USA Africa Dialogue Series - UPDATE 11: The Zik Statue and Mausoleum Pictures + Pledges Continue [Total $6,670] for Zik Legacy Project in Onitsha

 

AUGUST 25, 2010

 

Dear All:

 

Over the past few days, I dispatched an associate of mine in Nigeria to arrange for pictures to be taken in Onitsha of the statues of Zik both at his Inisi Onisa Retreat and at the DMGS Roundabout.  I also requested an update on the Mausoleum at the Retreat.

 

The results are in, and are presented COMPREHENSIVELY below.

 

 

1.  The Statue at Inisi Onisa Retreat:

 

You will recall the dated headless statue that started this all - an unfortunate event that occurred during a riot in Onitsha in November 2005:

 

                                                                             

                                                                              Bolaji Aluko, seated next to headless statue in September 2006

 

Well, in January 2007, the head was restored, due to the generosity of one Mr. Henry Onukwuba, and the statue un-veiled by the Obi of Onitsha, according to a plaque now at the foot of the statue below:

 

                                                

 

 

However, one would be remiss if one did not show the surroundings of the statue itself, and the need to upgrade those surroundings:

 

                                  

 

 

                                 

 

Clearly, while the head is thankfully back on, pressure, moral and financial,  should be brought to upgrade the surroundings.  The statue cuts a rather lonely figure in the stark surroundings.

 

2.  The Statue at DMGS Roundabout

This is the oldest statue of Zik in Onitsha, a majestic bronze one that was installed on his 59th birthday (November 16, 1963), within one month of his assumption of the Nigerian Presidency, and carved by the famous sculptor Prof. Ben Enwonwu (1917-1994), one time of the University of Ife (from 1971-75 while I was a student there!) see http://benenwonwufoundation.org/biography.html;  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Enwonwu ].  Pictures taken at the site three days ago are as follows:

 

                                                                

 

Side View:

 

                                                     

Surroundings, near and far:

 

                         

Surroundings, afar:

 

                                       

Again, like at the Inisi Onira site, clearly pressure, moral and financial,  should be brought to upgrade the surroundings.

 

3.  The Mausoleum at Inisi Onira Retreat

Pictures of the Mausoleum - exterior and interior - are provided below:

 

                       

Inside:

                                 

Clearly, the Mausoleum still needs a lot of work to bring it to any respectable level. Work on it has been abandoned episodically.

 

4.  Conclusion about Statue and Mausoleum

The above pictures clearly demonstrate that while it is NOT the head of the Zik statue that requires restoration at any of the sites, certainly the SURROUNDINGS of both the Inisi Onira Retreat and DMGS Roundabout sites need SERIOUS UPGRADING befitting of monuments to Zik of Africa on this 50th year of commemoration of Nigeria's Independence.  Whatever FILIP can also be done to ensure the TIMELY completion of the Mausoleum is also important for us to provide.  These goals and objectives should be the target of our current fund-raising, whose details how to expend what we collect should be hammered out in further discussions in Committee. 

 

5.  PLEDGE TABLE

 

 

The pledges continue to forge beyond the 1 Million Naira initial target , and the current table is presented below.  Total pledges now stand at $6,870 (N1,030,500).

 

 

S/N	Donor	Amount US$	Comment	Status of Pledge	Email
1	Aluko, Mobolaji	300			alukome@gmail.com,
2	Ojo, Valentine	50			valojo@earthlink.net, valojo@md.metrocast.net,
3	Ojedokun, Olu	50	Used to be BP25		employlawone@aol.com,
4	Nwakanma, Obi	100			rexmarinus@hotmail.com,
5	Madu, Abraham	50			abraham.madu@yahoo.com,
6	Kolawole, Suji	200			sujikolawole@gmail.com,
7	Ogundimu, Folu	100			ogundimu@msu.edu,
8	Edosomwan, Charles	100			edosomwanlaw@gmail.com,
9	Igietseme, Joe	200			jbi8@cdc.gov,
10	Chief Gemologist	50			usgemology@yahoo.com,
11	Ekechi, Felix	50			fekechi@kent.edu,
12	Aina, Tade	100			tadeakinaina@yahoo.com,
13	Udogu, Ike	100			udoguei@appstate.edu,
14	Zakari, Aisha	100			azdauda@yahoo.co.uk,
15	Raji, Taju	50			traji@aol.com,
16	Kuforiji, Kayode	50			omokuforiji@gmail.com,
17	Anonymous	67	N10,000
18	Mensah, Edward	50			dehasnem@uic.edu,
19	Gyasi, Kwabby	50			kwabbyg@aol.com,
20	Onyegbula, Festus	100			fonyes@gmail.com,
21	Mustafa, Salihu	100	N20,000	Reflects a N5,000 increasse to take care of any currency exchange fluctations	salihumustafa@gmail.com,
22	Garba, Lawal	100			lawal.garba@gmail.com,
23	Olajide, Saheed	50			lagoslife32@yahoo.com,
24	Adeniyi, Michael	100			mgadeniyi@yahoo.com,
25	Kassim, Ola	100			OlaKassimMD@aol.com,
26	Viscount Slim	43			viscount_slim@yahoo.com,
27	Nwosu, Okenwa	250			okenwanwosu@covad.net,
28	Egbo, Benedicta	100			beegbo@gmail.com,
29	Osunsan, Rotimi	100			rotimi_osunsan@yahoo.com,
30	Williams, Dapo	160	BP100		dapow@aol.com,
31	Aghadiuno, Eric	150			eric@devace.com,
32	Babajide, Ibukunolu	100			ibk@usa.net,
33	Dawodu, Segun Toyin	100			stdawodu@gmail.com,
34	Akuechiama, Jude & Ebere	200			ebyjud@aol.com
35	Anugom, Azuoma	100			adaejiagamba@gmail.com, adaejiagamba08@yahoo.com,
36	Irozuru, Julius	50			jirozuru@yahoo.com,
37	Okafor, Victor O.	100			vokafor@emich.edu,
38	Frempong, Sandra	50			blassys@yahoo.com,
39	Oyedeji, Kale	50			koyedeji@morehouse.edu,
40	Abegunrin, Layi	50			abegunrin@yahoo.com,
41	Enweze, Obi	100			obienweze@yahoo.com,
42	Omoigui, Nowa	200			nowa_o@yahoo.com,
43	Adam, Baba	100			drbadam@yahoo.com,
44	Adeboye, Adeniran	100			aadeboye@mac.com,
45	Adeyeye, Sola	100			solaadeyeye@gmail.com,
46	Ibe, Kevin	50			k.i.n.ibeh@strath.ac.uk,
47	Awofolaju, Akin	100			awofolaju@aol.com,
48	Adesanmi, Pius	100			piusadesanmi@yahoo.com,
49	Okala, Emeka, R.	100			reukal@yahoo.co.uk,
50	Dada, Ganiyu	100			gdada@aol.com,
51	Odusanya, Adeola	100			odusanya8@aol.com,
52	Oviawe, Joan O.	50			joanoviawe@gmail.com,
53	Okojie, Paul	100			okojiepaul@aol.com,
54	Aduba, Obi	200	Reflects $50 pledge increase for each $1000 raised AFTER his initial pledge of $150 (up to a maximum of $300)		baduba54@aol.com,
55	Okeke, Okwy	200			okwudili98@yahoo.co.uk,
56	Raheem, Ade	100			scansectech@gmail.com,
57	Akindana, "Matto"	100			matto1@msn.com,
58	Nwabuzor, Steve	100			wabuz@comcast.net,
59	Iberosi, Simon	100			s.iberosi@ieee.org,
60	Omeaku, Cyriacus	100			Omeakucy@sbcglobal. Net,
61	Aniedobe, Chris	100			chrisaniedobe@yahoo.com
62	Ezeoke, Marcel	100			munamarx @yahoo.com,
63	Okoye, Gabe	100			gabe@essexgeo.com,
64	Umeweni, Uchenna	100			girardfamilypharmacy@verizon.net,
65	Anetor, Lucky & family	100			anetor55@yahoo.com,
66	Umunnakwe, Fred	50			fredumunnakwe@yahoo.com,
67	Raheem, Ade	100			scansectech@gmail.com
68	Edem, Noyo	50			babytonia62@yahoo.com
	Total So Far	6870

 

 

Hopefully by  October 1, and certainly by November 1, we would have raised  the entire N1 million and more, to be REDEEMED in time for November 16, which would have been Zik's 106th birthday.  If we raise N1 million by October 1 (50th Independence Anniversary), then it could be an opportunity to highlight an appreciation for Zik's role in Nigeria's Indepence struggle - among other things.  We might even get some matching funds from Nigeria.

 

We will rely on the integrity of all who have pledged to send in their pledges.  Your money will be in good hands. 

 

Consequently, kindly begin to redeem your pledges by sending a check or money-order made out to "The Zik Legacy Project", and mail to either one of the following two addresses:

 

                               Ms. Azuoma Anugom, PO Box 881352, Los Angeles,  CA 90009, USA

 

                                                         or

 

                       Prof.. Mobolaji E. Aluko, PO Box 343, Burtonsville, MD 20866, USA

 

Kindly email BOTH of us PRIVATELY ( adaejiagamba08@yahoo.com, AND alukome@gmail.com) when you actually send your pledge forth.  Pledge receipts will be updated periodically.

 

We continue to hope that others will be generous and continue to make their pledges.

 

To those who have pledged, we urge  you to sign up, if you wish,  by clicking the following URL:

 

http://groups.google.com/group/zikproject/

 

This is an invitation to join the ZikProject listserve set up by Ms. Azuoma Anugom, so that as many pledgors as possible can contribute to a discussion of the Next Steps, including what the FORMAL name of the enterprise will be.  The group's initial description is as follows:

 

"This group is for all who share the vision of keeping Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe's legacy alive. We are committed to raising funds for the restoration and/or completion of his statue/mausoleum amongst other goals and objectives."

 

 

I thank you all in advance. 

 

 

Bolaji Aluko

 

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

SOME BACKGROUND

 

 

Timeline:
 
1.  November 16, 1904 - Zik is born in Zungeru
2.  January 1, 1960 - Zik becomes President of the Senate of Nigeria (under British Colonial Rule)
3.  October 1, 1960 - Nigeria becomes an independent country
4.  November 16, 1960 - Zik becomes Governor General of Nigeria
5.  October 1, 1963 - Zik becomes President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
6.  November 16, 1963 or thereabout - Zik's life-size statue in Onitsha (near DMGS) unveiled by sculptor Prof. Ben Enwonwu in commemoration of then President Zik's 59th Birthday

7.  May 11, 1996 - Zik dies in Onitsha
8.  November 7, 2005 - large portion of Inosi Onira Retreat (home of Zik) in Onitsha destroyed allegedly by MASSOB;
9.  November 7, 2005 or thereabout - head of Zik's Statue removed by unknown (?) person(s).
10.  January 1, 2007 - statue at Zik Retreat restored
11. August 2010 - Photographic status of statues and state of mausoleum are in.
 

Note: The date  that Zik's life-size statue near his Inosi Onira Retreat home was unveiled is not known at this time.  

 
Compiled by Bolaji Aluko

 

 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

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