IN PRAISE OF NED NWOKO

Chinelo A. Iwenofu writes of her relationship with Nwoko, lawyer, politician and philanthropist

In the beginning, Chinedu Munir Nwoko – the enigmatic prince from Idumuje-Ugboko, in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State, left a permanent hand print on an era of my life. Once I reunited with him, I realized that despite the length of time we had lost contact with each other, as soon as I spoke to him again and laid eyes on him, it felt as if we were naturally continuing a relationship from where we left off! He certainly trained me well to become a solicitor, I must add.

He taught me from scratch ‘how to manage a law practice’ – and I could never forget him because of that. He did the same with many other lucky young Nigerians, not only in the legal field but also in politics, I gathered. I could safely say that I was one of the few people who was privileged enough to have experienced a part of his journey.

The nostalgia that engulfed my senses when the media became flooded with stories of his current lifestyle, motivated me to make contact again. It was an incredible sensation. Ned Nwoko was still himself, still as charming as ever, but with an extra tinge of matured dignity, comportment and refinement.

One of the most valuable legal techniques I learnt from Ned was how to issue appeals under section 51 at the Royal Courts of Justice, where I became a regular on Stay of Executions and Judicial Reviews. Immigration became my strongest point and it got to the stage where Ned, my boss, promoted me to Head of the Immigration Department, with at least five junior lawyers and paralegals assisting me. We were always ‘on call’ 24/7, ready to attend to newly arrested clients at airports, seaports, and any other immigration holding or detention facilities.

The most memorable experience I gathered through working with him during that period was when I ended up meeting Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles face to face. The Nigerian High Commission had sponsored a group of Nigerians, some of us from Ned Nwoko Solicitors, to go for a Commonwealth gathering in Edinburgh, Scotland, naturally attended by some top members of the British royal family. I guess you can’t get any higher than Her Majesty, the Queen of England, and her first son, the Crown Prince! The pictures imprinted in my mind of the cold wintery eventful weekend in Edinburgh and the eventual British royal parade is permanently embedded there.

This article is a basic recollection about a great Nigerian man with a candid personality who has a lot to offer Africa and the world at large; a man who can freely share his experiences and entrepreneurship achievements with anyone who cares to know, and more specifically, can be a highly valued role model to the youth of African descent who are in dire need of a positive focus.

His Malaria Eradication Project Impacts: After a huge gap of well over 20 years during which we had moved on with our respective lives, I made an effort to contact my former boss again. I had bumped into him briefly at a restaurant car park in Abuja in between those years. So much water had passed under the bridge and the constant media attention he was getting prompted me to drop him a message and when he graciously responded a few days later, communication between us started again.

In March 2021, I got myself invited to one of his Abuja houses to discuss a book proposal. Being in his presence was all so familiar, it was just like old times. In Nigeria, the Ned Nwoko Foundation has been going strong. I was invited by him in April 2021, on World Malaria Day to join their Malaria Awareness Walk from Unity Fountain, Abuja. I attended with my friend, Dr Eleanor Nwadinobi who was not only experienced in malaria advocacy and health activism but also the first Nigerian and current president of the Medical Women International Association (MWIA).

She was invited to talk to the audience about the intrigues of malaria and she certainly did not disappoint. Deeply impressed, we found it to be quite an occasion, championed by the foundation and supported by many other organisations such as NYSC, the Ministries of Health and Environment, the Malaria Consortium, National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP), Linas International, Project Tourism, Regina Entertainment TV, (owned by his adorable Nollywood actress wife, Regina Daniels), FRSC and the Nigeria Police Force.

The Malaria Walk incorporated his Antarctica Experience project which highlighted a trip he made in January 2020 to the frozen climes of Antarctica, where he went to draw international attention to the malaria scourge in Africa in a rather unique manner, by becoming the first black African to make that journey, and succeeding in installing Nigeria as the 13th country in the world to have placed its flag on that ice peak.

A competition coined: Antarctica Experience had been taking place for months, searching for the most talented young artists in the country. 450 contestants participated and 10 finalists were expected to perform at the grand finale on the day after the Walk at his estate in Life Camp Abuja.

It was an entertaining event. The winner and runners-up were presented with very generous financial gift packages by Ned himself in his characteristic benevolence. I was fascinated by his ability to identify and select a controversial and seemingly incurable disease and proceed to tackle it effectively. The foundation had set up a recycling plant in each local government area to embark on the fumigation and spraying of their respective environments.

Ned had even gone as far as applying for a bill through the National Assembly for the creation of an agency to implement the said plants. The foundation is also involved in some intense research for the development of safe malaria drugs with the endowment of research grants to five universities in Africa and the implementation of the RTSS Malaria Vaccine in Nigeria, plus sanitation that includes cleaning up the entire country to get rid of mosquito breeding spaces.

And lastly, there are quite a few other adventurous projects that have either been established or are still in incubation, kicked off by forward-looking Ned Nwoko, all in the quest for enhancing the development process in this country.

There is the magnificent Mount Ned Tourist Resort and the Stars University, both located in his Idumuje-Ugboko homeland. Mount Ned is a wondrous tourism resort, encompassing a palatial mansion with a striking mix of African and Arabian architecture and a zoo bearing the rarest collection of wildlife in the country. The proposed Stars University nearby, promises to be iconic as it is modelled to serve as the first sports university in sub-Saharan Africa! Only Ned, ever unique and inimitable can dream this big.

Prince Ned Nwoko appears passionate about saving Nigeria, yet he cannot do it all by himself, so he does what he can whenever God gives him the opportunity. Interestingly, his steadfast determination is one of his strengths that got him to where he is today and is bound to get him to where he wants to be tomorrow.

Challenges and hiccups notwithstanding, I have watched from afar as he has continued to gradually push obstacles aside to get to his goals. His survival instincts are very strong and have been working for him. He does not hide his weaknesses, but his strengths overshadow them, which is a good thing. We must continue to watch his space as he continues to tick the right boxes. We should offer our support where feasible, as most of the projects are beneficial to improving our future.

And I believe that, very soon, his story will be shared across nations and will come across as inspirational and historic. Mark my words!