From a general perspective, Leadership is the ability acquired through experience and, or, circumstances by an individual to influence or guide people, teams or organizations to achieve a common goal. A Leader is not born, but made by peculiarities of his or her circumstances. A Leader is most noticeable during moments of challenges, trials, predicaments or uncertainties.
According to an American Consultant Scholar on Leadership, Warren Bennis, Leadership is one’s capacity to translate a vision into a reality.
In his own view, the 35th President of United States of America, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, assassinated on Friday (Nkwo) 22nd November, 1963 at Parkland Health, Dallas, Texas, held that Leadership and Learning are inseparable from each other.
By his own comprehension, a former Leader of Labour Party and Prime-Minister of Great Britain, Mr Tony Blair, defines Leadership as the Art of saying no, and not yes, for it is very easy, simple and comfortable to say yes, but very difficult to say no.
Back home, in one of his Novels, The Trouble With Nigeria, the indisputable Father of Modern Literature in Africa, Distinguished Erudite Professor Chinua Achebe, (may his intellectual soul continue to rest in peace), wrote, ‘The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of Leadership’. He went further to assert that ‘there is nothing basically wrong with the Nigerian character’. In his conclusion, Professor Achebe captured it this way, ‘the problem of Nigeria is the unwillingness or inability of its Leaders to rise to the responsibility of personal examples, which are the hallmarks of true Leadership’.
Still desirous to buttress the importance of Leadership, it will be appropriate to bring to bear what one of Nigeria’s most successful Businessmen and President of Coscharis Group of Companies, Dr Cosmas Maduka, said recently, ‘A Leader should recognise and diligently pursue his purpose.
Evolving from a juxtaposition and totality of the views of the above five pragmatic Authorities on the subject of Leadership, as they practically apply to the Peoples of Ukwa/Ngwa, was the Socio-Cultural-Political Enigma, no, Colossus, Elder (Dr) Emmanuel Onyemaobi Adaelu, MFR. I said no to the use of the noun, enigma, because that could, in my honest assumption, amount to being unfair to a quintessential gentleman that was very accessible and quite easy to be understood. Elder (Dr) Adaelu, MFR, was, from my own frank perception, never mysterious or difficult to be understood. He could, therefore, not have been an enigma.
By natural design, Elder (Dr) Adaelu found himself born in Abayi Community in Osisioma-Ngwa Local Government Area of Abia State. That natural design, beyond his own control, imposed on him indigeneship of Old Aba Division, otherwise called Ukwa/Ngwa geo-political zone.
A very visionary, deft, articulate, altruistic and determined personality, with a very strong character, Elder (Dr) Adaelu must have first defined his mission on earth, with clearcut goals.
As the caption of this Paper depicts, Elder Adaelu’s roles in leadership were multi-dimensional. It will, therefore, be considered appropriate to view those roles also from a multi-dimensional perspective.
(1) Leadership In The Field Of Education;
Having systematically gone through the crucibles of Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Institutions, it was obvious he caved in to the natural law of reciprocity, opting to teach, as he had been taught. For many years, he was a Teacher, and taught in such Schools as Wilcox Comprehensive Secondary School, and Ngwa High School, both in Aba. Today, there is a legion of successful dignitaries that had passed through his tutelage as a Professional Teacher. They include but not exclusive to some prominent Lawyers, Elder Professor Paul Ananaba, SAN, Elder Chibuike Nwokeukwu, SAN, and Bob Ogu, Esq, a former Commissioner for Works in Abia State, and the Founder of Rhema University, Aba, Bro Emma Okorie. His former Students still hold him high for the peculiar discipline and quality of leadership he exhibited while he was a Teacher.
Even when he had exited from being a Teacher, Elder (Dr) Emmanuel Onyemaobi Adaelu, MFR, by principle, refused to be disconnected from education. At a considerable old age, he continued studying various courses in Institutions of Higher Learning, especially in Management. That was a clear display of vision, leadership and determination.
Elder Emmanuel Onyemaobi Adaelu’s name is, not necessarily was, inseparable from the high-rising Clifford University at Ihie, in Isialangwa-North Local Government Area of Abia State. Apart from his huge financial contributions towards the establishment of the University, which, like Babcock University, is owned by the Adventist Church in Nigeria, the vision to establish the University could not have been far from Elder Emmanuel Onyemaobi Adaelu, MFR.
(2) General Aspect(s) of Leadership Amongst His Peoples of Ukwa/Ngwa;
As a Leader who had a big vision for his Peoples, knowing that they were prone to marginalisation, and other societal challenges, and being determined to add impetus to their struggle for emancipation, in the same noble way his predecessors, Senator Dr Jaja Wachuku, Chief O C Ememe,(MP), His Eminence, Eze Bernard Enweremadu, HRM Eze HMJ Nwachukwu,(MHR), Dr George Wigwe, and Chief J K Taribo had fought in their days, he realized that though Teaching was quite noble it did not provide the much-needed platform for the compelling struggle to emancipate his Peoples. He, therefore, patriotically gave up Teaching and embraced Partisan Politics in Nigeria’s Second Republic.
In joining Politics, his goal was people-driven. His vision was centred around the Creation of Aba State.
Being appreciative of the peculiarities of Nigeria’s pattern of Politics, vis a vis his dream for Aba State, he did not require any oracle to know that the National Party of Nigeria, NPN, which controlled the Centre at that time, was certainly the Party to be in.
Even though he did not win in the 1983 General Election he had contested to represent his People in Imo State House of Assembly, the NPN proved a veritable platform for the pursuit for the creation of Aba State. It was on record that under the NPN-led Federal Government of Nigeria, headed by President Shehu Shagari, Aba State was recommended for creation.
It was unfortunate that the struggle became tremendously challenged following the unconstitutional and irresponsible overthrow of Shagari’s Government by a daredevil Military Junta led by Major-General Muhammadu Buhari in the night of Saturday (Nkwo) 31st December, 1983.
(3) Venture Into Business;
Elder (Dr) Emmanuel Onyemaobi Adaelu, MFR, did not allow the abrupt collapse of the Second Republic of Nigeria to frustrate his vision of Leadership. He knew that no meaningful vision of a large scale could be accomplished without a formidable economic base. Knowing that China had become both a Scientific and Technological Global Giant, he, by providence, established a very strong economic link with China. By the same providence, he was successful in negotiating a Technology Transfer from China to his CHEMLAP Manufacturing Company. By dent of clear vision, discipline, hard work, and effective management Leadership, CHEMLAP Industry is one of the biggest successful Industries in Nigeria today, with a large number of Nigerian Youths provided with gainful employment.
Elder (Dr) Emma Adaelu’s strategic economic vision also made him diversify his investments to include Estate business and Export. He was one of the biggest Estate moguls in the South-East of Nigeria, if not in Nigeria as a whole.
With a background of a firmly diversified economy, Elder Adaelu, whose leadership acumen was manifest in all his endeavours, provided a shining leadership example amongst Businessmen, Industrialists and Manufacturers in Aba, a strategic commercial hub in Nigeria. Credit to his ingenuity and assiduousness, Elder Adaelu rose to become President of Aba Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Manufacturing and Agriculture, ACCIMA.
(4) A luta Continua;
Having consolidated his economic base, being able to freely roll out hundreds of millions for the pursuit of his People’s dream, without necessarily borrowing from any person or institution, and without such money rolled out constituting a threat to his chains of businesses, Elder Adaelu became fully determined to reinvigorate his struggle for the emancipation of the Peoples of Ukwa/Ngwa.
Two goals were clear in his mind; (1) an Ukwa/Ngwa man becoming Governor of Abia State, and (2) realization of the creation of Aba State.
Being the Teacher and pragmatic Businessman that he was, he knew that, in order to achieve the above two objectives, there would be need for a Socio-Cultural platform. It was that realization that led to the formation of Aba Union. The Union is the Umbrella Organization of all Socio-Cultural bodies in the nine Local Government Areas of Old Aba Division, made up of, (1) Aba-North, (2) Aba-South, (3) Isialangwa-North, (4) Isialangwa-South, (5) Obingwa, (6) Osisioma-Ngwa, (7) Ugwunagbo, (8) Ukwa-East, and (9) Ukwa-West.
It may be necessary to state that Abia State is made up of 17 Local Government Areas, with these nine being in Old Aba Division or what is often referred to as Ukwa/Ngwa.
Elder Adaelu, with the support of such Patriots like His Royal Highness, Eze Love Wogu of Aba-North, Barr Theo Nkire, Chief Okere Eruba of Akwete-Ndoki, HRH Eze Anthony Wabara of Ohambele-Ndoki, and Chief G C Akara of Ohanso-Ndoki, used the Aba Union as a rallying point to mobilize, galvanize, harmonize and inspire the Peoples of Ukwa/Ngwa to express their bold demand that there should be an Abia Governor of Ukwa/Ngwa extraction in 1992 when notable Ukwa/Ngwa Politicians like Chief Lambert Nmecha, and Dr Gershon Amuta put up a determined fight to be Governor of the State on the platform of defunct National Republican Convention, NRC, but failed to realize that goal, but not without creating much consciousness amongst Politicians of Ukwa/Ngwa extraction that it was possible to have an Abia Governor of Ukwa/Ngwa extraction, and in 2003 when former Deputy Governor of Abia State, now Senator Enyi Abaribe, fought hard to be Governor of the State, without the anticipated victory.
As God would have it, an Abia State Governor of Ukwa/Ngwa extraction emerged in 2015, in the person of Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, Ph.D. That rare emergence was one of the biggest dreams and life time aspirations and struggles of Elder Emmanuel Onyemaobi Adaelu, MFR.
The Governor of Abia State, Senator T A Orji, Ochendo, 2007-2015, must be commended for the role(s) he personally undertook to play for the realization of an Abia Governor of Ukwa/Ngwa extraction. He deserves the Peoples’ gratitude.
Directly or indirectly on the platform of Aba Union, former President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and current Chairman of Board of Trustees of Peoples Democratic Party, Most Distinguished Senator Adolphus Wabara, from Ohambele-Ndoki, and his successor and current Senator representing Abia-South Senatorial District, Enyi Abaribe, played significant roles in bringing about the realization of an Abia State Governor of Ukwa/Ngwa extraction.
(5) Hope Not Lost On The Struggle For The Creation of Aba State.
Though Elder Emmanuel Onyemaobi Adaelu, MFR, did not live to witness the actualization of Aba State before he died at the ripe age of 92, a death that calls for celebration and is here being celebrated, he was optimistic that Aba State will definitely be created. As at the time of his death, the demand for Aba State, which is now a Bill, had assumed a prominent stature in the House of Representatives. It had gone through the first and second readings. There is hope as Federal Representatives from Aba zone; Hon Ginger Onwusibe, representing Isialangwa-North and Isialangwa-South Federal Constituency, Hon Chris Nkwonta, representing Ukwa-East and Ukwa-West Federal Constituency, Hon Munachim Alozie, representing Obingwa/Osisioma-Ngwa/Ugwunagbo Federal Constituency, and Hon Alex Mascot Ikwecheigh, representing Aba-North and Aba-South Federal Constituency are unrelenting in their pursuit of that mission.
(6) Leadership That Protected The Collective Ego of The Peoples of Ukwa/Ngwa;
As a consummate Leader, Elder (Dr) Emmanuel Onyemaobi Adaelu, MFR, was conscious of the fact that once his geo-political zone was subjected to ridicule, he, himself, would also have been ridiculed. He was not unmindful of that reality.
A situation arose about 1981 or 1982 when Nigeria’s President, Shehu Shagari, officially visited Aba. He was expected to spend a night at Aba but there was a snag in that expectation. No indigene of Ukwa/Ngwa had an accommodation befitting enough to have a Nigerian President sleep in it. Though some non-indigenes, like Chief John Okam, had befitting accommodation, Ukwa/Ngwa Political Leaders felt it would be a dirty slap on their face if a President that visited their land would sleep in a non-indigene’s house. So, President Shehu Shagari had to fly back to Lagos that evening.
That incident became a psychological concern to Elder (Dr) Emmanuel Onyemaobi Adaelu, MFR. His worry was, why must a topmost guest to Ukwa/Ngwa land not sleep in the area simply because no one amongst his Peoples had an accommodation that was fit and proper to house a visiting President?
He also knew that if the President had slept in Aba that night, it could have afforded the Leaders of Ukwa/Ngwa an uncommon privilege of drawing the President’s attention to some of their challenges in infrastructure and development.
It was that singular experience that compelled Elder (Dr) Emmanuel Onyemaobi Adaelu, MFR, to resolve that his Peoples would never be humiliated a second time in his life time, in that way. Being a Leader with immense wealth at his disposal, he successfully embarked on building a Mansion, that is his house’, which, no doubt, will be a pleasure to any President to sleep in. His premises is as good as the Buckingham Palace in London.
(7) Leader That Was Not Nonchalant To The Interest of Ukwa/Ngwa;
During Nigeria’s First Republic, a very prominent Leader from Ukwa/Ngwa and Member representing the very good Peoples of Ukwa, then known as Aba-South Federal Constituency, in the House of Representatives, Chief, The Hon O C Ememe, (Voice of Moscow), had disagreed with the then Leader of National Council of Nigerian Citizens, NCNC, and Premier of Eastern Region, Dr Michael Okpara.
The Premier resorted to wielding his enormous powers by denying O C Ememe NCNC’s ticket for re-election to the House of Representatives in 1964.
Being convinced that he had the mandate and support of his constituents at home, O C Ememe decided to take advantage of the constitutional provision for Independent Candidates to run for re-election, as an Independent Candidate.
As the story was told, the Leadership of NCNC had vowed not to allow O C Ememe get re-elected. So, the plan was to put out light at Aba Town Hall in the night of the election when O C Ememe’s votes would be counted. That, supposedly, was to create an illegal opportunity for NCNC to carry O C Ememe’s votes to the Provincial Headquarters at Umuahia, and be able to distort the votes to the unlawful advantage of NCNC’s Candidate and O C Ememe’s opponent, Chief Isreal Nwankwo.
Unfortunately for NCNC, that Intelligence was intercepted by someone very close to Elder (Dr) Emmanuel Onyemaobi Adaelu, MFR. On getting to know about that plot, Elder (Dr) Adaelu informed O C Ememe. That was why when in the night of that election when votes had started being counted, and, true to NCNC’s evil machination, lights in Aba Town Hall were put out, more than one hundred torch lights were spontaneously, to their shock, switched on and the whole place was illuminated, so the votes were safely and accurately counted, and O C Ememe won, and was accordingly declared winner. By so doing, through the Leadership of Elder Dr Emmanuel Onyemaobi Adaelu, MFR, O C Ememe was able to call the bluff of the Leadership of NCNC in Eastern Region, in 1964.
(8) Leadership That Was Synonymous With Philanthropy;
Elder (Dr) Emmanuel Onyemaobi Adaelu, MFR, was extraordinarily endowed with wealth. By any human calculation or standard, he was stupendously wealthy.
The good thing about his massive accumulation of wealth was that he became very prosperous out of honest and transparent personal enterprise, using his link to Chinese Technology in Manufacturing.
Elder (Dr) Emmanuel Onyemaobi Adaelu, MFR, reciprocated God’s grace by taking to philanthropy. He assisted the poor. He sponsored many Medical Outreaches for the less privileged.
A devout Adventist, Elder (Dr) Emmanuel Onyemaobi Adaelu, MFR, donated many hectares of land to Churches and equally built Churches which he reciprocally dedicated to God, his Creator. Someone close to him told me that the tithes Elder Adaelu paid in his Church was a major assurance that salaries of Church Workers were ready to be paid.
(9) Leadership That Reflected In The Family;
Many Great Leaders are not lucky to have children who can stand the test of time on their own. Elder (Dr) Emmanuel Onyemaobi Adaelu, MFR, being the Teacher he was, gave the best to his Children, both in terms of home training, which, in most cases, guarantees Native Intelligence, and Western Education. Unlike in many families where businesses close after the death of the head of the family, the secret of CHEMLAP Industry, which is Technology, is in the fingertips of the Children of Elder (Dr) Emmanuel Onyemaobi Adaelu, MFR.
Conclusion;
Leadership was epitomised in the Giant called Elder (Dr) Emmanuel Onyemaobi Adaelu, MFR. He lived and departed, unambiguously, as an accomplished Leader, with a thankful heart.
May his soul be bequeathed eternal rest! Also, may his Children have the required discipline and passion to preserve and guide the numerous legacies their father had laboured in the sun and rain to bequeath them.
Adieu, Dee Emma.
Nota Bene; According to my literary Mentor, Professor Chinua Achebe, if you do not like what I have written, kindly write yours.
Sir Don Ubani is a former Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Abia State.
