WRITTEN BY OBINNA CHUKWUMA
Born sixty-eight years ago, Chief Joe-Billy Ekwunife was the second male child of late Mr. Josephat Ubandu and Mrs. Rosaline Agbomma Ekwunife of Irueze, Mgbago Ezi-Abba. He had his early education at Saint Paul’s primary school, now community primary school Abba, where his father was the catechist and headmaster. The young Billy gained admission into the prestigious Christ the King College, CKC, Onitsha in 1964.
Though Ochendo was not the first son (diokpala) of the family, providence bestowed on him the role. The first male child, late Professor Reverend Father Anthony Ekwunife took to priesthood. Ochendo took up the challenges of leading the family after the death of his father in 1973
Upon graduation from high school, Ochendo joined the banking industry, cutting his milk teeth in the industry at former Standard Bank of Nigeria, now First Bank Plc, Aba branch. He shared his meager salary as a junior staff between catering for the family and saving for his education and finally sent himself to the United States of America in 1976.
Chief Joe Billy graduated with a Bachelor’s degree and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Banking and Finance from the University of Tennessee, Nashville. Returning to Nigeria in 1981, he rejoined the banking industry and became the pioneer General Manager, pioneer Chief Credit Officer and Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Fidelity Bank Plc. He was later appointed MD/CEO of Ivory Merchant Bank Ltd. In his days in the bank, Ochendo helped many young people.
Through a dint of hard work, Chief Joe Billy became widely successful and reached the pinnacle of his profession in the banking industry. He was a Certified Public Accountant; Fellow, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria; member, Nigerian Institute of Management; a licensed stock broker and a pioneer member of American Masters of Business Administration of Nigeria. He attended several executive management courses; notably at Manchester Business School, UK, and Harvard Business School, USA. He was in 2014 appointed by Governor Obiano as the pioneer Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, ANSIPPA, an establishment that attracted many foreign direct investments worth to Anambra state. He was the National President of CKC old Boys’ Association worldwide.
Chief Joe Billy touched so many lives, especially in his town, Abba. At the last count, fifty pupils of the Saint Paul’s Nursery/Primary school and thirty students of Community Secondary School, Abba are on Ochendo’s scholarship with many more in various institutions of higher learning, while so many of the poor are dependent on him for their livelihood.
The philanthropic story of the late Ogbunechendo Abba is one that will continue to be told years after as he meant so many things to so many classes of people- to widows, a husband; to the fatherless, a father; to the poor, a silver lining in the sky; to politicians, the game changer; to his age grade-Udoka, a rallying point; the catholic church, a pillar of support and Abba community, OGBUNECHENDO. Little wonder he was inaugurated into Abba Royal Cabinet and conferred with the title in 1995. He was a member of the prestigious Nze n’ozo Society.
Ochendo Abba was a brain behind the resolution of the over a decade old chieftaincy tussle that bedeviled his community and helped to resolve the tussle over the president-general position. His death in USA in July following a brief illness can only be likened to the proverbial Iroko tree whose fall has scattered the birds and Abba mourns this great loss.
Tomorrow, all roads will lead to Abba as relatives, friends, associates, contemporaries and well wishers converge on the ancient city to pay their last respect to the man of the people who lived for others. Chief Joe Billy is survived by his widow, Lolo Stella Nnenna, five children, brothers, sisters and a host of other relations. May his gentle soul rest in peace, Amen

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