Obiagboso Gilbert Obioha

THE BIOGRAPHY OF A PATRIACH MAZI GILBERT OBIAGBOSO OBIOHA     

Our father Mazi Gilbert Obiagboso was born in the year 1900 ca into the noble family of AKANIHU kindred. He was the 1st son of Obioha AKANIHU and Mgbokwo Adonu all of blessed memory.

The story had it that the mother visited her sister Nne Orata lgwegbe almost in her last trimester of her pregnancy to spend a couple of days. However, having walked that distance from Ikpenyi to ndi Ikpa Ndianiche Uno she was exhausted and at that time there wasn’t an easily available transport. The following day she indicated to her sister that she was having a bit of pain on and off and therefore she couldn’t sleep well. The sister reassured her and told her that she might be in labour. She got very anxious as she only came for a few days and that was what she told her husband. . Nne Orata had to send a message to the husband, meanwhile the labour progressed. She delivered a male child and was named ¹ 0biagboso

‘meaning that “Ebughi Obi agba oso ” in whatever circumstances, he is destined to be the heir. (Akajiofor).

Obiagboso grew to be a tall handsome man, outstanding amongst his peers. He was educated and was very intelligent, commands a great respect within the community. His parents nicknamed him ^I Nwoke na akpa ike na Ama ^l .He was kind hearted.

He got married at the age of 22 yrs to a beautiful very light complexioned young woman from

Nanka called Mgbekeocha née Ezeokoli

Ezeufondu from Agbiligba village Nanka.

They had 4 boys named Muoebonam Clement

(Ozuomee),l Nwene Eugene (Omeruoha) Ilonuwa, Onwumere Nelson (Okanume)Later he married a 2nd wife Anuechi née Chima from Ndiejezie who also had 2 boys,lgwebuike, Emejuru (Limited).ln those days how wealthy a man is, was sometimes determined by how many wives he had, although he did not stop at 2 but married a 3rd wife, Pricilia née Okafor,he called her Nwannedie from Ndianyakie who had a daughter and he named her Adaobi(Mrs Nwafor).

Our father was a socialist and one of his best

friend was Mazi Edmund Oruche (Omemgbeoji) from Ndianiche. Because of his literacy and intelligence, he was a court clerk in Ndiawa customary Court Arondizuogu, his writing was impeccable.

In one of the minutes of Arondizuogu Patriotic Union Rally at the launching of college fund on the 29th of December 1942 he was amongst the 31 patriots who voluntarily pledged some money towards the project. He pledged £25 and redeemed his pledge as was later documented. The total collected for that rally was £1,575. I was very impressed and delighted to be opportuned to read that document. He was very close to his father but never believed in his ideology. His kindred had so much influence on him hence he left home to Olupurutu. His mother in a way spoilt him because he was there to help at any giving time especially with her business sustainability. The wives were all very loyal to his mother eventhough she was a very tough woman they knew their limitations. Most of the farming and palm produce and milling were done by them as that was the norm in those days..l was told that he periodically

complained of abdominal pains and it got so bad that his sister Chiaku told him to come to Enugu to be seen by a doctor and get checked out. While in Enugu the doctor could not ascertain what the problem was but with the symptoms he was presenting he the doctor decided that he should have an operation to rule out appendix. His sister discussed with him about it, and decided to go ahead with the operation. The next day he was admitted in the general hospital Enugu. The surgery as I was told was a success but developed complications afterwards which eventually led to his death in 1946.aged 46yrs.Nne was devastated. His brothers alike. Ozuomee was 1 8yrs at the time and had to go home for his father’s burial .His siblings were young. Nne was very devastated and loosing her 1st son at very early in life had a massive impact on her. He was buried in his room in the main house in Ikpaenyi following the traditional rights. Ozuomee being the first son was told to stay at home for a while to help out. He was loyal to his uncles and stayed for a year.