Title: Akpokuedike, Duty Call In Anambra
Author: Ike Chioke
Reviewer: Tomi Falade
Publisher: Patridge Publishing
No Of Pages: 191/203
Documents and records of history usually and eventually find their ways into the filing cabinets or storage rooms of ministries and offices they are to be relevant to. That is because they stay enclosed in files and dusty old papers that newer entrants are unwilling to peruse. But when history comes in a book form, in a story-like manner, then it begins the journey of survival through the ages. In Ike Chioke’s latest book, ‘Akpokuedike, Duty Call In Anambra’, the reader is taught the lessons of the history of Willie Obiano’s life and time in office through the beautiful art of storytelling.
In the preface, the author takes the time to give the reader insight into his development as a person and the series of events that brought him into contact with the book’s subject, Willie Obiano, known in the book as Akpokuedike. He stated that he met Obiano in 2004 during the banking sector consolidation.
In retrospect, Akpokuedike, which the author translates as ‘when the hero is called upon’ is a nickname that auspiciously followed Governor Obiano through his tenure as governor of Anambra State.
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The first chapter, titled ‘Willie’s Pedigree’ effectively gives the reader background and deep appreciation of who the people of Anambra are. The first paragraph in fact hails them as people who are neither despairing nor fainthearted and are worthy of progress. As the chapter progresses, the author does a deep dive into Anambra as a profitable and prosperous state, Obiano’s traditional and parental roots, and his early life and education.
As a complete research material and documentation of history in effect, the book would not be complete without a mention of one of the most significant events in the history of Nigeria, particularly the Eastern Region, Biafra. Although young, Akpokuedike was not immune to the effects of the war and Chioke artfully describes the events of the season through 11-year old Obiano’s eyes.
The subsequent chapters take the reader on a roller-coaster ride through his secondary education, life at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), and his postgraduate exploits from First Bank to Fidelity Bank.
Of course, a story of Obiano’s life would be incomplete without adequate reference to his courtship and love-life with his wife, Ebele and the author does justice to their love story.
From chapter six, the author introduces the reader to Obiano as a governorship candidate and goes on to tell the story of his candidacy and governance with a human face.
The picture section from pages 97 to 101 tells a photo story of importance to the Willie Obiano legacy.
Chapter 11, titled ‘ANSIPPA: Gold Rush’ to Anambra gave the author the opportunity to document the accomplishments of the Anambra State Investment, Promotion and Protection Agency. The author also divulges, backed with hard facts that because of the work ANSIPPA has been doing, Anambra’s revenue has grown 440% in the past three and a half years. The agency also made Anambra a key power in the agricultural sector.
Chioke, the Chairman of ANSIPPA, had shared that seeing how Obiano had to deal with the many practical issues of governing such as insecurity, politics, poverty, religion and ethnicity, he was moved to catalogue the experience appropriately.
Just when it seems like the book is ending, the reader is gifted a final chapter titled ‘Consolidation Through The Soludo Solution’, a record of a leader giving his people a fit successor in the person of Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, CFR, former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and now Governor-elect of Anambra State, set to assume office March 17.
In a recent interview with Saturday INDEPENDENT, Chioke explains that the book is about acknowledging the impact of someone who has served the nation. “It is not a political book about praise-singing or anything; it is just a book documenting history in a candid, and in my view, entertaining manner.”
