It was Prof Ahmed Yerima who said he wanted to tell this story – the story of the event of 1967
I wanted another story, but when he sent me the synopsis, I was hooked
I called my egbon, Ogbueshi Chike Ogeah , and said, This is what I am hearing and he said,” Yes,” and this year is the 50th anniversary
I called back Prof Yerima and said Oya, we must tell this Nigerian story that happened to have happened in Asaba
Work started, and the budget hit me. Immediately, Gabriel Ogbechie and Dennis Olisa sent in the first donations
Then Chief Henry Okolo took me to the Lagos Motor Boat Club – Edgar, you need to meet with the Asagba of Asaba to get his blessings, and I said No problem
Then Musa Gowon called and introduced me to Jude Onoh , who has since been an intellectual bulwark
As the time pulled in, the wait to see the Asagba of Asaba was making me impatient
It was his first year of coronation, and he was also 70 this year. Another group of prominent Asaba indigenes were taking him to London to premier a documentary on the event, and his right-hand chief had just passed
All these made seeing the highly revered monarch very difficult
Anyways, the signal came through Chief Okolo, who got the Palace head of Protocol to call
Edgar, you are seeing the Asagba next Wednesday at 5pm
Immediately, I called Olumide Ohunayo, who called Olumide Akinsanya, both being my Command guys, and they opened me up to Chinedu
Chinedu took it from there. Duke, wear white; bring Whiskey, kola nut, and hold some cash. I will follow you.
I landed in Asaba that morning and went straight to my hotel room
I was suffering from a bad case of sore throat and was in pain
Reached out to Stella our Family friend , who opened up her brother, Nonso , who served as a guide in Asaba
Time was here. I put on the costly linen shirt that Robert Mbonu had just given me, donned a white linen pair of pants, red slippers and jumped into the car
As I moved, I got moral support from Chief Peter Ejiofor , a well-respected Asaba Chief and Pastor Tony Rapu, who was on standby to hear the whole gist
It was the temporary Palace, as I heard they were building a massive one for him somewhere.
My delegation was made up of myself, Chinedu, as the Head, a Palace media chief who decamped to join and Nonso
The Head of Protocol took me through the drill. Showed me how to greet and respond to the Asagba and warned me to eat the Kola Nut he would give.
That he would be watching to see if I would eat it
He ended by saying that I will hear a huge sound as the Asagba would be walking down
Then the sound came, and all the chiefs in their beautiful white regalia moved in and took positions, and he walked in
I stopped breathing. The charisma he carried with him nearly choked me
He was regal, good-looking, and fresh. I peeped at his leg, and the thing was so smooth that I started wondering if he ever played football as a child, cos there was no scar
His kingly robes were beautiful, adorned with exquisite embroidery, and his crown was reminiscent of the Bini’s own. He held one horse whip, cutting a picture of royal flair.
The head of Protocol read his resume, which made me feel like pissing from fear
One man with all these credentials – a professor, SAN and a DG at NIAL before the throne.
I prayed they didn’t try to read mine after his own. I will faint from fear and shame
After that, all the chiefs stood up one by one to introduce themselves and greet me
Mbok small me o. These Asaba people are not joking with me o
Then Chinedu, head of our delegation, stood up to present our gifts.
Remember the Whiskey Amaju Pinnick gave me?
Not that one, I had gotten a more expensive one from Chief Ibori’s household
After that, the Protocol man asked me to speak, but warned me to be as exhaustive as I could be since I would not be allowed to speak after the Asagba
I stood up, sore throat hitting me with two tablets of Strepsils in my mouth, to speak
I thanked His Majesty for accepting to meet with me, told him who I was, explained my mission, and prayed for his blessings. I then invited him to the show and thanked him one last time.
In response, he spoke very eloquently and said so many things
But one thing struck me. He said the real trauma for the Asaba people was the daily death of the women and children who were widowed and orphaned by that event.
That struck a chord and followed me back to Lagos
Over 1,000 Asaba people lost their lives, about a third of the population at the time – a cenotaph with the names of the victims is strategically placed at the spot where it happened.
After his speech, he prayed for us again and took his leave with the horns blaring and into the rain that had just started.
I stood there transfixed by what I had just witnessed even as I was left in shock and awe.
Would you like to see the Asagba’s response to me?
Kai
Duke of Shomolu.
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