HOPE

The photograph taken at Enugu Airport of Kanayo Ubesie departing Nigeria for the USA represented HOPE. It was taken by Rufus Anyaegbudike, “Searchmore”, a veteran Photojournalist now of blessed memories.
The story is so deep ,I will try...

A Thread !

The first medical doctor from my town Elugwu Akwu Achi and notably first community recognized practical, practicing physician in Achi Clan in particular and OJI-River, Ufuma, Awgu, and Udi environs, in general, was Dr Bertram Igbogbahaka.

His story is one of success from a superlatively, very humble background. Bertram was born to a very poor mother, it was said in those days that his cheeks slacked from eating so much palm kernels due to lack of food. They were that poor. But Bart was renowned to be a genius kid.

He was reputed to have graduated first in his class at Christ Church, Isikwe, Achi. By CMS(Anglican) Diocese of the Niger rules, this feat guaranteed him a direct admission to the best secondary school in Eastern Nigeria, Denis Memorial Grammar School Onitsha.

BUT his name was swapped because he didn't have anybody to stand for him. His very close kinsman, Ephraim Ubesie, now took him to stay with his family in Awka and enrolled him into St Paul's Teacher Training College, the only academic option available to him at the time.

Ephraim was the son of Uzochukwu, chief of staff and bosom buddy of Chief Nwokeabia Igwilo, first Warrant chief of Elugwu Akwu Achi. As a renegade, devoted first generation Christian, and education advocate, Ephraim was the father(not in order) to Dr Kanayo Ubesie,

He was then a tailor at Awka, married to my maternal grandma, Caroline Nwezuo who was daughter to Onyeji Agunwenyi , Ikoro l,- a great son of Elugwu Akwu Achi.

Bertram was very depressed due to the injustice he suffered & was very unhappy after his primary school graduation.

DENGRAM or DMGS was the dream of every smart kid in Eastern Nigeria, at the time .
One day, Ephraim took Bertram on his bicycle and rode from Umudioka, Awka to Onitsha to see Bishop CJ Patterson who doubled as the Principal of DMGS, & Bishop, (later the Archbishop) of the Niger.

The two village folks reportedly waited for 2 days in Onitsha for their turn to meet with the principal/bishop. When their turn finally came, Ephraim presented the heart wrenching case of his brother Bertram

When the principal reviewed the Standard Six results from Achi and saw his results, he was outraged and there and then approved his direct transfer into the school as the third entrant(instead of the usual top two), from his local CMS Parish.

He went ahead to graduate top in his class at DENGRAM and being school senior prefect, for multiple years. He proceeded to the University of Ibadan where he trained as a medical doctor. This was followed by a specialist training in Ob/Gyn in Cardiff, UK.

During the civil war, Kanayo served Sunday Ibeneme who was a commander, Sergeant Major, of Biafra army. One day, in the refugee camp at Amankwo, Inyi, Joy his kid sister was running after him while he tried to drive her back.

Sunday who was later nicknamed Ginger NwaBekee (my late dad) met them on the way and exchanged pleasantries. He was returning, with his troop, from a successful “enemy ambush” raid. He also took notice and was smitten by the little Joy paragon.

As the war progressed, many young guys from Elugwu Akwu lost their lives fighting for Biafra. Ginger's mom Cecilia Ukaogo, nee Ezeakudolu now insisted that her second son should marry just in case he died since he was actively involved in the war efforts. Ginger was a teen.

On his insistence, Joy was chosen as wife for him. But she was also a very young woman, tiny in stature and immature. She was sent to stay with Her new mother in law who practically nurtured her, she practically grew up with her. Luckily Ginger did not die in the war.

After the war Kanayo Ubesie resumed at Aglican Grammar School Achi(AGS). One day there was a big social function by the students of AGS and many outsiders came to be with their friends and relatives in the school.

Ginger rode his motorcycle, down from Oji River, where he ran a very successful medical drug dispensary business, to visit his brother in law Kanayo. People searched everywhere for him to no avail,

until one student told him that Kanayo was sighted on a cashew tree in the adjoining cashew plantation where he was reading his books. He correctly mused that Kanayo probably didn't have appropriate wears for the senior class party.

Ginger met him there up in the tree and the poor student climbed down and ecstatically embraced his friend and brother in law who handed him some goodies he brought for him, and encouraged him to climb back up the tree and continue his studies.

Kanayo Ubesie passed out with distinctions, Grade 1, in 1971, the best WASC results since after the civil war in Achi as a whole and the two secondary schools in the our town in particular. He went on to Lagos to study Radiography(another long story).

On April 8th 1977, he departed Nigeria to study Medicine and Surgery in USA. He got his MD degree and specialised in
Ob/Gyn. He has practiced in Houston and Sugarland Texas, USA since 1992.

Growing up in Elugwu Akwu, Bertram and Kanayo were representatives of success to the young people, especially the smart ones. My mother would bedazzle us with stories of Kanayo's academic strides.

we used to imagine that every plane that flew by was Kanayo heading to some destinations. Bertram built an iconic villa named Mmajiaku villa with his mother's effigy adorning the front . on the parapet was "THE FRUIT OF HONEST LABOUR ", a bold statement that hard work pays.

Ephraim Ubesie's moto was that " Chukwu ga enyem nkem na obuaka m...", literally meaning that when it's time for God to bless him, it would come direct to him and not through an intermediary or by extension.

In 1987, Ephraim Ubesie passed on after a brief illness. Kanayo was a second year medical student in Dallas, Texas USA.

I recall those days when Igbogbahaka chaired the Ndube Agu meetings every Christmas where he would enquire from each kid how they faired in school. I used to visit my maternal home and would accompany other kids to the meeting. I didn't understand why I was not asked about me

One day I boldly interjected "Doctor, you didn't ask me!" Igbogbahaka hugged me and asked me how I faired, I told him I had been coming first since I started primary school and nobody could beat me . He gifted me 3 naira and encouraged me to become a doctor in future.

Kanayo graduated from medical school and went ahead to specialize, he became a fellow of American College of Ob/Gyn .
As a kid, his story inspired me greatly and influenced my choice of becoming a medical doctor,

Kanayo's philanthropy and large heartedness has been a guiding principle to many of us younger to him. His medical mission exploits have taken him to a lot of states in Nigeria, USA and as far as the Philippines.

The photo of him boarding an air plane in pursuit of greener pasture in the USA just 7 years after the civil war greatly gave us hope and prompted us to strive harder for excellence .

Thanks to his kinsman and lifelong friend, Rufus Anyaegbudike, who captured that turning point in a remarkable turn around from a humble beginning.
Rufus died on 8th January 2021 and would be buried at Anyaegbudike's compound near Obodo Ukwu Village Square on 5th March 2021 .

Rufus, “Searchmore”, left us with HOPE.
Hope will guide the honest and industrious towards success. And their stories will also be told to our generations to come.

Ozo Ginger Ibeneme II
Ikirikpom na Achi