BY BENJAMIN NJOKU
The name Asiegbu Ejike rings a bell in Nollywood. But unknown to many, this accomplished actor cum director who has acted in over a 100 movies was the former Personal Assistant to the late Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu at the 1994 National Constitutional Conference in Abuja.

In the event of the recent demise of his former boss and mentor, Asiegbu in this encounter with BENJAMIN NJOKU recounts his relationship with the former Biafran leader, his beliefs and why he was misunderstood.

How did you receive the news of the death of your mentor and former boss, Ojukwu?

Ejike Asiegbu, former PA to the late Biafran warlord

First and foremost, I was devastated. The news of his death came as a rude shock to me. Earlier before he finally passed on, it was rumoured that he was no more. Late Zik of Africa also suffered the same fate when it was rumoured that he had died even though he was alive then.

It was unfortunate that Ikemba eventually did not survive from the stroke. He died when many of us thought that he was recuperating and would soon return to the country. Everybody was full of expectation that my idol would return to the country, especially during the day of his birthday, which was marked on the 4th of November. He celebrated his birthday in his sickbed in London, with his family.

Ikemba was a father to me, my mentor and former boss. I’m worried and devastated not because, one, we are not unaware that death is a path that everybody must toe, but because the Igbo nation has lost one of its brightest and perhaps, very best leaders. A man who lived and sacrificed his life and happiness for the well-being of the Igbo nation. Many people described his death as the “end of an era” but I tend to disagree with them. It all depends where they are coming from.

This is because some of us who are his pupils and students have learnt a lot of things from him. We are bound to ensure that his beliefs and ideals of the common man outlive him. We also hope to continue from where he stopped; to propagate his beliefs in the collective interest of the Igbo nation.

What did it take to work with Ikemba?

For me, working with Ikemba was the best thing that ever happened to my life. I have worked with so many people in the past, but I do appreciate working with Ikemba added impetus to my growth in politics. I must acknowledge here that I learnt so much from one of my political fathers, Professor Julius Ihonvbere, former Special Adviser to former President Olusegun Obasanjo. But working with Ikemba expanded my horizon and theory as a young promising man and a leader of tomorrow. I feel happy and humbled that I had a stake with him. Working with Ikemeba had a lot of advantage which I’m not ready to share now, but would such experience put into use in future.

To work with Ikemba, you must be up and doing. There was no room for laziness, you need to be smart and always on guard, putting on your thinking cap. You must be prepared to do so many things at the same time and you are also, required to be time conscious. Even in your speech, or writing skill, you needed to be careful, because Ikemba would not take it lightly with you, if dare make a mistake. Ikemba was a man that had his ears on the ground and it only took him a second to point out your mistake.

While you are talking, he would listen attentively, and if need be, point out your mistakes and later he would confront you by saying “what kind of English was that.” If you are not quick enough to correct yourself, he would embarrass you further as he adds, “I thought you are my student.’ That was Ikemba for you.

Ikemba’s belief in the Biafran struggle

He was a man of many parts, one of the finest orators I have ever met and worked with, in my life. Ikemba was a true nationalist, he spoke fluently the three major languages of the country; Igbo, Hausa, and Yoruba. It is also understandable why he was most feared by Nigerians. He stood and caught the figure of a colossus and so many people hold the feeling that when Ikemba sneezed, Nigerian nation would shake and tremble. You give it to him all, because he had all those qualities embedded in him, judging from the way he was created by his maker.

He was also one man who never gave up his beliefs and ideas of life; whatever he believed in, he fought for; whatever he knew was right, he stood by it without any apologies to anybody. He believed in the Biafran struggle and he fought for its actualisation. He also believed in the unity of the Nigerian nation.

Some people had labelled it as an attempt to divide the country, and I don’t see it that way, because at any point in time, globally, people of the same origin must agree to disagree before they can understand themselves properly. But then, Ikemba Nnewi fought for everything about the Igbos, he fought for justice, equity and fair play in Nigeria. He believed that for Nigeria to work as a nation, there must be equality of all humans and also, there must be justice. He equally believed that what is good for the goose is also good for the gander. And that is where he was misunderstood by the people. He raised alarm that the Igbos were marginalised in the Nigerian project and it was as a result of the desire of some sections of the country to eclipse or decapitate the entire Igbo nation. I do not wish to continue, because doing so will only bring back the sad memories of the incidences of history.

Though it is painful that until his death, the government did not consider it important to confer National Honours on Ikemba, even after he was granted state pardon, and the civil war declared no victor, no vanquish by then General Gowon led military regime. If the government could resolve to give Dangote the award of GCON, why did they not equally give the same honour to Ikemba who contributed more to the unity of this country than anyone else.

How did you come to work with Ikemba?

As a child, I loved everything I read about Ikemba. I was also privileged to have been on the same Zodiac signs. We were born a special people. He was born on November 4 and my birthday falls on November 8. Zik of Africa was a scorpion and the same thing goes to Emeka Anayoku and the late Murtala Muhammed.

I want to see myself as belonging to this category of special people.

I see Ikemba as a hero of the people, he was a man I fell in love with, as a child. I read much about him, monitor and followed him throughout the civil war era. I was about 8 year old when the war broke out , while we were sojourning in the northern part of the country. I came to meet Ikemba in the 80s, when he returned to this country. I was the only Nigerian artiste that performed at his reception held at the National Arts Theatre, Iganmu.

Then, I was an undergraduate at the University of Port-Harcourt. During that performance, I took a dramatic trip into the historic ‘Aburi accord” . As an actor in the making then, I recited some of his war speeches to his delight and the delight of the great Nigerians that graced the reception. From that day onwards, I developed an attachment with him. He took me specially after the event and I went with me to where he was staying. I had a lot of talks with me, as he gave me his telephone numbers .

I asked him severally including why he did what he did. I knew the answers he gave to me. I bear his cause in my mind, and take humility for one to work with Ikemba. When I graduated from the university, I never knew that Ikemba was looking for me to come and work for him. Through one of my aunties, he contacted me and the rest is history.