Emeka Esogbue
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Elder Emeka Esogbue (born 6 June 1970), popularly called Pen Master or The Pen Master is a Nigerian of Anioma descent who is a historian, journalist, researcher, writer, advocate for Anioma rights, and founder of Igbuzo Singles Meet Worldwide (ISM), an Ibusa youth group with the objective of promotion of Ibusa to Ibusa marriage and Research Consultant of Anioma Council of Omus to which HRM Obi Dr. Martha Dunkwu, the Omu of Okpanam/Anioma is the Chairman.
Esogbue is the Author of A Study of the Origins and Migrations of Anioma Settlements (2015), A Short History of Omu (2016), Essentials of Anioma History, and A History of Ibusa (2021).
Esogbue is currently the editor-at-large of Integrity Watchdog and the research editor with the Organization For the Advancement of Anioma Culture (OFAAC). He is also the associate editor of Homage Magazine.
Esogbue has campaigned for the creation of a separate state in Nigeria for the Anioma people.
Early life[edit]
Esogbue was born to a family from Isieke, Umuekea in Ibusa (Igbuzo), Delta State, Nigeria.[1] His parents were Patrick Chukwudumebi and Theresa Nwasiwe Esogbue.
His father was allegedly a member of the Biafran Commando unit during the Nigerian Civil War while his grandfather was Joseph Ozoemezie Esogbue, the first engine driver produced by Ibusa, his community. Augustine Onwuyalim Esogbue, another family member, previously worked at NASA in the United States.
Esogbue attended State Primary School, Festac Town, Lagos (1976–1982) where he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate. He then attended Agboju Secondary School, Agboju, Lagos (1983–1988), Esogbue attended Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos (2000–2006), where he obtained his B .A (Hons) in history and international studies and within the (2017/2018 session) his M.A in history and diplomacy from the same institution.
Career[edit]
Esogbue was appointed the peer group coordinator and public relations officer of the Pan African Agency for AIDS and Drug Abuse (PANCADA) (2001–2003). He started his journalism career with Festac News, a local newspaper, in the 1990s . He was also a contributor with Ibusa Pathfinder an Ibusa newsletter, now defunct.
In 2009, Esogbue joined Trade Africa, publishers of Africa Global Business magazine in Lagos as a member of the editorial executive. In 2010, he worked as a contributor with Gold Fad, an Ekiti-based magazine. In 2012, Esogbue became the research editor of Anioma Essence magazine, a publication of the Organization for the Advancement Anioma Culture (OFAAC)
From 2014 to 2021, Esogbue was associate editor of Homage Magazine. In 2018, he became the editor-at-large of Integrity Magazine. In 2017, he was briefly editor-in-chief of Agogo Igbuzo, having been appointed in the same year at the Conference of Ibusa Community Development Union (ICDU) which held in the community.
Emeka Esogbue was a special correspondent with Ibusa Development Project, Atlanta, US; and reporter with Daily Eagle (online magazine. In July 2012, he was appointed the publicity manager of Ada Anioma Cultural Beauty Pageant.
On April 24, 2022, the constitution of the Anioma Council of Omus (ACO) was announced in a communique released to the general public by Anioma Trust Newspaper with HRM Obi Dr. Martha Dunkwu, the Omu of Okpanam/Anioma as the Chairman, Comrade Patrick Nweike Ochei, Secretary of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Delta State Chapter as the Media Adviser and Elder Emeka Esogbue as Research Consultant to the Council.
Historical research and advocacy[edit]
Esogbue has conducted research on the origins of the Anioma people using oral sources. He has tried to locate the ancestral home of Umejei the founder of Ibusa. Esogbue has also been researching the Senior Diokpas, pushing for investment in Ibusa and the development of Okpuzu Falls s a tourist attraction.
He condemned the demolition of the remains of St. Augustine's Catholic Church, an historic building in Ibusa, saying that it should have rebuilt as a tourist centre. He also criticized the inadequate street lighting in the town and the conversion of the St. Thomas' College, to a girls. female secondary school, describing the later as a "shameful fall in standard and marginalization of the people".
Other works[edit]
Esogbue has written commentaries on different d policies of the government of Nigeria. He criticized the relocation of the capital from Lagos to Abuja as having led to a duplication of national facilities. He felt that the capital relocation, along with the establishment of the Ajaokuta Steel Complex, had depleted the nation's economy.
Esogbue has condemned high bride-price in Nigeria, particularly in Iboland. He believes that village elders should not demand high bride-price for a girl they never knew and never helped raise. .
"In his view, except the trend is reversed, it would continue to lead to a higher population of unmarried Ibo women, single parenting, out of wedlock pregnancies and high mortality rate".[2]
In "Goodnight Sister Maryam", a tribute published in Anioma Essence, Esogbue said that the late Maryam Babangida would be remembered for managing to keep herself from any scandal all through her tenure as the First lady and was to some people, "that quintessential wife and mother who stayed married to husband and family despite all odds"[3]
Proposed Anioma state[edit]
Emeka has advocated for the creation in Nigeria of a separate state for the Anioma people, stating "Any further creation of states in Nigeria without the consideration of Anioma will mean further marginalization and strangulation of the people."[4] He has campaigned for the cession of Igbanke and Ekpon to he proposed Anioma State. On 21 December 2011 Esogbue described Igbanke as an Ika community both by ethnic origin and language.
On, 23 March 2014, Esogbue, went on a fact-finding mission to Igbanke to ascertain the general level of developments in Oligie. He reported
'That Oligie is troubled with underdevelopment as the investigators did not observe functional portable water or solar-streetlights near the palace of the Enogie and that the bore-hole sited was not functional'.
It was also reported that there were no good road, light, factories, industries and other means of employment in Oligie.
On 8 October 2016, Esogbue stated that 'about 51% of youth vices committed in Ibusa was by non-indigenes'. He also opined that such non-indigenes were urged, goaded or guarded by indigenes. He also stated that while pre-1990 was the peak of social development for the community, post-1990 has been a period of neglect for the same community while noting that the period stifled and repressed any hope of development on the community by the government under the Capital Territory Development Area policy of the newly created Delta State in 1991.
On 7 January 2017, Esogbue pubiished his book Essentials of Anioma History.
Umu Anioma Foundation Worldwide[edit]
Between 2010 and 2011, Esogbue was a member of the board of directors of Umu Anioma Foundation Worldwide, In November 2010 Esogbue signed a congratulatory statement to the acting governor of Delta State, Prince Sam Obi, in which Sam Obi's attention was drawn to the plight of the Anioma people in the state.[5]
In February 2011, the Foundation appointed Esogbue as the co-chairman of Community Outreach Committee (COC) alongside Godfrey Chukwudifu Osakwe and charged with the task of reaching out to traditional rulers and other stakeholders in the Anioma region
On 1 April 2011 Esogbue was appointed assistant publicity secretary of the Group worldwide.. In May he led a Foundation delegation to Anioma Cultural Festival in Asaba..[6]
In February 2012, Esogbue resigned from the Foundation.
Following his resignation, Lauretta Onochie, Esogbue, Gloria Adagbon and Emmanuel Nwaokolo created the Ndi Anioma Group of Nigeria with a youth wing known as Ndi Anioma Youth Movement.
Articles[edit]
- Ibusa (Igbuzo) People
- "Dora Akunyili: Can She Survive the Tide?"
- Anioma People
- A Contribution of the Holy family Catholic Church to the Social Development of Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area (unpublished)
- Widowhood Rituals and Practices (Ikwa-Ozu) in Ibusa Town (Unpublished)
- "Where in Igboland is the Isu Home of Umejei the founder of Ibusa?"
- "Omar Al-Bashir: Walking on a Tight Rope"
- Edo-Nkwo Nnewi Market in Nnewi, Anambra State
- Anioma State: waiting to be created by the National Assembly of Nigeria
- Top Ten Enemies of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
- High Bride Price: Blame our Elders in the Villages
- Ibusa: A Call for the Social Development of the Town
- Anioma Igbo: Since When?
- Anioma: Re-discovering Our Cultural Heritage and Knowing who we Are
- The Eze Ofu Ani Factor In Igbuzo: What Is it?
- Anioma: The Need for Identity and Leadership
- Traditional Marriage: How the Ibusa people Do It
- That the Igbanke May find Identity in Anioma and Witness Growth and Development
- Agbor in History
- The annoying Empty spontaneous Speeches of and David Mark's Own Idea of Democracy For Nigeria
- The Challenges Faced by Nigerian Bank Workers
- Nigeria and the Beauty of Pidgin English
- Okpuzu Water Fall, Nigeria
- Marrying an African Woman? You will Never Regret It
- All Hail the Almighty Barcelona Football Club
- A Visit to Obollo-Afor in Enugu State
- Is Reuben Abati, the Newest Anti Igbo Bigot?
- Why Listen to Jimoh Ibrahim and his Wolf Cry on Biafra
- Nollywood: What Has happened to Igbo Movies?
- Why You Must Fall in Love with Kate Henshaw-Nuttall
- 2008/2009 African Footballer of the Year: Hayatou you are a Cheat
Publication[edit]
- A Study of the origins and Migrations of Anioma Settlements, (2015) ISBN 978-978-53749-2-6 Search this book on
. - A Short History of Omu, (2016) ISBN 978-978-53749-3-3 Search this book on .
- Essentials of Anioma History, (2016)
- A History of Ibusa, (2020)
Honours and awards[edit]
- In December 2010, Esogbue was nominated for the Igbo Legendary Awards
- Emeka Esogbue is a two-time nominee of Umu-Igbuzor Man of the Year award on 21 December 2012 and 30 December 2013.
- Who's Who in Ibusa, 2011
- Who's Who in Anioma, 2011
- Umu-Igbuzor Man of the Year, 2014
- In 2015, he received the Patriot Award
- Marriage Planning Department of Igbuzo Singles Meet Award for the Mentorship of Ibusa Youths on December 28, 2017
- In 2021, Ornimedia's Enuani Historian/Writer of the Year
References[edit]
- ↑ "Esogbue Family Ibusa Delta state Nigeria". Retrieved 16 September 2009.[dead link]
- ↑ "Theartic Art". Retrieved 30 April 2011.[dead link]
- ↑ Emeka Esogbue, Goodnight Sister Maryam, Anioma Essence, Vol, 1, No. 6, 2010.
- ↑ "Welcome to Ibusa – Anioma". www.ibusa.net. Retrieved 2017-12-22.
- ↑ "Anioma Group Congratulate Delta Acting Governor want Anioma state created". Archived from the original on 17 March 2012. Retrieved 25 February 2011. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 7 June 2011. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help)CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link)
External links[edit]
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