Bio
The late Onumaraekwu was born to the royal family of Akwakuma Uratta on the 23rd of June, 1928 to Eze Anyanwuocha Egwunwoke and his Lolo Anna. He started traveling to other places early in his life. As he pursued his self-development programme, Onumaraekwu did not lose sight of the goings on at home. He followed every development with keen interest and did not hesitate to offer an opinion whenever it was necessary. One of the areas in which he made his influence felt was the traditional Emume-Nmiri Akwakuma. With the impact of Christianity and the passing away of the elders of the land, he initiated plans to remove the pagan elements in the celebration of the festival in order to encourage younger elements take it over and preserve it for prosperity. This and several other experiences helped to prepare him for his eventual role as a forward-looking traditional ruler.
Before ascending the throne of traditional rulership in 1976, first as Eze Udo I of Akwakuma and later as Eze Oha I of Ihitaoha Uratta, Eze Onu Egwunwoke had recorded brilliant successes as Personnel Manager of the Nigerian Tobacco Company Limited from 1960-1970. He also was Chairman and Managing Director of Onu Egwunwoke Motors, distributors of Peugeot Automobile Nigeria Limited. He had earlier served as a member of the Board of the Nigerian Ports Authority where he was a special adviser on labour matters. He also had a brief spell with the first Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), first as secretary and later as the Treasurer.
His personal charisma and dynamism soon attracted nation-wide recognition. In 1983, he was awarded National Honours as Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) and in the same year, he was appointed Chancellor of the University of Science and Technology, Makurdi (now merged with the University of Jos). Eze Onu Egwunwoke was a member of the Nigerian Institute of Management; Associate Member, Institute of Personnel Management, London; President, Peugeot Dealers/Distributors Association, Eastern District; President, Conference of Imo State Recognised Traditional Rulers and Member, Imo State Council of Chiefs. He was also associated with several other professional and social organisations.
Education
Eze Onumaraekwu had his early education not in his home town of Akwakuma Uratta, but at Port Harcourt (Saint Mary's School) and at the Sacred Heart School, Calabar. The sojourn in Calabar was a longer one and offered Onumaraekwu the opportunity of having his secondary school education at the Saint Patrick's College Calabar (1942-1946). He was not only brilliant in class but also active in sports. From Saint Patrick's College he moved further, first to Cape Coast Ghana (Saint Augustine College 1947/48) and later to London School of Economics (1953/55) emerging later as a specialist in Industrial Relations. He did not however stop there. He knew what responsibilities he would come across in future and consequently went for several senior management courses. He also undertook some research in the United States of America, France and Western Germany and in several parts in Britain.
Philosophy and Beliefs
Eze Onu Egwunwoke believed in the four absolute standards of absolute honesty, absolute purity, absolute unselfishness and absolute love. He embraced these principles in the late fifties when he met the Morel Re-Armament (MRA). He believed that the present call for patriotism can only be achieved if men changed their motives and accept the absolute standards.
While attending an MRA conference in the Summer of 1982, he had guidance to work for change of attitude and motives in the national life of Nigeria. Back home after the conference, Eze Onu Egwunwoke, on 31st July 1983, invitd some of his royal colleagues including the Emir of Kano Alhaji Ado Bayero, the Oba of Benin, Omo N'Oba Erediauwa II and together with some MRA enthusiasts, launched a pamphlet titled "The Country Nigerians Want, An Appeal to the Nation". Extracts from the pamphlet read as follows: "After more than two decades of freedom from colonial rule, it has become necessary to spell out clearly certain national goals and code of conduct for Nigerians.
A. Nigerians treasure a federal and state government structure where--
1. State governments will see and accept all the various ethnic groups as members of one family irrespective of religions, tribal and political affiliations.
2. The federal government representing the custodian of the people's culture, projects Nigeria's culture and unique contributions abroad, and at home gives to each state and group is political, social and economic needs regardless of political persuasions.
B. Nigerians want:
1.A Nigeria that does not imitate East or West, but patterns a new economic order, where everyone cares enough and everyone shares enough for everyone to have enough.
2. A Nigeria that champions a new social and political order of:
(a) what is right not who is right,
(b) respect for human dignity irrespective of race, colour or creed,
(c) where no one is oppressed or exploited,
(d) a hate-free, fear-free, greed-free country peopled by free men and women, governed by men and women who are governed by God.
C. Nigeria wants nationals, who conscious of Nigeria's responsibility to Africa and the world, are guided and motivated by the standards of--
(a) Absolute honesty, so that
i. they can serve honestly and selflessly in whatever employment, position or status they find themselves without manouvering position or opportunity for selfish and sectional advantages,
ii. those in responsible positions honestly and judiciously manage the nation's resources and potentials.
(b) Absolute unselfishness, so that
i. the wealth, work, education and opportunities of the nation are available for all, and for the exploitation of none,
ii. there is enough for everybody's need, not for greed and avarice.
(c) Absolute love, so that:
i. each Nigerian is his brother's keeper,
ii. persons do not point accusing fingers at others, but practise the politics of conscience and care rather than the politics of recrimination, power and exploitation,
iii. discrimination of whatever forms are eliminated.
(d) Absolute purity, so that both motives and actions in the execution of policies, both private and public, are above board, clean and straightforward.
D. Nigeria needs the youth of the nation who live by these standards, because the experience of age coupled with the enthusiasm of youth under the direction of God, is the surest foundation upon which to build the future of a nation.
E. Nigerians want a country in which the federal and state governments:
(a) truly serve the needs of the nation, honestly and judiciously, manage the resources and potentials of the states and the nation,
(b) eschew bitterness and political rancour,
(c) encourage the growth of agriculture, and revive the agricultural potentials of the various states,
(d) answer the problems created by hate, fear, divisions and religious bigotry,
(e) shun expediency, self or party advantage as the guiding principle in our personal , economic, political public and national life as Africa's contribution to the welfare, peace and progress of mankind."
