The pre-funeral public lecture with the theme, “Anara otu onye oruu azu, anarala ibe ya” presented by Dr Chineme Michael Anyaeze, the Traditional Prime Minister of Umuezeala-Ama Autonomous Community in Ehime-Mbano Local Government Area in honour of Late Nze Aaron Okoronkwo (Gbakaaja Gbuo Dike Ogu) took place last Wednesday at Ukwu-Achi Umudim, Umuezeala-Ama.
Delivering the lecture on the occasion in undiluted Igbo language, The medical practitioner noted that knowledge should be shared because no one knows it all, adding that Igbo people should not be ashamed of their God given resources and culture.
He disclosed that they came to celebrate an illustrious son of Umuezeala-Ama, Nze Aaron Okoronkwo whom the entire Igbo nation is attesting to his intelligence, wisdom and knowledge who is currently being mourned.
The Traditional Prime Minister revealed “Despite the fact that our people do not believe that there are knowledgeable people, Gbakaaja has shown from his titles including Eze dike otawara ikpo, Ugo Anyanwu, Onye amamihe, Agwo turu mbe, Ogba na ogboo, Okochi agba aka ogu among others, that one of them was a wise man and was known by his good works”.
“We will investigate the theme of the lecture “Anara otu onye oruu azu anarala ibe ya”: the causes, preventive measures, lessons to be learnt, take home messages and conclusions. The theme means different things to different people. The real Igbo man sees the people of Onitsha Ado, Oguta and those living around riverine areas the Great River Niger as knowledgeable people with craft work, wisdom, knowledge, tricks and other things that are obtained through wisdom. These people are called skilled workers by Igbo people because of their resourcefulness. In the olden days they were great fishermen and traders who smoked tasty fish for sale. Their fishes are also very costly and that is why their fishes are used as examples. So, if the fish is eventually taken away from one of them, it means that they lost a great value and the person who got it is a great man; a man with wisdom and knowledge and a man who has confidence that he can get fish from another fisherman”, he emphasized.
The great farmer disclosed that in fact the noun “Onye oruu may be anybody, any family, community, autonomous community, local government, zone or district, state and an independent country like Nigeria, that is being marginalized, oppressed or cheated, pointing out that it is not fish that is taken away from people in this proverb. That Igbo people are also marginalized industrious workers in this theme.
He also stressed the need for Ndigbo to uphold the good aspects of their culture and religion, and inculturate it “in Christianity. Such virtues and traditional laws as “truth is life, do not steal, do not bear false witness, respect elders, shun abortion and honour your father and mother, do for others what you want others to do for you, as enshrined in Ofo na Ogu.” We have lost a lot including our names, our religion, our dressing pattern, our native food our drinks, our business processes and patterns, our economy, marriage processes and procedures, children upbringing, lack of strength in brotherhood, judiciary, electoral and legislative processes among others, allowing great attention to money and material acquisition. Our lifestyle, culture and our unifying factors have been negatively influenced, meaning that the modern trends have changed us for the worse”. Dr Anyaeze expressed dismay that in elections, people like Zik, Ojukwu and Obi were deprived of their popularly alleged victories at some times, places and positions, while Nnamdi Kanu is still in detention. Actualing a governorship position to Okigwe zone is another severe uphill task, pointing out that if the head of the family is grossly challenged, it will affect everyone in the household beca
