The Passage of Dike Ogu Ndigbo

Recently, the Nigerian nation and indeed, the Igbo ethnic nationality lost an illustrious son, a dogged fighter for social justice and equity. The whole world is today mourning a man widely acknowledged as an icon of immeasurable status. In the following analysis, ROMMY IGBOANUGO-IMAH looks at the life and times of Comrade Senator Uche Chukwumerije who recently died at the age of 75.

 

Perhaps, William Shakespeare had him in mind when he wrote that “When beggars die, there are no comets seen; the heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.” Today, the whole world is mourning the death of a great man, an icon, a dogged fighter, an advocate of social justice and equity, and a firm believer in the equality of men. 

Like his son wrote while announcing his death, “His life is many volumes, which can only be told with care and time, of dedication and focus, integrity and discipline, and an unbroken love for the highest ideals of our shared humanity.” It will be herculean talking about Uche Chukwumerije’s life and times in few pages of a magazine. But something must be said about a man that dedicated the larger part of his sojourn here on earth fighting for the emancipation of his people-Ndigbo.

Comrade Uche Chukwumerije lived as an avid organizer and leader of movements. And that was why as far back as 1960, he was Founder-President of the Pan-African Volunteers for Protection of Lumumba, the Congolese patriot who was betrayed and murdered by the likes of Tshombe, Kasavubu, and Joseph Mobutu, later known as Mobutu Sese Seko, etc.

His philosophy in life saw him leading various other bodies, among which are: Movement for African Union 1962 – 1965; Socialist Agit-Prop Group 1964 – 1966; Progressive Thinkers

Forum 1965 – 1966; and Christian Unity Band 1991. His socialist vision inspired him to join the Socialist Workers and Farmers Party (SWAFP), led by Dr. Otegbeye in 1961 .

At the end of the Nigeria-Biafra war in 1970(in which he played a prominent role), Uche founded Afriscope magazine, the first voice of the African continent with circulation all over Anglophone Africa.

As a professional, Chukwumerije had emerged the first journalist to interview Presidents or heads of states of all Independent African states. He in fact, was acclaimed to have spearheaded a successful media campaign for Nigeria's recognition of the regime of Dr. Augustinho Neto in war-torn Angola.  

Ostensibly, owing to his massive commitments to what he believed and cherished as a superior cause, the magazine folded up in 1983 to allow him pursue this cause. As a Marxist, he so much believed in the fight for the masses in Aminu Kano's PRP such that for three years, as PRP laboured against odds to win seats in Nigeria's two national elections, Chukwumerije rose from the post of Publicity Secretary to Secretary General.

Till death, even though he was to join Nigeria’s ruling party, the People’s Democratic Party, PDP in the fourth republic, he valued Aminu Kano and his Peoples Redemption Party, PRP as the role model for Nigeria’s political class. He was guided by an ideology that is grounded on the emancipation of the working class; he has identified himself with a class and has aspired to promote the interest of such class, so as to transform the society from bad to prosperity for social justice to prevail.

The history of contemporary Nigeria cannot be complete without mentioning the role played by Uche Chukwumerije. He remained an enigmatic figure and a prominent voice all through. He was Federal Minister of Information between 1992 and 1993. Since 2003, he has been a three-term Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In that position he has functioned in over five Senate Committees and was also a member of ECOWAS Parliament. Until his death, he was the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education.

As a politician, Senator Chukwumerije was a man who would not be deceived by dishonest political posturing and grandstanding hence, his ability to abandon any party which deviated from laid-down principles because of greed and corruption. He was not intolerant, but would not suffer fools gladly. He was resolute, but not reckless, and in all his actions, honour and principle remained the guiding beacons.