Culture

Why Ojukwu’s family disowned late Debe Ojukwu

Published

5 years ago

March 20, 2019

grassroots

…declares him an impostor

The family of the late Biafran warlord, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, has again denied having any relationship with late Sylvester Debe Ojukwu, who before his demise laid claim to being the first son of Ojukwu.

Addressing journalists on Tuesday in Nnewi, Anambra State, spokesman of the Ojukwu dynasty, Mr. Ifeukwu Ojukwu, described Debe, who died in Lagos on November 3, 2018, as an impostor, saying that “the man’s real name before he changed it was Mr. Sylvester Udeh.”

He maintained that the funeral of Sylvester is not their business but entirely the affair of his family.

Ifeukwu said: “He was born Sylvester Udeh. He later changed his name to Ojukwu at the age of 21 years. Ikemba never accepted him as his child. Even now, his Will where he listed all his children, his name is not there.

“Members of the Ojukwu family have not been notified of his death and they are not aware of the burial. This man that was claimed in the obituary poster as the first son of Ikemba, had his family buying a land where they buried him.

“How can Ikemba’s first son buy a land where he would be buried? Ikemba never accepted him even in his death. He said it is the father that knows the son not the other way round. If Ikemba was a poor man, will Sylvester be coming out to claim him? He was just trying to force himself on him. So these are the questions that we should be asking.

“How can you claim to be the first son of Ikemba and there is no provision for where you will be buried? How can you change your name and the document you went to school with? He was answering Sylvester Udeh in the secondary school at Federal Government College Umuahia. People that went to school with him know him as Sylvester Udeh. That is why he can’t bring his Birth Certificate.”

While explaining that in Nnewi culture, when somebody dies, the kinsmen would be called with kola nut and drink to formally make the announcement, Ifeukwu said nothing like that has happened, “so, the family has nothing to do with the burial”.

Responding to a question on whether Barrister Debe Ojukwu should have put in more efforts while Dim Ojukwu was alive to press home the point of his sonship, Ifeukwu replied: “It’s just that we don’t consider him as one of the sons of Ikemba. After the burial of Ikemba, he sued the family, but he lost the case. Justice Abba told him that the onus is on him to prove his paternity through DNA.

“Ikemba brought Emeka to Nnewi and introduced him to his Umunna (kindred) as his first son. He did it when he was alive. When somebody writes his Will and list all his children and says anybody that is not here is the not my child, it should be taken that way.

“Sylvester Udeh, which I call him, is a complete conman. If you ask him, he will tell you that his mother was Ikemba’s first wife. His mother never married Ikemba. So how can he say his mother is Ikemba’s first wife?

“I can tell you who Ikemba’s first wife is. The first wife was a nurse, but she did not have a child for Ikemba. The second wife was Emeka Jnr’s mother. Bianca is the fourth wife because he also married Stella Onyeador from Arodinzuogu.

“Sylvester was a DSP in the police and Ikemba called former Nigerian Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida, and told him that there is an impostor using his name. They later transferred him to Sokoto and a few months later he was forced to resign from the Police. After his resignation, the family became sympathetic. If someone says you are not his son, it can affect you psychologically but if I were him, I would have just gone my way. So the family became sympathetic and asked him to go and collect rent and manage the family estate on the basis of 30%. He was supposed to remit 70% to the family. This is unheard of. This guy collected the rent 100% and did not remit a dime. It is part of the reason why this happened. This case was dragged to court and judgment was given against him. It is rumoured that the judgment affected him and he died of heart attack.”

Ifeukwu noted that late Ikemba did not raise Debe in any way, neither did he pay his school fees, adding: “Sylvester met Ikemba when he was an adult. Ikemba claimed the daughter of a Hausa woman as his child, so there must be a reason best known to him why he should disown Sylvester.”

Culture

Samsung Nigeria Visits Nike Okundaye, Busan Goodwill Ambassador, on the 56th Anniversary of Nike Arts Gallery

…Continues drive towards 2030 BUSAN Expo, writes SANDRA ANI

Published

6 months ago

November 21, 2023

grassroots

L-r: Charlie Lee, Managing Director, Samsung Nigeria and Nike Okundaye, Busan Goodwill Ambassador, on the occasion of the 56th anniversary of the Nike Art Gallery.

Samsung is promoting the Korean city of Busan as the host for World Expo 2030 with every opportunity it gets, and one such opportunity is the recent courtesy call on the Busan Goodwill Ambassador, Nike Okundaye on the 56th anniversary of the Nike Art Gallery.

As part of the Korea Republic’s efforts at securing the hosting right for the 2030 Busan World Expo scheduled for May 1 to October 31, 2030, the country, through its embassy in Nigeria, on Wednesday, August 10, 2022, unveiled the renowned Nigerian artist and curator, Nike Okundaye, as its Goodwill Ambassador.

Samsung’s delegation who were at the glamorous Nike Art Gallery, Lekki, Lagos, further promoted South Korea’s candidacy bid with a view to making Busan World Expo 2023, a dream come true for the country.

World Expo is a fair that takes place only every five years, with its location changing every time. The next Expo is set to take place in 2025 in Japan, but the location for Expo 2030 has yet to be decided, which is why Samsung is doing its best to vote in the Korean city of Busan.

The Republic of Korea, in 2021, submitted a letter of candidature to the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) to organize World Expo 2030 in the city of Busan with the theme: “Transforming our World, Navigating Toward a Better Future”. The voting for the 2030 World Expo site selection is scheduled for this November 2023.

Busan, a prominent port city, has an enviable history of holding mega global events such as the Asian Games and APEC Summit, which it hosted in 2002 and 2005 respectively.

Busan also serves as a notable transportation and logistics hub and a connecting passageway from the Eurasian continent to the Asia-Pacific via its airports, high-speed railways, top edged ports and other infrastructure. As the cultural nexus of the region, Busan is reputed to be a popular city of cultural festivals, arts and film.

It has successfully hosted many events such as the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), Busan Fireworks Festival, One Asia Festival and a global K-Culture Pop Music Festival.

The municipality has also played host to memorable conferences like the 2011 Busan World Development Institute General Assembly, 2014 ITU Plenipotentiary Conference, 2014 &2019 ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit, 2015 IDB Annual Meeting and the 2022 International Forwarders Associations (FIATA) World Congress.

Besides epitomising the proposed theme, the candidate city, with a population of about 3.5 million and average of 40 million tourists visiting annually, is strategically located on the southeastern tip of the Korean peninsula and boasts of well-equipped infrastructure.

Charlie Lee, Managing Director, Samsung Nigeria, who led the delegation thanked Nike Okundaye who is rallying the support of Nigeria in promoting the Republic of Korea and the candidacy of Busan in Nigeria and the entire West Africa.

Responding, Nike thanked the Samsung team for the visit. She applauded Samsung for the confidence the business has in Nigeria. She prayed that Busan would win the hosting rights.

[Source]

Culture

The Ma’nene culture of Indonesia where they dig up the dead from their grave to celebrate them yearly

Published

2 years ago

September 21, 2022

Alice Ginika Simon

Ok, It is true that letting go of a loved ones can be truly almost impossible especially when death takes them away physically. But what can you do when Death is a natural phenomenon?

However, this does not really apply to the small island of the Toraja people of indonesia who practice the ma’nene ritual, which is the digging up of their dead ones from their graves and celebrating them once in a year. There are fascinating photos of families and their dead one which shows the depth at which they keep their cultural practices.

Before their dead ones are buried at first, most times their bodies are kept for weeks, months, or even years depending on how rich the families are. So the richest of families keep the bodies of their dead ones for years, which they clean, feed and clothe them continually until they are buried, but only to be dug out again once in every year. Sounds weird right? So they are dug out to be cleaned, redressed, fed, and new coffins are made for them. They are actually kept at a place called the house of death, but that is during their death before the first burial which takes weeks, months, or years.

Although Indonesia is known to be a Muslim country, but the Toraja people are mostly Christians. Which does not stop them from practicing the ma’nene culture, even though the church has tried to stop them from engaging in such rituals.

Here are some pictures from the Ma’nene rituals of digging up the dead.

A family taking their dead out of the coffin

A man holding the dug out corpse of his little one

A family member, perhaps a grandson, gently combs the hair of his departed ancestor.

Family standing with their already dressed deceased

So what do you think about this culture?

Culture

18 Wives Of Alaafin Of Oyo Are Now Available For Suitors – Oyo Chief

Published

2 years ago

April 25, 2022

Justice Okamgba

Following the death of the renowned monarch, the 18 wives of Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, the 45th Alaafin of Oyo, may now be available to suitors without undergoing cleansing rituals.

Oba Adeyemi, 83, died late last Friday after receiving treatment at Afe Babalola University in Ado-Ekiti. And has been buried according to Islamic rites.

Abibat (first wife), Rahmat Adedayo, Mujidat, Rukayat, Folashade, Badirat Ajoke, Memunat Omowunmi, Omobolanle, Moji, Anuoluwapo, Damilola, Chioma, and other Oba Adeyemi’s queens are now available for suitors.

“They are not cleansing; they are free to go about their lives,” he explained.

Regardless, he stated. “The wives are not allowed to marry an Oyo indigene.”

“Now that Alaafin is dead, they will all be asked to leave the palace with their belongings,” he added. Despite the fact that they would share the late monarch’s properties.”