As I was boarding the Air Peace flight to Warri on my way to present my Maddtimes power list Coffee table book to the Ogiame, my phone flashed
Emmanuel Uduaghan, the two-time Governor of Delta State, passed away at 71
I immediately made up my mind to go straight to influential Amaju Pinnick’s house in Warri to pay my condolences
Let me quickly explain something
Emmanuel Uduaghan is a cousin to two-time Governor of Delta State, His Excellency James Ibori, who is considered the most influential politician in Delta State to date.
Both of them are related to super brilliant businessman and former Chairman of EKEDC, Dere Otubu and Uduaghan is married to Amaju’s sister, who was once Delta State’s very well-liked First Lady
Now, between these three, Chief Ibori, Dere and Amaju, they have affected my life so succinctly that even I dey wonder why
With one phone call, Chief Ibori delivered over N70m for my play Ogiame Erejuwa II that year
He was the one who opened up Julius Rone and Amaju Pinnick, who now opened up Itsekiri blue bloods who supported the cause.
Amaju took over 20% of that budget and till today continues to support Nigerian theatre through me
Dere, on the other hand, is my most consistent supporter, as he has supported all my 68 plays – he no dey miss
Only Dr Uduaghan that would stand out and say No, and I will laugh and say, dem don warn me o
Immediately I landed, I made a beeline to Amaju’s palace – that one pass mansion, na Palace, to pay my condolences
Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan was well liked by his people, his impact being felt more in the Health sector cos of his Medical background
Anyways, as his passing sank in, I remembered one funny encounter I had with him
My sister, the ever-beautiful Alero, who was a colleague at Magnum Trust Bank and who I met again at FCMB and who is now a director at one of the First Holdco subsidiaries, set up a WhatsApp group
As would be expected, the group was filled with people of timber and calibre
Top billionaire business people, top politicians, Nollywood Royalty, big A-class traditional people, all sort of big people cos Alero herself was not a run-of-the-mill kinda person – she managed Private Wealth at FCMB at some point, so you can imagine
She ran that group like Abacha. Small thing, she has deleted your chat, suspended you or warned you
And billionaires kept in line, and everyone spoke safely
Na that kind place I carry my wahala go siddon o
As expected, within the first five days, I had gotten my first warning; by the 10th day, my first suspension, which was followed by two others. By this time, me sef don tire for this decree 4 type existence
I now had a small revenge plan
I begged, and she put me back, and I dropped a nude picture, and expectedly, I was expelled me and we both exhaled – good riddance
Dr Uduaghan who be this time was now a fan of my writings and facing the prospects of not getting my beautiful write ups again, called
Duke wetin dey do you and Alero, una no be pikin na
And I replied – Your Excellency how that woman go just dey do one kind for group, cos she forn group?
He replied – you sef dey calm down, the woman get her rules make u follow the rules
Excellency, na whats app o, no be country o. If this one na President he go castrate all of us oo
Oya I beg, you na ex Governor of her state. Oya command am make dhe put me back – I said in anger
He replied, oya if i talk to am, u go guarantee me say you no go look for her trouble
Excellency, make she carry her yama yama group go, I no guarantee anything abeg, I don tire
Meanwhile, I dey come Warri come do play, as you no gree give me money, make you come i go put better sit for front for you make you enjoy better play, leave Alero and her whats app group, she dey intimidate me cos she fine and i been want chase am that year and she no gree na why she dey do me like that
He laughed – Edgar , you be craze boy ooo
But Your Excellency why na only you for your family no dey give me money?
He laughed – I go soon konk you, bring that your stupid head come, see the yeye question you dey ask me
On the day of the show, he came and i rushed to hug him and said – oya na, if i put you for back now, you go vex see as you go siddon for place I reserve for people wey give me money –
He say come make I tell you something and i stupidly bent down and he gave me that knock
And I screamed – Your Excellency, you want kill me and he laughed and we all laughed and he hugged me
After the Play, he came to me and said welldone and that was the last i heard from him till he passed and that was 2021.
This is to send my farewell to a man who was something to everyone and even though, I didn’t know him that well, the little time we interacted, he left a mark
Sleep well my High Chief
No knock me o when we see again oooo
Thanks
Duke of Shomolu
Last modified: October 23, 2026
