Igwe Godson Ogbunanwa Ezechukwu, OON, KSP, JP is the traditional ruler of Umuchu Community. He is the paramount ruler in

Umuchu Umuchu is one of the largest towns in Aguata local government area of Anambra State, Nigeria. Umuchu lies near the state border between Anambra and Imo States. It is connected by road to Umunze in the east and Igbo-Ukwu in the northwest. It is ho ...

, an

Igbo Igbo may refer to: * Igbo people, an ethnic group of Nigeria * Igbo language, their language * anything related to Igboland, a cultural region in Nigeria See also * Ibo (disambiguation) * Igbo mythology * Igbo music * Igbo art * * Igbo-Ukwu, a t ...

town in

Aguata Aguata is a Local Government Area in Anambra State in Nigeria, with its headquarters in Aguata (location of the headquarters office buildings), a major part of which falls into Aguluezechukwu, while the smallest part falls within the commercial ...

local government area,

Anambra Anambra State is a Nigerian state, located in the southeastern region of the country. The state was created on August 27, 1991. Anambra state is bounded by Delta State to the west, Imo State to the south, Enugu State to the east and Kogi Stat ...

, Nigeria.

Early life

Igwe Ezechukwu, was born before 1929 at Umuchu, in the present day

Anambra State Anambra State is a Nigerian state, located in the southeastern region of the country. The state was created on August 27, 1991. Anambra state is bounded by Delta State to the west, Imo State to the south, Enugu State to the east and Kogi State ...

of Nigeria. To Akanonu Ezekwueme Ezechukwu The name given to him at birth was Ogboronjo which he quickly dropped due to constant mispronunciation by his early school teachers, the other name was Ogbunanwa. He later chose the name Godson at baptism.

Education and career

In 1955, Igwe Ezechukwu entered New Bethel College

Onitsha Onitsha ( or just ''Ọ̀nị̀chà'') is a city located on the eastern bank of the Niger River, in Anambra State, Nigeria. A metropolitan city, Onitsha is known for its river port and as an economic hub for commerce, industry, and education. ...

, for a five-year secondary school career. In 1960 he applied to the university of Nigeria, Nsukka and was accepted as a foundation student. Thus becoming one of the first scholars of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka which was officially opened on 7 October 1960 by Princess Alexandra of Kent on behalf of Queen

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...

. Upon graduation from the university in 1963, he immediately joined the federal civil service in the same year. He was later appointed as the special assistant of

Raymond Njoku Raymond Amanze Njoku (August 1915 – 1977) was a Nigerian politician and former minister for Transport. The son of an Igbo Chief, he was born in Owerri and raised in a Roman Catholic household. He attended Our Lady's School at Emekuku, for prima ...

, MP. His career at the Nigerian federal civil service was however disrupted by the first military coup on 15 January 1966 and by the

civil war A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

which followed shortly after. In

Biafra Biafra, officially the Republic of Biafra, was a partially recognised secessionist state in West Africa that declared independence from Nigeria and existed from 1967 until 1970. Its territory consisted of the predominantly Igbo-populated form ...

, during the Nigerian civil war, he acted as the treasurer of the armed forces entertainment fund ( a fund crested to receive voluntary contribution from individuals and organizations to support the war effort), was the chairman of the Awka provincial Directorate of Information, he was also appointed a member of the provincial refugees committee to oversee the welfare of displaced refugees. At the end of the civil war, he rejoined the civil service, and was posted to Nsukka to work in the East-Central State civil service. In 1972, he was awarded the British Government Scholarship to pursue a Post-Graduate course in Journalism and Government at the

University of Wales, Cardiff , latin_name = , image_name = Shield of the University of Cardiff.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms of Cardiff University , motto = cy, Gwirionedd, Undod a Chytgord , mottoeng = Truth, Unity and Concord , established = 1 ...

. Upon returning to Nigeria in 1973, he was reposted to the ministry of information where he climbed swiftly through the civil service ladder and reached the pinnacle of his career as chief information officer and briefly, acting permanent secretary of the ministry in 1980. He voluntarily retired from the Nigerian civil service in 1981 and became a businessman.

Achievements

In 1986, he became a cabinet chief of his town and was given the title Okwuloha I of Umuchu At the death of Igwe I.O.Ofobuike MFR, and after his last Ofala, the Umuchu Community, in May 2003 unanimously crowned Chief Godson O Ezechukwu KSJ, JP, the Second Paramount Igwe Umuchu with the title Okwuloha 1 Umuchu. He was conferred with the national honour of Officer Order of the Niger (OON) by the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in 2011. Joining the late Igwe Ofobuike as the only national honour holder in Aguata Local Government area.

References

{{authority control Nigerian traditional rulers Igbo monarchs People from Anambra State