Our weekend Pointer Guest is Leonard Ifenna Azomani. He is a writer, lawyer, environmentalist and cleric.
Renowned for his versatility in various disciplines and credible works on Issele-Uku history and other Christian literatures, Azomani bares his mind on a number of issues that enthusiasts will find interesting.
In this exclusive interview with our correspondent, Oye Chijioke, Pastor Azomani speaks on his growing up, career and renders historical accounts on Issele-Uku beginning, development, political history and other national issues.
He tells readers that Anioma is not a monolithic society and that Issele-Uku was peopled by migrants from various ethnic groups.
More importantly, the earliest settlers of the Issele-Uku community were the Ogboli Agidi people from Nri led by Enwei, the historical figure according to him. Ultimately, the combined historical efforts of the Nri, Benin and other migrants in peopling, developing and shaping the modern Issele-Uku community is better appreciated by today’s historical minds. Excerpts:
You are from the Issele-Uku community. Please, can you tell us more about yourself?
Thank you very much, My name is Ifenna Leonard Azomani. I am from the Idumu Osodi Quarters of the Ogboli community, Issele-Uku. I am from Azomani family of Issele-Uku. The Azomani family is one; only one, anywhere in the world. That name Azomani is not common and anywhere you hear that name, the bearer is most likely related to the Azomani Clan of Issele-Uku. That is the clan where I am from.
Okay. Sir, you are a lawyer and at the same time a cleric. You mean different thing to different people. How exactly should we see you?
I am a member of the clergy and that may look very surprising to a lot of people, particularly, in this part of the world where the people have a very twisted and misunderstood idea of who a lawyer is and how he does his work in attempts to reconcile it with being a member of the clergy.
Well, both of them are callings or vocations. The clergy is tailored towards the service to God and humanity, while a lawyer is there to serve his community and play his part in his society towards its development and growth. I don’t see myself as being part of that confusion because it is very clear. Being a lawyer is a vocation and training and the clergy angle of it is a calling of God to serve in his vineyard.
It is calling to serve God and uplift humanity. I am interested in anything that will bring humanity from darkness to light. Basically, as a lawyer, it involves seeking knowledge and getting to know. I believe that the biggest thing that man needs to overcome are darkness and ignorance and this is where education comes in because education is light.
Are there few things people do not know about you?
Well, I live a simple life as much as possible and like I told you earlier, I am a lawyer. My late father was a lawyer who rose to become a High Court judge in the old Bendel State. He retired and came back home then rose through the traditional ranks to become the Onishe of Issele-Uku and to the glory of God he was the one who crowned HRM, Obi Nduka, the current Obi of Issele-Uku in 2016. About me, I love education, I love to acquire knowledge. I am also an ordained Minister, a part of the body of clergy and a servant of God, I am also on the pulpit where I Pastor a Church. By the grace of God, I will soon be a PhD holder in Law and that will make it 6 academic degrees in all, out of which two are masters.
I research and study. I write books outside history and have actually authored religious books. By the grace of God, I have authored over 25 books on different Christian subject. Some of my books are bestsellers. You can call me a man of many parts. Yes, I am. I serve humanity with integrity by the grace of God.
Sir, let us look at the political side of your community. How much political gains has Issele-Uku made from your political representatives in recent times?
I think our representatives are doing their best under the present circumstances. Though politics is what politicians do, under this circumstance, they are doing their best. But can they do better? Yes! Can they bring dividends of democracy and representation? Yes, they can do better. Even though they have done their best, they can do more to represent their people. They can deal with the issues of poverty in the lives of the people because ignorance, disease and poverty are the biggest problems of man. It lies with them to ensure that under their
You also recently convened a conference in Issele-Uku community that brought together Issele-Uku, Ibusa, Illah and Ogwashi-Uku and other Nri descendants. What was the actual objective of the conference?
I see, you are referring to the conference of Nri descendants which was held on the ground of the Onishe Courts at Ogboli, Issele-Uku on December 31, 2022. Well, for us, it was a kind of homecoming for most of these Nri descendants who attended the conference. There were actually more than five Nri settlements or communities that attended the conference. We had various attendees from Ogwashi-Uku, Ibusa, Akwukwu-Igbo, Atuma-Iga and other places including representatives from Nri. It was a kind of coming together to know ourselves and to rekindle the spirit of brotherhood and that was what the event activated.
There were so much to eat and drink. Socialization was high and while that was going on, we had to sit down to embark on our history, particularly, the migration of our ancestors to the various locations that we find ourselves today.
The journeys embarked on by our ancestors happened a long time ago, but they have now blossomed into vibrant communities on the Anioma side of the divide. The English man will say that “blood is thicker than water,” and the Enuani will equally say “nwanne di na mba.” It was a homecoming for many of us and we were able to recognize that our ancestors migrated from a certain place, to this side of the Anioma Nation to raise thriving communities. It was also an attempt to tell our own history.
The conference was also able to establish that everywhere in Anioma, people migrated from different places. People have different stories about their migrations, origins, roots and patterns. All of us have come from different places to form the Anioma Nation. One fact that is clear to us is that Anioma does not have a monolithic ancestry. This is because people came from Benin, and people came from Nri, across the Niger.
People also came from Igala and some other places into the Anioma area overtime. These migrations have interwoven themselves overtime into this beautiful tapestry that is called Anioma today. That is what we see in Anioma today so, no one group can claim a monopoly of the migration or origin of the Anioma people as we see some people want to claim.
That conference was a way of saying it loud and clear that Anioma as it is does not have a monolithic ancestry or migration.
Were your objectives realized?
Yes, as to your question on whether the objectives were achieved, there was an overwhelming enthusiasm. The beautiful thing is that when the people met and told their stories, experiences and challenges faced in their respective locations, everything was the same and it was about our stories being distorted and coerced into accepting the monolithic thinking that Benin founded everywhere and everything in the Anioma area from Benin to River Niger, which is not true.
Now, as an author of several books on Ogboli Community and Issele-Uku history, tell us something about your people’s history
Well, on the brief history of Issele-Uku, a lot of authors have written on Issele-Uku history. Our own attempt to write the history of the Ogboli community and Issele-Uku was driven by the feeling that our history as told by others was greatly distorted for certain reasons and we felt the need to write our own historical account for the records. We believe that we are better placed to write our history and to also correct what we see as a one-sided narration of history.
How did history retain your own version of this account?
You will understand this history from the concept of the rise and fall of civilizations and empires over time. For instance, it is an established fact that the Nri civilization, from which Ogboli Agidi, hails had existed for over 600 years before the current Oba dynasty in Benin. While the Nri civilization was falling or in decline, the Benin civilization and the current Oba dynasty was on the rise. A man called Enwei is from Ogboli and very popular account, the first settler anywhere in that area called Issele-Uku today and he had Nri origins as we have said clearly in our book. When he came into the area, he planted the ‘egbo’ tree in a place in Issele-Uku known today as the ‘Ani Isi Enwei’. Which is the oldest shrine or place of settlement anywhere in Issele-Uku. ‘Ani Is Enwei’ is not only the oldest shrine in Issele-Uku marking the abode of the first comers or aborigines of Issele Uku. It is also the only ’Ani Isi’ in Issele Uku. There are no two ‘Ani Isi’ in Issele-Uku, you are an Ibo man, you will understand the historical significance of the only ‘Ani Isi’ in Issele Uku. This is a fact that is known to all Issele-Uku people, which you will not find in the historical accounts of other writers of Issele Uku history because of the desperation to push the narrative that the Benin settlers founded Issele Uku. The existence of ‘Ani Isi Enwei’ completely destroys that their line of argument. Over time, other people came and joined him (Enwei) and the settlement began to grow. From our historical account, the Ogboli people came first, settled in that place, then Ogbetu people came and started their own settlement. These were small communities, minding their business. Over time, people from Benin also came and settled on a part of the town. With time, someone discovered smoke in his domain and went to check it out. There was an issue or controversy over who came first and when they went to check the egbo trees of the different communities. They discovered that the egbo at Ani Isi Enwei was far older, it was settled then, that Enwei and his people were the first settlers of the land. That is why we can tell you categorically that the ancestors of the Ogboli people are the founders and first settlers in Issele Uku. Enwei and his people called the new community, Ogbe Ofu, meaning new settlement. For this settlement to be called “Ogbe Ofu,” means that there was already an old settlement in existence which is the settlement of the Ogboli people, the first settlers at Issele Uku.
This new settlement was formerly referred to as “Omado,” a corruption of “Omo Edo, and it implied a place where the Benin migrants or descendants settled. As part of settling the controversy of who came first and Egbo tree was planted as the boundary between the settlement of Enwei’ and the Ogboli people and this new community now referred to as Ogbeofu. This Egbo tree is a shrine in Issele Uku today known as ‘Ani Ukwu’ and till today it marks the traditional boundary between Ogboli Community Issele Uku and Ogbeofu Community Issele Uku, a settled fact in Issele Uku. Some historical accounts believe that Ogbeofu was the place Eze Chime settled when he came at a place call ‘Agwachime’ which is a corruption for ‘Ogwa Chime’ This is how Ogbe Ofu, Issele Uku came to be.
Was there any controversy?
Yes, you move from there to the controversy of the identity of Ezechime. Somehow, some writers of Issele-Uku have continued to claim that Ezechime was a Benin man whose name became adulterated over time but we are of firm belief that Ezechime was not a Benin man but an Ibo man who went to Benin. In fact, the historical account of the late Esogban of Benin, Chief David Edibiri, a Palace insider and great historian, stated categorically that Ezechime, when he came to Benin had mystical powers which were useful to the Oba.
He became friendly to the Oba and was given the title of Iyase which automatically changed his name from Chima to Eze Chima and that was because you must answer some of these names to perform your duties. When they had a disagreement, he fled and had to go back to where he came from. He came back and settled around this Ogbe Ofu area and rumour had it that he has a Benin wife and so many Benin people were also in the company of those who came with him.
That was what led to the Ezechime migration and also led to the founding of other Eze Chime settlements, but the Ogboli people were there when the Ezechima and Benin people came into Issele Uku.
…but if the Ogboli migrants from Nri were already in the present Issele-Uku, why does it look like the area was first peopled by migrants from Benin?
Well, the area appears to be more peopled by migrants from Benin because the migration of Benin was stronger, the migration of Benin was more continuous, deliberate and ordered. To buttress this further was the 1730 historical incident when the Oba Ediai was installed in Issele-Uku by the Oba of Benin by force. Benin installed a ruler in Issele-Uku by force in 1730 and from that time, Benin began to see Issele-Uku as a true and authentic outpost in the foremost extremities of the Benin Kingdom.
Were there succession disputes within this period under discussion?
Well, the issue of succession among the children of Ezechime over who would take over after the death of Ezechime was resolved by Oba Esigie in favour of Oligbo. Oligbo became the first Client-King of Benin Kingdom in Issele-Uku.
Was it really Oligbo or Uwadie who was the first king of Issele-Uku?
Yes, other historians claim it was Uwadiae, but there is little or no records to support this claim. Uwadiae never ruled over Ogboli community. If there is any figure like that he may have been leader over the early Benin family, community or settlement in Issele Uku. There are very clear records that shows that Oligbo was the first king that Benin installed in the area as ruler over all Issele Uku.
Shouldn’t one wonder why Benin established its monarchical system in a society already in existence and thriving?
The whole essence of establishing the Benin kind of monarchy in Issele-Uku was to establish the Benin strict kind of monarchy but to a large extent, I don’t think that this was achieved even with Obi Oligbo because there was still so much of the republican way of life. This republican way of life came with the migrants from Nri who had been in the area before the Benin migrants came.
Sir, why are there not too many attempts in documenting the history of your people?
Why there are not too many attempts to document the history of our people is still part of the problem of the black man. Somebody said if you want to hide something from a black man, you put in a book. These days, people don’t want to read particularly when the internet or social media is there and people Google and read what they want to read or listen to anything.
Is there any implication of Benin monarchical system on the Issele-Uku society at the time?
Looking at the Benin dominance as you make it seem here, are there any historical gains for Enwei and his Ogboli people in this new political arrangement? Pastor Azomani, please answer this question in all sincerity.
There is a reason why the Ogboli people are the people who crown the Obi. Until the Onishe crowns the Obi, he cannot become the Obi. Who does that? It is the Ogboli people in Issele-Uku and there is a reason why it is done. There is also a reason in Enuani, we say “Onihea ka Eze” or “Onishe ka Eze” (Onishe is greater than the King). Even though some funny people try to distort it to “Onishe na eke Eze.” All these are accolades and ways of acknowledging the importance of the Onishe title. The Onishe or his descendants cannot hold the tray for the Obi to break the kola nut.
How was growing up for you?
Yeah! Growing up was a very wonderful experience and thank God for the kind of parents I had. My father was a strict disciplinarian, a man who paid so much attention to details. He was a no nonsense man and non-compromising and until he transited in 2018, he was a disciplinarian to the core. Once he believed in a cause, he followed it to the end. He raised us by the hand, and strict rules and I thank God for that kind of training he gave us.
Any regrets in life?
Yeah! Do I really have any regret in life? No, I am happy about the family I am born into. I am happy about the parents I have. I am happy about the siblings I have. I am happy to belong to the Ogboli community in Issele-Uku. Yes, if there is any regret, that is about not becoming a lawyer early enough. Being a lawyer was a natural calling and that was what I would have done instead of going into the sciences but more importantly, I still became a lawyer much later in life and I am almost going to be a PhD holder in couple of months and as the grace of God leads. I am happy serving the Lord as a Minister in his house and that is the greatest thing anyone would wish for. So, do I have any regret?
