It was Zig Ziglar who said “You don’t have to be great to start but you have to start to be great”, so it was for Ogbuefi Nze Joseph Chukwuewena Maduekwe popularly known as “Joe Maduekwe”. He was born on an afor day in 1930 to the family of Late Okeke and Nna-anu Maduekwe in Ndiabor village, Ojoto in Idemili South Local Government area of Anambra state. He was married and had nine children.
Ogbuefi Maduekwe finished primary school in 1949 in Oba before joining his uncle, the Late Nathaniel Molokwu in Sapele, present day Delta state as a store keeper because there was no one to sponsor him to secondary school. While as an apprentice with his uncle, he wrote his first book called “OMEKAM” in 1950. After completing his apprenticeship, he went into business but the zeal and desire for academics pushed him to apply for a position as a pupil teacher. He taught in many primary schools within and around the present day Abia and Rivers states from 1961 to 1966. He had his teacher training at various times at Teachers’ College, Nsulu, St. John’s College, Diobu, Port Harcourt, St. Andrew’s College, Nnewi and Alvan Ikoku College of Education, Owerri.
Ogbuefi Maduekwe continued his teaching after the war until 1977 when he joined Anambra Broadcasting Corporation, Enugu having risen to the post of headmaster. As a teacher, some of his students included the former Governor of Imo State and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha and a former Federal Lawmaker, Precious Ngalele.
Ogbuefi Maduekwe was a prolific writer, veteran broadcaster, radio and television producer and actor. Some of his books included “Dinta”, “Uru Nwa” and “Nka Okwu”. In 1985, his poem entry for the book “AKPA UCHE” won first prize in Igbo poetry while another of his book “OKIRI 1” won first prize in Obafemi Awolowo University book show. He interviewed Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe in 1970 and his Igbo series drama ‘Ofia na-aso Nkata’ on ABS Onitsha was of popular acclaim those days.
He was the Publicity Secretary of the Society for Promotion of Igbo Language and Culture, SPILC, where he worked with Late Dr F. C. Ogbalu, Late Tony Ubesie and others to develop guidelines for the promotion of Igbo language and culture which included developing, growing and preserving Igbo parts of speech, idioms, and figures of speech to contemporary standards. He was instrumental to organising many seminars, symposiums, and trainings for Igbo teachers, scholars and lovers of the language. He was also an examiner for the West African Examination Council (WAEC) for Igbo language for many years.
In his hometown, Ojoto, he contributed immensely to the development of the town. He was the secretary of the eminent sons and Okpalas of the town that selected the first traditional ruler of the town. Ogbuefi Maduekwe, subsequently, was active in the preservation of the traditional institution in the town. He was conferred with the title of Ichie Akwunyelueze. He spearheaded the building of his age grade hall in the town named Udekwe Hall. He worked in conjunction with the town union to make the Ifeadigo market a daily market and fashioned a formula that made the distribution of the shops in the market rancor free.
Ogbuefi Joe Maduekwe wrote three books about his town. It was in recognition of his contributions to his town and the nation that His Royal Highness Igwe Gerald Mbamalu, Ezeoranyelu of Ojoto conferred on him a posthumous title of Nze Edemede during his ofala on the 30th December, 2023.
As Ogbuefi Joe Maduekwe goes home to his creator, the legacies he left behind would continue to impact on the lives of the citizens of his town, Anambra state, the nation and the world at large.
His remains would be laid to rest in his ancestral home of Ojoto in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State tomorrow, Saturday, 6th January 2024 after a funeral service at St. Barnabas Anglican Church, Ojoto by 10am. The service will be presided over by the Bishop on the Niger, Right Reverend Dr Owen Nwokolo.
Nze Edemede! Ichie Akwunyelueze! Joe! Kachifoo!
Written by PHARMACIST CHIMA MADUEKWE
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