₦airaland Forum

Always going out to acquire,
and coming back with asambodo, certificates.

From Ojoto to Umuoji, BHS,
back to Ojoto.

From Ojoto all the way to Ibadan, U.I,
back to Ojoto.

From Ojoto to Osun State, NYSC,
back to Ojoto.

From Ojoto to Enugu, UNEC,
back to Ojoto.

From Ojoto to Nsukka, UNN,
back to Ojoto.

From Ojoto to Umudike, MOUAU,
to and fro.

Ojoto up, Ojoto left, down and right.
Ojoto, my Ojoto. Oh, Ojoto.

What maketh your son
patriotic,
illustrious,
Money?
Wealth?
Riches?
Might?
Sword? or
Pen, that is mightier..?

- Tony Cemaluk Egbuonu
Published on PoemHunter: https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/every-road-led-out-every-road-led-back/

#Ojoto #Nigeria #Patriotism

Soli Gloria Deo

LEGACY UPDATE

Google now recognizes our Ojoto lineage:
"Chief Ezemalukwuo Onwurah Nwoye Egbuonu (1933–1974)
Late patriarch of the Cemaluk family
FROM OJOTO IN IDEMILI SOUTH LGA, ANAMBRA STATE, NIGERIA"

His son: Tony Cemaluk Egbuonu
"Lecturer/Researcher at MOUAU, Nutrition & Toxicological Biochemist,
and Prolific Poet"

Without lab coat. Without grant.
With only pen, truth, and legacy.
I DEY KAMPE!

From Ojoto to the world. The throne continues.

Read my poems here:
https://www.poemhunter.com/tony-cemaluk-egbuonu/

#NigerianPoet #PoemHunter #Ojoto #Anambra #Legacy #CemalukFamily

Soli Gloria Deo

LEGACY UPDATE

Google now recognizes our Ojoto lineage:
"Chief Ezemalukwuo Nwoye Egbuonu (1933–1974)
Late patriarch of the Cemaluk family
FROM OJOTO IN IDEMILI SOUTH LGA, ANAMBRA STATE, NIGERIA"

His son: Tony Cemaluk Egbuonu
"Researcher, Nutrition & Toxicological Biochemist,
and Prolific Poet"

Without lab coat. Without grant.
With only pen, truth, and legacy.
I DEY KAMPE!

From Ojoto to the world. The throne continues.

Read my poems here:
https://www.poemhunter.com/tony-cemaluk-egbuonu/

#NigerianPoet #PoemHunter #Ojoto #Anambra #Legacy #CemalukFamilyl

Soli Gloria Deo

UNCOMMON FEAT: GOD DID IT!

Today on PoemHunter.com Nigeria:
HOT POEMS - TOP 3 = ALL MINE
1. When The 'Enlightened' Become The Savages - #1
2. Almighty Atom - #2
3. The Name We Carry - #3

PLUS: Featured as POPULAR POET

From Ojoto to the world. From silence to voice.
If words can speak truth to power, then let them.

Read all my poems here:
https://www.poemhunter.com/tony-cemaluk-egbuonu/

Thank you for every read, every share. More loading.
Soli Gloria Deo
#NigerianPoet #PoemHunter #PopularPoet #HotPoems

Good evening Nairalanders,

I recently published this poem on Poemhunter and I would love your thoughts.

It's a reflection on change, values, and leadership over time.

---

When The 'enlightened' Become The Savages

Marks of Savages

Florence stopped one: the killing of twins.
Others persisted but fizzled out with time,
not with huge sacrifice as Nightingale,
just mere mass enlightenment.

Among the savage acts that stopped
was the burial of powerful kings with many fresh heads.

Ivory tower, home of enlightenment,
with supposedly enlightened occupants,
should not have any vestige of savagery
except occupants that refused to inspire or be inspired,
update or be updated,
teach or be taught,
impart or be imparted.

Death, a natural phenomenon,
comes at the end of one's life, career, sojourn.

Disturbing.
Modern savagery:
a full-circled occupant of ivory tower
plotting to pack out with pure-minded heads,
the primus inter pares, first among equals,
best among the best, beautiful brides.

Germans call such infamida,
Igbo call it alu,
Scripture calls it sacrilege,
and anything worse
than societal gross misconduct.

---

Read more poems on my profile: https://www.poemhunter.com/tony-cemaluk-egbuonu/

What are your thoughts on the poem?

Tony Cemaluk Egbuonu
Soli Gloria Deo

OP: Thank you all for stopping by to read.

This poem is for my father, Chief Ezemalukwuo Onwurah Nwoye Egbuonu (1933-1974) of Ojoto, Idemili South, Anambra State.

Onwurah = "Death, leave me alone"
Nwoye = "Nwa Oye" - male child born on Oye market day

He was a merchant returning from Lafia through Onitsha to Ojoto, and a man who stood for justice.

I am Anthony, son of Onwurah Nwoye Malukwuo.

Question for Ndi Igbo: What is the story behind your father's name?l

Thank you all for reading.
This is for my father, Chief Ezemalukwuo Onwurah Nwoye Egbuonu of Ojoto, Anambra 1933-1974.
"Onwurah" = Death, leave me alone.
"Nwoye" = Nwa Oye, male child born on Oye market day.
I am Anthony Cemaluk, son of Onwurah Nwoye Malukwuo.

Background: This poem honors my father, Chief Ezemalukwuo Onwurah Nwoye Egbuonu (1933-1974) of Ojoto, Anambra State.
Onwurah = "Death, leave me alone". Nwoye = Nwa Oye, male child born on Oye market day.
He was a merchant from Ojoto and advocate for justice. I am his son.

ONWURAH NWOYE MALUKWUO: DEATH LEAVE NWOYE MALUKWUO ALONE

My Father. My Root. My Crown.

In Ojoto, they say: "Nwa aNwoye Malukwuo bia, come"

Onwurah - the name his parents gave.
"Death, leave me alone"
Born to fight. Born to stay.

Nwoye - Nwa Oye.
Male child born on Oye market day.
The day he entered the world,
the world entered justice.

Before the chieftaincy cap,
before Ezemalukwuo,
there was ONWURAH NWOYE
in the stall, back from Onitsha.

Stall open to all.
Heart closed to injustice.
He feared no lion, yet...

Now I sign my name with pride:
Anthony, son of Onwurah Nwoye
Anthony, nwa Onwurah Nwoye Malukwuo

Because a son carries the fond name.
The true name.
The name that fits like agbada.

I am the throne beside the throne.
Because ONWURAH NWOYE MALUKWUO raised me.
*Tony Cemaluk Egbuonu

Read full on PoemHunter: https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/onwurah-nwoye-malukwuo-death-leave-nwoye-malukwuo-alone/

#Igbo #Ojoto #Anambra #Legacy #AfricanPoetry

EZE MALU KWUO: KING OVER TRUTH

They called him EzeMaluKwuo.
Not because he wore a crown,
but because he was king over truth.

He taught us:
"If the palace speaks justice and respect — I say 'Eziokwu'.
If it lies and oppresses — I say 'Mba'."

That was my father.
Chief EzeMalukwuo Onwurah Nwoye Egbuonu.
Merchant, but trader in principles.
Stall open to all. Heart closed to injustice.

He feared no lion,
yet could correct a rascal with just his name on my face.
"Nnaa putaba na ogu adighi ebe aga anu ya"
Calm down, son. That fight is not where you will fight it.

EzeMaluKwuo is not just a title.
It is a checkmate. A philosophy.
Comfort for the oppressed. Fear for the corrupt.

It means: A king is only king
when truth sits beside him.
And my father made sure truth had a seat.

Thank you for reading.

Ezemalu-kwuo was my father’s name and his covenant:
"When the king speaks truth, justice and respect — I agree.
When it is lies and injustice — I refuse."

He was a merchant in Onitsha, a father, and the conscience of his town (1933-1974).

I wrote this to document what the name truly means.
Feel free to ask me anything about the Igbo proverbs or Igbafe Ngwulu in the poem.

EzeMaluKwuo: The Throne Beside The Throne
For Chief EzeMalukwuo Nwoye Egbuonu (1933-1974)

They did not call him king.
They called him EzeMaluKwuo.
And that was heavier than any crown.

Eze MaluKwuo — when the King speaks,
let us weigh it first, then I will answer.

That was the law he lived.
Not in palace, but in market.
Not with scepter, but with truth.

Chief EzeMalukwuo Nwoye Egbuonu.
Merchant of Onitsha, when Lafia closed.
Patriarch of home.
Conscience of the kindred, the town, everywhere.

He stood against disrespect.
He stood against injustice.
He stood against gang-ups,
against avarice, against victimization,
against usurpation.

And when power came with sweet lies,
he would fold his arms and say:
"Mba. This is not how it should be.
This is not how we do it here."

But when justice spoke,
even in a whisper,
he would stand and say:
"Eziokwu. This is the way."

In his stall he taught us proverbs,
calm voice, steady hands:
"Nnaa putaba na ogu adighi ebe aga anu ya"
Calm down. That fight is not where you will fight it.
Pick your battle. Keep your name.

He was a good man.
So good that strangers on the road
would stop his son and correct him,
just by seeing his father's face on me.
"A good name, like a gold fish, has no hiding place."

He was unafraid of even lion,
yet soft enough to give gap to woman folk,
to shelter the weak,
to check the strong.

When he answered the final call,
the compound refused to close.
At six, I walked in,
put on his full regalia,
and did Igbafe Ngwulu.
I took the compound.
I took the name.
I took the weight.

Today I know what EzeMaluKwuo means.
It means comfort for the oppressed.
It means fear for the corrupt.
It means a king is only king
when truth sits beside the throne.

And my father,
my dear dad,
was the one who pulled the chair for truth,
every single day.

EzeMaluKwuo.
The king who says "Speak True."
He lived.
He fought.
He refused.
He agreed.
And the world is better because he did.

#Ezemalukwuo #father #legacy #igbo #justice #truth #patriarch #honor #poetry #africa

Author Note:
Ezemalu-kwuo: "When the king speaks, if it is honesty, respect, justice and truth, I will agree. If not, I will refuse." This was my father's covenant with his community.