The family members of Late Mr.
Herbert Okuawuike Nnaoke along with their friends and well-wishers extoled his
qualitative lifestyle as his body was laid to rest at his compound in Ekwonna
village in Ibele Autonomous Community in Njaba Local Government Area, Imo
State-Nigeria on 29th day of July 2017.
At his graveside sermon, prelate of
the Assemblies of God, Orlu District used the occasion to remind those present
and indeed the entire mankind that celebration of death ceremonies is good as
it gives everyone opportunity to ponder over their personal lifes and check at
areas that deserve amendment hence; everyone must pass the way of transition.
The Reverend made a following
remark, “the world is growing in various endeavors, so many people are
inventing numerous things that helps livelihood, if then, if a man left all
good things he can endeavor to invent and proceed to invent deadly poison that
kills others; is such man or woman not to be counted as a mad man?” He
concluded that each man must realize that he is accountful to a higher
authority and supposed to be very careful in his undertakings.
According to the oration presented
by the family, Mr. Herbert Okuawuike Nnaoke was born on April 21st
1930 to the family of Late Nnaoke
Nwokorozor. He took his primary education at the State School Umuele-
Amazoano where he received his standard six certificate of those days.
As he could not secure teaching job
that he applied for, he travelled to Cameroon where he worked at Plantain
Plantation for two years; after which he returned and moved to Onitsha to acquire
a skill as a motorcycle automobile technician.
With this profession, he saved
enough money that enabled him to travel to Germany in 1966 for furtherance of
academic skill on automobile technician.
This great venture was frustrated
by the crises between East and Western Germany added to the hatred of the
whites against the blacks in that country. The hatred left many black people
molested, killed and repatriated.
This ugly development brought his
academic pursuit to an inconclusive end as he was forced to return back to
Nigeria even after all efforts of Christian bodies and NGO’s who stood for his
case against the East German government who tagged him as a spy fronting for
Western Germany.
He returned to Nigeria at the heat
of Nigerian/Biafran Civil war and with the acquired skill he had from Germany,
he was drafted into the war as one of the scientists that repaired the Biafran
Baby Jet as well as its maintenance before it finally grounded.
Regarding his profession, when the
Nigerian Civil war ended, he moved to Port Harcourt city where he secured job
with German company known as Leventis Motors. This opportunity did not tarry as
the company management discovered that he had a problem with their home
government and involvement in Biafra and had to terminate his appointment with
immediate effect.
In the spirit of survival, he
managed and secured a place to establish an automobile workshop for repairs of Mercedes
and other German related cars where, he trained and passed out too many
mechanical engineers in Port Harcourt and its environs. He was widely known for
the profession that government/vocational schools used to send students at his
workshop to do their Industrial Training Program.
On politics, Late Nnaoke was a
pragmatic socialite, he love survivalism or political group that is tied to such
ideology. Back home, he strongly advocated for the emancipation of Amazoana and
later Ibele Autonomous communities.
He enlisted with the Unity Party of
Nigeria (UPN) for sake of its welfarist ideology and under the party, contested
for the primary election for parliamentary seat to represent Isu constituency
in the Imo State House of Assembly in 1983, a position he was rigged out and as
a dogged person, he aligned with Mr. John Unaeze of the Nigerian Peoples Party
(NPP), that won the incumbent Late Herbert Dikcocha of National Party of
Nigeria (NPN). As they were about to work as a team, the military toppled the
civilian government. He complimented his political ambition with community
development. In 1993/94, he was one of the generous persons that borrowed out
money to the then Ibele Development Union for the completion of electricity
project in Ibele (an amount that was not refunded to him).
On social life, Mr. Herbert Nnaoke
married his beautiful wife Mrs. Catherine Herbert Nnaoke from Oru Ibele in the
year 1973 and the marriage was blessed with seven children who are all
progressing in various endeavors like their industrious father.
Religiously, Mr. Herbert was born
in a traditional religious family but grew up and embraced Christianity of
Anglican denomination. At a point of his life, he noticed of some failures in
Christianity and stood aside as a Moral Free Thinker but treasured Bible book
and focused on the way to reach the Creator, but even at that; he supported his
family’s Christian life strongly.
Many people that made contributions
at his burial graveside uphold to the fact that he was a philanthropic,
industrious and human activist.
In his own contribution, Chief
Cosmos Yahzitere Okoh-Editor of Ibele Community Blog admonished Late Mr.
Herbert as a strong advocate of peace and generosity. He said “when the need
for me to relocate to Port Harcourt arose in 1988, none of our kinsmen in the
city was interested of taking me along. When Late Herbert heard of it, he was
too happy, took me to the city, looked out for shop and secured it for me and
made my earlier days in the city to be easy-going and comfortable. He stood by
me, acted as my mentor and teacher.
Truly, he was indeed the pillar I
rested on in Port Harcourt before he came back home because of his optical
problem.
Mr. Herbert was fondly called many
names by many viewers- such names include- “Obodo-Oyibo” “Engineer” “Sheni
Africa”, “Boy o Boy” etc.
Many important persons from Ibele
and beyond graced the occasion. They include- Sir Geofrey Nwokeji (Knight of
the Anglican Communion), Chief Fidelis Durugo, Rev. Remigius Duru, Hon John
Unaeze former representative of Isu Constituency at the Imo State House of
Assembly. Others were troops of in-laws, friends and well-wishers and many
numerous to mention.
-Cosmos Yahzitere Okoh (Editor)
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