Lagos turned red with sweet smelling flowers of love as Offiong Esua flew across the Atlantic with his pretty wife, Vina, for a grand wedding. The trip from Houston was coloured with love notes well delivered in multifarious cultures.

Esua is Efik, full of Calabar blood. His maternal roots lie in Yoruba land, atop rock-solid Abeokuta. Wifey, a vivacious Ada of the Ameh family, hails from the Nsukka area of Igbo land. This proud Cross Riverian has United the whole of Southern Nigeria.

Talking about One Nigeria, his background will help. Offiong’s father, Chief (Dr) Eyo Esua, married Olufemi Olufunmilayo, first child and daughter of Justice Samuel Olumuyiwa Jibowu, the first Nigerian High Court Judge. Dr. Esua also served the Nigeria Army and retired as a Major.

It is to the eternal credit of the medical doctor turned officer that two Civil War heroes who were not given due recognition, were feted and made to hold hands. Dr. Esua invited the last Biafran Head of State, Gen. Philip Effiong and the first General Officer Commanding (GOC)  of the 3rd Marine Commando Division, Col. Benjamin Adekunle, to his Surulere, Lagos home.

It was the real No Victor, No vanquished party as both officers joined hands singing songs of praise with friends and guests making merry. That remains the only ceremony were Effiong and Adekunle were treated with utmost respect.

Offiong chose Lagos for another Esua organised party. This time, the crowd was huge. The wedding moved from Olowogbowo Methodist Church after conjugal blessings by Rev. Bola Oyeledun, to Lekki Event Center where Justice Adeniyi Adebajo presided.

The Bridegroom notified me of the wedding early enough from his Houston, USA abode. I began preparations in earnest. He kept sending reminders and I was filing them all. Forty Eight hours to D-Day, I embraced dry fasting to create enough space for party chops. Unfortunately, the elements knocked me out with indisposition.

If this happened early enough, I trust Esua to have used big grammar to cure my fever. He is closer to Kongi and just a few metres away from Igodomingodo, when you go into the realm of Mbadiweology.

Just go through his after wedding report for confirmation. “It was a trifecta of cultural composites : Efik, Yoruba and Igbo. The stars sequed for us in a lineal sequence on the 13th of July 2024,” he wrote. I have my dictionary handy, anyway.

Mrs Esua is his gold. “ Vina Ada Esua’s a woman for all seasons. An ardent church worker and a teacher by profession ( she is into a different job though). Also hardworking, she helps par down the bills, raising and nurturing the fruits of the union to points of distinction.”

They got married at the Justice of the Peace Court Houston in 2010. The union has produced three children. Bridget bears the name of her late maternal grannie. Offiong is named after his father. Eyo has an Igbo name, Chukwuemeka. Offiong’s first daughter, Ada Shaneen and granddaughter, Kirsten, could not make it due,  to job inhibitions.

The Esua background is loaded. Offiong’s grandfather, Chief Eyo Ita Esua, conducted the 1964 elections as Chairman Federal Electoral Commission. He was also the first Secretary General of the Nigerian Union of Teachers. However, the Esuas have stayed away from politics.

Offiong’s maternal grandfather, Justice Jibowu, was the first African to swear in a colonial Governor-General. In 1955, he presided when Sir James Robertson took the oath of office.

The family has served Nigeria, from teaching to elections and even militarily. Offiong’s elder brother, Eyo Esua (III) retired as a Colonel. He was an officer of the 123 Guards Battalion. In 1990, he served in Liberia as part of NIBATT 1.Col Esua also worked in Sierra Leone and Angola.

The Esuas were brought up to be independent. According to Offiong : “What my father and grandfather left, we expend in charitable giving. I work three places after my retirement as a Senior District Parole Officer (SDPO). I always sold real estate on the side.

“When I worked for the state as SDPO, I held a full-time night position as concierge at a Houston High rise condominium apartment flats for the wealthy cognoscenti.” Here again, I love the grammar.

Husband and wife, working hard. He told me how it all began. “We met in Calabar. She is Igbo but born and raised in Calabar. Her paternal links are Nsukka.” Vina speaks fluent Efik so there is no fear of miscommunication outside the official language.

The Esuas are connected to languages. Maternal aunt, Mrs Peters, also known as Mama Ita-Kose, pleasantly surprised Brig. Zakari Maimalari when she spoke fulfude. It was during a gathering in Lagos in the First Republic.

The Lekki reception in 2024 was a Pan-Nigerian show. Apart from family like Ada and Seyi Duggan, Justice Olawunmi Awogboro, Keppy Ekpenyong, there were Chief Ayodele Akintunde, Prince Dillis Nwokedi, Dr. Jide Rotilu, Toyin Caxron-Martins, Azubuike and Chuba Mbanefo and Oluyinka Johnson.

Other guests included Tunji Disu, Olumide Bamigboye, the Tola Johnsons, the Busola Richie Akereles, the Shobos, the Taiwos, Josephine Onah, Sylvia Nzekwu, Doyin Adedeji, Patrick Ayanbadejo and many more.