Igwe Josiah Nnaji Orizu II (1902–1962) was the

19th 19 (nineteen) is the natural number following 18 and preceding 20. It is a prime number. Mathematics 19 is the eighth prime number, and forms a sexy prime with 13, a twin prime with 17, and a cousin prime with 23. It is the third full re ...

Obi of

Otolo Otolo is a town in Nnewi North, Anambra State, Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It ...

and

Igwe Igwe (meaning ''"Sky"''), is a royal title or method of addressing traditional rulers that control autonomous communities in Igboland. In other words, Igbos approximate the term to the HRH style. An Igwe is therefore defined as a holder of a titl ...

Nnewi kingdom Nnewi is a commercial and industrial city in Anambra State, southeastern Nigeria. It is the second largest and second most populous city in the southern part of the country. Nnewi as a metropolis has one local government area, which is Nnewi Nort ...

. He took the ofo of Nnewi in 1924 after his father's death. He is a member of the Nnofo Royal lineage and the successor to his father Igwe Orizu I (Eze Ugbonyamba) , He was the first Igwe to officially become a Christian, although the traditional rulers of Nnewi are the ofo holders and as such, preservers and upholders of Nnewi culture and traditions. He is the brother of Nigeria's first republic senate president and acting president, Prince

Nwafor Orizu Prince Abyssinia Akweke Nwafor Orizu (17 July 1914 – 1999) was a Nigerian of Igbo origin who served as President of the Nigerian Senate from 1963 to 15 January 1966, during the Nigerian First Republic. Orizu was also Acting President of Nig ...

and the father of

Igwe Kenneth Onyeneke Orizu III Igwe Kenneth Onyeneke Orizu III (born 30 October 1925) is the 20thDr. John Okonkwo Alutu, Nnewi History (from the Earliest times to 1980/82),Fourth Dimension publishers Obi of Otolo and Igwe of Nnewi kingdom. He is the traditional supreme ruler ...

his successor.

Early life

Igwe Josiah Orizu had strong missionary upbringing as ward to the Late Reverend Ibeneme of Obosi. His early education began at Primary School Arondizuogu. He later went to C.M.S Central School, Nkwo-Nnewi from where he went to

Hope Waddell Training institute The Hope Waddell Training Institution (HOWAD) is a school in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria founded by missionaries from the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland in 1895. It is named after the Reverend Hope Masterton Waddell. Establishmen ...

Calabar Calabar (also referred to as Callabar, Calabari, Calbari and Kalabar) is the capital city of Cross River State, Nigeria. It was originally named Akwa Akpa, in the Efik language. The city is adjacent to the Calabar and Great Kwa rivers and c ...

, where he remained until 1924. He was re-called home in 1924 at the death of his father, Igwe Orizu I. He was enthroned that same year the 19th Igwe of Nnewi.

Reign

During his reign, Igwe Josiah Orizu II set out with courage to work out a programme of

community development The United Nations defines community development as "a process where community members come together to take collective action and generate solutions to common problems." It is a broad concept, applied to the practices of civic leaders, activists ...

. # He began with a palace dispensary where patients were treated freely. # He attracted the local Authority Treasury and Nnewi Postal Agency which were followed by a modern Post Office in 1951. # Working with the support of the

Nnewi Nnewi is a commercial and industrial city in Anambra State, southeastern Nigeria. It is the second largest and second most populous city in the southern part of the country. Nnewi as a metropolis has one local government area, which is Nnewi Nort ...

patriotic Association; the Igwe brought about many local reforms that included recognition of twins. establishment of leprosy and yaws treatment clinics at Nnewi-Amichi border also was accomplished. # He has also served as president of the Nnewi district (Agbaja) customary court for a number of years and was until his death a traditional member of the Onitsha southern county council. # The native authority dispensary at Eme was given full recognition by the British colonial administration under his reign. # He streamlined

customs and traditions regardless of his strong Christian leaning. This led to the first celebration of the first yam festival in NNewi in 1932 known as Afia-Olu. Before then only

Uruagu Uruagu is a town in Nnewi North, Anambra State, Nigeria. Uruagu as we know is the second quarter among the four quarters of Nnewi town. Others are Otolo Otolo is a town in Nnewi North, Anambra State, Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjí ...

celebrated the festival. # With full support of the other three Obis, major roads leading to all four quarters of Nnewi were constructed with the assistance of the native authority administration. During his rule,

witnessed an unprecedented number of development projects, including the establishment of 20 primary schools, two teacher-training colleges, three secondary schools, a post office and a government general hospital. He was the first president General of the Eastern Chiefs conference which was founded in his palace at Nnewi in 1952. Igwe Orizu II was elected to the Eastern House of chiefs in 1959 the eve of Nigeria's Independence. In 1960 he became a foundation member of the Eastern house of chiefs.

Family

Until his death in 1962, Josiah Orizu leaves behind to mourn him 15 wives, 61 sons, 72 daughters and 107 grandchildren.

References

External links

Official Nnewi WebSite
*

Hugh Trenchard in Nigeria Hugh Trenchard saw service in Nigeria from 1903 to 1910 where he was involved in efforts to bring the interior under settled British rule and quell inter-tribal violence. During his time in West Africa, Trenchard commanded the Southern Nigeria Re ...

unn.edu.ng/
{{authority control Igbo monarchs Nnewi monarchs Nnewi Nigerian traditional rulers 1902 births 1962 deaths