Scholars: "Anu vu Oku n’ishi"

What or who is "Anu vu Oku n’ishi?" It is a phrase used to symbolize intellect and exceptionalism. The denotative meaning of the phrase describes an animal with a fountain of fire on its head. However, the connotative meaning is figurative, capturing intellect and genius bestowed upon a person. This phrase is native to the people of Ngwo and is also used as a term of praise to describe a unique mask from the same town.

It is a metaphorical expression used to honor one of our late sons, Dr. Sam Ihejika Orji—a Doctor of Philosophy and one of the pioneers of atomic physics in Nigeria. He was an intellectual, inventor, and political guru who etched his name in the sands of time. When he was referred to as "Anu vu Oku n’ishi," it transcended mere expression; he was our very own wizard of "Krinstin Hall." To us as a nation, he was what Albert Einstein and J. Robert Oppenheimer were to the West. He was an inventor, one of the few who mastered the rudiments of pure sciences, and part of the scientific minds who modeled locally fabricated explosives in what Chinua Achebe described as "once upon a country that never came."

Dr. Orji eventually established what is remembered in history as the first indigenous independent oil marketing company in Nigeria. To our ancestors, who called him "Anu vu Oku n’ishi," he was the people's masquerade.

Alex Onyia

Today, many "Anu vu Oku n’ishi" have emerged in various families. Among them, one standout is Mmaduabuchi Alex Onyia, the CEO of Educare Technology. He is a young Nwata Etiti Ngwo who led a team to develop a blueprint and build software that has revolutionized the Nigerian education sector. This software is now arguably ranked as the biggest ERP solution, comprising a school management software package. Today, it stands as the leading school management software in Nigeria, solving problems for numerous academic institutions. It has also created employment opportunities for many young Nigerians and propelled countless individuals through technology.

When I call you "Anu vu Oku n’ishi", it is more than just a name—it is a name that carries both weight and responsibility. It is more than a masquerade name; it is a call to action.

What have you done with what was given to you on the day of creation? Shelby American, the lead engineer who built the pioneering Ford racing car that won the French Le Mans from 1966 to 1969, once said, "It’s truly a lucky man that knows what he came to do in this world." If you are fortunate enough to recognize the deposit placed in your hands at creation and are willing to work on it, the world and everything in it is yours. Beyond that, you will become an "Anu vu Oku n’ishi."

In conclusion, the co-founder of Filmhouse Nigeria, Mr. Chidi Nwaro, during his TED Talk in Euston, emphasized the importance of considering what is in our hands.In all your doings, may you not be an "Anu vu Oku n’ishi" without smoke permeating the sky.

Anu vu oku n'ishi