr.Tai Solarin and Prof. Babs Fafunwa amongst many others.
In-spite of his eminently successful career, he faced private
turmoil, which contrasted with his great achievements in the
public view. He had been betrothed to his first wife- Amelia
Agbugbua in 1929,who was however too young to be married.He
sent to be groomed at a relative’s home, later returning to take
her place in her husband’s home.Under pressure from his mother,
who quite naturally wanted a grand-child, he married a second
wife Margaret, under Native Law and Custom, in 1933. However
this marriage still did not produce a child for almost three years.
Nwanyiaku, swung into action once more and compelled her
son to marry yet a third wife Atuogu in 1936. By 1938, when her
son’s marriages still had not produced any children,an extremely
exasperated Nwanyiaku reacted in the way she knew best- she
searched for and found for him, yet a fourth wife- Esther Egejuru,
the daughter of an ex-Policeman from Owaelu, Uratta-Owerri.
Esther got pregnant in late 1938 and when on 19 June 1939,
she delivered a baby girl, who was christened “Chinyerenwa”
(literally- God has given a child), the wild celebrations at Egbu-
Owerri were probably understandable. The celebrations did not
end at Egbu, as reflected in the fact that the Eastern Nigeria
Mail Newspaper (published at Owerri) of July 1 1939, carried a
news story of the birth with the header “Mr. N. O. Egiogu of the
Government Middle School has been receiving congratulations on
the delivery on Monday June 19 of a female child by his wife.” The
birth of Chinyere Ejiogu seemed to have been the cue family was
waiting for. Esther, Amelia, Margaret and Charity, now produced
a pretty impressive succession of births- Ahuuole, Ogechi, Chiaka
and Kelechi, who was the first male child. He was followed by
Ngozi, Kemafo, Nwaejuafor, Ibeayuchi, Agbaku and Ugboaku,
Ukwuoma, Nnenna, Oluoma, Akufor, Anagam, Nnamdi, Chimdi,
Nwawuikwu (Uche), Nedum, Obiageli and Ijeoma- 22 children in
all. In keeping with his profile as an achiever, whatever he had
lost in time, he made up for in numbers.
In-spite of the size of the family, Nathan Ejiogu was an
exceptionally dedicated father figure and strict disciplinarian,
who set rules for his children and enforced them, his favourite
mantra being the good old “obey before you complain”. He was
totally aware of each child’s progress and monitored them with
the same meticulous care he applied to his profession. His wives
lived in harmony, as far as that was possible in a polygamous
home. On account of the size of the family, like his mother had
done, the wives engaged in various forms of trading to assist
their husband in supporting the large family. In their own right
these were formidable women, at least two of whom were
political activists.
The star of the whole show was Chinyere, who was baptised
Chinyerenwa Edith Ejiogu, at the CMS Church at Egbu, shortly
after her birth.She was quite simply her grandmother’s favourite,
as a result of her having“opened the spiritual floodgates”for her
son. She was like her father, an incredibly energetic, intelligent
child and like her grandmother, exhibited traits of single-minded

determination and independence. She was also the apple of
her father’s eye, although that did not spare her from the sharp
end of his cane, when she transgressed. However there was an
incredibly strong bond between father and daughter, which
endured throughout his life.
The Ejiogu family was a prominent family in Eastern Nigeria,with
a proud heritage of independence and academic achievement
which was reflected in the fact that all 22 children attained a
University education. Chinyere was the template for the culture
of academic competition that the children of Nathan Ejiogu
exercised.
She started her education aged three,in 1942,at the Government
Middle School, Owerri. Firstly in the pre-primary section and
later in the full primary section, aged 6, in 1945. Whilst there
were ordinarily six Standard Classes levels in Primary Schools, at
which a pupil would then take the Common entrance exams into
Secondary School at Standard Six, she however was permitted,
on account of her excellent output to take these examinations at
Standard Five and passed them convincingly. She had of course
been an excellent pupil, at the top of her class throughout. She
passed the entrance examination to Holy Child College, Ikot
Ekpene on a full Government scholarship and continued her
studies there from 1950, at the age of 11. Her parents were never
required to pay her school fees from this point, for the rest of her
life, she benefited from full academic Scholarships. Her father, on
return from his studies in England,was transferred to theTeacher
Training College,Uyo.The decision was thus made for Chinyere to
be transferred to Cornellia Connelly College, also at Uyo in 1953.
The C.C.C as it was called was an all-girls Catholic School, run by
the Mission and had a rigorous academic and disciplinary regime,
for Chinyere there was no let-up, at home with her father (she
was a day student). Nathan Ejiogu would enforce extra-mural
classes on his already academically excellent daughter.
This regime would only be punctuated by walks with her sister
Ahuruole, who joined her at the C.C.C in 1954 and entertainment
in form of light reading- Enid Blyton’s classics,Aesop’s Fable’s and
Crimius Family Tales, being part of the literary fare they enjoyed
for leisure.
Her academic performance at C.C.C was as usual exceptional,
once again constantly first in her class, with subjects such as
Latin, English History, Geography of the world, English literature.
She took her School’s Certificate Exam in 1955 and achieved
a Grade 1 performance. The next step being to Higher School.
She was directed by her Principal at C.C.C. (the only student
in her school), to take an exam at Aba, which she did almost
nonchalantly, only to be told a few weeks later that she had
passed the entrance examination into the prestigious Queen’s
College, Lagos- Nigeria’s premier female Secondary School There
she would sit for the Higher Schools Certificate, for admission
into University- which then was the University College, Ibadan,
the only University in Nigeria, on full scholarship. She was the
only girl from Eastern Nigeria, who passed this exam. At Queens
College, she chose History, Latin and Geography as her core
subjects. She was also given the option of taking a qualifying
examination for a Scholarship to an American University, under
a programme called the African Scholarship Programme in
American Universities (ASPAU) which she did in 1960. She took
this exam as well, as her Higher School Certificate, and passed
both with flying colours. In the case of Higher School Certificate,
only 96 candidates were successful throughout Nigeria,and only

4 were women and she was one of them.Once again,she was the
only woman from Eastern Nigeria.
However it was uncertain as to whether she should travel to the
USAforherUniversityeducation.TheNigerianGovernment,made
the decision for her. She opted to go to the USA for her university
education, when she was offered a place at the prestigious Mills
College, in California.
Founded in 1852, as an all-female College, Mills had a high
reputation for academic excellence. In 1961 She and the other
ASPAU scholars (including one Nnaemeka Achebe, later to
distinguish himself as a Director in Shell Nigeria and even later
to assume the Royal throne of Onitsha as Obi and another, Kalu
Idika Kalu, later to become Nigeria’s Finance Minister) joined the
program and headed for the United States.
They travelled in a four-leg journey, firstly by air from Lagos to
Tripoli, then to Paris. Followed by a train journey from Paris to
Cherboug and lastly by ship from Cherbourg to New York. She
was quartered with a guardian family – John and Electra Prize for
six weeks, before the start of the school term.
At Mills, she decided on Government as her Major and
Anthropology as her Minor. She assimilated easily at Mills, as she
was a confident young woman, who had quite honestly had an
orientation at Queens College that prepared her for an institution
that did not need to make pretensions to elitism, it simply was.
It was not uncommon for four generations of the same family
to have attended the College. It counted either as past Faculty
members or students, names like Mark Twain, Isabel Allende,
Gertrude Stein and John Cage, to name a few.
She was a member of the School Swimming team, as well as
a regular speaker at talks, on life in Africa. On an aside she had
noted that there were only three other Blacks in the school,which
characterised for Chinyere, somewhat uncomfortably, its elite
status. She graduated in 1964, with a BA and successfully applied
for a Post-Graduate placement at UCLA to study Government.
Everything was in place for her to embark on the next leg of her
academic adventure. She looked forward to safe straightforward
course of Postgraduate study and onwards to a return to an
awaiting and equally safe civil service job, back in Nigeria, as had
been the plan with her father. However, fate had other plans, as
shall be seen subsequently.

Chinyere Asika, c.1957

The Ejiogu family, c.1958. Chinyere Asika, second row, middle. The Ejiogu wives.

Nathan Ejiogu OON c.1964

Chinyere Asika,
on-board ship to
the USA, 1960.
Chinyere Asika (front
row, 3rd from right), with
alumni of Mills College,
at reunion in 1974

CHAPTER2Love and marriage

W
hilst preparing for admission into UCLA, she received word
that her ever affectionate father had sent her a package,
through a family friend Sam Nwaneri. Whilst the contents of
the package in question was not money on this occasion, she
had gotten used to receiving regular cash gifts from her father,
earning her the fond nickname “Dollars”. She made the five hour
journey from Oakland to UCLA, to meet Nwaneri.
After collecting the (non-Dollar) package, containing letters from
home, another family friend, Okwudiba Nnoli persuaded her
to spend the day in UCLA, to attend an event organised by the
African Students Association. She accepted, especially as she felt
it would give her the chance to check in on some of her ASPAU
colleagues.She took the opportunity to walk around the Campus,
and unlike Mills, was pleasantly struck by the comparatively high
Black population. She looked forward to enjoying this and the
environment when she commenced her Postgraduate course.
On returning to Nnoli’s apartment to prepare for the evenings
function, she found him in the company of a youngish looking
man, to whom Nnoli rather over-enthusiastically introduced to
her saying,“meet our brother Ukpabi Asika”.The pair shook hands
and said “hi”. Ukpabi Asika, asked, in Igbo, how she was, from his
accent she was able to determine that he was from Onitsha or its
environs.
Nnoli would not be deterred by the seemingly cool response from
Chinyere and pressed on saying “Ukpabi here is a postgraduate
student of this university. He has been here for the past 2 years
pursuing his PhD in Political Science. Besides, he is the President
of the African Students Association, the organizers programme
we are attending.”
Inpolitedeference toNnoli’sexertions,sheonceagaingreeted the
young gentleman,who Nnoli clearly thought a great deal of. After
the somewhat awkward introduction, the trio exchanged light
chit-chat,howeverChinyerefoundherselfobserving thisreserved,
yet confident and young man,who seemed so self-possessed and
deliberate in every action. She observed that nothing about him
appeared to be effected or calculated to please an audience.
The three left for the event which appeared to be some sort of
meeting, combined with a party afterwards. She watched him
received by members of the African Students Association, with
genuine respect. He delivered a speech at the start of the event,
which had his audience in rapt attention and listening to his
words, she deduced that he was an extremely intelligent man.
The party afterwards was a lively affair, at which she finally
encountered her ASPAU colleagues. They left no-one in any doubt
that that they were glad to see her. There was little opportunity
for her to strike up an intimate conversation with Ukpabi Asika
and he made no attempt either. It did not matter though, she
was coming back to UCLA, even though he had been reserved
in his contact, he was taken by this vivacious, intelligent beauty.
However as with everything he did, he was going to do things at
his own pace and in his own way.
Chinyere returned to UCLA to start her Postgraduate Degree in
Government.She just happened to bump into the“distinguished”
Mr Ukpabi Asika on campus and once again they exchanged
pleasantries, he enquired as to her welfare and from then on
they kept in touch. He became a regular visitor at her residence,
checking in like a big brother to make sure she was okay and
giving her helpful tips on settling into life at UCLA.

He was not the only one who had noticed the “hottest” African
sister on campus. She became a romantic target for the male
Nigeriancontingent.Thechasewasnarroweddowntotwogroups
of stakeholders- the ASPAU Group,who felt a certain,some would
say, undeserved sense of entitlement to her attentions and other
Nigerian students on the campus.
If Ukpabi Asika was aware that he had competition, he did not
show it to the said competitors,much less to the“prize catch”. He
continued his confident march, spending quality time with her,
still in the“big brother”mode.In due time however,genuine trust
and friendship grew between the two,such that they increasingly
spent more and more of their spare time together. There were
no grand declarations of status, if any relationship happened
naturally, this did.This was late 1964.
She would spend countless evenings at his apartment, in which
they would indulge in their shameless,guilty pleasure- books.The
couple were voracious readers and would often spend a whole
weekend, reading and not light reading either. Ukpabi Asika, was
firmly in his Marxist phase and would gorge himself on Marxist
literature, which he would constantly cross reference with
Chinyere and vice-versa, reading soundlessly for long interludes,
the only punctuation to the blissful silences being the rustling
of turning pages and the soft sound of cigarettes being stubbed
out or lit.
Their relationship simply happened, two kindred souls united in
simple, genuine friendship and deep affection for one another.
In due course, they would be seen around campus, constantly in
each other’s company.It did not need to be defined,it was clear to
all that they were now a couple.
Their conversations now went beyond the present or transient,
there were serious issues arising.The first of which was Chinyere’s
academic programme. She had, as said, enrolled for a Masters in
Government (staunchly refusing to study Political Science). She
began to reconsider her choice, largely on account of advice from
Ukpabi, which was along the lines that an MA in Government
was too similar in content to his own course, he advised that she
pursue an MA in Library Science and Information Technology, to
allow some career diversity, in their life together, post-University.
She saw the wisdom in his suggestion and willingly changed her
course of study.
The unspoken implication of this being that he was suggesting
a life together and she was clearly acceding to the implied
suggestion. The couple nonetheless continued their daily
pursuits, in her words their mannerisms and communications
were practically as those of a couple enjoying an engagement
before marriage, they were simply that close.
Upon changing her course, in January 1965, she buckled down,
and got on with her academic work, likewise Ukpabi, who had
by this time changed his research focus from the Political System
of British Guiana, to a study of the Liberation movements of
Southern Africa, a subject truly close to his heart.
Chinyere, as was now usual, successfully defended her MA thesis
and made short work of her written examinations. Her course of
study was over. It is noteworthy that she is on record, as the first
Nigerian, and arguably, the first Black African woman, to obtain a
Degree in Information Technology.

In the interim, officials of Nigeria’s Ministry of Labour had paid
a visit to UCLA, as was the standard then and sought to recruit
some of Nigeria’s finest for the Civil Service. She was offered the
position of Assistant Librarian, at the University College, Ibadan,
which she accepted.
Her return was fixed for August, of the same year, 1965. Ukpabi
Asika,was still however preoccupied with his PhD research and in
spiteofallhisbestefforts,hewouldnotbeabletoreturntoNigeria
till December. So Chinyere pressed on with her preparations for
the journey home.
She was one morning lost in her thoughts of preparation for
the journey and also subconsciously contending with the sense
of loss she would feel on separation from Ukpabi Asika her
constant companion, when he breezed into her apartment, and
his first words on seeing her, were as unexpected as they were
uncharacteristically delivered, he simply blurted; “Hi Honey, we
have to get married”. She dropped the book in her hand out of
shock and stared at him in disbelief. Several thoughts passed
through her mind at that moment, but fundamentally she
searched for clues in his face, to ascertain if he was serious. The
words that she uttered next, appeared to be in a voice that was
not hers and were equally in form of a question-“Why not?”
As if her words were the valve that released the floodgates of
emotion that had been pent-up between the two, they hugged
each other tightly, in floods of tears. They were going to be
married. All the months of anticipation were over.
The couple did not waste any time, they promptly collected
and filled Marriage application forms and got fixed with a civil
ceremony, at the Santa Monica County Courthouse. On July 31
1965, they exchanged vows before the Justice of the Peace, in the
presence of two friends and they were now husband and wife.
There was a reception afterwards attended by a small group of
their friends sponsored by the couple’s friend John Okumu, a
Kenyan academic.
Chinyere Asika, revelled in her new status as a married woman,
she had no doubt that she had made the right choice. He had
been more than a partner, he was like a brother and her best
friend all rolled into one. She looked forward to showing off the
love of her life to her family, cautiously confident that her father,
a man of high intellect would take to his new son-in-law. Both
men formidable intellectuals from distinguished families. She
did however harbour some lingering fear that her father would
probably have wanted a say prior to her wedding.To this end she
had written a letter to her father in advance,informing him of the
marriage.
InAugust1965,thenewMrsChinyereAsika,returnedtoNigeria,via
Lagos, where she was met on arrival by her father. She was driven
to Ibadan, where she was due to start her new job. Once she had
a quiet moment, she raised the subject of her marriage with her
father. As said previously, she had harboured slight nervousness
about informing her father,but hoped that any discomfort would
be minimal, his reaction was not what she hoped for.
He was incandescent with rage and expressed his displeasure
in strong, unequivocal terms. This was not the way things were
done, he considered it grossly insulting that any such ceremony
had taken place without the “proper procedure” having been
followed.

She tried to plead with her father, saying that once her husband
returned,they would carry out a traditional ceremony.Her father’s
response was terse and final“Which husband? It never happened,
don’t mention it again!”It would not be an exaggeration to state
that he was less than pleased.
Chinyere had never seen her father react the way he did and was
greatly shaken. Her father was a strict, conservative man of the
old school. He was a man of impeccable character and integrity,
whose personal discipline was imparted to his children, in the
same manner his own mother had trained him. The modern
liberalism of the sunny lawns of Los Angeles, were light years
away from the quiet, sturdy conservatism of Egbu Owerri. She
chose wisely not to broach the subject further till her husband’s
return and in fact for a fleeting moment regretted contracting a
marriage that had brought so much pain to this man she loved
so much.
Ukpabi Asika had been pre-occupied with matters related to his
research and did not return to Nigeria till early December 1965,
arriving in Ibadan, where he had now been offered a position as
a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Political Science. He was
entitledtoanapartment,butmovedintohiswife’sthree-bedroom
flat, on the strength of the fact that they were now husband and
wife and thus appropriately entitled to live together.
Nathan Ejiogu through whatever means became aware of
this arrangement and was outraged, because as far as he
was concerned, they were merely live-in-lovers and such an
arrangement was immoral and unacceptable.
Chinyere Asika confirms that her family members took steps to
evict Ukpabi Asika from her quarters, but as she expressed in her
own words“he was not the type to be intimidated out of a place he
considered his matrimonial home). He never budged.” For her this
was going too far and for the first time in her life, she took sides
against her father, by defending her husband. One person, who
was or at least appeared, quite unfazed by the whole matter, was
Ukpabi Asika. His mannerisms even suggesting he saw it coming,
almost exactly as it happened. His position was very simple, they
had to comply with Nathan Ejiogu’s wishes and get married in
the manner he prescribed, it was tradition and it was the proper
thing to do.
As such preparations for an elaborate wedding took place, after
the traditional protocols were observed by both families. The
wedding was fixed for Saturday December 18 1965. Preparations
were feverish and the Ejiogu family was agog with excitement
at what was to be the first of the many wedding amongst the 22
siblings.
Ukpabi Asika had prepared for his big day, and arrived at the All
Saints Cathedral, Egbu-Owerri, accompanied by family members
and with his old trench-mate and confidante Ukwu I Ukwu, as
best man. Mrs Joy Ezeilo, Chief Bridesmaid, accompanied the
bride into the Church premises, shortly after.
The hall was filled to the brim with the great and good of Eastern
Nigeria, as was to be expected. The Ejiogu’s were a proud family,
but none prouder and happier than the old warhorse- Nathan
Ejiogu. He had won the battle, and on reflection, a good fight it
was.Asheledhisdaughterdown theChurchaisle,hesavouredhis
victory.The couple took their vows and as they were pronounced

man and wife, Ukpabi’s smile suggested that the victory was
actually his. There would be no more questions, he had won his
prize, and there would be no more Steward’s appeals.
There was another beaming face in the hall, Rebecca Nwabunie
Asika. She had gained another daughter and at least had the
assurance that her son had come home.
After the wedding ceremony,entente ensued between the father/
son-in-law. From the embers of pre-marital (as far Nathan Ejiogu
was concerned of course) strife, a genuinely close relationship
grew between the two men, based on mutual respect for each
other.Theybecamesoclose that NathanEjiogubecame thefather
that Ukpabi had lost over a decade before.Whilst they would still
have at least one occasion to conflict, Chinyere had been right.
Her father had gained a new son, her husband- Ukpabi Asika.

The University of California Los Angeles. The Santa Monica Courthouse.

Ukpabi Asika at UCLA c.1963. University of Ibadan, 1960’s.

Chinyere Asika arrives for her wedding, with her father Nathan Ejiogu. Ukpabi Asika and Bestman Ukwu I Ukwu, arrive for wedding.

CHAPTER3Life in a time of crisis - 1966-1970

T
he couple then settled down to life at the University of
Ibadan, he having also been recruited as a Senior Lecturer
in Political Science at this time. Their marriage was barely two
months old,when a group of young Army Officers,overthrew the
Government of Prime Minister Tafawa-Balewa, killing the Prime
Minister, the Premiers of the Northern and Western Regions, the
Finance Minister and several senior Army Officers. The result of
the abortive coup attempt, being a chain of events that led to
the assumption of office by the General Officer Commanding
the Nigerian Army- Major-General J.T.U.Aguiyi-Ironsi.The political
crisisdeterioratedfromMay1966,whenriotsintheNorthresulted
in the deaths of hundreds of persons of Eastern Nigerian origin.A
second coup took place in July 1966, which resulted in the death
of Major-General Ironsi, Colonel Fajuyi and several key Army
Officers.The core of officers, led by Colonel Murtala Mohammed,
installed General Yakubu Gowon as Head of State. There were
further riots in Northern Nigeria, in which once again people of
Eastern Nigerian origin were killed. This resulted in the exodus
of Easterners back to Eastern Nigeria, including those who lived
and worked in Ibadan where the couple lived. The political crisis
worsened, with Lieutenant-Colonel Odumegwu-Ojukwu and
General Gowon engaging,for several months in a fragile political
contest that ended in the creation of 12 new States on 27 May
1967 and the declaration of the Republic of Biafra on 30 May 1967.
On June 30, 1967, the couple travelled to Tanzania, with the aim
of finalising Ukpabi’s PhD research into the Southern African
Liberation movements. In Tanzania and later Zambia, they spent
time with ANC members in exile, often attempting to cross
into then Rhodesia with the ANC activists. They later moved to
Kenya, joining the couple’s good friend, from their UCLA days,
academic, John Okumu. Shortly after arriving in Nairobi, Ukpabi
Asika decided to return to Nigeria- without his wife. It was a
difficult decision for the young couple, but mutually agreed. She
remained in Kenya, while he returned to Nigeria at the end of
September 1967.
His motivation in returning to Nigeria had been simple, in his
own words,he sought to return to“do what he could, to stop this
madness”. Madness being what he believed to be the Nation’s
uncontrollable descent into chaos and disintegration.The details
of how he intended to achieve this, were as yet unclear to him.
He was however committed to the cause of ‘One Nigeria’ as was
the turn of phrase at the time. The complication however was
that Chinyere Asika was unequivocally committed to the cause of
Biafra. Her sympathies being based squarely on what she saw as
the persecution of Easterners in the pogrom strengthening her
conviction to fight the injustice. She would religiously listen to
Biafra Radio, on a daily basis.Which clearly her husband was less
than pleased with.
Inevitably these diametrically opposite positions, resulted in
serious tension between the couple. Ukpabi Asika’s concerns in
this regard were laid bare,in a deeply emotional letter he wrote to
his good friend and colleague, American political science scholar,
Jerry Bender in June 1967. In the said letter, he had expressed
his deep frustrations and fears of the looming crisis that now
seemed inevitable at the time, as well as his commitment to
fighting for the retention of the National entity. More specifically
however, he had expressed deep fear about the threat, that he
and his wife’s opposing views,posed to their young marriage.His
words were telling and went thus “Chinyere is still here with me,
but I don’t know for how long. Her appreciation and commitment
to a Nigerian reality is unhappily, but understandably, different

from mine. Understandably, but alas tragically for me, she does
[not] wish to be cut off from her family and to be put in opposition
to her people. On the other hand, I now recognize and accept the
necessity to fight, more actively, for the survival of my country and
hence in apparent opposition to my family and my Ibo kinsmen.
But one cannot escape his history.
The present tragedy may, therefore, force a separation between us,
though our love remains strong and I hope will long endure. I am
trying to delay the separation, if it must be, as long as it is safe to
do so. More than that there is nothing I can do. It is all so very sad
and painful.”
Chinyere Asika left then for Kenya and settled into a more solitary
life in Nairobi, working as a Research Assistant to the globally
renowned American Political Scientist and “Nigerian expert”,
Professor James Smoot Coleman. The author of the classic work,
‘Nigeria: A Background to Nationalism’. She was in October of
the same year (1967) to receive what, in her own words, could
best be described as the worst possible news about her husband
(other than actual physical harm befalling him). This being his
appointment as Administrator of the newly created Central
Eastern (or East Central) State. She was deeply saddened by this
news, mostly based on deep and very real fears for his safety, as
well as her own loyalties to the Biafran cause, which still existed
at this time. Coleman and Okumu (having been fully briefed by
Ukpabi Asika of course), took time to try and convince her of
the efficacy of her husband’s decision to take up the position
of Administrator, as well as the importance of her returning to
Nigeria, for a brief visit to see her husband (as the two had put
it to her).
The duo were able to achieve the latter aim with some difficulty
(although she rightly suspected the “brief visit” advanced
was a mere ploy), however the former was simply beyond the
strong-willed convictions of Chinyere Asika to accept. In truth,
the strongest motivation for her decision to return was simple.
She was deeply in love with and loyal to her husband, in spite of
their ideological differences on the matter of Biafra. With great
reluctance, but with a stubborn longing for her husband, she
returned to Nigeria in November 1967.
They were reunited in Lagos, where he was operating, out of the
old Cabinet Office building, and resident at the Old Government
House.
Ukpabi Asika was stationed in Lagos because Enugu, the capital
of the East Central State, had been retaken by Federal Troops.The
situation at the front was so sufficiently fluid and dangerous as
to render Enugu, an unsafe permanent location for the office of
the new Administrator.
She was to spend her first few days, in deep discussion with
her husband, over various matters relating to the conflict. In
the ensuing weeks, she was to adjust her opinion, based on
her husband’s persuasive reasoning and most especially, upon
becoming privy to certain information, which showed that
Biafra would not win the war and indeed that there would be
untold suffering and bloodshed occasioned by the conflict. Her
husband was convinced even in the first few weeks, that the
war was unwinnable for Biafra, and effectively conveyed this.
He also made her privy to certain information, which revealed
that the senior Biafran hierarchy appeared to be well aware that
Biafra would be defeated. This information had come into her

husband’s possession from papers left at Enugu, after the flight
of Biafran authorities from the fallen capital. This more than
anything cemented her conviction that a swift end to the war
was imperative, in spite of whatever sympathy she had initially
felt for the Biafran cause.
She slowly got involved in her husband’s activities.Whilst he was
not based at Enugu, from November 1967, he paid regular visits
to Enugu and other areas in the East Central State, recaptured by
Federal Troops. By the early part of 1968, she got involved with
the rehabilitation effort that was to become a major and long-
standing activity of the Government of the State. This started
when a vast number of prisoners of East Central State origin,
were released through the efforts of the then Head of the Special
Branch (and later Inspector-General of Police), Alhaji M.D.Yusufu.
The man Yusufu, was to be personally instrumental in the
release, from detention, of several prisoners of East-Central State
origin, well after the end of the civil war in 1970. The initial set
of prisoners were dropped off at the Asika’s residence, at which
she had to assume responsibility for their feeding and general
welfare. In due course, she would engage in Social Welfare and
Skills training for some of the less skilled ex-detainees.
In the interim however, she was by October 1968, heavily
pregnant with the couple’s first child.It was to this backdrop that
Ukpabi Asika had gone on one of his tours of the battle-front.
This time, with a team of foreign journalists, which included
legendary names like American, Morley Safer of CBS and Briton
Peter Sissons,then of the British Independent Television (ITV) and
later of the BBC. Also in the party was the Kenyan-Asian Photo-
Journalist, Priya Ramrakhar. Ramrakhar had been a good friend
of the Asika’s from their UCLA days. This visit was meant to last
a couple of days, upon which he would return to join his wife to
await the delivery of their first child. This however did not go to
plan, as Chinyere Asika felt herself go into labour unexpectedly
during the evening of 2nd October 1968.
Quiteuncharacteristically,forthewifeofaStateAdministrator,she
was almost completely alone in the residence. In quintessential
form for Chinyere Asika, she calmly packed a bag containing
clothing and other materials for the baby, went into the car-park,
started the vehicle present there and drove herself to the Island
Maternity Hospital, Lagos Island. Upon arrival she was rushed
into the ward, by the bewildered staff. A message was then sent
to her husband, to inform him of the imminent birth of his first
child. However before he could arrive from his sojourn to Owerri,
his first son was born at 9.50am on Thursday October 3, 1968.
The baby was to be named Obodoechina,which in Igbo means my
country must survive. This name, also had a deeper significance.
UkpabiAsika,wascompelled toabandonhis tourof thefront with
the International Journalists, as said.This was to be fortuitous, in
that barely an hour after his departure, the group was ambushed
by a Biafran Army patrol, which left one fatality, Priya Ramrakhar.
Peter Sissons escaped with serious injuries. Ukpabi Asika, had in
tribute to his late friend, declared by the naming of his son after
him, that he (Ramrakhar’s) efforts would not be in vain. On an
aside, and possibly illustrative of the cool analytical nature of the
manUkpabiAsika,washisdiaryentryon thebirthofhisfirst child,
which read simply:“10 to 10 am. Chinyere gave birth to a boy- 5lbs
12oz”. Which belied, what truly was his intense happiness at his
wife giving him a healthy son and heir.

In November 1968 Chinyere Asika was to visit Eastern Nigeria for
the first time after her wedding.She was anxious to receive word
of her own family. However this was not forthcoming. Nathan
Ejioguandhisfamily,hadintheinterimenduredseriousdifficulties
inside Biafra,where they remained throughout the war.He had in
fact been an intellectual stalwart of the Biafran administration,
lending his not inconsiderable gravitas on matters of Educational
policy to its Government, as well as consulting on a broad range
of matters. He thus initially maintained the semblance of
normal life with his family, at his residence at Owerri, until the
advance of the Federal troops caused him to move his family to
Amaimo, where they remained until the very end of the war. He
was fortunate that his papers, which had been left behind at the
Egbu Comprehensive Secondary School building, were retrieved
by a French Mercenary deployed by the Biafran Army. This was a
stroke of incredible luck, because anyone familiar with Nathan
Ejiogu knew,his academic papers,books and records were second
only in importance to him, behind his beloved family.
The difficult circumstances which the Ejiogu family endured
during the war, were not assisted by the news, which filtered
in during early 1968, that his son-in-law had been appointed
the Federal Administrator of East-Central State. In-spite of his
immense personal reputation and commitment to the Biafran
cause, the great Nathan Ejiogu and his family were to suffer
suspicion aroused by the familial relationship with an enemy of
the Biafran State.
These thoughts occupied Chinyere Asika’s mind and caused her
great sadness. Her husband’s situation was little different, as his
mother and siblings were resident at Onitsha, on the outbreak
of the war- and indeed remained at Onitsha, throughout the
conflict. Hence the couple were united in shared, but very private
despair and anxiety relating to the fate of their families.
However there was very little either of them could do, but hope
fervently for a prompt end to the bloody war that everyday
claimed new victims on both sides, but especially among
the civilian population of what was by late 1969, the greatly
diminished Republic of Biafra.
She was to pay several visits to the recaptured areas of East
Central State, with her husband. However, these visits were not
merely scenic tours. Almost immediately upon resumption of
office in 1967, Ukpabi Asika had begun planning for what was
surely going to be a gargantuan rehabilitation and resettlement
effort. He began mobilising resources within weeks of assuming
office. Upon Chinyere Asika joining her husband, she also got
involved in this by observing and making subtle suggestions
geared towards the effort- this being in addition to her hands-on
work with released detainees of East-Central State origin, who
were now being released from detention in rapid succession
and increasing numbers, as a result of the yeoman’s effort of
M.D.Yusufu and Ukpabi Asika himself.
The rehabilitation committee headed by Gilbert Offodile, had
busieditselfwithpreparationsandhadbeeninactionthroughout
the war, operating in the areas recaptured with the relatively
small number of inhabitants who remained in such towns after
recapture. She worked informally assisting and consulting with
both the committee and her husband in the crucial work at hand
then.

Ukpabi Asika was spending increasingly greater time in the East-
Central State,as the war drew to a close by December of 1969 the
family felt sufficiently secure to spend the Christmas at Enugu,in
theGovernmentHousewiththeir14-montholdson,Obodoechina.
They remained there,even till the first weeks of January 1970.Her
husband by the 9th of January, had quietly informed her that
the war was not going to last beyond the next week, based on
intelligence reaching him. This was to prove correct barely three
days later, the couple had been awoken in their bedroom, at 3am
by the unusual presence of a visibly excited Alhaji Ahmed Joda,
then Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Information,
accompanied by (then Lieutenant-Colonel) Theophilus Danjuma,
who announced that Colonel Ojukwu had left Biafra with his
family for the Ivory Coast. At 11.45am in the morning of 11 January
1970, Ukpabi Asika broadcast on the Nigerian Broadcasting
Corporation Radio Service, the departure of Colonel Ojukwu and
called the remaining combatants to lay down their arms.
This was then followed a day later by Colonel Philip Effiong’s
broadcast of the surrender.The day was January 12, 1970.The war
was over… finally.

Chinyere Asika, Ibadan, 1966 The newly wed Mr and Mrs Asika. January 1966 at Ibadan.

Chinyere Asika c.1967.

Professor James S. Coleman. Professor John Okumu.

The Lagos Island Maternity. Ukpabi Asika’s diary entry on the birth of Obi.

With Obi, on his first
birthday, October 1969.

CHAPTER4The first lady of the East-Central State 1970-1975

U
pon the broadcast of Effiong’s surrender speech, followed by
the signing of the surrender document at Dodan Barracks,
Lagos on January 15, 1970. General Yakubu Gowon broadcast, an
end of war speech on the same day, which was followed by a
further broadcast by Ukpabi Asika, on January 16 1967.There was
a deluge of sad, hungry, broken humanity streaming into Enugu.
Unbelievable numbers, which could not have been anything less
than200,000persons,troopedbacktoEnuguinthedaysafterthe
war ended. A large number of these arrived to the Government
House, Enugu, announcing their desperation. Chinyere Asika
swung into action mobilising all resources available to her
in personnel and materials, providing cooked food for all and
clothing for any who needed same.
Whilst as said the Rehabilitation Commission had been primed
andhadalreadybeenactiveinseveralpartsoftheState,thesimple
fact was that the sheer number of those needing assistance was
mind-boggling and the over-stretched staff of the Commission
could not have coped without the assistance of a team of
volunteers, of which Chinyere Asika led a most commendable
and selfless effort at Enugu in the days and weeks after the war.
The Commission, in accordance with the meticulous planning of
Ukpabi Asika and Gilbert Offodile, started to distribute the huge
stockpiles of foodstuff and clothing from various stores in Enugu.
The Government in recognition of the need for shelter to be
provided for the teeming masses, at one stage authorised
refugees to occupy any empty buildings they saw,on a temporary
basis, pending the return of the owners. Additionally, the usual
traditional spirit of the‘brother’s keeper’,which had characterised
the Igbo’s before and during the war, was on full display in those
heady weeks of January 1970.
Onapurelypersonallevel,theAsika’shad theunfinishedbusiness
of locating Nathan Ejiogu and the rest of the Ejiogu family.Things
had been dire,but the family had in their usual stoic fashion,held
firm and endured, under the steadfast guidance and inspiration
of its patriarch.They were eventually located and those who were
available, were taken under Military escort to Enugu, into the
waiting arms of a deeply emotional and hugely relieved Chinyere
Asika. Nathan Ejiogu did not immediately travel with the first
convoy, seeking first to conclude some personal matters. Ukpabi
Asika had already been re-united with his mother, siblings and
other family members, after the fall of Onitsha. Ejiogu was to
later travel to Enugu, to an emotional reunion with his beloved
daughter. Any conversation about the ideological efficacy or
otherwise of his son-in-law’s position was understandably
placed on the back-burner,while the reunited enjoyed the simple
celebration of life, a celebration several thousands of others had
not enjoyed.
The couple could however be excused the completeness of relief
in reunion with their families, from whom they had separated
by the fratricidal barriers of the sad, evil war that had mercifully
ended. Stories were exchanged on all sides about the events of
the preceding years. As was prevalent then, recollections and sad
memorials were relayed of family members and friends,who had
not survived the conflict. This once again put into perspective
for all, the senseless carnage and attendant misery; this was
the price of war. Whilst the resounding and ubiquitous greeting
“Happy survival”echoed both in the Asika and Ejiogu households,
the silent post-script to this relief and elation was the stark,
poignant words,also widespread at the time amongst the Igbo’s-
“Ozo emena”(Never again).

In the aftermath of the war, came the stringent demands of
the peace, which would prove as challenging in some respects.
According to Dr Chu Okongwu, Economic Adviser to the East
Central State Government, the State had a population of Seven
Million persons needing rehabilitation and in many cases
resettlement after the war. The logistical and administrative
effort involvedin thisprocesswasimmenseandananalysisof the
cost of and effort required to rebuild the war-ravaged landscape
that was left behind on January 12 1970, is beyond imagination.
There were quite simply only a handful of towns in the State
that were not completely or partially damaged by the war. Even
those that did not experience land warfare, were exposed to
air bombardment. However the time for excuses was over, the
responsibility for repair rested with the administration of Ukpabi
Asika and he rose to the challenge. The Federal Government had
espoused two policy platforms in dealing with post-war East
Central State, these were firstly the political policy of“No victors,
no vanquished”,an old American civil war adage,meaning simply
that there would be no Treason trials for those who participated
in the Biafran movement (probably with the exception of
Colonel Odumegwu Ojukwu).The other being the famous“Three
R’s”- Reconciliation, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, a self-
explanatory concept. Both of these policies were concieved by
Ukpabi Asika.
The Asika administration, which was constituted barely months
after the war,was comprised of some of Nigeria’s brightest brains
at the time. The East-Central State enjoyed the blessing of their
citizenship. The appointments were clearly based on merit, even
though Asika himself had known some of these distinguished
persons in his personal capacity. What was also instructive was
that a vast majority of these individuals had not just been active
participants in the Biafran Government, but had in fact been
members of the Biafran Armed Forces. A prime example being
Dr Ukwu I Ukwu, who was former Commander of BOF and a
world-class Economist. He had also been close friend of Ukpabi
Asika and best man at his wedding in 1965. Other leading lights
in this cabinet, included Dr Magnus Adiele, Offia Nwali, Adrian
Orah, Anthony Mogboh (now SAN), Osita Okeke, the joint first
Nigerian female Commissioner, Novelist, Flora Nwakuche and a
number of others.This spirit was encapsulated by Dr Ukwu thus,
“Having been vested with the full authority of military governor,
as Administrator of the East Central State, this quintessential
political scientist shouldered the responsibility of reassuring and
restoring confidence to a traumatised people, erasing the scars
of war, rebuilding the state and bringing it into the mainstream
of national life. I was shocked when he invited me, an arch rebel
straight from prison, to his Cabinet only to find that most of my
new colleagues were also from the Biafran side. By this insightful
move he had sent a clear signal that all of us – former “vandals”
and former “rebels” belonged together in the common task
of reconciliation, rehabilitation, and reconstruction. Under his
leadership the initial reserve and suspicion in the Cabinet melted
away and we were soon able to work together as a team, focused
only on the rebirth of our State from the ashes of war.”
This was a simple summary of the spirit and philosophy of the
team Asika assembled. To put a fine point on Asika’s application
of the “No victors, no vanquished” principle, 12 out of 15 member
of his Cabinet,were released straight from detention,through his
influence and that of Alhaji M.D.Yusuf, to occupy positions on his
Cabinet.

However, the enormity of the task ahead of this team and their
performance was equally encapsulated by Dr Chu Okongwu,who
was then, Economic Adviser to the State Government. His words
were insightful “…. there could not have been less than 7 million
persons in East-Central State at war’s end waiting for succour.From
the ashes of the war,with this adversarial human material and yet
massive pressure of needs, with depleted infrastructure, and in the
parlous financial situation, Ukpabi Asika confronted the challenge
of recomposing the state machinery and providing nourishment
–social peace (law and order), opportunities for productive
enterprise, maximal expression of initiative and self-development,
and public welfare – the essential responsibilities of the state for
the citizens”
The details of the work the administration carried out shall
be reserved for Ajie Ukpabi Asika’s biography. However a brief
summary of the quantum would be the immense effort in
reconstruction of infrastructure, such as the repair and new
construction of over 1100 kilometres of roads, the rebuilding of
public utility systems such as water, which was restored to and
exceeded pre-war capacity (this even being for the whole of
Eastern Nigeria), the restoration of Agricultural capacity, (Food
and Cash crops) to record levels. The cabinets dogged battle to
retainiconicinstitutions,suchas theUniversityofNigeriaNsukka,
which had been threatened with conversion into a Military
barracks.The establishment of Institutions such as the University
of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, which went on to perform the first
indigenous Heart Surgery in 1974, the establishment of the Alvan
Ikoku College of Education and the Institute of Management and
Technology,amongst others. Significantly for the Igbo’s were the
reconstruction, with financial assistance from the United Bank
for Africa (UBA), of the Onitsha Market, and other commercial
sites across the state.
The Government of Ukpabi Asika operated a unique but ancient
system of governance, which it termed Olu Obodo, (the work
of the community). This being a system of indirect community
development, using the facility of community associations. The
basis being that the work of reconstruction required hands-on
engagement from the local communities, which it believed to
be otherwise discounted or non-existent, in the conventional
Colonial Civil service, which in Igbo was described as “Olu Oyibo”
(the white man’s work). Hence, a Divisional Administration
Department was established, which acted as the interface
between the community associations and the State Government.
As the ‘First lady’ Chinyere Asika, was a visible presence in the
East Central State. She clearly portrayed a glamorous, celebrity-
style image, as she graced several State events and functions, as
her husband’s companion, likening comparisons with Jacqueline
Kennedy. Her glamorous exterior however, belied an extremely
capable intellect, a phenomenal work ethic and intense social
conscience. She was a veritable intellectual sounding board
for her husband, possessing an acute analytical ability, which
rivalled her husband’s. However her greatest work in this era
was to unfold, in 1971. Chinyere Asika had, as said, been heavily
involved with the work of refugee rehabilitation in the State. She
had by now become a tireless presence in the on-going effort
of rehabilitation work. In this position, she happened upon the
concept of organising the women of the East-Central State into
strong co-operatives,for the purpose of self-help and sustenance.
Her motivation being her recognition of the role of women in

traditional society in her native Owerri Province, as independent
farmers and traders, who exercised a strong societal influence.
She worked towards reinstating the economic profile that their
Traditional role gave women, that which had been diluted by
the disruption of Traditional societies following the introduction
of Colonial governance. In her view, women could, and should
indeed be involved in the crucial work that would be required
to rebuild the State, at least in agricultural work. To this end,
she conceived the idea of a cadre of women, known as “Otu Olu
Obodo”,meaning the Community Development Society or Union.
This involved the organisation of women into Agricultural co-
operatives around the State.
She swung into action in 1971 with her new project, soliciting
voluntary contributions from communities of land and materials,
for the co-operatives, which were independent, with the women
retaining the income generated from the sale of their produce
for themselves.It is important to state categorically, that Otu Olu
Obodo, functioned for almost all of its existance, without any
Government funding.Under her leadership,at its peak in January
1975, it had gathered a membership of over One Million women,
across the State, making it the biggest women’s co-operative
association in Nigerian history, up till that time. In recognition of
its success, Otu Olu Obodo was granted Government recognition
and launched formally in April 1975, with provision in the State
budget for the fiscal year 1975/1976.
On a lighter note, aside from the legacy of her work with Otu Olu
Obodo,one lesser known fact is her small- some might say- highly
significant- but many might also- say important role, in the birth
of one of the greatest Institutions of Igbo-land, the legendary
Rangers International Football Club of Enugu. The concept of
a Football Team for the State, had been promoted in 1970, by
Chief A.W.Ibe and others like Jerry Enyeazu, as a motivational
vehicle for the psychologically demoralised people of the State.
Ukpabi Asika, was easily sold on the idea, and sanctioned State
support for the team. However funds were meagre, with the
main priority at the time being the rehabilitation of refugees,
so private individuals pitched in. One such being Chinyere Asika,
she volunteered to procure Rangers first Jersey strip, with her
own funds. She recalled travelling to Aba in mid-1970, where the
original strip was purchased and returned to Enugu. There the
pioneer Rangers, Cyril Okosieme, Luke Okpala, Godwin Achebe,
Shedrack Ajaero,Ernest Ufele,Kenneth Abana,Dominic Nwobodo
and others (who ironically were former members of the defunct
Biafran National Team) eagerly awaited their launch into African
Sporting History. Thus it is on record that the first jersey strip of
RangersInternationalFootballClubofEnugu(awhite t-shirt,with
diagonal red strip), was chosen and bought by Chinyere Asika. It
is however important to mention that Rangers alternated this
strip,with the pre-war,four diagonal-square strip of the old Black
Rocks XI of Enugu.
On a personal note, the year 1972, one year after the triumph
of Otu Olu Obodo, served as the year of one of her deepest
tragedies. This being the loss of her father, friend, teacher and
great inspiration, Nathan Ejiogu, on August 4 1972.
Shortly after the war’s end, Ukpabi Asika had enlisted the
considerable gravitas of Nathan Ejiogu as Chairman of the
State Public Service Commission in May 1970. Whilst for the
usual crowd of hecklers, this was an example of nepotism,
what was unarguable was that this man was one of the best
qualified in Nigeria, for such a position. As said previously, he had

pursued a highly distinguished career, as one Nigeria’s greatest
educationists, a status recognised by UNESCO no less. He had
by 1960, become the first African Chief Inspector of Education
in Eastern Nigeria, all of which earned him the accolade of the
National Honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger.
To stress his immense profile, tributes poured in from colleagues
and associates, from all over the world. Dr Marvin Feldman,
former President of the New York Fashion Institute of Technology
described him as “clear-minded, thorough and incisive; he was
very knowledgeable on the subject of comprehensive education.”
Dr Wilbert Lamelle, a former US Ambassador to Kenya, described
him as a “pensive, deliberate and thoughtful man, committed to
the work of developing education in Nigeria….He was a man who
had the public will in his vision by wanting to be of service to his
country.” The great Dr Kingsley Mbadiwe, his former student,
was not to be left out, describing his former teacher, as “a strict
disciplinarian who brought dignity and integrity to the teaching
profession.”Ukpabi Asika,described his father-in-law,as“a tireless
worker of the finest integrity whose selfless service to his people
was unmatched in dedication”.
In further recognition of his contributions to education, the
Institute of Education at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka was
posthumously named after him. Additionally a Professorial Chair
was instituted in his name, as a well as a biennial lecture series.
The point is probably well established now, that Ejiogu was one
of the finest Educationists and Public Policy minds of his time and
consequently, a great loss to his country and his State. However,
the deepest loss was felt by his four wives and twenty-two
children, for whom he was a completely hands-on, loving and
deeply devoted father to every single one. Nigeria had lost a son,
but the Ejiogu’s and Egbu bore the deepest pain of his departure,
including his eldest child, Chinyere Asika.
There were also moments of joy, astride this tragedy. The Asika’s
welcomed two more children in their years in the Government
House Enugu. Their first daughter, Nkiruka (the best is yet to
come), named by her father, in consonance with his vision of
the future for Nigeria, was born in 1970. She was followed by
Obianuju (arrival in the time of plenty) in 1974. Whose name
evinced Ukpabi Asika’s belief that the positive portends he had
foreseen on the birth of Nkiru were coming to pass.The close knit
family was complete, or almost, as was to be seen two decades
down the line.The children were bright,beautiful and boisterous.
Two highly distinguished parents, the golden couple some said.
He the highly visible, intellectually formidable Administrator
and member of the Supreme Military Council, whose opinion
was sought by no less than General Gowon, the Head of State,
on matters of diverse discipline, from Foreign Policy, to Economic
Policy.
She, the vivacious, cerebral, feisty bundle of energy and daughter
of a NationalTreasure.She had through sheer determination and
effort, founded one of the biggest Women’s Mass movements
in African History, One Million strong and growing. The Asika’s
enjoyed strong personal friendships, based on mutual respect
and admiration (some of which subsisted throughout their lives),
with many of Nigeria’s great and good.
They counted on General Gowon and his wife Victoria, as close
friends. In fact, both were God-parents to their daughter Nkiru.
Likewise, General’s Theophilus Danjuma, Olusegun Obasanjo,

both members of the Supreme Council. They also counted the
familiesoffellowGovernors,suchasBrigadier’sMobolajiJohnson,
David Bamigboye and others.Ukpabi Asika,on his own cultivated
a strong friendship with Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia. This
in addition to an almost filial bond with Alhaji M.D.Yusuf.
The East Central State and indeed Government House Enugu,
was alive in the years after the war, with a constant stream of
dignitaries from all over the world.It was also an exciting cultural
hub, with a diverse range of events, from the Classical to the
Traditional, with acts like Nwokolobia Agu and Felix Nwuba’s
Choral groups and the now world famous Atilogwu and Mkpokiti
Dance Troupes, which had made the State proud, by winning the
Golden Gong in 1970 and 1971 respectively, at the National Arts
Festival.StateHouse,hostedtheavant-garde,fromHighlifebands,
on to the unthinkable (in any other such location), the maverick
genius of Fela Ransome-Kuti. It was all on display at the State
House. The State House also played host to series of successful
Sports teams from the State, after each new triumph on the
National Stage, such as the East Central State Academicals Team,
which triumphed in the Manuwa-Adebajo Cup,one year after the
end of the Civil War, Rangers International winning the National
League title and Challenge Cup in 1974 and retaining both the
following year.The East Central States Women’s Basketball Team
winning, several National titles in succession. The State House
also witnessed the comedic genius of the legend Chika Okpala
(MON), as Chief Zebrudaya Okoroigwe Nwogbo, performing
with his colleagues of the Masquerade comedy programme.
This being a product of the East Central State,Writers Workshop,
conceived by Ukpabi Asika and run by the late Professor Obi
Egbuna, personally recruited by Asika himself.
The States mega-markets at Onitsha, Aba and Nnewi, had by
1975 been open for a few years. From the absence of one single
Bank in the whole State by March 1970, the State had several
Banks operating, two (formerly owned by the Eastern Region)
which had been rescued from Bankruptcy and recapitalised by
the Administration. These being the African Continental Bank
and Cooperative and Commerce Bank was back on its feet as
a Regional commercial hub, generating Millions of Dollars in
Internal revenue. The Udoji awards of 1975, at Federal level, had
contributed to an all-pervasive feeling of confidence and well-
being nationwide and no less in the East-Central State. It could
not possibly get any better, unless one considers that Ukpabi
Asika, had been billed to assume duty as Nigeria’s new Federal
Commissioner (Minister) for External Affairs, later on in the year
1975.
However fate once again, had other plans and on the morning of
Tuesday,July291975,exactly19years,to thedaysince theprevious
Nigerian coup d’etat, the tanks were rolled out on the streets of
Lagos and the martial music and announcements on the radio,
signalled another change of Government, the regime of General
Yakubu Gowon had been overthrown, in a bloodless coup and
Nigeria had a new Head of State, General Murtala Mohammed,
erstwhile Federal Commissioner for Communications. General
Gowon,hadbeenawayatameetingoftheOrganisationofAfrican
Unity. Ukpabi Asika had often accompanied General Gowon on
these meetings, in his capacity as Ambassador Plenipotentiary
for Ethiopia and Senegal, but did not on this occasion. Whatever
the circumstances were, Ukpabi Asika’s tenure, as Administrator
of the East-Central State had ended.

With General and Mrs Gowon. Government House, Enugu. 1975. Ukpabi Asika, Mrs Betty Bamgboye, Obi Ofala Okagbue of Onitsha, Mrs Chinyere
Asika, Col. David Bamgboye, Governor of Kwara State.

Ukpabi Asika, Chinyere Asika, Mr Joseph D Gomwalk Governor of Benue-
Plateau State, 1973.
With (the then) Colonel T.Y.Danjuma. Government House, Enugu. 1974.

At State function, 1973. At State function, 1974.

With Cyprian Ekwensi at one of the zonal launches of Otu Olu Obodo
in 1975.
With Brigadier Mobolaji Johnson and Ukpabi Asika 1971.

Nathan and Esther Ejiogu admiring Obi’s latent Football skills. Nathan and Esther Ejiogu, 1970.

Ukpabi Asika, Nathan Ejiogu and Major-General Iliya Bisalla.
Enugu, 1971.
Nathan Ejiogu and T.C.K.Osuji. Enugu, 1971.

At the funeral of
Nathan Ejiogu, 1972

With mother-in-law, Enyi Rebecca Asika. With sister-in-law Sylvia Asika

The couple playing Scrabble. Enugu, 1973. From right, Mrs Betty Bamgboye, Ukpabi Asika, Colonel David Bamgboye,
Chinyere Asika and Justice M.O.Balonwu.

With Uju, 1975. Obi and Nkiru, 1974.

At birth of Uju in 1974

At State function in 1974.

At a private function, 1974.

At an Otu Olu Obodo event, 1975 A Divisional launching of Otu Olu Obodo,1975

CHAPTER5Life outside Government House

I
n the aftermath of the take-over of the new regime family.
Life after Government for the family, was to be a sea-change
in circumstance, which would greatly test the family’s resolve,
but from which they emerged stronger as a unit. The family
experienced a torrent of verbal attacks from citizens of the East
Central State that appeared to have been previously restrained
only by his occupation of office as Administrator. In simple terms,
a large majority of Igbo’s had not forgiven him for his role during
the Civil War and clearly the opportunity came to vent their ire.
Additionally, the family were to face a slew of panels of enquiry,
of which Ukpabi Asika, calmly and methodically, as was his wont,
answered the queries as honestly as could be expected of him.
He had committed no impropriety and he stood by this position
till his demise. Chinyere Asika, as equally was her wont, was
fearless and defiant, confident in the knowledge that neither her
husband nor herself was in anyway deserving of the treatment,
she regarded as a vindictive witch-hunt.
These were extremely difficult times,emotionally and financially,
for the family. The couple was compelled to send their children
Obodoechina and Nkiru (now aged 8 and 6) to school in the
United Kingdom in 1977,to escape the verbal assaults and threats
they faced constantly from ostensibly responsible adults. This
was sponsored initially by their Grandmother, Madam Esther
Ejiogu, who alongside her fellow wives of Nathan Ejiogu, had
built a successful trading business.
In-spite of the difficulties, the family pulled together and slowly
Ukpabi and Chinyere Asika, stoically emerged from the pall
of false accusations and condemnation, to rebuild his and his
family’s lives.He was greatly assisted by the kindness and support
of close friends and associates- an example being the late Chief
Adebayo Adeleke, who once offered him a job in his company in
1975, on a salary of N15, 000, to enable him provide for himself
and his family. He however rejected this offer, whilst genuinely
moved by the kindness of a true friend.
The family was also to receive a deeply moving show of support,
via a letter from the Elders committee of Egbu, who wrote to
them a letter reassuring them that the difficult times would
pass, this is copied below
“From Oha Egbu Elders and
All Adults at home,
Egbu Town.
9th September, 1975
Our Dearest In-law & Daughter,
Mr & Mrs Asika,
We, the entire Cabinet of Oha Egbu Elders, all adult men and
women at home, wrote this letter to Mr and Mrs Asika.
We had heard all that had happened to you; we had also heard
all what many people had said and have been saying both good
and bad. We whole-heartedly and sympathetically say to you “Be
very very courageous”.“Do not despair”.
Unanimously, we remind you about the wise sayings of some
Sages: -
“If you take heed what thou are within, thou shalt not think
what men say of thee; man looked on the visage and God on the
heart; man considereth the deeds and God praiseth the thought”.
“The storms of life, instead of destroying us can succeed only in
making us stronger.Thus our fate depends not on the storms of life
but upon how we meet them”.
“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience”.

Summarily, therefore, remember the following aphorisms and
adages and then, take deep courage, deeper fortitude and deepest
unabated tolerance.
No one is perfect; and he who boasts of being perfect, is perfect
in folly.
After a great storm then comes a great calm.
The one sensible thing to do with a disappointment is to put it
out of your mind and think of something cheerful.
I banish the past and now live in the wonderful now, where
happy surprises come to me each day.
Often the least courage is not to die but to live.
Tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and
experience, hope.
“Pittance is no quittance,“leave my room” does not mean leave
the world”.
Heros and heroines are always known, recognised and honoured
because of their exemplary and untarnished fortitude and
tolerance with which they resisted many oppositions from within
and antagonisms from without.
All these words above are for you and for all entire Egbu people.
Very very warm and affectionate greeting from us all to you and
your family.
We remain,
Yours sincerely,
OHA EGBU ELDERS & ADULT MEN & WOMEN AT HOME
The words of the elders were indeed to come to pass,as the family
slowly pulled itself up from the negative, stormy period they
faced in the mid-late 1970’s. Ukpabi Asika ventured into business,
founding one of the first Indigenous Information Technology
Companies, Sigma Systems, alongside other ventures. Chinyere
Asika on her own part exercised her own social entrepreneurial
skills, joining a socio-economic Consultancy firm, where she
worked for five years between 1975-1980.
However she never lost her special gift for women’s mobilisation
and upon the lifting of the ban on political activity in 1978, she
put those skills into effect, by founding a Women’s political
group known as Eziokwu bu ndu. Upon the formation of political
parties, she joined the membership of the National Party of
Nigeria (NPN) and she eventually rose to become the leader
of the Women’s wing of the party in Anambra State. The NPN
was initially in opposition, in the period, 1979-1983, when the
Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP) held sway, under the Governorship
of Chief Jim Nwobodo. However, the NPN was to triumph in the
1983 elections, with the victory of the late Chief Christian Onoh.
Chinyere Asika was appointed Special Adviser for Women’s
Affairs.This was an accolade, not just for her contributions to the
party’s success in the elections, but most significantly for over
12 years of dedicated service to the mobilisation and upliftment
of women. Significantly also, she entered the history books once
more, as the first person in Nigerian history, to hold a Cabinet
level appointment in respect of Women’s affairs. However
the post was purely advisory and did not have any accounting
responsibilities
She was unable to fully implement any meaningful programme
in her new office, as the Government of President Shehu
Shagari was overthrown in a Military coup, which took place
on Saturday, December 31 1983. Major-General Muhammadu
Buhari,assumed office as Head of State and with this as usual,all
civilian infrastructures were dismantled. Chinyere Asika was to
find herself, held under house arrest, for a brief period, alongside
500 other political office holders, all across the nation. She was

neither charged nor tried for any offence,unlike many others,and
was released after a few months.
The Asika family once again ploughed on with its life. Chinyere
Asika returned to run her business affairs. She had been by her
husband’s side, when he took on the prestigious Ozo Title of
Onitsha, in 1980. She was also by his side in 1985, when he was
elevated to the cadre of the‘Immortals’, by his installation as the
Ajie Ukadiugwu, a High Chief and member of the Ndi Ichie Ume,
of Onitsha. She was to shortly afterwards, receive similar honour,
when she was conferred with the title of ‘Iya Meto’ of Ibadan in
1986, alongside her sister Chief (Mrs.) Queen Babalola. However
she was to receive her most cherished traditional accolade,when
she was admitted to the prestigious ‘Odu’ Society of Onitsha in
1994, taking on the title of‘Dibueze’, at a lavish ceremony held in
the ancient city.
The Asika children in-spite of all they had experienced, were
progressing academically, under the loving and patient guidance
oftheirfatherandtheequallyaffectionate,butstrong,disciplinary
hand of their mother. The children described their mother, as
one who would enjoy a good bit of banter, in lighter moments,
but who brooked no dissent, or bad behaviour. She demanded
and always received, absolute commitment and application by
her children to their education. Ajie Ukpabi Asika on the other
hand,expected the best from his children in all they did,and they
delivered.
Both parents had deep interaction with their children, engaging
them in some of the long intellectual conversations, which
had been their habit as a young couple in their UCLA days. The
coupled imbued into their children, a strong independence of
thought and a cosmopolitan orientation. To embrace the vast
opportunities for knowledge acquisition, which their education
and environment afforded them. However all of these were
grounded in a strong sense of their true identity, as Africans,
indigenes of Onitsha, with necessary bias to their maternal roots
at Egbu, but most fundamentally, as Nigerians. The couple never
wavered in their unalloyed love for their country, in-spite of the
heart-break and disappointment, they had faced in pursuit of
service to it.
The children would spend their holidays sharing their time with
their much-loved paternal Grandmother Enyi Rebecca Nwabunie
Asika,at the family home at Onitsha and with their Grandmother,
Madam Esther Ejiogu, and their Step-Grandmothers, and several
uncles, aunts and cousins, of the formidable Ejiogu clan. These
holiday options were not negotiable. Family was extremely
important to Ajie and Dibueze Asika and their children greatly
enjoyed the communality that characterised these periods spent
with their extended families.
Chinyere Asika was extremely close to her beloved mother and
confidant, Esther, who was a constant presence, and indeed her
step-mothers and other siblings. Her brother Kelechi Ejiogu, the
eldest son of the family and de facto head after the demise of his
father, described her as a truly affectionate sister. Who, he said,
would often lose her temper, if she failed to receive a call from
her beloved family. However she would be promptly pacified by a
sheepish apology and revert to the lively,affectionate banter that
endeared her to all. She could spend endless hours chatting with
on the phone, or busy herself with visits to and from the family..

She also maintained a very close relationship with her mother-
in-law Enyi Asika, who loved her like a daughter and who the
Asika children greatly adored. The family was however shortly to
suffer the loss of this great matriarch. Enyi Rebecca Asika, passed
away in 1985, joining her husband, Edward Asika, who died in
1952. For Ukpabi Asika and his siblings, their mother had been a
loving, comforting presence and an emotional link to their late
father. For her it was the same, the loss was deep and the couple
comforted each other privately, whilst keeping up a brave face in
public,and playing the leadership role that was required of them.
On a different note, the family was to experience some form of
catharsis from the trauma of Ajie Asika’s stint in public service,
when the regime of President Ibrahim Babangida, in 1993, by a
decree titled Forfeiture of Assets (Release of Certain Forfeited
Properties, etc) Decree No. 24 of 1993, rescinded the 1976
instrument seizing some of his assets. The seizure being as a
result of the findings of the Asset Investigation Panel Enquiry of
1975.This was the end of a long and tortuous road for Ukpabi and
Chinyere Asika,the greater value of this being less in the material
benefit accruing from the re-acquisition of the properties, which
specifically were Bladi Court,Warri, Delta State and land at G.R.A.
Onitsha, Anambra State and Shares in Glaxo Nigeria Limited
(Now PLC) and Diversified Investments Limited. The greater
significance being in the seeming vindication of his protestations
of their innocence of the allegations levelled against them for
several years.
There was of course the usual cynical side-bar comments of
Babangida’s gesture being geared towards garnering support
for his own selfish ambitions. These were of course irrelevant
considerationstothefamily,whichplacedvalueonthevindication
of their stand. It is also instructive, that General Babangida,
neither sought nor received any form of payback from Ukpabi
Asika for the return of his properties, in cash or in kind. It is also
important to place on the record, that the Decree covered several
former Public Officers,of which he was just one.Others including,
for example, Governor’s Joseph Gomwalk, Audu Bako and former
Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Kam Selem, all of whom were
deceased and hardly in a position to offer any purported political
favours to General Babangida.

Studio Shot. 1978.

Obi, Uju and Nkiru. London, 1979. With Obi, Nkiru and Uju. London, 1979.

With Madam Esther Ejiogu and sister Obi Pax-Harry c.1979. With family friend David Raphael and brother, Ibe Ejiogu .London 1979.

At a function. London, 1979. Nkiru and cousin Nini Chikwe, 1980.

Nkiru, Obi and cousins with Uncle, Kelechi Ejiogu Christmas at Egbu.

At Ukpabi Asika’s Ozo Society
admission ceremony. Onitsha, 1980

On the campaign trail for the National Party of Nigeria, 1983

At Ukpabi Asika’s installation ceremony as Ajie of Onitsha, 1986. Nnabuenyi Edmund Asika formally unveils the bust of Edward Obiozor Asika, after the
Installation of Ukpabi Asika as Ajie. Onitsha 1986.

Newspaper article on installation as the Iyameto of Ibadan, 1986. With the Olubadan Oba Yesufu Asanike, after installation as Iyameto of Ibadan.

Installation as Ochendo of Owerri, 1992. Installation as Ochendo of Owerri, 1992.

Obi Asika at Eton College. 1984. The family at Obi’s 18th birthday party in London, 1986.

At Obi’s 18th birthday party. London, 1986 At Obi’s 18th birthday party. London, 1986.

Enyi Rebecca Nwabunie Asika

Performing the Traditional greeting, during initiation ceremony into the Odu Society of
Onitsha in 1992.
Madam Esther Ejiogu, greets the Ajie. Odu Initiation ceremony. Onitsha, 1992.

At admission ceremony into Odu Society of Onitsha At admission ceremony into Odu Society of Onitsha, 1992

CHAPTER61994-2004:The true sacrifice of love

A
s was becoming the cruel pattern in this family’s life, every
period of celebration was soon to be marred by tragedy,
which occurred in 1994, when Ajie Ukpabi Asika suffered the first
of two major strokes. The first left him unconscious for several
months. He was flown to the United Kingdom for treatment and
recovered soon enough regaining most of his facilities, although
marginally speech-impaired. Chinyere Asika was at his side
throughout,managing his care and tending to him personally.He
was to recover sufficiently enough to celebrate his 60th birthday
in London in 1996, with his wife and children and several close
family friends. In his ex-tempore birthday speech, he paid tribute
to his wife and family, of which the relevant excerpt of his words
was “After the trauma of a stroke, and when I then rejoined the
world, I was filled with joy. The joy of recognition, of recognizing
my friends, my family. I believe that if you are lucky, you die in
instalments, and so get to know your true friends, your true family.
I was struck very much by discovering my family to know that they
cared for me and were prepared to make sacrifices on my behalf.
And not just my immediate family, but my extended family, my
in-laws and my friends; friends who are more than friends, who
have become family in the truest sense and meaning of the word.
So I feel that maybe we should all die in instalments and have the
privilege of experiencing what I’m talking about.”
Chinyere Asika, on her part had penned a moving tribute to her
husband, which more than any transmitted words from the
cleverest biographer, outlined in an intensely emotional and
sensitive manner, the happenings and substance of their journey
together. It read thus:
Dearest,
Many happy returns of your 60th birthday. It is hard to believe we
have become so old. I remember our first meeting in November
1963. I had travelled from San Francisco, California to Los Angeles
to see
Mr. Sam Nwaneri who was visiting from Nigeria and who had
brought letters and messages from my parents. On arrival, we
ended up in your quaint Spanish-type villa in Westwood village
– a most beautiful part of Los Angeles, adjacent to the University
of California (UCLA) where you were a graduate student as a
Rockefeller Scholar. You were such a gracious host. We spent most
of the day discussing African politics and the emergence of new
states. In the night you took us to the Malawian Independence
ball, organised at your behest as the chairman of the African
Students association of UCLA. The events of that weekend and
your prompting helped me to decide on a graduate programme
at UCLA.
When in the spring of 1964 I arrived in Los Angeles to register as
a graduate student, it was natural that I should seek you out. Our
relationship slowly grew from co-students in the same department
of the social sciences to intellectual companionship and finally to
love and physical attraction.We spent hours on end reading aloud
to each other, enjoying the same authors interested in the same
world events. We read Karl Marx and Mao Tse Tung; we carried
around the ‘little red book’ which had become the bible of the
radical intellectuals. We read Durkheim and Radcliffe-Brown. We
read D H Lawrence,W.E. Du Bois, Marcus Garvey, Lawrence Durrell.
We just read and read until we practically became an extension of
each other.
You were the rallying point of all the African students at UCLA.
Peoplemetinyourhouseeveryeveningfordiscussions.Itwasatyour

house that I met most of the policy makers of post-independence
countries of East Africa and some leading members of the African
National Congress (ANC). American students of the African Studies
department and some of your professors joined quite regularly in
those brainstorming evenings. It was a learning process for me -I
probably learnt more in your sitting room, with the glorious fire
burning and an abundance of drinks and cigarettes than I did in
the classrooms of UCLA. Sometimes, it became all too much for me
and I would break out, attending parties and engaging in some
frivolous activities. You would allow me to go, never forcing me to
retreat until I felt silly and came back to your guiding intellect.
You were always the sane voice in any altercations. You were
always the clear thinker. You were the intellectual, the master of
language, but you were gentle. You never gave anyone a complex
because you imparted knowledge without being aggressive. I was,
on the other hand, restless and turbulent – the direct opposite of
your disposition.People have often wondered how two people who
have such different personalities have managed to stay together
for so long.The answer, of course, is that we grew to be friends and
companions before we became husband and wife. Sometimes my
cultural conditioning made me submit to you as an older brother
since in my culture I would never have addressed you by your first
name. Some other times, your quietness, deafening silence made
me control my outbursts. And over the years you have succeeded
in calming me down.
When we got married on the 31 July, 1965 in Los Angeles, we
had a dream. We were going to spend our lives in a University
environment. We were going to retire at 40 and move to Barkin
Ladi,Jos,your birthplace where we were going to establish a sort of
IntellectualAcademyandwritepoetry.Youalsosaidyouweregoing
to die on your 94th birthday.Two years later, you found yourself in
government where you remained for eight years. That was a real
threat to our planned intellectual growth and dissemination of
knowledge. Luckily, you were able to cling on to your books. You
continued to read prodigiously. You continue to learn until you
outgrew most of our generation. You were retired at 39 instead of
40 but it was close enough. And since that retirement, you have
carried on reading and growing.
In October 1994, you were struck down by a stroke. As soon as I
heard the news, I knew someone had misread you. You said you
would die at 94, not in 1994. An energy came into me and a voice
said that you would survive it. No one who saw you then believed
you would be alive today. But you have always been prophetic. I
knew you would make it.After all,everything else you had forecast
had come to pass.
Friends and relatives rallied round and your children were
wonderful. As we now celebrate your 60th birthday, we do so
with the realisation that you are going through renewal. And the
greatest gift of all is that you came out of it with that precious gift
– your mind and intellect – totally intact.
Darling, this is a period of renewal. We have been made to sit and
re-examine our lives. You have resumed reading and I, on my part,
have started to re-educate myself. I know I fell by the wayside,
involving myself in all things worldly, unable to keep up with
your high intellectual standards. When you said you wanted only
one child, I knew you did not want me to be diverted from our
relationship.You desperately wanted me to remain an intellectual,
to continue reading with you, discussing with you, travelling
with you and analysing world events with you. I knew you were

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