By Emeka Esogbue
ON SATURDAY, ALL ROADS LED TO IBUSA AND THE HOST WAS OBI (EZE) ADIGWE BLACKY NWEKE.
SEE THE CITATION OF THE NEW DIOKPA OF UMUEKEA
A Brief Biography of Obi (Eze) Adigwe Blacky Nweke, the Diokpa of Isieke and Diokpa of Umuekea in Ibusa, Delta State
Obi (Eze) Adigwe Blacky Nweke is a renowned Ibusa traditionalist with the nobility status of Obiship who hails from Idumuachi in Isieke, Umuekea in Ibusa. He was born in 1926 to Obi Nweke Ajudua of Isieke, Umuekea, and Madam Osobianwu (nee Nwolisa) from Umuisagba Quarters of Ibusa in today’s Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, South-South, Nigeria.
Although Obi Nweke did not receive a formal education, over time, he has educationally embraced the impartation of facts, skills, and useful ideas through informal instruction and self-development, which ultimately gifts him uncommon accumulated knowledge.
In light of this, one may not be wrong if one describes him as a ‘traditional philosopher’ and a lover of wisdom who acts calmly and always wants a positive societal change for the good of mankind.
As a notable indigene of the community, Obi Adigwe Nweke has been able to put his communal resource capacity together for the indigenous importance of his Ibusa community and her people. Thus, Obi Nweke, in the belief of many, remains a reliable traditional hand in his Ibusa community, often relied on to further the driving wheel of Ibusa as a well-run society.
It is in this regard that he continues to contribute to the socio-cultural development of the community. As a progressive, pacifist, and successful conflict solver, Obi Adigwe Nweke’s efforts have also helped to guarantee peace among indigenes, not only in his immediate Isieke ancestral abode but the Ibusa community as a whole and Anioma by extension.
Being a renowned traditional leader, Obi (Eze) Adigwe is seen as a respected positive influencer of decisions whose firmness of convictions and judgments have creatively and architecturally founded and remodeled the Ibusa destiny to modernity.
In 2001, he took up Obiship or Ezeship of the community with the customary traditional greeting of Igwe, which is the highest status in the community’s traditional strata as well as Asaba and Okpanam, two sisterly communities. The Obiship distinctively conferred what has come to define nobility on him.
Asked how he would love to be remembered by the community he served so well in various capacities, Obi Nweke responded that he would love to be remembered for what his father was remembered for; truthfulness and a good attitude.
Obi is a Founding Member of Otu Aguba of Ibusa, a dance group held in high esteem as far as other communities of Anioma. He is also a Patron of a host of other associations and social clubs that include Ikpoho Oliofe Social Club, Ezidi Bu Ndu Women Social Club, and many more.
He is today a fulfilled indigene of Ibusa, having led a satisfied life in which his children and grandchildren are successful in their endeavours, contributing their own quotas to global developments as the Nweke, Ibusa, and Anioma Ambassadors.
Obi Nweke has received several awards and honours within and outside the Ibusa community and is also recognizably published as one of the greatest living Ibusa influencers of his era by Pen Master Media Services, among other recognitions.
Nature has constantly smiled at him. In 2021, he became divinely gifted with the Isieke Diokpaship, and today, July 8, 2023, he is receiving his Ofor as the Diokpa of Umuekea in Ibusa, Delta State.
We pray for long life for him to enable him to contribute more to the social development of the Ibusa community.
May the Almighty God bless our father and Diokpa, the Diokpa of Isieke and Diokpa of Umuekea, Obi (Eze) Adigwe Blacky Nweke.
