… HRM Oba Josiah Olanrenwaju Ilemobade Aina, JP, Kuyamiku I, is a very excellent leader
High Chief (Mrs) Umennadike Maryann, the Ezenwanyi Ugochinyere I, Agbara Igbesa, Ogun State, (Ezenwanyi Ndi Ezigbo N’uzo-Ije Southern, Zone). She is also the Yeye Asiwaji I, Peta Awori Kingdom, Owori, Ogun State and a business woman of repute who has done so well to lift others up to stand on their feet financially particularly the women folk. Recently, the management of The Unique Model magazine honoured her with the award of ‘Outstanding Ezewanyi in Diaspora’ in recognition of her numerous contributions to humanity and society growth. In this interview, she tasks Ndigbo on respect for constituted authority, and unity.
Excerpts:
Can you introduce yourself?
My name is High Chief (Mrs) Umennadike Maryann, Ezenwanyi Ugochinyere I, Agbara Igbesa, Ogun State, (Ezenwanyi Ndi Ezigbo N’uzo-Ije Southern, Zone), the Yeye Asiwaji I, Peta Owori Kingdom, Owori, Ogun State.
What is your business and your emergence as Eze Nwanyi of Agbara Igbesa, Ogun State?
Well, I am recognized because I am a hotelier from Lagos to Agbara Igbesa, I am well known as ‘Madam White’ and I am well known as the Chief Executive Officer of ‘White Square Inn Hotel,’ Petedo Agbara, Ogun State. From there, a lot of people know me, very well due to the good things I have been doing to the people, because I love people the way I love myself that is me.
You have another prominent title as ‘Yeye of Asiwaju, given by the indigenes BY HRM Oba Josiah Olanrenwaju Ilemobade Aina, JP, Kuyamiku I), what do you think that made the indigenes to recognize you?
I was recongnised by the indigenes because before I became Ezewanyi in Agbara and after being crowned as Ezewanyi, whenever the indigenes are doing any programme, they will invite me and I will be there to pay my homage to them. The Oba and chiefs took notice of my attitude, including most of them that are not in Agbara know me and I know them. I always pay my homage, because this is their land.
We have to honour them because they welcome us and when I became Ezewanyi, I brought out a lot of women, by going from village to village with food, drinks, and money to preach to them to come out for us to form Igbo voice, which is Ohanaeze. I am the woman that brought all the women in Agbara Igbesa to join the Ohaneze women’s wing.
Ezewanyi, you have a good relationship with the indigenes to the extent that you were given a title as ‘Yeye of Asiwaju’ being Igbo woman, what is your advice to some Ndi Igbo that are far from the indigenes?
Igbo is good, but the only thing that is not good for Ndigbo is respect. No Igbo man or woman is ready to bow down for any authority, because most of them believe that what you have, they will have it in future. But that is very wrong. If you didn’t bend down to respect those in authority, it can never get to you. Even if it gets to you, you will still receive the same insult and disrespect you gave out.
So, my advice to them is, because people are laughing at us, let the Igbos gather themselves together and form only one voice, one voice and then stop all these crowning, crowning, it’s too much. People are laughing at us because they know we are not together. Igbo people immediately they form a meeting, one will move away and form another one. From the one formed, another person will move away and form another one.
Then, we are not with the same mind, not with the same heart, we cannot do anything together, when you see your brother on the way, quarrel starts, you see your sister on the way quarrel, please I want all the Igbos to come together, and be one, one mind, one soul.
You belong to many clubs including the Lions Club and the Glorious Prestige Success Club International of which you were honored as the Matron with the letter, what is your assessment of their performance in Ogun State?
Well, I belong to many clubs, and I have been with Glorious Prestige Success Club International for years, I am their matron, I am the only woman matron in Agbara. In Anambra meeting, I am the one that started it. So, all the clubs that I belong to, my work there is to advise them on what to do and what not to do.
I will advise them to do good things that will move the club forward because when you open a club, it’s not to go there and drink, and enjoy yourself. That is the only thing some clubs know how to do better, but if you want to do a very good club, you must have a land, build on it, and establish a lot of things that will fetch you money. From there people that suffer from the beginning to start the club, will start enjoying, they will not regret why they joined the club, so my job is to give advice to all clubs that I belong to.
The Unique Model magazine, gave you award of ‘Outstanding Ezewanyi in Diaspora on 3rd December, 2023 in recognition of your immense contributions to the less-privileged, and Ndigbo youths. How did that make you feel?
I have done a lot of which I cannot mention all, even when I became Ezewanyi, I started supporting women with N150,000.00 to start and support their businesses respectively. I brought a loan scheme of more than N20million and gave to some of them N500,000.00, and others N200,000.00 to start their own businesses, I am a business woman, and I love business. I don’t like any idle woman, because when you are idle, the devil will use the person to work. If I start naming what I have done in this Agbara Igbese since I became Ezewanyi and ‘Yeye Asiwaju, it’s uncountable, but whatever I do, it’s by God’s grace, if God didn’t give me the energy, I wouldn’t have done it, and I think, The Unique Model magazine, God bless you people, your good magazine and I say thank you for recognizing my contributions to the society and honouring me.
Ezewanyi, how do you assess the performance of the Oba of the land, HRM Oba Josiah Olanrenwaju Ilemobade Aina, JP, Kuyamiku I, who has been on the throne for a long time now?
HRM Oba Josiah Olanrenwaju Ilemobade Aina, JP, Kuyamiku I, is a very excellent leader, and when I say excellent, he’s an excellent leader, he is good Oba and first class Oba Olota of Awori, welcomes all the Igbos, welcomes the poor and rich. He has a good heart, so lovely, all his wives and children are good to me and other people. The way he welcomes me into their palace is great. May God give him long life, good health and more wisdom to rule his kingdom in Jesus mighty name. Amen.