By Victor Anohu
“You cannot plant greatness as you plant yams or maize. Who ever planted an iroko tree — the greatest tree in the forest? You may collect all the iroko seeds in the world, open the soil and put them there. It will be in vain. The great tree chooses where to grow and we find it there, so it is with the greatness in men,”
Chinua Achebe, No Longer at Ease, 1960.
Truly great men, as the Igbo saying rightly points out, are like the Iroko – they are planted only by God where and when he chooses. So, it was with Chief Mathias Chidi Anohu, Ife Okija. Born to Anohu Nzomiwu and Mgbeke Ugboego Onwudiegwu Anohu of Umuezedam village, Okija, Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State on April 24, 1940, Ife Okija attended St. Mary’s Primary School, Okija, from 1947 to 1953, emerging with a Distinction in the First School Leaving Certificate examination. Thereafter, he proceeded to the highly prestigious Christ the King College (CKC), Onitsha, for his secondary education in 1954 and passed in Division One in the West African School Certificate (WASC) examination in 1958. In 1959, he gained admission into the Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology, now part of the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus. He graduated in 1961. Like Alfred Lord Tennyson’s Ulysses, who follows knowledge like a sinking star, young Mathias gained admission into the University of Ife, Ile-Ife, (currently known as Obafemi Awolowo University) to study Pharmacy in 1962 as one of the foundation students, ultimately graduating as a pharmacist in 1965.
All through his life, he did not relent in seeking and imparting knowledge as well as probing existing theories. Some of his professional presentations include “Drug Abuse in Nigeria,” presented in 1975, “Administration of Essential Drugs in Anambra State,” presented in 1987 and “Importance of Education in National Development,” presented in 1999.
The gold fish has no hiding place. “Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men,» says the Holy Book. Chief Anohu was not just a career civil servant from 1965-2000, it was a glorious 35-year career that traversed the General Hospitals in Arochukwu, Onitsha, Enugu-Ukwu, and Nnewi and also rising to the peak of the service. As a result of his professionalism and commitment to public administration, hard work, honesty, and service to God and humanity, he was appointed Director-General and posted to the Ministry of Education and Youth Development in 1997. He acquitted himself so creditably that he was subsequently appointment as Permanent Secretary in 1998 by Group Captain Rufai Garba, former Military Administrator of Anambra State. By that, he became the first Nigerian Pharmacist to be appointed Permanent Secretary.
The Holy Book teaches that by truth a nation is established and Chief Anohu took this to heart. He was self-sworn to uphold the truth and lived in such a way that those who involved themselves in shady deals or cover ups ensured that they kept them as far away from him as they could. His outstanding integrity came to bear during the visit by the then Chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) to Anambra State in 1997 to inspect the state of the hospitals and their medical equipment. Whereas the powers that be wanted the PTF Chairman to believe that all the funds meant for the procurement of medications and medical equipment had been properly utilized, Ife Okija knew otherwise and spoke up without a shred of fear or favor. He had expected a backlash and was ready for the consequences, but surprisingly, this honest and fearless admission benefited Anambra State and made it possible for its hospitals to be allocated ample medications and new sets of medical equipment. Also, the military administrator of the state was so moved by his rare integrity and courage that he rewarded him with a promotion. Little wonder, even after his retirement, Chief Anohu was deemed fit to be appointed Commissioner in the Anambra State Civil Service Commission.
Chief Mathias Chidi Anohu was not just a successful professional and public servant, he was equally a successful family man. He wedded Dr. Virgy Akuaroo Okolie, an accomplished lecturer and banker, on December 28, 1968, and their marriage was blessed with six surviving children – two boys and four girls, who have all graduated from universities in Nigeria, the United Kingdom, and USA. Chief Anohu was also blessed with sixteen grandchildren – twelve boys and four girls. Importantly, he strived to imbue in his children all the qualities that he was known for – fearlessness, honesty, dignity of labour, self-confidence, and charity.
He took his Catholic faith seriously and supported the Church in varying capacities. Till he breathed his last, he was not moved by material things. Like Mahatma Gandhi, Chief Anohu detested politics without principle, wealth without work, commerce without morality, pleasure without conscience, education without character, science without humanity, and worship without sacrifice. He loved God and lived for humanity.
Among the Igbo, it is said that a man who refuses to visit his native town in life will ultimately come home in death. A typical Igbo man, Chief Anohu was very attached to his home town, Okija, and committed to its development. As a result, he was elected the Secretary General of Okija Progressive Union (OPU), the apex town Union way back in 1974, and in 1989, he was elected the President-General of the Union. During his tenure as President-General, he revolutionized the Kingship of Okija by presiding over the re-drafting of the town’s Constitution. The new Constitution included a major shift in the status quo, leading to the abolition of the hereditary monarchy and the adoption of a rotational Kingship.
Chief Anohu was a member of Ime-Iba Royal Cabinet of Okija, Okija Social Club, and a Special Member of Ihiala Traditional Council. He was a great promoter of the Igbo philosophy of communal development and championed many development projects. He spearheaded the establishment of a General Hospital with Uhuobo community in Okija, the only General Hospital in Ihiala Local Government Area in those days. He assisted the late Engr. Paulinus Amadike and other citizens of Umuohi community in establishing the Girls Secondary School in Okija, providing science equipment for the school. He teamed up with other illustrious sons of Okija to establish a branch of African International Bank in the community. Chief Anohu was involved in the mobilization of the people for the construction and reconstruction of some rural roads in Okija, contributing both morally and financially to the welfare of Okija people. He mobilized the people for the electrification of some villages in the community and awarded scholarships to deserving students of Okija to study up to the university level. He also provided water boreholes for the people. It is a thing of joy to note that this noble son of Okija spent all his working years giving back to his community and providing honest and selfless service to fellow Nigerian citizens.
Despite all these, he was concerned about the festering Igweship tussle in Okija and it was his earnest desire and vision that Okija resolves this soonest. His words: “Okija is a great town and has a lot of developmental potential. It is my wish that the Peace Committee, after proper investigation devoid of sentiment, and noting that Okija people gave the Ezeship/Igweship stool to Ubahuduru in the 1950s when Eze/Igwe was introduced in Okija by the then Eastern Nigerian government, will find a lasting solution to the Igweship problem, which has stalled progress in the town to enable the community to move forward.” This, no doubt, will be the greatest tribute to a man, who gave his all serving his community.
When the ekwe (wooden drum) sounds, it hails a man to the proportion of his exploits and contributions to the prosperity of the community. It is also a saying among Ndigbo that if a man does well in sharing the communal meat, he is given future opportunities and higher responsibilities. Thus, Chief Anohu’s contributions to the society have been well acknowledged and rewarded in various ways.
In 1991, he was honoured with the chieftaincy title, “Ife Okija”, the Light of Okija. In 1994, he was duly recognized as a Fellow of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (FPSN) and was appointed Chairman of the State Drug Abuse and Control Committee 1996. He was the Special Representative of the UNICEF Essential Drug Programme in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in 1989. In 1998, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Public Administration by Cornerstone University in Israel. From 1997-99, he was the Government Representative of the Governing Council Nwafor Orizu College of Education. In 1998, he was appointed the Chairman Inter-Ministerial Panel on Accreditation, Anambra State University, Uli. From 1999-2000, he was the Secretary of Anambra State Tender Board. The late octogenarian was equally received as a member of the Knights of St. Mulumba (KSM) by the Catholic Church in 1999.
Indeed, Chief Mathias Chidi Anohu did not just exist. He lived, making his marks on the sands of time. The wooden gong hails a man twice – in his lifetime and in death. And if the drums, including the Ikoro, have let lose their heroic tunes since the passing of Ife Okija; if great men and women from all walks of life and across the African continent and beyond have rallied in final respects to him, it is because of his heroic deeds and exploits for Okija, Anambra, Nigeria, and humanity – for the Ikoro hails a man to the proportion of his heroics. Wherefore William Shakespeare acknowledges that “The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.»
Ife Okija came, he saw, and he conquered. His deeds shall immortalize him, for no man, who has lived so selflessly, impacting his society, ever dies.
Goodnight, Ife Okija.
*Anohu writes from Ubahu, Okija, Anambra State