Though not much is known about the children of the late Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, even the grown ups among them may have deliberately shunned the limelight


It is ironic that not much is known about the children of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, who has remained a hero both in life and in death. This is very rare in a country where the children of the rich and famous usually refuse to walk in the shadows of their parents in business, politics, as well as the social circuit. Perhaps, the only thing about Ojukwu’s family that is in the public domain is his controversial marriage to Bianca, a union that was vehemently opposed by late Christian Onoh, her father and former governor of the old Anambra State, on the grounds that the late Ojukwu was Bianca’s godfather and much older.


But in spite of all the efforts of Onoh to stop the late Ojukwu from taking his daughter’s hand in marriage, the duo went ahead and got married. She is the late Ikemba’s third wife and the union produced three children, namely Afamefuna and Chidubem, who are twins, and Nwachukwu, the last boy. Bianca and the late Ojukwu got married in 2001.


Ojukwu’s first marriage was to Njideka Ojukwu, née Onyekwelu, from Onitsha, Anambra State. Njideka and the former warlord had three issues from the marriage, which was consummated in 1964. They are Emeka, Nmeya and Okigbo. But all of them have been keeping a low profile. The only time Emeka, Ojukwu’s first son, came to the limelight was earlier this year when he could no longer stomach the intrigues and politics being played with his father’s ill-health by some individuals who issued statements he considered untrue. Then, some members of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, had claimed at different fora that the late Ikemba “was recuperating and would soon return to the country.”


Countering such claims, the young Ojukwu explained that his father’s condition was “as bad as not being able to talk, write or in any position to communicate his thoughts to anybody.” Convinced that such statements from political associates were pregnant with political undertone, he frowned at the “conduct of a few persons who have continued to drag the name of my father into politics, especially at this most trying moment when he is not in any position to respond to what is being said or done in his name.” That was perhaps the last time he made a public statement on his father’s health condition until his death a fortnight ago.


Emeka is currently living in Abuja. He had worked with the Anambra State government before moving on to the Federal Capital Territory. But his other siblings, Nmeya and Okigbo, are resident in the United States and United Kingdom, UK respectively. Emeka’s mother, Njideka, died a few years ago.


While in exile, the late Ikemba who did not take his first wife along married his second wife, Stella, nee Onyeado. That affair was also fruitful as it resulted in the birth of Ojukwu’s second daughter, Ebele, who reportedly relocated from her base in the UK to Enugu to take care of the late warrior before he was flown to the UK for treatment. She was said to have been the one that stayed by his side all through his trying period.


For those who knew him, the late Ojukwu loved and cared for his women. He respected and valued them just as he respected and valued himself. Though record has it that he had three wives, there was never a time he lived with more than one wife. In fact, close associates said his marriage to more than one wife was actually necessitated by circumstances. But while living with each of them, he showered his love as though there was no other woman in his life. For instance, Njideka was said to have had a lot of influence on him even in the days when he led the Biafran war. Similarly, the late Ojukwu also showered so much love on Bianca to the point that she once said that it was Ojukwu, not she, that was more romantic.


With the role he played in Nigeria, especially during the war, one would have expected that the children of late Ojukwu would be prominent in political circles. But that is not so. Apparently, this may be due to the fact that most of them are not resident in the country and also because Bianca’s children are still young. It may also be that the children are apolitical.


Since his confinement in the United Kingdom, where Ojukwu was admitted on December 23, 2010, after suffering a stroke, Bianca’s voice has been the one that was heard all through, thanking the Igbo and well-wishers for their prayers which sustained him while in hospital. Besides, Bianca had been briefly appointed as the Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Diaspora Affairs.


But whether in politics or not, Bianca has made a name as Ojukwu’s wife and obviously revels in her own achievements. Before she got married, she had won the 1988 edition of the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria pageant while in her second year as a law student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu campus, Enugu State. After that, she also won Miss Africa and Miss Intercontinental pageants respectively. Having practised law briefly, Bianca decided to box in her robe and wig and delve into fashion business. She established Bianca Blend, a skin and cosmetics manufacturing company, as well as Mirabella, an interior decorating business. But as she once said, she devotes more time to Hope House Trust, her non-governmental organisation, which has set for itself the task of rehabilitating juvenile offenders.


The fact that Ojukwu’s children are not scrambling for power may have been one of the legacies left for them by their father. While his name would continue to echo, especially when the issue of the Nigerian civil war is discussed, the late Ikemba did not make a successful politician though he founded APGA. Perhaps, to avoid recording that, his children have chosen to steer clear of politics. Uwagba Ojike, a 75-year-old former headmaster from Enugwu Ukwu, Anambra State, believes that they are actually following their father’s footsteps. His words: “They may not be in politics because they may have considered it ‘dirty’ in their own judgment. So far, I think his children have chosen the right path of integrity and hard work. Those are the things I knew Ojukwu for and I believe they are good legacies for anyone to leave for his children.”

R I P.

we shall continue from where yo stopped and your legacies shall continue to live with us.