HRH Ịgwe Godwin Nnaemeka Obịora, Ezeịdegwu 111, Ịgwe Achịna and Ịgwe-In-Council during the 2024 Ọfala festival.
“So that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 6:4 (NIV)
The above verse emphasizes the importance of giving with humility and without seeking recognition from others; this has been the guiding principles of Chief Emeka Dimude, Ịfedịọramma N’Achina.
Chief Ịfedịọramma, is a community leader, an opinion moulder, a down-to-earth proud son of his community Achina, Aguata local government area, Anambra state. In this media chat he dwelt on topical, medieval and contemporary issues in his town Achina.
Chief Emeka Dimude, Ifedịọramma N’Achina an introvert, philanthropist to the core, a quintessential, an unassuming business mugul, who derives joy and pleasure in helping others was a special guest to SUMMITNEWS personality exclusive interview with Chukwudi Ejimofor.
Except;
Good evening Chief, please for protocol purposes, may we know you?
I am Chief Emeka Dimude, Ifedioramma N’Achina, I work as “Nwa Boyi” you may not believe it. The first of this Achina knows it. But everybody knows that. I am in Igbo parlance “Nwa Boyi” the Servant. Yes, I am leaving Lagos, I work in Apapa. I work with a firm of Custom’s Licensed Agent. I have grown-up to love Achina town, and great things of Achina. I am proud of Achina Town.
Are you Achina indigene who can be proud of Achina wherever he is?
You know I said something before now. I told you that Ịgwe Achina knows about me more than so many people from Achina town. When were growing, there were pockets of Ndị-Achina, heavy weights from Aba, Onitsha, Lagos branches and other areas. But the preponderance of Achina heavy weights when I was growing up were all from Achina Onitsha branch, and Ịgwe is also Onitsha brought up, Fegge precisely. When we were growing, we had this love for Achina, though not open but mutual competition amongst these communities from Aguata, who leaves around Fegge Onitsha then. Everybody was proud about their own community in their various ways growing-up then, with the influence of our parents.
For Achina, my father was a patriot and my mother, for every organization she belongs to, she was in position of trust which made us her children what we are today; four boys, and the girl of the house Calista Uchenna Uzuegbu (Nee Dimude) out of them, two Reverend Fathers. My immediate younger brother is holding several positions of trust in Achina. And me the eldest son, am not holding any office in Achina, but I am identifying in any Achina projects the way I can.
Chief, from our discussion it’s becomes clearer and obvious why you were bestowed with Chieftain title Ịfedịoramma (The most acceptable by all) of Achina by the Ịgwe Achina in 2024. What is your impression about it?
I am honoured and humbled with the chieftaincy title conferred on me by Igwe Achina. Then, the name “Ịfedịoramma” it’s the Igwe, whom it is in his onus to fashion out names. He knows the reason for the name. For me, the much I do is to try to do more, if what I do is acceptable or not, only God will tell, but I tried to be of help to people the way I can.
People talk about you as an introvert, why is so, pretence or natural?
Well, my mother was an introvert, my father was in-between. People have their ways of life. Somehow fate has throne me up in Achina not out of my own making or desire. Yes, I am someone who is not known. But been very close with my mother who had provision shop at Fegge Onitsha, where so many people of her age comes around and I was close to them; that didn’t make me an extrovert. But may be because my mother was a reserved person naturally, I took up the introvert part from her.
Chief let’s briefly has a comparative analysis of Achina of the old and Achina now (1970s to 2013 and 2014 to date) the rejuvenated Achina.
Time heals so many things nothing is static, change is constant. When my kids were a bit younger, I use to tell them you guys are fortunate, when I was at your age I didn’t have these toys. They were shocked. I told them the few toys we had was made by ourselves.
I think, I can recollect Idegwu Day festival in 1975 and another Idegwu Day festival in 1978 not too sure. I remember vividly a picture my father of greatest memory took with Chief Mbanaji, (aka Bone) and Ịgwe’s father, Nze Obiora, they were age mates. This was before the chieftaincy squabble consumed Achina. I also remember with nostalgia returning home for Christmas festivities, everybody at Saint Charles Catholic Church Achina, as Catholics for the Christmas season, after the Mass, people will be in the church exchanging pleasantries for an hour or more and during the period of thanksgiving, it will take more than one hour, as result of long queue, it was fun then!
Chief, looking at the picture you have painted during the peak of chieftaincy squabble in Achina, was it able to solve the problem?
No, it didn’t because of some vested personal interests. People will always be who they are. My mother will always tell me one thing; that if not for God there would have been more problems in Achina then. She told me that every family in this chieftaincy squabble has relations from other villages Ebele, Ụmụeleke or Ụmụezeịyị, there was nothing going beyond the personal vested interests; just personal ego, and people not considering that these are things that didn’t matter so much. On the surface you see them been friendly amongst themselves, sharing warm pleasantries to each other. But then they are in court wasting their finances to Lawyers, instead of using the money to develop Achina. But one thing remarkable about the chieftaincy squabble then was that nobody died as result of it.
Chief, Achina now under the leadership of Ịgwe Godwin Nnaemeka Obiora Ezeidegwu 111?
It’s a brand new Achina, we have come a long way from the new constitution of Achina starting with the President-General of Chief Okay Okpalaugo. It’s been a progressive cycle for Achina. And in the present time we are fortunate and I am happy that I was made a Chief during the tenure of Nze Anthony Ezenwaka’s as President-General of Achina town, when there was a renewed spirit in Achina, the rejuvenated Achina. And I can only wish that everybody catches up because Achina is going to fly.
Chief, fifteen years reign of Ịgwe Godwin Nnaemeka Obiora as Igwe of Achina, what is your impression?
I am proud; one, we are all Fegge Onitsha brought up. And Ịgwe Godwin Nnaemeka Obiora is a calm paramount ruler, very articulate, very thoughtful, he doesn’t rush issues. He takes issues as they come in their strides. He is doing well and can only do better if we support him, because he is the Ịgwe Ọhazurume, I wish him well and I pray Ndị-Achina should come out and support him, because he is ready to take Achina to next level. With our support he will do much much better than what we are seeing today; we need to support him!
The Ịgwe Godwin Nnaemeka Obiora 4th ofala festival, tell us your perception for the extension from three years to six years and the ofala celebrations on its own?
It was a show piece, it was everything good. Communities around Achina are envious about it. Ndị-Achina surprised themselves. It was least expected, but it came and it passed.
I believe everybody from Achina that was at home for Christmas during the Ofala and Ịdegwu Day festival was happy. Those that was not around were excited and regretted for not returning home, because they were viewing it live in all part of the world. The Achina 2024 year was a beautiful to behold.
Again let me say this (pardon me our revered Ịgwe) of six years of the next Ofala, I don’t think that the idea will fly. Ịgwe you are talking of six years; in the next six years our Ịgwe will be approaching seventy years of age. I plead Ịgwe, we still have to revisit that decision. There is something we need to understand, merging ofala and Ịdegwu Day festivals pulls the growth. I suppose we may have to celebrate ofala and Ịdegwu Day festivals same year. It will be more realistic and we still have to talk to Ịgwe about that. We know it means a lot of financial implications because ofala last year was not a child’s play financially. I am optimistic with the spirit presently in Achina, if we call for ofala festival in 2027 Ndị-Achina will respond positively.
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Chief Emeka Dimude being coronated by Ezeidegwu
So please if you have Ịgwe’s ear tell him that one of his chief pleaded that we continue the ofala celebration three year term.
Ịfedịoramma, we had seventeen people honored with chieftaincy titles, and you were one of them, eight of them from United States of America. You know there is no human effort that is free from criticism. There are pockets of critics over qanton of people being honored, and what did the paraphernalia benefited Ndị-Achina. Your take on that?
Well, people can say what they like, but it’s unfortunate that people go to market with unfounded remour. One thing Achina benefited or still benefiting from the hightech Ofala ceremony is that Achina community was projected to the whole world. Where we belongs now amongst our neighbors is somewhere up there. They couldn’t believe that Achina could pull such a show. It was a show stopper. We dear not come down, we can only go higher. So the next ofala and Ịdegwu Day festivals will be a higher notch.
Chief please can you interprete your words above to financial benefits and development for Achina and Ndị-Achina?
Well, l am not mandated to speak on behalf of the chiefs, but let me say this; there is a re-aliment among the chiefs to come together and see what benefits our titles can render to the community. We are still working on it, am pretty sure very soon Achina will feel the fruit of the chieftaincy titles awards to her citizens.
You also alleged that money was paid for one to be conferred chieftaincy title. It’s unfair and insulting to say such thing about our Ịgwe. Let me inform you; when some of us heard that we were been considered, some of us declined. So, can you decline what you paid for? You paid money to be honored, and when it comes you declined for what you paid for? So, it’s insulting from anybody that is thinking about that. The person should just take it out of his or her mind. It never happened.
Our Ịgwe has been known for deligent and misery with award of chieftaincy titles. Before last year the total number of people Ịgwe had awarded chieftaincy titles were nine, three non-Ndị-Achina and six Ndị-Achina within fourteen year, untill he did what he did last year, bringing the total number to twenty-six in fourteen years.
Am not sounding insulting, you have communities that offers every year ten to twenty chieftaincy titles. So, please I didn’t pay any money to anybody for my chieftaincy title. Our names were selected, sent, vetted and recognized by Anambra state government.
Thank you chief, I was fashioning out a mild way to present this insinuations from grapevine that are going round?
Yes, I don’t want sound arrogance to say that some of us were reluctant to accept the title. But you know when your community calls on you and honours you it means that your community wants you to work. Do you pay money to earn responsibilities? Please help us to tell people we did not pay any money to anybody for the chieftaincy titles conferred on us.
Chief, recently something notch happen in Achina. An altra modern Eye Hospital EDMOND AND IRINE EZENWA EYE CENTER was built and commissioned for patients to immortalize Edmond and Irine Ezenwa of blessed memory. You were the book unveiler. The event was well packege and well delivered. Your take on that?
It was in the spirit of the rejuvenated Achina. I am happy that I was part of of this rejuvenated Achina. There is nothing more helpful, more rewarding, more satisfying in this life than to help people. Because there are so many that needs help. Imagine someone that lost his sight and you help him regain his sight; like the Biblical story I was once blind, but now I can see!
There is nothing you do to people; that you saw someone in need and you help him solve the problem especially somebody that can not help his or herself.
My idea about life is, I mix-up with the rich people and follow them make the money. I will then go the poor, the downtrodden and enjoy my wealth with them. I don’t enjoy my wealth with the rich and powerful no! I did that with the little I have. My money has more worth there and it gives me great joy.
I don’t drink a bottle of wine that cost five hundred thousand Naira. I rather give Two Hundred Thousand Naira to the person that it does something for in his life, and that is exactly what the Ezenwas are doing. We are only remembered with what we did. What the Ezenwas did is awesome, its noble and its blessed, I appreciate them. And when I heard of such event, at my own level, I lend support and that was what I did at the venue.
Chief thank for granting us this interview. To conclude do you have any message for Ndị-Achina?
Yes we were made chiefs with wims and Caprices of Ịgwe Godwin Nnaemeka Obiora, and we are made to help him achieve his aims and objectives.
On our own, (the chiefs) we are working on how as chiefs we can help Ịgwe achieve whatever he wants to achieve for the community. The Council-Of-Chiefs will work together; because you cannot be chief for nothing. There should be some benefits acrewed to the community where you are so honored. Though the chiefs didn’t authorize me to say this. We are working to see what benefits we can bring to the community that honoured us.
Thank you Chief, pardon us for stressing you this lot.
Thank you Mr. Ejimofor, I never knew you know me this deep!
