I have known Chief Moses Okeme for quite sometimes now.
Flipping back into the chink of time, in the eighties, between 1980 and 1989, we used to have what we call the Emabódu Youth Association ( EYA), an association birthed out of the need for the Emabódu Youths to have a platform to express themselves socially and otherwise in the Ofabo clime. That association often held end of the year get-together and the venue then had always been between my grandfather’s ( Ali óma Okemeli) house and Akor Ikade’s house at downtown Ofabo. You won’t believe that in most of these occasions, the MC was nobody else than the the Chief himself, Chief Okeme Moses. We used to call him then either as Harry Moscow or Moscow in short.
CHIEF Moses Okeme’s mother is from the Emabódu clan and he always identified with us during the EYA get-together, little wonder, some of us have stood with him over the years supporting his aspiration to be a traditional ruler in our Ofabo community.
In my University days, Chief Okeme Moses got an accomodation for me at Egume road Anyigba not very far from his house, when I was looking for accomodation at that material time. He, Magma and I had a very close relationship while I was in Anyigba and we were strong members of the Emodu Development Association ( EDA) Anyigba branch. Our meetings were held in my sister’s ( Mrs Ugbényó) house, at Iyale road.
Bringing this closely home, Chief Okeme Moses and I have maintained a great relationship and we often discuss issues concerning to the welfare of the Emodu nation and the Emodu people as a whole. One thing that is very clear to me is that chief Okeme Moses has the interest of the Emodu people and the Emodu land at heart. He was always very passionate whenever he discussed those issues. I had an earlier discernment about that he had what it takes to be the chief of his people, that major characteristic is his love for his fatherland.
When some miscreants invaded our country home in Ofabo destroying properties and carting away valuables from our house; my younger brother Sunday Ali told me that it was Chief Okeme Moses who showed concern in what had happened to the point of reporting the matter to the Divisional Police Station at Ugwólawo which necessitated their intervention in the matter.
I am particularly delighted that chief Okeme Moses have stood firm in his resolve for what he truly believes in; he has never wavered even in his conviction even when it seemed things weren’t working in his favour, he had stood firm and committed and have continued to pursue his dreams.
Ofabo city needs a man in Chief Okeme Moses, calibre to help in bringing our people together and restore the much needed unity that has eluded us.
Chief Moscow, as he is known,as he assumes the title of Onu Ofabo Ebije, I and about 5 million of Emodu people across the globe prays for his success.
What his title really means is unity of the Emodu people. It’s time for the whole of the Emodu nation to come together and become one again. We are not many in terms of our numerical strength and we cannot see eye to eye on so many matters of family and communal living. We are terrible fractured as a people and this has never brought us any good. It’s high time we need a unifier and chief Okeme Moses fits into that image.
If you look at the Ofabo community and the whole of the communities where Emodu’s live, there are several issues that are begging for attention; we need leaders who will have the time to sought and find solutions to our myriad of problems.
The Emodu people have abandoned so many of our Customs and Traditions and thereby helping us in losing some of our original identities.
What is the identity of an Emodu person? If you ask any person the question: ” What are those things that truly makes the Emodu people stand out?” People can only scratch their heads in confusion and say nothing because we have abandoned our Customs and Traditions in the name of modernity. We must as a matter of fact, distinguish between Customs and Traditions and Idolatry. There are several of our cultural practices that are not idolatry and we must as a matter of necessity bring back and I am sure chief Okeme Moses when he is fully invested as the ONU OF OFABO, Ebije will do his best to revive some of those lost or abandoned traditions.
Chief Okeme Moses may your reign be long to the benefit of God and mankind and to the benefit of the Emodu people and the unborn generation.
I am one of your subjects.