IKPEAZU, THE NDOKI PRINCE!
By Onyebuchi Ememanka
Ahead of his visit to Ukwa East LGA for the PDP rally today, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu is already clad in the traditional attire of the great and prosperous people of Ndoki Land.
The Ndokis make up the geographical area known as and called Ukwa East LGA. The other half of Ukwa known as Ukwa West is home to the people of Asa.
Ukwa East LGA has towns like Akwete, Azumini, Ohambele, Akirika, Ohuru, Ikwuorie, Ikwueke, etc. They have strong ancestral ties with some parts of Rivers State like Opobo and Bonny. They bear names like Tonye and surnames like Stanley and Fynecontry are common place here. Their native attire is the same with the Opobo and Bonny kingdoms. Indeed, there are strong Ndoki communities in Rivers State.
Akwette is their headquarters and is home to the Anglican Cathedral Church of Christ where the Bishop of the Diocese of Ukwa resides.
Akwette is renown globally for it’s Akwette cloth made manually by women from here.
Ndoki is home to prominent people like former Senate President, Adolphus Wabara, former House of Reps member, Rt. Hon. Emeka Stanley, the late Chief Lambert Nmecha, Hon Abonta Nkem Uzuoma, the incumbent House of Reps member, etc.
Ndoki Land is also home to two opposition Senatorial Candidates for Abia South – Sir Mac Wabara of the APC from Ohambele and Chris Nkwonta of APGA from Akwette.
They have accomplished people like Eze Dr. Rowland Asobie, Mr. Reginald Stanley, the former Head of the PPPRA, multi billionaire businessman, Obiamaraije Stanley, etc . Top diplomat and Nigeria’s former Consul General in South Africa, Dr. Emuchay is from here too, from the illustrious Emuchay family.
In the early 1980s, two prominent Ndoki sons set up very popular hospitals in Aba. While Dr. Feyi Wagboso set up the popular Women’s Hospital along Aba Owerri Road just beside Living Word Junction, Dr. Rowland Asobie set up the very popular eye hospital, Delta Hospital along Faulks Road at the Osusu Junction. I still remember Dr. Wagboso. My late mum was his patient. He was an accomplished gynaecologist. He always was licking his lips and my infant mind kept wondering why. He had a white wife who was a doctor too and they ran the hospital together.
Both hospitals defined specialist medical practice in Aba way back. The two men later became traditional rulers of their communities. Dr. Feyi Wagboso became the Eze of Azumini while Dr. Asobie became the traditional ruler of Akwete. I know Eze Wagboso died many years ago. I am not very sure of Asobie. The majestic buildings that housed their hospitals still stand today in Aba but as relics of great places of healing and succor. How sad.
Ndoki is also home to the Anglican Bishop of Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Diocese, Bishop Manasses Okere.
Their dialect is a combination of Igbo and the core Igbani dialect of the Opobo people.
If an Ndoki man wants to introduce himself, he says IKEM WU URURUAJA, IKE GI KWANU? meaning I am Ururuaja. What of you?
You and I are one, means Ikem na Ike gi bu oli.
For those who read Achebe’s THINGS FALL APART, they will remember the Church Teacher sent to Umuofia by the white missionaries. His mode of speaking amused the people of Umuofia because instead of saying ME, he said MY BUTTOCKS (ikem).
Politically, Ndoki people are naturally disciplined and rigid about their choices. You can never be in doubt where the Ndokis stand during elections. Since the dawn of the current democracy in 1999, Ndoki people have stayed with the PDP. They have never changed and have no plans to. In the 2019 elections, the people of Ndoki will massively support the reelection of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu and all candidates of the PDP.
Before I forget, the best kai kai is found here. They have kept their ancient traditional mode of fractional distillation which produces kai kai from Palm wine. If you taste their kai kai, you will know how far.
Nde Ndoki, unu saala chi eh?
Ikem wu Ururuaja!