By Izunna Okafor, Awka
An Anambra-born septuagenarian, Sir Osita Nzewi, has banned his son from contesting for any political position at all from now on, until further notice.
This is coming in reaction to the shocking death of the Senator representing Anambra South Senatorial Zone and 2025 governorship hopeful in the state, Senator Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah who passed away in London over the weekend.
Sir Nzewi, who hails from the same Nnewi town with Ifeanyi Ubah did not only view the death as sudden, but also attributed it to the pressure of contesting elections, the betrayals, coupled with sleepless nights with huge funds involved in sponsoring, with majority going to servicing of political jobbers, electoral deceivers and hawks. Hence, as part of his fatherly precautionary measure, he placed an embargo on his politician son, Nnanna Nzewi, prohibiting him from contesting for any political office again until further notice.
Announcing this on social media over the weekend, the son, Mr. Nzewi, who had served the government in different capacities, including as senior aide to Governors, said his 78-year-old father called him and pronounced the ban immediately after he heard about Senator Ubah’s death. He said his father also told him he can only accept appointive positions and take off eye from vying for any elective position for now.
According to him, many other relatives of his, including his wife, siblings and their family lawyer also also called him immediately and related the same message of his father, further warning him that he should be ready to quit politics entirely if he can’t abide by that pronouncement of his father.
He wrote: “Immediately after the news of the sudden death of our kindred brother and biggest political export from Anambra state to the world, in the similitude of Ikemba Nnewi, Senator Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah (Ebubechukwuzo Nnewi); my 78-year-old father, Sir Osita Nzewi (Ugwunnia Nnewi) placed a call on me.
“After both of us cried out our hearts, he placed a caveat, saying, ‘Otabili Onyenwanneya, nwa m, you must not contest election or be cajoled to contest election of any kind in politics going forward, except it’s appointment; and if you can’t abide by this, then you quit politics immediately’, saying that Sen. Ifeanyi Ubah died suddenly because of the pressure of contesting elections always, the betrayals, coupled with sleepless nights with huge funds involved in sponsoring with majority going to servicing of political jobbers, electoral deceivers and hawks contributed to what happened to our big brother. He then concluded and dropped the call.
“Not up to 10 minutes afterwards, my elder brother, Evang. Chukwunonye O. Nzewi, called me and repeated what my Dad said and also added that he’s 100% in support, that he is just relaying a message that our father passed on to him on phone less than five minutes ago.
“Not quite long, our family lawyer, who is son of the man my father served as nwabọị in 1970-1973, Barr. Oseloka Osuigwe SAN, also called and went down memory lane on billions of naira Sen. Ifeanyi Ubah had invested in Nigerian politics, either through his sponsorship of Presidential, Governorship, National Assembly and State Assembly candidates of his choice or funding/oiling his own political structures towards realising both his senatorial seat and in his long-time ambition of becoming Governor of Anambra State.
“Dike na Nmuta Nnewi now ended by counselling me not to get too much involved in contesting election in Nigerian politics of today, aside consulting or serving as an appointee.”
Continuing, Nzewi wrote: “That was when it dawned on me that he must have spoken with my Dad and he aligned to my Dad’s declaration while, at the same time, passing the mesage of Ugwunnia’s order without necessarily quoting him verbatim, because, in Nnewi, we usually counsel through proverbs and folklores, and hardly through direct confrontation.
“Finally, on getting home around 3pm, after joining my political ally, the Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim on his invitation, where we attended an event organised by Hon Chinedu Nwoye (Glamour)-led Soludo Support Group, SSG, at the Women development centre Awka; I caught my wife on phone, telling the person on the other line that I was back. And, afterwards, I was hearing ‘Yes Sir’, ‘Yes Sir’, and ‘Yes Sir’ from my wife, with ‘We shall come tomorrow by 7am’.
“Immediately she hung up, she looked me straight in the eye and told me that it was my father that was on call with her, and boldly, without mincing words as onye Awka, highlighted three points:
“1. You either resign from politics now or promise your Dad and us that you won’t contest election of any kind for now. That Nigerian politics killed our big brother, Ebubechukwuzo na Nnewi. This, she said, was an order from my father;
“2. That we are going to the hospital to check my BP, and that my father also ordered that I shouldn’t cry again in front my kids, that I should check into a hotel and call him at night
“3. That , I must come with all my kids to Onitsha on Sunday before 8am to see my father.
“Those who spoke with me at night starting from Ikenga Ezenwegbu, a prince of Nnewi Kingdom; Chief Emeka Udodeme (President, Ohanaeze Anambra); MD Milatel Hotel; Kamen, Special Adviser to Senator Ifeanyi Ubah on Strategic Communication; Ike Cubana; Engr Emeka Oguchi; MD Pointek, and all my other brothers, who included same elder brother, all knew I slept in a hotel and that my BP was 180/120 when the doctor checked me before administering BP control drug, with counselling that death is inevitable and the moment we finish our assignment on earth, we check out, and that it has nothing to do with age, position or personality.
“Here is our picture with my Dad, my kids, Nwanyi Awka and my very self at his residence, in Awada Obosi Urban this morning by 7:58 am.
“The conclusion of the matter is that only by our good works and lives we impacted positively shall we be remembered, because life on earth is too short no matter how long you live compare to eternity. Selah
“Note: I was still putting on the clothes I wore yesterday. Ọnwụ mere Ndị Nnewi, Ndị Anambra, Ndị Igbo, Ndị Nigeria and Ndị isi ojii arụ
“Jee nke ọma, Ebubechukwuzo na Nnewi.”
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