By Theo Ray’s, Onitsha
Once more, the Proprietor of Rojenny Games & Tourist Village, Oba Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka has come up to elaborately explain how he emerged as Ogilisi Igbo, which in other words places him as the Spiritual leader of the Igbo nation. Chief Ezeonwuka gave the explanation through a Goodwill Message he presented during the 2020 Igbo Retreat organised by Alaigbo Development Foundation (ADF) at Owerri the Imo State Capital.
ADF equally used the occasion to extol Ezeonwuka for his massive contributions to the development of Alaigbo over the years. President of ADF, Professor Uzodinma Nwala, described Ezeonwuka as among those with firebrand passion for the development and progress of Alaigbo. Professor Nwala observed that the owner of Rojenny Games & Tourist Village Oba remains a vital tool for the mobilization of Ndigbo into service of development, following his close relationship with traders at Onitsha and Nnewi.
According to Rommy Ezeonwuka (OGILISI IGBO), it was the traditional ruler of Nri, Eze Nri – His Royal Majesty Eze Obidiegwu Onyeso, who is the custodian of Igbo culture and tradition that issued him with title of OGILISI IGBO, shortly after the exit of Igbo leader and ex Biafra warlord, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu. He said Ogilisi is a substance used to do spiritual works of cleansning, purifying and safeguarding people, property and territory and noted that the role and services of Ogilisi which is universal in nature is basically spiritual.
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His goodwill message at the 2020 Igbo retreat held in owerri read in details; “As you all might know, my name is Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka, a businessman based at Oba in Idemili South LGA of Anambra State. I am the proprietor of Rojenny Games Village Oba. I am also a BoT member of the All Progressive Grand Alliance APGA. I have several chieftaincy titles, which includes to metion but a few, Omenife of Akpo. Akpo is my home town in Aguata LGA of Anambra State. I am also the Omeluora of Oba, Osuofia Anaku in Ayamelum LGA also Anambra State and OGILISI IGBO which placed me as the Spiritual leader of the Igbo nation. The Eze Nri, His Majesty Eze Obidiegwu Onyeso, who is the custodian of Igbo culture and tradition of Igboland conferred on me the title of Ogilisi Igbo following my interest and contributions in promoting Igbo spirituality via culture and tradition.
“Before I proceed, let me commend Professor Nwala and co for coming out to be at the forefront in the struggle for Igbo emancipation and upliftment. My joy with ADF is that it is an intellectual based organization, whose way of programs and activities dwell much more on diplomacy and free from confrontational poltics and other elements that are prone to violence. The Green Book which contains the vision of ADF as regards the future of Ndigbo is a mark of massive intellectual and diplomatic prowess of ADF, and a clear indication of the fact that it is a violent free group.
“I am also inspired by ADF campaign on Akuruo ulo. In fact the Akuruoulo campaign puts me in the good book of ADF because I am the pioneer champion of Akuruoulo in Alaigbo. I became a millionaire at the age of 17 years when as a trader at Nkwo Nnewi, I initiated the importation of motorcycle spare parts from Taiwan at a time when Japanese products were solely on board. I was the pioneer importer of made in Taiwan motorcycle spare parts at Nkwo Nnewi. In fact, I dethroned Japanese products in the market with made in Taiwan products becuase Taiwan products were more cheaper than Japanese products. Innoson, Cosharis and other big time businessmen at Nnewi passed through my tutelage.
“I am sure that it will interest ADF to Know that since I made it at Nnewi, I have been a practical champion of Akuruoulo because as of today, I don’t have any business outside Igboland. I built RANENT Industry Oba and employed over 400 workers when I was 22 years old. At RANENT, we produced toothpick, glass and foam. Then at 23, I built Rojenny Games Villa with a 60, 000 capacity International Stadium and tatarn track for track and field games. Not quite long, I took Coscharis to Anaku where he established a mega Rice Farm. My interest in Akuruoulo is for us to domesticate our capacity for the development of Alaigbo to the benefits of our people mostly in the area of developing home grown economy and creating jobs for our youth.
“The title of Ogilisi Igbo is purely an act of Divine Providence because from my childhood till date, I have been a protagonist of spirituality, with high consciousness to spiritual values and strong regard to religious beliefs, culture and tradition. The quest to be spiritual exposed me to esotoric learning and till date I remain an esotoric student. For me, I believe that all belifefs and practices in respect of religion have their seperate roles to play in the society. Christians in their Churches, the Muslims in the Mosques and traditionalist have their roles to play. However I see nothing bad when someone accepts to combine all of them into a whole. I am one of such who combines Christianity, Islam and Tradition put together. That means I am a Christian, a Muslim and Traditionalist. I call myself a tradochrislam. At Rojenny Games Village, I built a Church, a Mosque and a Shrine to butress my point.
“It was after the death of Biafra warlord and Ikemba of Nnewi, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, (Eze Igbo Gburugburu), that Eze Nri invited myself and Ralph Uwazuruike and issued us titles for the purpose of Igbo leadership as replacement of the late Ikemba. While Uwazuruike was given the title of Ijele Igbo, I was given OGILISI IGBO.”
“Eze Obidiegwu Onyeso (Eze Nri) made it clear that my role is purely spiritual, in accordance with the meaning and that the Ogilisi tree represents; a native substance. According to Eze Nri, and as we all might be in the know of, Ogilisi is a native substance, usually applied to cleanse, purify, protect and safegurad and things properly. As a mark of example, Eze Nri applied Ogilisi leaves to cleanse myself and Uwazuruike before we were issued tiltes. So as Ogilisi Igbo my role is to cleanse, purify, protect, safegurad and safeguide Igboland in the traditional perspective.”
“Let me say that Eze Nri is right enough to have given me this title by referring to how Yoruba people identified with Ogilisi leaves in virtually all of their traditional events and celebrations. When Gani Adams was coronated as the Aare Onikakanfo of Yoruba land, he was cleansed and purified with Ogilisi. The Ogilisi leave was massively used on Adams to the point that it was attached to his crown.”
For the purpose of Inspiration and for the proper understanding among members of the general public, most especialy the non Igbo people , In clear terms, I define my role as Ogilisi Igbo as the Spiritual leader of the Igbo nation in the traditional perspective. Vividly I recall that Eze Nri instructed that Ndigbo wouldn’t do without the service of Ogilisi, otherwise we won’t make any head way. Following the instruction, I have been making frantic efforts to draw the attention of Ndigbo wherever and whenever I feel it is necessary.
“For instances, I successfully drew the attention of the Givernment of Anambra State on the need to give Biafra fallen heros a befitting burial rites according to Igbo culture and tradition. I took time to explain to the Governor, Chief Willie Mmaduaburochukwu Obiano (Akpokuedike Global) how it is very necessary, in the interest of the state and Alaigbo in particular, to give our Biafran fallen soldiers a befitting funeral, as their spirits, still moving about looking for justice goes further into possessing youths and causing violent crimes. It was my strong opinion that violent crime can’t stop until we appease the spirits of fallen heroes by given them befitting burial rites. Thankfully, the Governor saw reasons with me and gave our fallen heroes a befitting state burial. The results are very clear to the blind and loud to the deaf as Ndi Anambra right now do not go to sleep with one eyes closed because of kidnappers, armed robbers and various other crimes tormenting the state in the past.
“Currently, I am fighting hard to draw the attention of Ndigbo on the need to stop depositing dead bodies in the morgue because it is neither right nor safe to place a dead body in the confines of a mortuary rather than send it down 6ft immediately with the burial rite given to it according to Igbo culture and tradition as layed down by our fore fathers.”
“In addition to the above advocacy on fallen heroes and non deposition of dead bodies in morgue, I have been an outstanding voice against immoralities in all forms as I know that immoralities are impedement to the developmentt and progress of a people as tribe, ethnic group , race or nationality. I equally raise voice against bad governance at the State and Federal levels, raise voice against election rigging and against political desperados who want to win elections by thuggery, shooting and killing people and snatching of ballot boxes. More so, I am a youth advocate, and had spent a lot of my personal resources fighting the cause of Igbo youth. I tried as much as possible to rehabilitate MASSOB youth who were daring armed Nigeria security forces with bare hands. I try as much as possible to protect the youth against cultism, drug addiction, violent crimes, homosexual and prostitution.”
“What else do I do to prove my position? I do these things out of my individual efforts. Nobody has ever supported me with a dime at least to go to the press. But it doesn’t worry me, hence I have chosen to ever make sacrifice for the well being of humanity. Like a voice in the wilderness, I have been crying and making franctic efforts to draw the attention of Ndigbo on the role and essence of spirituallity in nation building. I am saying that we have to retrace our steps and follow the foot steps of our fore fathers in keeping to Nso Ani, in following the truth and saying the truth, in showing respect to the elders, avoid worshipping money and avoid singing praises to bad leaders becuase such are contradictory to the ways of our fore fathers.”
“Mr President and Chairman of this great occasion, permit me at this juncture to say that Ndigbo have to give serous attention to spiritualilty and enforce it’s role in nation building. There have to be a strong spiritaul advocacy against immoralities for Ndigbo to move forward. There is no people as a tribe, ethnic group, race or nationality in this world that is not spiritual In some sense. An attempt to make progress without spiritual input won’t work because, the spirit drives the physical. Ignorant of spirituallity is foundation for failure. No one can safely build Goodwill and leave a legacy of Goodwill without being spiritual. The main cause of myriad of woes bedeviling Nigeria is stemmed from the fact that Nigerians are not spiritual. To be spiritual is not going to church or mosque to pray and make donations, it is about standing against lies and immorality, it is about showing love to one another, it is about tolerance and forgiveness and making sacrifice for the good of others.”
“The progress of China, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia etc of late is not unconnected with spirituallity ochestrated by Buddhist and Hindus monks. Because the people of the above listed countries are spiritual, they hate lies and abstain from immorality. They love one another. They tolerate and forgive and make sacrifices for their countries.”
“This said I want to say that my role as Ogilisi Igbo or spiritual leader of the Igbo nation is not a child’s play. The essence of this paper is to explain my role and to express the importantce of spirituallity in nation building. It is therefore my earnest wish that ADF should bring its intellectual quality to bear and do exposition on spirituallity as a subject matter needed to be embraced, adapted and enforced into the struggle for emancipation and upliftment of Ndigbo. I have started serving and will continue to serve so long as I live.”
“Thank you all for this wonderful opportunity given to me to speak to Ndigbo.”
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