By Sam Nwanze
As a writer and journalist, to write on any subject matter is not difficult for me except tribute for a friend or relation who passed-on. When it comes to this, my pen would refuse to release its ink and my thought pattern becomes disjointed for a while. So, it becomes a labour to me to recollect the past life which the dear dead fellow lived.
For the interest of those who don’t know the late Oyibo Chukwu, a Barrister-at-law closely, I will attempt to reflect about the side of his life I know.
Many people will still remember he was murdered by political bandits who derive joy in wasting lives they didn’t or couldn’t create through the sponsorship of their heartless masters.
We met closely for the first time on July 27th 1986 in Lagos at the wedding of his lovely younger sister Chigozie Chukwu to Mr. Lewis Obi, a well-known journalist and great writer in this country. It took place at St. Leo’s Catholic church Ikeja, not far from Obi’s residence then in Toyin street.
Lewis Obi is my relation and I told myself I would not miss the wedding even as a student at UNN then. He married from a well-known family, the late Chief Gilbert Chukwu of Amurri in Nkanu West LGA, Enugu State. All of us are from Amurri.
On this day when we all assembled at Obi’s residence in the evening for another round of entertainment after the main ceremony, a friend, late Sunday Aniobodo popularly known as “Ogene one” pointed to me one tall lanky young man with flowing white attire usually worn by Northerners and said: “See Oyibo.” I have heard his name but never met him. He looked very much like his father. I think he was the first person from Amurri who read law and became an attorney. I was told he came from the Law School in Lagos to attend the wedding, having graduated from the University of Nigeria Law Faculty. His three other siblings later became lawyers including my very close friend Barrister Lucky Chukwu and Kelvin who is now a Senator in his stead.
I went straight to meet Oyibo, a name in Igbo language reserved for those who have the features of a White man. He instantly embraced me when I introduced myself to him. Apparently, he has heard about me.
At the occasion, he was everywhere trying to see that things went fine. He virtually threw himself on many acquaintances at the occasion. Instantly I saw him as a very easygoing lively human being. And we had related fairly closely since then.
What made him popular was his foray into politics in the third Republic as Secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and later 1988 when he was elected into the Constituent Assembly that gave birth to the 1999 Constitution. He even attempted to contest the presidential election on the platform of the defunct All Nigerian Peoples Party [ANPP].
He was also active in the politics of the Bar Association and became the leader of Oji River branch in Enugu state at one time.
After all this visible political and legal activism, Oyibo Chukwu became a bit relaxed but continued in different roles of advising and directing younger politicians to the right direction including some of his siblings.
Barr. Oyibo Chukwu, a political and legal colossus knows when to strike to achieve his aim. From his reading of the political temperature of 2022 for 2023 elections, he saw Labour Party as a veritable platform to contest the Senatorial seat of Enugu East when he was approached. As someone who has never been an establishment man in terms of party choice, he saw the LP as a movement capable of wrestling power from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which has been in power in Enugu state since the 4th Republic started in 1999.
In LP he was confident of defeating the incumbent Senator representing Enugu East Senatorial zone Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, a former governor of the state.
He came out with a strategy of combined campaign by all the candidates of LP in the Zone. He was their leader, leading from the front as they traversed all the wards in Enugu East.
When he led his team to Amurri on September 17th 2022 to formerly introduce himself and other contestants on the platform of LP to his people he got the assurance of full support by his own people. It was after that meeting he called me to discuss how I was going to give him the required media publicity. I accepted the duty without any financial conditions. He was surprised but happy. He assured me that in victory he will remember everyone. That he would give the Senatorial zone the type of services and representation never experienced in Nkanu land from their then Senator.
Tragically that dream was terminated on February 22, 2023, eve of the election by agents of political buccaneers who used their armed wing to snuff life out of the soft spoken easygoing Oyibo Chukwu. They murdered him and some of his aides in a most bizarre and wicked manner, setting his Sienna vehicle ablaze after pumping hot leads into their bodies.
But as Christians, we believe the wicked shall not go unpunished in line with Bible injunction.
Those who masterminded that despicable act may have thought their aim of taking the senatorial seat by force had been sealed. But it was a lie because they didn’t reckon with the strong will of the people to vote a new person for the seat.
Late Oyibo’s younger brother Kelvin, a lawyer and politician was drafted to occupy the void when the LP in a magnanimous manner ceded the position to the family. The support base was intact still in spite of the shock of Oyibo’s cold blooded murder.
The Senatorial seat election was postponed to be part of the Governorship/State Assembly elections on March 18, 2023.
Oyibo even won in death through his brother Kelvin. It was a massive show of love for Oyibo by the electorate even in dead.
Senator Kelvin Chukwu has promised not to disappoint his late brother by giving the people what they deserve from his representation.
Adieu Oyibo Chukwu. His body will be interred on December 8, 2023.
Rest in Peace.
Nwanze is a seasoned Journalist, author and media consultant based in Abuja