Biography

Biography of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu.

This is account of the life of Chukwumeka Odumegwu Ojukwu as given by Sams Mogbo JP.

Background.

On the hindsight one would put it that Emeka Ojukwu took after his father Sir Lois Philippe Odumegwu Ojukwu in many ramifications. The personality of this very remarkable multibillionaire business mogul had the most dramatic and lasting influence upon his son Emeka. He inherited

the great astuteness of his father Sir Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu and started to demonstrate this and his independent and enterprising mindedness early in life.

According to his biography as written by Fredrick Foresyth, in comparison his father was a great and wealthy business man who conquered the business world of the British Colonial Nigeria while Emeka was also a great administrator, soldier and statesman who conquered the lure for the easy life built up a great wealth of follwership among the Igbos and respect and fear among the other ethnic groups.

He was born in Zungeru (present day Niger State) in Northern Nigeria on the 4^th of November 1933 and was named Chukwuemeka meaning God Almighty Has Done Great. He returned to live with his wealthy larger ?than-life father in Lagos when he was 3 years old. He grew up under great affluence and heavy influence of his father?s powerful personality.

Emeka became the pride of his father who sought to forge him into a mirror image of himself, succeeding perhaps somewhat more than he wished. For he became, like his father, a man of iron determination and strong will power. Inevitably their wills and determination clashed especially when his father wanted him to study law and invariably take over the leadership of his business empire. But Emeka opted for life in the public service and the Army.

Education.

He got first class education. He started at St. Patrick?s School, at an age much younger than his contemporaries. Then at the age of ten, in 1944, he progressed to Kings College Lagos.

Emeka Ojukwu's Political character may be said to have been shaped by his close observation and tutelage in those young years when his father held sway and was the great power behind the young Nigerian politicians and nationalists, including Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, who were agitating for independence. Sir Louis himself had spell at the colonial Natoinal Assembly in Lagos before leaving the seat for Mr. C.C Mojekwu.

In 1946 Ojukwu as a young man went to Epsom College Survey England where he studied for six years and was gradually transformed into English gentleman. He grew up quickly reaching a height of six feet, all bone and muscles. He excelled in athletics and Rugby football representing the college and winning laurels in javelin and discuss throwing events. He was also good in academics. It was at Epsom College that he developed his personal philosophy: ?To thin ownself be true?. He reasoned that when the individual is subjected to the rules of an organization he has a clear choice to either remain his own man, or become the organisation?s man. And he was determined to stay his own man just like Sir Louis would do.

This philosophy of course brought him in conflict with the status quo in a public boarding school in England so much so that when his former house-master in Epson was interviewed about him during the civil war, he described him as ?Something of a rebel?.

At the age of eighteen in 1952 Emeka Ojukwu proceeded to read modern history at Lincoln College, Oxford University against the will of his father who wanted him to read law. He became a radical member of West African Students Union in Oxford. The more he learned of the activities of the British empire in Africa the more he grew sense of African nationalism and a deep desire to go back home with his elite education and provide service to his mother land. In Oxford he was contemporaries with Philip Asiodu.

As a student, Ojukwu dressed most elegantly and drove the latest sports cars and enjoyed the company of the most attractive young women of his time. By 1955 at the age of twenty-two he obtained his masters degree and returned to Nigeria to join the civil service as an administrative officer against his fathers?s wish thus cutting his own path early in life, forsaking the luxury of his father?s home in Ikoyi Lagos, and the comfort and influence of the richest man in Nigeria, he settled for a small room in a bungalow at Udi as an Assistant District Officer.

Character and Philosophy.

Ironically, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, the indisputable king of the Igbos though of Igbo parentage could hardly be said to be Igbo by very standard ramifications. First he was born in Zungeru, Northern Nigeria, bred in Lagos, western Nigeria, and English man, fluent Yoruba and passable Hausa, but only a smarting Igbo at that the time when circumstance trusted upon him leadership of the Igbo race. After spending almost thirteen years in exile in French speaking Ivory Coast, he could speak fluent French. Yet when he returned in the year 1982 he spoke Igbo, gave lecture in Igbo and addressed rallies in Igbo, the perfection of which was undiluted Nnewi dialect. One marvels at how he was able to pull such near impossible feat. He was a great orator and a multi-linguist. He was quoted as saying:

?I became aware that I was an Igbo, and a Nigerian, and an African, and a Blackman. In that order. And I am determined to be proud of all four. In that order?.

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Biography