Peter Obi’s ascendancy on the political scene for the 2023 elections seems to have awakened Nigerian youths politically, and many can now see through him, some aspects of the important role played by NdIgbo in the enterprise of Nigeria. According to the official results, and court declarations, he did not win, yet he has achieved something significant in reawakening national consciousness. That means that Ndigbo can raise their heads high, reasonably, and be proud, again reasonably, in who they are. This, then, is the time to remind ourselves of who we were, who we are, and who we can be again. The future may be better than the days of Dr M. I. Okpara, Dr Akanu Ibiam and Chief Sam Mbakwe. Get going with the stories of these and other Igbo heroes in Ndigbo Heroes, who are presented here.
Who are these heroes?
The heroes presented here are people of Igbo ancestry who:
- Are no longer alive.
- Were not just prominent in their time or their line of work but contributed something significant and of lasting value to corporate Igbo society.
- had achievements that can be objectively assessed.
- had achievements that have outlived them.
Of course, despite all efforts at objectivity, the choice of what is ‘significant’ is still the author’s and for that reason his personal evaluation comes into the selection. Thus, this collection does not claim infallibility or completeness. It seems to me better to make a start in acknowledging our heritage, than to wait until we have researched and documented it all or dotted off all the ‘i’s and crossed all the ‘t’s. We can always build on, or add to, what we have, no matter how modest or small the beginning. It is in that spirit that this collection is presented. The hope is that in reviewing these heroes, Ndigbo may perhaps learn to play from their strengths, instead of always playing from their weaknesses.
SHOUT OUT FOR “ND’IGBO HEROES”
From the Forward:
This is a very impressive documentation of Igbo history, through the profiles of Igbo great men and women. We must congratulate the author, who is in fact a medical practitioner. He had time to delve into another discipline and came out with this impressive work. We thank the author for a job well done. His book is highly commended and should be read.
Professor Elo Amucheazi.
Vice President, Alaigbo Development Foundation, ADF
Emeritus Professor of Political Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka
Past Chancellor Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Anambra State
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The author hopes that this book will help Igbos “recapture their uniqueness”. I understand him to be using these heroes and landmark events to sketch Igbo characteristics in sharp enough details to assist people of Igbo ancestry to internalize desired qualities more easily. Igbo identity is, predominantly, an existential fact and, in the Nigerian context, dominates the public persona. This public persona is easily available but is subject to distortion by “detractors or denigraders” who often have other competing motives. This book not only provides an easily available module (print/electronic) that enables the Igbos know themselves better and better tell their own story instead of leaving it to self-aggrandizing exaggeration and deliberate distortion which are vicissitudes of oral history. Write it down, people! Write it down!
Professor Sunday Ilechukwu,
Professor of Psychiatry, USA
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Nd’Igbo Heroes is a thoughtful documentation of Igbo people. It’s an excellent writing of scholarship, professionalism, leadership, and entrepreneurship of a people who more than any recognised ethnic group of Nigeria, live, work and brought development to all corners of this vast country called Nigeria. Nd’Igbo Heroes is a fountain of knowledge for anyone who wants to understand Ndi Igbo.. a determined and intelligent ethnic group in Nigeria. It’s highly recommended.
Ichie Dr Alfred Chigbo Okonkwo MB BS, FRCS FWACS FICS
Retired Orthopaedic Surgeon, UK
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I have read this book thoroughly and enjoyed it. The author has done an excellent job of writing an interesting book that will keep readers engaged from beginning to end especially now that the contemporary world is becoming interested in knowing more about the ingenuity of Igbo Race. The book is well written with memorable characters. I enjoyed this book particularly “Ebo (Igbo) landing on the coast of Georgia, Southern USA in 1803 (p320), where Igbos chose death over slavery. The Black Panther film series pays tribute to this show of resistance. It is a great gift to those who have bought this book, to those who will buy it, and to future Igbo generations and friends. I therefore urge everyone to buy the book and tap into the advanced knowledge of the writer.
Chief Anthony Agwagah
President, Igbo Community in Dorset (ICD) UK. (2023)
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This is an elegantly written and researched book on “selected Heroes” of Igboland in south-eastern Nigeria; the Igbos being made up of people bound together in similarity of their language, customs, and beliefs. The author had gone as far back as nearly three hundred years ago to identify Igbo heroes and heroines dating back from prehistoric time, including the unknown king of Igboukwu, through the abominable period of slave trade, the colonization by the British, and the struggle for Nigerian independence.
The role of many Igbo men and women involved in the agitation for Nigerian independence notably Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Zik, is chronicled, as well as the ingenious and innovative efforts of many workers who together enabled the young Republic of Biafra to survive three years of blockade including a brutal war. The author encapsulates all these Igbo heroes in this book; and goes the extra mile to include references for the benefit of readers interested enough to delve deeper into the matters covered.
Engr Aloy O Onuegbu,
Former Chairman, Nnewi Community Association, UK.
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Heroes can rarely predict the hazardous nature of their life journey. Often, they are inescapably thrust into the quagmire, as in the case of King Jaja of Opobo. But, even when they willingly seek the challenges from the outset, like President Nnamdi Azikiwe, they cannot foresee or preplan for the potential obstacles that loom. And yet by dint of tenacity, they evolve through the crucible and create ideals that are compelling and exemplary. That is what sets them apart.
The author has melded his love for writing and politics with a well-researched intellectual precision. The result is a must-read book that portrays the history of an era by documenting the lives of the finest selection of Igbo heroes. This volume is an instructive reading for anyone who is keen on the hero’s journey. Brilliant and succinct, these accounts transcend the Igbo tribe. The vignettes are as pertinent as the classical Greek and Roman literature that guided the thinking of the Western world. You do not have to be an Igbo person to benefit from the lessons learned through the transformative lives of these heroes. Nd’Igbo Heroes has captured the essence of those lessons in amazing fashion.
Carey Andrew-Jaja, MD, FACOG
Retired Professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.