Builder of men and monuments
By Ozonkpu Charlie Egwuagu
Late Chief Gordian Okoye Egwuagu was born in the year 1929 in Uruekwo Village, Enugwu-Ukwu, Njikoka LGA of Anambra State, Nigeria. His parents, in the persons of the late Ichie lyiegbu Egwuagu, the legendary hunter/marksman of the Egbenu-Oba fame, and the kate Madam Maria Nwaku Egwuagu (Nee Okoye-lmegwu), an influential community leader, were until his birth tormented by childlessness due to infant mortality memes of the age.
The arrival of Gordian, however, opened the survival gate for oncoming offspring into the family. When lyiegbu Egwuagu prematurely joined his ancestors, leaving behind a very young family, the mantle of family leadership fell heavily on Gordian’s shoulders. With the guidance and support of such influential benefactors and philanthropists and family relations like the late Michael Okafor Nwikelugo, the late Sydney Okoye Eze, etc, the family went through thick and thin in a survival war that raged for decades. It, however, pleased God Almighty to sustain the light lit in the family with the arrival of Gordian by blessing him with wisdom and knowledge and a sense of justice, with total commitment to liberty of the individual in the society. This must have informed his uncompromising stance on certain social issues of his time.
After his formal education, Gordian enlisted in the teaching profession and made his mark at St. Anthony’s Catholic School, Enugwu-Ukwu, and later St. Joseph’s Catholic School, Umuawulu. During this era, Gordian, in collaboration with such ebullient contemporaries as Jonathan Akabike, Samuel Akametalu, Emmanuel Okonkwo and others mobilized the youths of the village, under the umbrella of the Anadimma Youths Movement, an offshoot of Uruekwo Youth Movement of 1940, and charged with the responsibility of providing vigilante services in the village, particularly Okpuana village stream. It was the movement that organized the famous ‘Dodokido’ Dance Troupe that won star prize during the Enugwu-Ukwu General return competition of 1950. Gordian was the provost marshal of the dance troupe and performed his role with a great deal of admiration from spectators and respect from members. After his brief stint in the teaching profession, Gordian ventured into the Nigeria Police Force, where, for nine years, he learnt criminology and social engineering and soon matured into an articulate social scientist. It was in this era that, in the prime of his youth, Gordian encountered his first love in 1953 when he married a beautiful damsel, Josephine Mgbugo from Okoroafor Onyema family of Arochukwu, Abia State, through whom he was blessed with seven children. Later, in 1966, another beautiful lady, Constance Nwogo, from Onyeso family of Agukwu-Nri, came into his life in marriage, a marriage that was blessed with four children.
Gordian, on leaving the police force, joined the Leventis Group of Companies, rising to the position of stores manager. During this period, he acquired the necessary exposure to attain the peak of his career as a successful businessman, being the chief executive of his own commercial enterprise, Benz Brothers Limited, in Aba, a household name in motor spare parts and distribution of Fiat model of vehicles with international connections, before the outbreak of the Nigerian civil war.
Chief Gordian Okoye Egwuagu was not just an accomplished community leader and philanthropist but was also an indefatigable ‘Ochiliozuo’ (a trainer of groups of people), who impacted positively on the lives of many successful young men from far and near who benefitted immensely from his goodwill. Among the many younger men from his Uruekwo village that he mentored were Sir Chris Mmoh and Mr. Goddy Egungwu, both in their 80s. Sir Mmoh, in his tribute to his memory, recalled that the late sage invited him to relocate to his Aba base from Enugu where he was an applicant seeking employment after his primary school education. He secured employment for him in the stores department of Leventis Motors Ltd in Aba. He also offered him accommodation in his apartment at No. 42, Hospital Road, Aba, where he lived with him until he got married and had to live apart to have a family of his own. Even during his marriage preparations, Elder Gordian was there for him in all aspects. To Sir Chris Mmoh, Gordian Egwuagu was a role model in business, marriage and human relationships.
Similarly, Chief Goddy Egungwu was another junior associate of Enenebeaku and was manager of his Benz Brothers Limited in Aba for many years. He also testified to his boss’s forthrightness, dynamism, spirit of entrepreneurship, philanthropy and patriotism. He recalled that Chief Egwuagu was the leader of Uruekwo Development Union (UDU) for many years and he (Elder Goddy) mentored him into taking over the leadership stool of Uruekwo people in Aba from him. He also recalls with relish the many glorious years of Enugwu-Ukwu Community Development Union (ECDU), Aba branch, with Chief Goddy Egwuagu as secretary.
Chief Egwuagu enjoyed his high regard and recognition from premier institutions and authorities in Enugwu-Ukwu including the Cabinet of late Igwe Osita Agwuna of Enugwu-ukwu and the Enugwu-Ukwu Community Development Union (ECDU) of which he was installed Life Patron in 1997.
Chief Gordian Okoye Egwuagu was one of the pioneers of the Catholic Church in Enugwu-ukwu but later in life found fellowship with some other Christian denominations. It is gratifying however to observe that, in the twilight of his sojourn on earth he, in a unique incursion into the spirit world was directed and guided back to the Catholic Church just before he passed on. We pray, hope and believe that the good Lord will show him mercy, forgive all his offences and receive his amiable soul and grant him eternal rest in the bosom of the Lord in Jesus Name. Amen.
Enenebeaku left many indelible footprints on the sands of his time. Apart from his two wives Ezinne J. Ugo Egwuagu and Mother C. Nwogo Egwuagu, eleven children and many grandchildren that survive him, his legacy includes Obu Obionwu, a massive edifice built singlehandedly built and furnished by Late Chief Gordian Egwuagu family and financed by his daughter Iyom Chief Dr. Mrs. Chinwe N. Egwuagu, Ndubuisi, Adakaibe Enugwu-Ukwu na Umunri. The massive structure donated to Umu Obionwu Kindred Uruekwo Enugwu-Ukwu will be commissioned on Friday, 29th December, 2023, as part of activities to mark the 20th remembrance of their Patriarch Chief Gordian Egwuagu.
The Obu Obionwu is a befitting monument in memory of a man who came, saw and conquered. Chief Gordian Okoye Egwuagu, Enenebeaku Enugwu-Ukwu na Umunri left us 20years ago but his legacy is everlasting and his memory lives with us everyday of our lives.
To live in the minds of those we leave behind is not to die.
•Ozonkpu Chief Charles C. Egwuagu, Ezennia Enugwu-Ukwu na Umunri, wrote in from Uruekwo, Enugwu-Ukwu Anambra State