Ugwumba: The Making of a Lawyer

By Emeka Anwuna(Nwaeze)

This book discusses the life of a famous lawyer. During the civil of Nigeria, he was used an ambassador of a charity law firm. He later became a community leader and farmer. He is from Nsukka, Nigeria

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Aug 6, 2017
• ISBN: 9781387148394

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Ugwumba: The Making of a Lawyer

Ugwumba: the making of a Lawyer

By Alexander Emeka Anwuna (Nweze)

CHAPTER ONE

(Early development, of Nicholas Ugwumba)

At the turn of the Century, in 1900s, there was a handsome couple, who had a beloved son, named Nicholas Ugwumba, that was the earliest, arrival of Christianity, into that part of Nigeria. At the time, meeting of a White person, is a novelty, and Christian evangelists, was the first, White Man, to arrive, first to Enugu, they used horse drawn carriage, to bring him, to Eha-Alumona in Nsukka, to open a new Christian Mission, at the time, the Nsukka Natives, does not the difference from Roman Catholic Priests from CMS , Church Missionary Society of  England, the minute differences, in their mode of worship, nor their differences.

Ugwumba’s Parents name , was Agubuzo Ugwumba, and Ada Odikpo Ugwumba, the elder Ugwumba was born in Eha Alumona, in Nsukka Local Government Area, or County of Enugu State of Nigeria.

While Nicholas Ugwumba’s Mother, was born in Gboko, in Benue State of Nigeria's Middle Belt Region, At the time of his birth in 1914, the birthdays then, were largely inaccurate because of absence of birth records, it was the same in Industrialized countries in 1600s, and 1700s C.E.

The younger Ugwumba secured his Baptismal name, from his parish Priest, Reverend Father Nicolas, an Irish Catholic Priest, from Ireland in Europe. At the time, majority of the families, worshipped idols, ancestral worship and other African Traditional mode of worship, they believed in one Supreme God, but does not know, about Jesus Christ, nor any of the other God Kings like Buddha, Mohammed nor Hindu . All founded their own Religions.

Nicholas Ugwumba was developing, he was following his parents to Farms daily, till Father Nicholas reminded them, it was time to send, the young Ugwumba to elementary school, for he was getting to age of seven year old. There was no elementary School, in Eha Alumona, at the time, no Patent Medicine Store, no Hospital or Pharmacy in the small town, full of annual celebrations.

Male and Females, wore very little clothing, to attend their errands, fetching of wood to cook, fetching of water from the stream. Since there was no Maternity in this town of about 1000 Families, most people , were interrelated, everybody knows all heads of families and their mothers, and other kinsmen.

They attended limitless number of funerals, due to infantile mortality, doctors was non-existent at the time,, they merely heard of General Hospital in Enugu, some one day's journey, by Horse Drawn Cart. Trudging ten Miles per hour. No tarred roads, till British Colonial Executives arrived from Enugu, by actual horses, with her Sierra Leonean Interpreters. The only Eastern Nigerian Interpreter, among the them, was one Mr Amobi of Ogidi, whom was also, a Butcher in Onitsha famous Market, the open air market, was called Otu- Nkwo of Onitsha.

The name of these British explorers was Major E.C. Morehouse of British Army. He began this journey from Asaba in the bank of River Nigeria, was brought across the big River by canoes.

Agubuzo Ugwumba, was a versatile community Leaders, as was all the men of the era, they fended off, slave dealers. They fended off Cattle rustlers, faraway towns that steal other communities domestic animals, Herbalists, who steal children, to make human sacrifice. Communities that reject the birth of twins, and slaughter them, as bad omen, all these makes Agubuzo Ugwumba, a Community Activists

\     Men were playing multiple roles in life then, they practise business in Market Days, they practice Agricultural Farmers in the Farming Months, they practice head of Religions, and Receptors of new Religious Leaders, like Pastors and Reverend Father's, the most famous Reverend Father then, was later made a Bishop, was Father Shanahan . In the Protestant Churches was Pastor Basden.

Young Ugwumba was later relocated to man Nsukka Town, in other to have access to Elementary School education. The name of the elementary School, was St Saviour's Catholic School, attached to one of the Churches.

His maternal Uncles, was also , one of the Teachers in the School. His name was Mr Ignatius Nwolisa, he was newly wed youngman. Little Nicholas Ugwumba, neatly fit into the daily routine in the Family. The Wife of Ignatius was a local seamstress. She also attends the Elementary School too.

Young Ugwumba was enjoying his classwork, learning new Arithmetics, English, Geography and Drawing, very quickly. Ugwumba was discovering other Tribes in his classes, other bigger students from other Tribes, like Igala, Idoma, and few Yorubas from Lokoja areas.(Kogi State of Nigeria.)

His father visits, intermittently, His father was a Local Community Leader and Head of Odozi- Obodo Religion, in Nsukka Reas, which makes him to travel a lot, in the holidays, he takes young Nicholas Ugwumba on Hunting Trips, and visits to other expanded Udi, Nsukka, and Eke areas, all these areas, was called Agbaja, or Nkanu  or Udi areas, now of Enugu State, it was alleged too, that Abakaliki of Ebonyi State was part of Agbaja of the Past, subtribe of Igboland.

Ugwumba toured most of them, in the journey to Inlaws compounds, and other Community Leaders Compounds, one of the most prominent, at the Time, was Chief Onyeama of Eke, Chief Gabriel Onoh of Ngwo, Chief Nwodo of Ukehe,  and other big names from other provinces, was the King of Onitsha, named appropriately, as Obi of Onitsha, Ofala, Obi Okosi 1, they were the principalities and powers in turn of the century, in early 1900s before Enugu, the Capital of Enugu State, was founded , around 1904. (Dilibe Onyeama, Autobiography of his grandfather, Chief Onyeama of Eke, )

The elder Agubuzo Ugwumba, was in his Eha Alumona rural town, and be hearing the stories of Enugu. The religious Leader of Odozi Obodo, Animist religious, group leader from Umudioka Village in Awka, who visits annually, intimates most of new developments to him. He was the ‘Bishop" of Odozi Obodo idol worshippers, who believe in one Supreme God, named Chukwu.

The name of this Bishop, was Nweze Okwunwa Okoli of Umudioka Obu-Nese, Village in Awka,(he was the former grandfather of Author, Alexander Emeka Nweze (Anwuna currently.) an itinerant, Leader and founder of Odozi Obodo. In Awka and all Agbaja Nsukka and Udi Areas in 1920s, through his death in Christmastime in 1954.

Little Nicholas Ugwumba, usually accompany, his father on those Religious Trips, before Christianity and his early education, started making him to be absent, from these trips, which he enjoyed.

It was in one of those trips, he heard of Enugu, the new cosmopolitan settlement in valleys of Udi Hills, the City in the making, was surrounded by Akpugo, Nike, Ngwo, Emenike or Emene, and Ekulu, and Uzo Uwani.

The British Engineer who surveyed the valley, and later it was named, City atop a hill, was Albert Ernest Kitson, a British Mining Engineer. In 1909, after Major E.C.Morehouse and Lieutenant Duncan landed in Enugu, with their entourage.

Within a few years, Lord Lugard, was thrilled of the Coal Mines discovered in Udi Hills, and began Mining and Shipping, Coal to Port Harcourt by Rail, and sent by Ships to United Kingdom and other European Factories, that uses Coal for Energy.

CHAPTER TWO

( Ugwumba in Eha Alumona  and early Schooling  at Nsukka)

Among the towns, surrounding Eha Alumona in Nsukka Local Government areas, were, Edem, Opi, Ede-Oballa, Alor-Unor, Obukpa, Obimo, Orba, Enugu-Ezike, Obollo-Afor, Obollo Eke, Nimbo, Adani, Uzo-Uwani, and Nkpologwu. The elder Ugwumba and son, had visited most of them, as farmers, traders, community leader, Preacher of Odozi-Obodo Religion. (Ogor Mmuo or worshipper of African Traditions, before the coming of Christianity in Southeastern Nigeria.

At the time in early 1900s, families travel in Colleges of about two hundred, for safety reasons. There were no regional boundaries, nor counties and Local Governments, nor Tribes to separate communities, from intermingling.

It was when the Colonial Officers came into the interiors of Nigeria, the Clifford Constitutions in 1920s , started creating awareness of Regional Boundaries, later in 1946, Richardson Constitution, divided Nigerian boundaries, again into three major Regions, half of the landmass of Nigeria, was made into Northern Nigeria, irrespective of Tribes, history, outlook on life, religious affiliation and culture and heritage or national origin, of the different peoples of Northern Nigerian ethnic groups.

The other half of landmass, was divided into , two using the natural Rivers in the country, as natural borders, Rivers Niger and River Benue. One half of the South became Western Nigeria, while the other half, became Eastern Nigeria. Mid West State was created  by Nigerians after Independence in 1964.

The population of Nsukka, which Eha Alumona was a component, was about 350,000 people. In 2006 Census, as of  1920, Eha Alumona, will be less than 1000 families.

Young Ugwumba noticed numerous Festivals and Ceremonies, he attended with his other siblings, half brothers and half sisters, because his family was polygamous too. Elder Ugwumba had two other wives too, the elder Wife, Ojiefi, was given to him, by his father, when he was Sixteen year old. Then in his twenties he married his Village Sweetheart. Chinyelu, mother of  Nicholas Ugwumba. The short form of that name is Agu, Agu means a Lion. Agubuzo means the leading Lion.

Then in his older years, becoming a successful Farmer and Community Leaders, he took on Agbomma, the youngest Wife, she is as old as Nicholas Ugwumba, himself.

Nicholas was progressing in his classwork, at Standard Four, the class, was requested to write number of Festivals in Nsukka areas, they can recall. Nicholas wrote the largest number of pages in class, he wrote four pages in longhand, with ink pen.

He listed them, Omaba Masquerade Festival, Onwa Ito Festival, (3rd Moon ) Onwa Ise Festival (5th Month festival) New Yam Festival, Onwa Asaa Festival (7th Month Festival) all these Festivals includes, elaborate entertainments, slaughtering of Chickens, Fowls, Goats, Yams, Slaughter of Cows some special one, slaughtering of Horses, very expensive Festival and all natives share the meat.

There were some obscure annual Festivals, for adults only, all the maidens of the town, married or unmarried come home for a weekend of love dalliances, with their old flames former girlfriends and boyfriends, and they make merriments, exchange stories and food, and some lovemaking, after the one week, all go back to their marital homes or single lives, once again.

Ugwumba was telling his young son, of about ten year old , history of Nsukka, and its numerous components. According to Benjamin Chinweike Ezemma, he stated Nsukka is made up of three prominent Communities, the Nkpunanor Community, the Ihe n’Owerre Community, and the Nru Nsukka Community. According to oral tradition, Nsukka is related to three local communities, the Okpuje Community, the Eha Community  and the Obukpa Community.

Eha is brother to three Relatives, hence they called their town Eha Alumona. They have other relatives like Asadu Ideke Alumona, Obukpa and Ikpoje  communities

Nicholas Ugwumba was enjoying his studies, he is beginning to reach Standard Six, he was surprised when he arrived home, to discover a beautiful, young lady, who was not , one of his half brothers and sisters , they said she was her father's third wife, that he cam marry her too, when he lives school, as his elder brother, from Ojiefi, is now married, why not him? (Ojiefi means the one who restrains the Cow)

He was flabbergasted as he was only forten years old, the other married youngman is eighteen, owned his own farm and house ( a rounded thatched mud House of about ten feet in diameter.

Nicholas Ugwumba, was not equipped for marriage yet, he hopes to attend Secondary School. The Reverend Fathers has beginning to drum it, into his head, to leave early marriage alone, till, he finishes school, that is the new wisdom and civilization. It was alleged it was the message from Pastor Shanahan.

The following year the result of Standard Six Leaving School Certificate arrived from Ministry of Education, Nicholas Ugwumba, scored the highest result, he was offered a full scholarship, to Government College Umudike Umuahia. It was a jubilation period, for Mr and Mrs Ignatius Nwolisa, his mentor, now a senior teacher at another Mission school.

The elder Ugwumba, was thrilled only to wonder, what the future holds, for his son Nicholas. He took him to Egede, another Town, of about Twenty Miles from Eha Alumona, to visit his Uncle's there, they visited many of them, inside their Obi(or Palaces) they went to Affa, they went to Nike, they went to Umuanum, they went to Umuopara, Amozala, Okwum, Anekeneze,  and Umuovu.

All these cousins brought money, to buy him supplies for the Trip, to Secondary School, with about more money for transportation fare, for himself and Mr Ignatius, who will escort to the three hundred mile journey , to another part of Igboland, Umuahia. First they will journey by Five ton Lorry to Enugu, join the Railways third Class Coaches, to Umuahia, one full day's journey. Board another Five Ton Lorry to Umudike Umuahia, a distance of about Ten miles. Alas they their Luggage was carried by hand Barrow to inside the sprawling School compound of Brick and Cement buildings, they were received by Mr Stone, a British Educator and Author of famous Biology Book, the Stone and Cousins

Ugumba was assigned his own corner, a Vono Bed, wooden locker, the inventory Prefect, brought out his list of Uniforms, every student, must bring to school, on first day. His White Short Pants, pair of White Trousers, three White Shirts, Pair of sandals, pair of Canvas , white, a flip flop slippers,  and the prefect (valedictorian), checked all the list, it was correct. He Countersigned and left.

Later Nicholas was issued with a Baseball hat emblazoned Government College , Umuahia, he was given also, keys to his locker in Classroom, and Dormitory, he was issued a sleeveless blazer or Sweater, with the same insignia Government College Umuahia. Mr Ignatius Nwolisa departed the following day, with the stark instruction to the young lad, obey all the instructions, from school authorities.

CHAPTER THREE

(Ugwumba first day at Secondary School )

First day at school compound, in assembly grounds, after communal breakfast, was very joyfull. The breakfast, consists of fried plantains, fried yams, and one cup of tea, large jug. Coupled with two slices of bread. That breakfast, was in 1930.

Ugwumba watched a sea of smiling faces and few relatives, who visited the Government College Campus, that early eight o’clock, in the morning. GC Umuahia had not yet, reached their final examination year in 1934, when they will seat for their London Matriculation, examination.

Government Colleges were established in three Regions, of the country, Nigeria. The first Government College in Nigeria, was in Lagos, named King's College Lagos , it was built in 1909, in 1929 the Colonial Government, built Government College Ibadan, Government College Umudike Umuahia, and the final one was built in Zaria, now called Barewa College Zaria.

All these British type High School;s, were patterned after elite secondary schools in England, Eton College, Winchester College and Barrow College. G.C. Umuahia was nicknamed the Eton of the East (Eastern Nigeria)

The original Principal of the High School, was Reverend Robert Fisher, GC umuahia is located in Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Road Umuahia, the Capital of Abia State of Nigeria.

They divided the dormitories into number of Halls. Namely, Erekosima Hall, Cozens Hall, Simpson Hall, Nile Hall, Wareham Hall and Kent Hall. This famous College was located , at a junction city of Umuahia. One Road leads to Aba/Port Harcourt , another Road leads to Ikot Ekpene,Annang,  Calabar and Uyo, while the Northern Road leads by Roadways to Enugu, and by Railroad to Enugu. Umuahia is a big cosmopolitan city of about 360,000 people according to 2006 Census report

GC Umuahia is an all boys secondary school, to boys whom excelled in academic final results, from elementary school , final exams. British Government, started building those schools in Nigeria, from 1927, the earlier secondary schools in the country then, was Hope Waddel Training Institute in 1880s, another old school, that remained successful, was Methodist Boys High School, built in 1880s too and Igbobi College And Baptist High School Lagos  and Saint Gregory's Secondary School Lagos, Hussey College in Warri, Delta State.

Others before GC Umuahia, was Edokpolor,or Edo  College Benin City, built in 1890s, now called Edo Boys Hi8gh School, later Government Colleges followed like Government College Kano, Government College Afikpo and Government College Owerri, DMGS Onitsha (Dennis Memorial Grammar School) was opened in 1929 also.C.K.C. Onitsha (Christ the King College)was opened in 1933. Other hundreds of Secondary Schools started later. Like St John’s College in Kaduna. Northern Nigeria. St Patrick's College Calabar. Ikot Ansa Calabar in Cross Rivers State.

Queens College for girls, was opened in 1910 in Lagos and Queens College for girls was opened in Enugu. GC Umuahia started with 25 students, drawn from Southern Cameroons, Nigeria and other West African Countries like Sierra Leone and Ghana.

Little Ugwumba was awed, by the elegance of his new environment, large Olympic sized Football Fields, large Track fields, large Laboratories, Library, number of classrooms, different classroom, for different subjects.

The School had an aquarium and even an Art Museum. Reverend Robert Fisher was an Anglican Pastor, a Mathematician m, he arrived from Achimota College in old Gold Coast now called Republic of Ghana. When he arrived at Umuahia, Government College, was initially started as a Teacher Training College. In 1930, it was changed to Secondary or Grammar School.

After the Nigerian Civil War in 1967-1970, the physical plant of the school, was devastated. All furniture was gone, so were the roofs of buildings, it was time to rebuild, the Anthony Ukpabi Asika Government, of East Central State had no money. Yet the Yakubu Gowon Government, at Federal Government, ordered all the Mission Schools to commandeered and became Federal Government Property. The state School Board, under Chief Nathan Okeoma Ejiogu, later Chief J.C.Echeruo, and Dr Offia-Nwali, became the Chairmen, yet ,no money rebuild the School.

It was left for the Alumni, known as Old Boys Association, to find the money to rebuild the school, and put confidence, back to the classrooms, half of the Schoolmasters had fled, including Ken Saro-Wiwa an English Master. At GCU.

Reverend Robert Fisher and Wife, heard of the plight of the School, the first Principal in 1929. He sold all his earthly belongings, including his homes in England and Nigeria, moved into a Nursing Home in England, with his Wife, he donated all his money to Government College Old Boys Association, to renovate the School.

So deed of Trust was set up, with the Abia State Government, to restore the School, enact full legal ownership, management, operation, control,  and funding of Government College Umuahia. It was to be registered with the Federal Government of Nigeria, Federal Ministry of Education.

All these efforts was that, future children of Nigeria and the old boys Association, shall benefit, from Umuahia Education, from Government College, which produced notable achievers, close to one hundred years.

Ugwumba was rehearsing the letter, he will write home to his Parents and his mentor Teacher Ignatius Nwolisa, whom, he was deeply indebted, he was his mother's brother.

Reverend Fisher was principal for ten years, till he retired in 1939, at the beginning of Second World War. He departed for England with his wife. From that 1930 till after the Nigerian Civil War in 1970, Government College Umuahia, were one of the highest  and best results in London G.C.E. Examination in O Levels and "A: levels, after the Civil war in 1970, as aftermath of every War, equipment was vandalized by both Armies of Eastern Nigeria (Biafra) and Nigerian Federal Army, at a time, Government College Umuahia served as Command Headquarters of  Biafran Defense Headquarters.

Even after the Civil War in 1970, for the next 45years, Government College remained in ruins, due to financial deprivations, caused by Military Governments, in Nigeria, that nationalized all schools, only to replace the Staff, with mediocres. The students became disobedient,  Teaching Staff, from State School Board of East Central State, were not paid on time, Monthly.

Among the different sorts of Fields in Government College Umuahia, was Cricket Field, Hockey Fields , Lawn Tennis Courts, Basketball Courts, nine-hole Golf Course , Botanical Gardens  and an aquarium. Government College Umuahia had a small medical clinic, manned with one male nurse.

There was one archeologist/ artist , who teaches Art in Government College, , he was also incharge of the Art Museum, his name was Kenneth C.. Murray. Among earliest paintings he displayed, at his Art Gallery, was Ben Enwonwu charcoal drawings.

Government College had a kind of ROTC (American Schools Military Training Camp)or Man O'War Bay association, on Campus, in fact, it had a Officer Cadet Corps in Campus, During the second World War, GC Umuahia was POW or Prisoners of War Camp, the funny aspect, behind those fenced compounds with barbed wires, Umudike Umuahia natives, cannot distinguish, one European White Man from the other.

\     Prisoners of War from captured Italians and Germans, they were punished or trained in the fields of Government College. The Secondary School was closed in Second World War years. Government College re-opened after 1945.

Among great dignitaries from Government College Umuahia, werte Dr E.M.L Enderley former Premier of Southern Cameroon, Chief Victor Mukete from Southern Cameroons Legislature,  Chief Okoi Arikpo, Biafran Secretary Chief N.U.Akpan, , retired,Brigadier General (retired) George T.Kurubo,  Alexander Azubike Madiebo, Major General retired Patrick Anwuna, Brigadier-General Anthony Eze, Dr J.O.J. Okezie former Minister of Health, Colonel Timothy Onwuatuegwu, Captain  C.C.Emelifeonwu, Major Ibanga Ekanem.  Colonel, Dr Bassey Inyang (retired)

Dr Obi Nwakanma , University of Central Florida Professor and  Journalist. E.J.Allagoa, Professor Chinua Achebe, a famous Author, Professor Laz Ekwueme Professor of Music, and Igwe of Okoh, Dr Chukwuedu Nwokolo Professor of  Medicine retired, Chukwuemeka Ike a renowned Author and Igwe of Ndikelionwu.

Gabriel Okara Poet, Dr Ikechukwu Azuonye Publisher and Drama Professor Dr Isaac Dagogo Erekosima, Educator and first African Principal of Government College Umuahia, Major Ekandem,Chief Amachree,  Colonel I.N.C. Aniebonam, Retired Nigerian Army, M.E.P. Udebiuwa former Permanent Secretary Eastern Region of Nigeria and finally Dick W. Emuchay, Head of Civil Service and a Medical Doctor.

Ugwumba was flabbergasted how big Umuahia, is, as against his humble beginnings from Nsukka, at Eha Alumona, later to Nsukka rural town, what made Nsukka to grow, came much later, when he was in UK studying Law, Nigeria constructed its first indigenous University, named UNN, University of Nigeria Nsukka in 1950s, the University opened its doors in 1960.

\       Umuahia was an expansive metroplex, mixed with urban dwellers and smaller in number native Umuahia natives, from Afara, Ohuhu, Olokoro, Old Umuahia, Umuopara, Ubakala, Umuahia -Ibeku,Isingwu, Umudike and many other villages and small