CHIEF(SIR) GORDIAN CHUKWUEMEKAORANIKA(OCHENDO): THE TRANSITION OFARELIGIOUS AND GODLYMAN – MY HUMBLE TRIBUTE.

It is often difficult to do a tribute of a great man. I will hazard everything and do the instant one. I have to!. I heard the name of Chief (Sir) G.C. Oranika first from the Late Chief Fidelis Omenka. The Late Chief Fidelis Omenka was a native of Ukpo, Dunukofia Local Government, but his mother hailed from Achala, Agbaja Abatete. As a young lad, Chief Fidelis Omenka lived mainly at Achala and got acquainted with Chief (Sir) G.C. Oranika and others, in the days of yore, Chief Fidelis Omenka was popularly known in Abatete as Fide Achala. One of his readily and notable Nna Ochies in Achala now is Mr. Augustine Arinze alias Akumo, my Age Grade member. I saw Chief (Sir) G.C. Oranika first in 1995, at the burial of my beloved father, the Late Chief Nnanyelugo Thomas Omaliko Morah. Incidentally it was Chief Fidelis Omenka that introduced me to him. I bowed with obeisance and said Ochie, wherein he patted my back and said Oke Nwadiana. Through the instrumentality of Chief Digwe Sunday Ugenyi Okonkwo, Chief (Sir) G.C. Oranika’s beloved brother-in-law, I did some legal jobs for Ochendo, all to his satisfaction. When I was the Chairman, Harvest and Bazaar Committee of St. Dominic Catholic Church, Abatete, I went to Ochendo and invited him accordingly. He assured me of his presence and told me the time he will be at the venue. When I intimated the then Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Peter Okolo, he couldn’t believe me. On the day in question, at about 4.10p.m., Ochendo arrived with his entourage comprising of the Late Chief (Sir) Laz Iloka (Ichie Oganiru), Chief (Sir) Emeka Aroh (Ogene Abatete) and Chief Digwe Sunday Ugenyi Okonkwo, I went to the said Parish Priest and told him that Ochendo had come. He was astonished. That was what happened! Ochendo and his entourage purchased so many items of property and made me proud. On my becoming the President of Agbaja Abatete Community Association (AACA), I was given a petition from Ogwugwuani Community, Agbaja Abatete. The bone of contention was Ekeagu Market, where the Community maintained stoically that 50% (Fifty Per Centum) of the royalty must go to them. I pleaded with the Community and Youth levels to soft-pedal, pontificating in strong terms that Umudunu, Ezimuku, Ifite and Eziora Villages donated their pieces or parcels of land for St. Dominic Catholic Church, Abatete, burial ground and Nkwo Agbaja Market, respectively. They couldn’t budge. With the financial assistance of our Agbaja people, I had planned to modernize Ekeagu Market, but I saw my humble self in a big quandary. I caused the issue of Ekeagu Market to be handled and decided by the Obi Agbaja-in-Council, headed at the time by the Late Chief B.O. Obiefuna, Ezinaeliaja II. I got some sort of breather by this singular act. I summoned the meeting of AACA Exco. I told the Exco members that we would go round Abatete and inspect the Health Centres cum Health Posts as well as the bad roads in Agbaja then. I told my good friend, Mr. Joseph ‘Akataka’ Onwujekwe, to come along with his bus on the appointed day for us to go round. I equally invited Chief Ikukuoma Sylvester Ofodile, a notable Engineer, to accompany us. As we were going round, at Oye Ezigiwe, we saw Nsukwu Abatete’s Health Centre, which was good, but I promptly, there and then, told Engineer Sylvester Ofodile to give me plan far better than that of Oye Ezigwe, Nsukwu. At Oye Ezigwe, I told the AACAExco members that Agbaja would have a very nice Health Centre. In no too distant time, Engineer Ofodile furnished us with the Building Plan and the Bill of Quantity. Everything was good and the House was hilarious and bustling. I directed the then Secretary of AACA, Prof. IK Okodo, to move vote of thanks and keep the documents safely, which he did. That was the first step towards making Agbaja Health Centre come to fruition. We had series of consultations and I was informing Ochendo everything. I made up my mind that Agbaja Health Centre must be kick-started and based on that, we had Emergency General Meeting of AACA, which meeting heralded the moving of the motion by Mr. Cyril Okpala to commence the construction of Agbaja Health Centre. We all agreed in unison to do it. We started the project with little above N400,000.00 (Four Hundred Thousand Naira), which was the money we had at the time. All the Age Grades in Agbaja contributed compulsorily except the exempted 2 Age Grades. Even at that, Umuofu Age Grade, led at the time by my immediate predecessor, Chief Nnabuenyi Emma Okoye, contributed theirs. I used my handsets to call Agbaja people far and near for financial assistance. I called Ochendo to come and inspect our work. He told me when he would be at Abatete. That was the time Christ The King Parish, Abatete, was under construction. He told me specifically that he would be at Nkwo Agbaja at 9.30a.m. on that particular day to inspect the Health Centre under construction before going to CKP, Abatete. We got prepared for him and I notified sundry persons. He came at the appointed time and after inspection he donated humongous sum of money. There and then, I started singing Ochendo, Ochendo, Ochendo we shall follow, whether he was working or eating, we must follow him. All of us including Ochendo were dancing and photographs were taken. It was a joyous moment. I did hand over the pictures to my successor, Prof. IK Okodo. He ought to have handed over the pictures to his successor, Chief Ugonna Anny Ekunie. No doubt, that money and other monies we realized would have completed the Health Centre, but President Buhari’s economic policies, which I termed Buharinomics brought hyper inflation, which in turn ushered in recession in Nigeria. At any rate, that humongous amount and other monies helped my administration to do 95% (Ninety Five Per Centum) of the work. As at now, Agbaja Health Centre is the best in Abatete and beyond. I am still very grateful to Nuway Management team that completed the all-important project, Our people and outsiders are benefitting therefrom. That had been my sole intendment. Chief (Sir) Gordian Chukwuemeka Oranika was not only religious, but Godly. If he did anything for you, no other person will hear it. So many people, whom I call charlatans and turncoats, will vividly like to publicize their assistance to people in the beer parlours or public places. Such people are not men and women of valour. There was a day I was with Ochendo in his Abatete sitting room. He was sipping heineken beer, while I was sipping star beer. I told him point blank that I was observing some elements of similarity in his behavoural pattern with that of my father. He smiled and said Nwadi, how was Morah behaving. I told him promptly that he never told us the people he assisted financially or otherwise. The people, some of them, themselves were telling us. He smiled again and told me that that was the best way to go. One night during the time under review at about 11.25p.m., my good friend, Chief Ezenwafor Chris Ngwudike, the former President General of ADO called me. He told me he was at Abuja, that they were celebrating 3 Ochendo. I demanded details. He told me that Ochendo donated a piece or parcel of land to ADO, Abuja Branch, to erect Abatete Town Hall, but for several years it was still under construction, that made Ochendo to take up everything and completed the structure. I was very, very happy and intimated Ezenwafor that I will call Ochendo the next day and congratulate him. When I called Ochendo at 8.30a.m. the next day, I greeted him and we exchanged pleasantries. I then said Ochie, congratulations for completing Abatete Town Hall, Abuja. He said Nwadi, who told you! I told him that the President General of ADO, Chief Ezenwafor Chris Ngwudike, told me. He told me it was true, wherein I said to him multiple congratulations and may the Almighty God continue to afford him robust health. Some years back, I wanted Ochendo, if possible, to come and inspect two respective properties at Onitsha, so as to know whether he would purchase them. On the appointed day, Ochendo came with Digwe Ugenyi Okonkwo. We went to the one along Old Market Road, Onitsha. After inspecting it, it was very clear as crystal that he did not like same. We all went to the second one near the Area Command, Nigeria Police, Onitsha. The piece or parcel of land was sixteen plots at the time. After inspecting it, Ochendo said Nwadi, I will buy it, I will send money. I had secured all the documents of title, both from the vendor and the Lands Department, Awka. The next day, Ochendo showed disinterest to purchase the said piece or parcel of land. I was shocked, to say the least, but I knew what happened. As a good man Ochendo was, he called me after three days and said Nwadi, I knew you spent some money in running around to get the documents of title and all that. He then told me to send my bank account details to him. I did and Ochendo transferred to me huge sum of money I did not anticipate. Here was a man of conscience, religious and Godly in all material particular. Ochendo really touched the lives of so many people positively. He empowered so many people. He never stoked the fire of division and rancour. He maintained his taciturnity and loquacious till the end. He was epitome of consistent patriotism, service, humanity, humility and godliness. He carried himself with the élan of a liberator of the downtrodden. He was a man of integrity and he flew integrity kite conscientiously without any blemish whatsoever. He built over the years a wide range of solid bridges of understanding, philanthropy and comradeship among peoples of varying degrees 4 of persuasions and ideological inclinations. He was not known to be making fantastic promises he would not fulfil. At this juncture, my mind goes to the poem, “Give us Men” by Josiah Gilbert Holland (1819-1881) – “God give us Men! Men from every rank, Fresh and Free and Frank. Men of thought and reading, Men of light and leading, Men of loyal breeding; Men of faith and not of fiction, Men of lofty aim in action; Give us Men – I say again, Give us Men”. Indeed, without being immodest, Chief (Sir) Gordian Chukwuemeka Oranika (Ochendo) was a Man. He believed that a life led in the service of God and humanity is a most meaningful life. With God on his side, he saw tomorrow vividly and aligned himself with the principle of Mohith Agadi, who opined that “environment was not asking us to conserve her for her, but for our future generation”. At all times, he had certain determination and disposition that caught the curiosity and attention of many people. His strength of character is still one of the traits people must emulate from this extra-successful trailblaizer – consistency, loyalty, stoicism, Godliness, patience and maturity in stupendous abundance. Ochendo was a diplomatic rock star by all standards. Ochendo was a courteous and cerebral man who deserved giving credit always. He earned deserved plaudits from our intelligentsia and hoi-polloi. It is certain, Ochendo had a cast iron reputation of moral uprightness. He was self-actualized, firm, decisive, focused and not easily disoriented – a man of great depth, vision and managerial acuity. According to Robert A. Heinlein – “Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own”. No doubt, in his Odyssey, Ochendo encountered adversity, as the case may be, but he saw same as a teacher and learnt useful lessons therefrom. Ochendo seemed to be saying thus – “ I get excited when I put smiles on the faces of people, especially the poor. I feel happy when I empower people — my natural passion to present myself as the ladder that people need to climb to the top. It is my hobby to make people smile”. 5 Chief (Sir) Gordian Chukwuemeka Oranika (Ochendo) has gone to his Creator, his Maker, but his legacies shall live and endure. I pray that the Almighty God will comfort his beloved wife, children, relations and spread His wing of protection over them. Many people will miss Ochendo. I will definitely miss him. May our Good Lord cause his kind and gentle soul to rest in perpetuity in His bosom. Amen. Kachifo. ___________________________ BARRISTER OBI MORAH. SOLICITOR & ADVOCATE. PRESIDENTEMERITUS, AACA.