(A Short POEM Summation Inspired by Our Father)

“You got it from your father; it was all he had to give,

So it’s yours to use and cherish, for as long as you may live.

If you lose the watch he gave you, it can always be replaced.

But a black mark on your name, Son can never be erased.

It was clean the day you took it, and a worthy name to bear.

When he got it from his father, there was no dishonor there.

So make sure you guard it wisely, after all is said and done.

You’ll be glad the name is spotless, when you give it to your Son.”

As a family we leave you with these words as you go back to your respective homes:

In talking to God

No breath is lost

In walking with God

No strength is lost

In waiting for God

No time is lost

In trusting God

You and we as a people will never be lost.

Elder (Mrs.) Kalaria Uba Obasi                               Wife

Mr. Ekeagbara Obasi (Aku)                                      Son

Barrister Dr. Agbai Obasi                                          Son

Mr. Ukaku Obasi (CPA)                                               Son

Mr. Obasi Obasi                                                           Son

Mr. Ndukwo Obasi                                                      Son

Elder Engr. Uba Obasi                                                Son

Mr. Ibe Obasi                                                                Son

Engr. Ina Obasi                                                             Son

Pastor (Mrs.) Effiem Otah                                         Daughter

Dr. (Mrs.) Effiem Jackson Abbah                           Daughter

Mrs. Patience Chuku                                                 Daughter

Mrs. Furo Fabunmi                                                    Daughter

Mrs. Enyidiya Chukwu                                             Daughter

Mr. Agbai Ibe Otah                                                    Son-in-law

Barrister Jackson A.  Abbah                                   Son-in-law

Mr. Achebe Chuku                                                    Son-in-law

Mr. Tolu Fabunmi                                                      Son-in-law

Mr. Ifegwu Chukwu                                                   Son-in-law

Mrs. Norah E. Obasi                                                  Daughter-in-law

Mrs. Chinyere A. Obasi                                             Daughter-in-law

Mrs. Vicky U. Obasi                                                    Daughter-in-law

Mrs. Carmen O. Obasi                                                Daughter-in-law

Mrs. Jessie N. Obasi                                                    Daughter-in-law

Mrs. Comfort U. Obasi                                                Daughter-in-law

Mrs. Ozioma I. Obasi                                                   Daughter-in-law

Mrs. Ifeoma I.  Obasi                                                   Daughter-in-law

Mrs. Ihudiya Ogo Egbeogu                                       Sister

Mrs. Ijeoma Agbai                                                        Sister

36 Grandchildren and 8 Great Grandchildren.  And a host of cousins, nephews, nieces, and relatives.

Chief Uba Obasi, was certainly a man of many parts, and he played all of these with equal passion and commitments. He was a man of peace and foresight, an intrepid business man of International repute and credibility; a philanthropist with a heart of Gold; a debonair gentle man, a loving husband and friend; a venerable patriarch of the Nnem Egbichi Oken kindred; an accomplished community leader and a proud son of Abiriba Kingdom.

The biblical saying “The Greatest among you will be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Matt 23: 11-12) exemplified the life and times of Hon. Rtn. Chief Uba Ekeagbara Obasi on earth.

Chief Uba Ekeagbara Obasi was a perfect Gentleman, a Great Leader, a Great Man, an Honest Man, a Generous Man, a Loving Man, a Kind Man, a Family Man, a Business Mogul, a Legend, and an Icon. He was a Blessed Man by all standards and was a rare gift from GOD.

DADDY, REST IN PEACE WITH THE LORD.

As a family man, Chief Uba E. Obasi and his brother late Chief Ina E. Obasi, together popularly known as “THE OBASI BROTHERS”, shared an uncanny closeness until death parted them. For several decades both men and their families shared about everything and lived under the same roof till death. Late Chief Ina Obasi and his wife Late Tai are known as “Papa-Uku and Mama Uku (Senior Daddy and Senior Mummy, respectively), while Chief Uba Obasi and wife Kalaria are known as “Papa nta and Mama Nta” (Junior Daddy and Junior Mummy respectively) by all their collective children. This was Chief Uba Obasi’s wish and he remained committed to this principle of “United Family Ideals” to the last day.

Late Chief Ina Obasi’s illustrious political career, where he made history as Port-Harcourt city’s youngest Councilor, was jointly financed by the brothers.  It is worthy of note, that Late Chief Ina  saved Chief Uba Obasi’s life during the Nigerian Civil war. Chief Uba Obasi had hurried out of his room to answer late Chief Ina Obasi’s urgent call, only  moments before  a mortar bomb fell and blew up the room Chief Uba Obasi had just left.!

It is said that behind every successful man, there is a good woman.  The same is true for Chief Uba Obasi. He was married to Kalaria on January 11th 1958. Chief Uba Obasi fulfilled his promise to support and allow her to achieve her educational aspiration after marriage. Today she is the proud holder of a Master’s Degree from the University of Ibadan. Their marriage is blessed with children and grand children.

Hon Rtn Chief Uba Ekeagbara Obasi

Ochi Oha 1 of Abiriba

NINETY-NINE

The wise man

(UBA)United Bank of /Africa/America

Onye Uku ma aba aba

Onyenta ma aba aba

Uba Odin fee?

Chief Uba Obasi was a highly acclaimed philanthropist and a member of Rotary International club. He was inducted as a “Paul Harris Fellow” (PHF) by the Rotary club of Eziukwu, Aba in 1987, in recognition of his service to humanity.

  As a philanthropist and lover of education, Chief Uba Obasi cared for the less privileged, which easily made philanthropy his ready vocation, especially in all issues about education. He spearheaded female education in his family, sponsoring brothers, sisters, nephews and nieces too numerous to mention. He equally extended this to others who came across him, and in this way has sponsored up to 150 children through primary schools, 100 through secondary schools,  78 people through the university level, 48 people through Teacher Training Colleges and 24 people through different Theological Institutes.

In 1991, Chief Uba Obasi was honored by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka for his contribution to the development of education at the University.  Chief Uba Obasi, an ambassador of education was delighted by the fact that some of the beneficiaries of his sponsorship are now accomplished intellectuals of global acclaim.

At the time he was called to rest he still had two children being sponsored in secondary schools, and one girl in Nursing Institute. By God’s Grace the family will see these remaining students through.

Chief Uba Obasi was a member and regular sponsor of the activities of various associations and charities, including the American Heart Association, the American Lungs Association, the American Diabetes Management Group, the American Cancer Association, the American Disables of Georgia, and the Alzheimer’s Association.

Chief Uba Obasi was a baptized and confirmed full member of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, and a devout communicant.  The Men’s’ Christian Association of the Parish of St Peter’s Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, Umungasi, Aba, honored him as “FATHER OF THE YEAR” in 1993. Chief Uba Obasi and his wife, Kalaria, were honored as “THE BEST COUPLE OF THE YEAR” in 1998, by the Women’s Guild of the same parish.

In the discharge of his Christian obligations, he assisted many Parishes in different capabilities, providing boreholes to ease the scarcity of water                                                                                                                                                                                                               , completing Sunday School halls, sponsoring  many Presbyterian Ministers through their various theological courses, serving as Patron for church choirs,  where he provided choir robes,  and occasionally donated  trophies to encourage Choir-Competition amongst Parishes, Presbyteries and at the Synod level. His Christian activities were a vital part of his life.

He particularly enjoyed his interaction with young Christian people and groups, and as patron of various churches bodies, especially the Boys Brigade at the Parish, State, and National levels. He remarkably sponsored the Hugh Goldie Theological Institute Aro-Chukwu to enable the institute secure its accreditation as an affiliate of Abia State University, Uturu. In June 2006, Chief Uba Obasi was given an honorary “Fellowship Degree Award” due to his immense contribution to the school as well as the sponsorship of many students through this institution.

 Chief Uba Obasi received numerous other awards from different bodies and church organizations, all in recognition and acknowledgement of his commitment and selfless service to humanity and mankind.

Chief Uba Obasi had a very active community and social life.

His leadership attributes were clearly exemplified in his leadership of the renowned Okezie Age Grade of Abiriba.  From 1950, when he was elected president at the inauguration of the Age Grade, he was returned unopposed every subsequent year until he was declared their Life-President, making him their incumbent president for 61 years running.

Under his distinguished leadership, the Okeze Age-Grade pioneered the building of modern community projects by age grades for which Abiriba is now famous. The first, the Elu-Ebe-nkwa Hall and the Okezie midwifery school were built by them and handed over to Abiriba Communal Improvement Union (ACIU).

He also served as Vice-president for the ACIU Port-Harcourt branch (1954-1959) and 2nd Vice General President, central ACIU for nine years. He was the chairman for Abiriba Erosion Committee, where he raised over 10 million naira and also got the East Central State Government to assist in eradicating Abiriba erosion menace, shortly after the civil war. He presided over the Abiriba Peace Committee, set up to resolve the endemic communal crisis in Abiriba. All these communal contributions earned him the chieftaincy title of Ochi-Oha I of Abiriba.

 He served as chairman Boards of Governors of several schools and life patron of Abiriba Red Cross for many years.  He single-handedly engaged the services of Globestar Engineering in the 1970s in constructing and tarring of Nkuma-Egba road before the recent reconstruction of the stretch of road by the State Government.

Chief Uba Obasi was a co-founder and major shareholder in Abiriba Community bank, to enhance access to economic opportunities and communal development for Abiriba people.

 Chief Uba Obasi’s social inclinations were equally unique. He was a man of class. In his youth he played soccer and tennis, and was a classical music buff and ballroom dancer par excellence. He won several ballroom dance prizes and was a Ballroom Dance Instructor and co-owner of the popular Roxy Hall Dancing Club in Port-Harcourt.

Chief Uba Obasi readily mastered the secrets of business under his hard working and shrewd trade master, Ete Nkungwu. By 1947, Chief Uba Obasi, at the age of 20 years, still living and serving as an apprentice under his trade master, was already a landlord of a 14 rooms-building at Diobu, Port-Harcourt.

That same year, his beloved mother, late Princess Effiem Ekeagbara Obasi (Nee Udeagha Nwaekiri) passed on, and he saw to it that she was given a befitting burial. To console themselves, Chief Uba Obasi and his brother, Chief Ina Obasi, adopted the song “Courage brother! Do not stumble”. This song is now one of the family songs.

As Chief Uba Obasi evolved in his business world, he developed a joint business venture with his friend Sir Felix Maduka. They imported Khaki drill, plates and stockfish. Their business partnership flourished but was disrupted by the Nigerian civil war (1966 – 1970). They remained friends to the end.

During the Nigerian civil war the Obasi Brothers family moved to Ife-Na-Owutu in Mbaise, hosted by Dr. Bethel Njoku’s family. There, the Obasi Brothers continued business, dealing in tobacco, rice, tinned fish and egg yolk imported from Gabon and Cameroun. After the civil war the Obasi Brothers family gradually settled at Aba. There, the two brothers formed “THE OBASI BROTHERS MECHANT COMPANY” by which they are best known today. They tried their hand in all sorts of legitimate businesses, and finally settled with importing cement and other building materials. This was meant to take advantage of the opportunities that emerged in the post-war building and reconstruction sector. They deployed their boys at Port-Harcourt wharf during the discharge of cement.

Today the Obasi Brothers business interests spans various aspects of Nigerian economy, from consumer products merchandising, manufacturing, oil and gas contract services and estate developments.

Chief Uba Obasi was the chairman of Effiem Estate Development Company whose primary purpose is in property investments and real estate development activities.

Chief Uba Obasi was a co-founder and director of Noli International Shipping Line a subsidiary of Med Africa Shipping Line with Italian partners, Mr. Perucchi and Mr. Volpi. The shipping line was used immensely along the West African Coast mainly by Abiriba and Eastern Nigerian businessmen during the trading boom of the 1970s and 1980s.

At the dissolution of Med African Shipping Line in 1982, Chief Uba Obasi registered Alcon Nigeria Limited in 1983 and became the chairman, with partners Mr. Primo Bianchi and Mr. Gianfranco Falcioni. Alcon Nigeria Limited with its primary focus in the oil and gas industry contract services has become a successful major player in civil construction in Nigerian oil and gas sector.

Chief Uba Obasi was a junior partner with Mr. Habib a childhood friend, in the formation of Weco Engineering Company, whose primary focus is in Electrical and Instrumentation field services in oil and gas industry operations.

In 1999, Chief Uba Obasi established Twinset Industries Limited with primary focus in consumer beverages (Quanta bottled water) after attending a Rotary International Convention where it was made known to him that “Eighty percent of the ill health in Africa is due to water borne diseases”.  

Subsequently, Chief Uba E. Obasi was the chairman of Akutrop Offshore Nigeria Limited an indigenous EPIC company dedicated to engineering, procurement, installation, and construction to provide comprehensive “Nigerian Content” based business operations in pursuit of Nigerian Local Content resources and knowledge.

His business principles were simple and based on five TENETS:

1.     Honesty
2.     Humility
3.     Hard work
4.     Discipline
5.     Capital

Chief Uba Obasi made it clear that the fifth point, capital, comes only after one has attained or applied the previous four principles. The Obasi Brothers, believed that “wealth should be built, the old fashioned way; it is to be created and earned, not stolen.” 

Chief Uba Obasi loved education immensely, though he was denied education by hisuncles during his early childhood. To redress this, while still living with his uncle as an apprentice, he registered himself at Cornedia primary school situated at Bonny Street in Port-Harcourt.  Being a determined, hardworking young boy, he took night courses at the school after each day’s hard work. He sat and passed his standard six examinations and obtained the standard six school certificate.

Gradually becoming a self-made man with a wish to further his education, he registered for correspondence courses with Clough & Normal College, London and took various courses and examinations and obtained his junior and Senior Cambridge Certificates. In the quest for knowledge, he registered with Rapid Results Correspondence College London for his matriculation certificate. Unfortunately he could not complete the courses because of a slump in the stockfish trade in which he lost a great deal of money and was devastated. For him, this called for more focus on his business life.

Although he was already a self-made-man, Chief Uba Obasi drew a lot of inspiration from his friends and age mates like Kalu Ndafia, Agwu Anya, Okali Ukiwo Okali, Ole Ukuku, Uche Ikweghighe, Amadi Uche, to mention but a few, who spent their vacation/holidays with him at Port-Harcourt. All of these friends had the opportunity to attend formal schools and colleges in different parts of Nigeria.

That same December, Ete Nkungwu Ukuku Dike visited Chief Uba Obasi’s mother and saw him.  He ordered Ete Robert Nkata to bring Chief Uba Obasi to Port Harcourt.  So, in June 1940 Chief Uba Obasi went to Port-Harcourt, which was the dawn of a new life for him. Life in Port-Harcourt was quite different from his experience at Umuahia. There was a lot of freedom; water was fetched from public taps, there was electricity, and breakfast was not delayed.  Hot beans and stew with fried yams and plantains were routinely served. He recalled that life was wonderful!

Ete Nkungwu traded on khaki drill, D34 and D20, with G.B. Olivant and UAC stores.  Chief Uba Obasi proved himself to be a hardworking, honest, diligent, obedient and progressive young boy and was liked by his trade master and by the other boys who lived with him at 90 Victoria Street, Port-Harcourt.

Aged eight years old in 1935, his mother handed him over to his uncle, Ete Uguru Ikpoka, who took him to Umuahia. He recalled that the journey was quite a nightmare for him as a young lad, because they had to trek the 32 miles from Abiriba to Umuahia, resting in places like Alayi, Akara Isu, Uzuakoli and Umu-Ire. During the journey the older men carried him in turns on their shoulders, from time to time, yet, because of the trek, Chief Uba Obasi’ s legs were badly swollen.

At Umuahia, Chief Uba Obasi learnt a little bit about hotel business. He recalled a bitter incident when he hit his navel with the pestle while pounding pepper. As a reprimand, the bleeding was not treated; rather he was beaten for delaying the cooking. Starving a child was considered a form of discipline and tough training hence breakfast was commonly not served until about Two O’clock in the afternoon, when the passenger train from northern Nigeria came through Umuahia, en-route to Port Harcourt. If the train was late, then breakfast would be late.

There were no public taps for water supply; they had to trek long distances over rugged terrain to fetch water from Iyi-Ukwu or Iyi-Nkpuru ego.

Later his trade master switched to tailoring.  They then had to trek from Umuahia to Agba-agwu market in Uzuakoli, Orie Ntigha at Aba, and Nkwo Egwu at Umuahia, carrying heavy loads of clothing produced for sale.

In December 1939, Chief Uba Obasi went home on the traditional annual home-coming, but refused to return to Umuahia because of his tough and rough experience.

Chief Uba Obasi was a humble, obedient, diligent, hardworking, quiet and peace-loving child. He assisted his mother in her farm work and fetched water from the village stream, Usumani. He practiced fishing with his age mates and older boys like Ete Nnana Kalu of blessed memory. His childhood friends included Kalu Ndafia, Kalu Oje-Prince, Kalu Kalu Ogba, to mention but a few. They grew up at Amaogudu.

Chief Uba Obasi’ s best folk-tale was “The Race between the Tortoise and the Dog”. The moral instruction deriving from the story is, “Slow and steady wins the race”, which greatly influenced Chief Uba Obasi to be intelligent, patient and calculating in his entire endeavor.

Perhaps, because of his quiet and reserved nature, his uncles neglected to send him to school when they were sending others; hence, Chief Uba Obasi ended up as a trade apprentice (nwata-uzu) early in life.

Hon Rtn Chief Uba Ekeagbara Obasi was born on September 20th 1927 at Ndi-Ogo Compound Umuechukwu, Amaogudu Abiriba in Ohafia Local Government Area, Abia State, Nigeria.

 He was born into the family of Chief Ekeagbara Obasi of Bia- Esu family, Abiriba, the seventh descendant of Awuife; and Princess Effiem Ekeagbara Obasi of Ndi-Nnem-Egbichioken family, whose Father was Eze Udeagha-Nwakiri, a powerful and influential Eze Amaogudu. Eze Udeagha - Nwakiri reigned at the height of colonial penetration into Abiriba, and was reputed to have provided the diplomatic finesse that saved Abiriba Community from colonial invasion at that time. Thus, both parents, of blessed memory, were of royal lineage.

Chief Uba Ekeagbara Obasi was the tenth, out of eleven children of his father, and the second surviving child/son of his mother, while his late brother, Chief Ina Ekeagbara Obasi, was the first surviving son of their mother.

PRECIOUS MEMORIES

“MEMORIES OF OUR PAST DAYS MAKE UP THE FABRIC OF WHO WE ARE”. (Bill Gaither)

Days of joy: days of sadness

Days of hardship: days of achievements

Days of Temptations: days of victories

Days of want: days of surplus

Days of hard work: days of enjoyment and relaxation.

All these made up of the fabric of who Chief Uba Ekeagbara Obasi was.