BIOGRAPHY
Diopka Augustine Okolie Chiedu a.k.a (AFRICA) (Deputy Superintendent of Police Retired)
Late Augustine Okolie Chiedu ‘fondly called AFRICA’ was the only surviving son of Late Chief Chiedu Nwoko, the son of Abor, the son of Ogwugbe, the son of Ohagbeme and the son of Olo. See attached Nwoko Genealogy.
He was born on Saturday 10th August, the 222nd day of the year 1935 in the Gregorian calendar and on Olie market day according to our local calendar which gave rise to the name Okolie.
He was the second child of four children of Late High Chief Chiedu Nwoko, the former Ozah of Onich-Ugbo, his mother Late Mrs. Nwokpoho Chiedu (nee Okoh) from Ogbekenu Quarters Onicha-Ugbo.
He was born 10yrs after his elder sister Mrs. Mgboeke Iduh (Nee Chiedu) then followed by his two younger brothers Late Mr. Charles Nwanamokwu Chiedu and Late Mr. Chukwusieli Chiedu who were born in the 1940’s respectively.
EARLY CHILDHOOD
Late Augustine Okolie Chiedu attended the popular Aniemeke Primary school in Onicha –Ugbo in the early 1940’s, but later dropped out as a result of the death of his father when he was barely 11yrs old. The death of his father marked a turning point in his life as his dreams took a different pathway. He later travelled to Jos in Plateau state to live with his maternal Uncle Late Mr. Okoh where he continued with his primary education, He also live briefly in Kaduna and Numan in present day Adamawa.
He later returned back home on the request of his mother and completed his standard six exam which the passed very well but due to the rough times he found himself and his mother being a widow she could not afford a secondary education for him and his siblings, hence went into skill trade to become an apprentice tailor.
EARLY CAREER
In the early 1950’s He moved to Onitsha to live with his elder sister Mrs. Mgboeke Iduh (Nee Chiedu) with her family where Dad spent most of his youth days as an apprentice, a journeyman, and later become a professional tailor and a dressmaker of repute in Onitsha back in the 1960’s.
He relocated back home when the Nigerian civil war broke out. He lost his younger Chukwusieli who was a Biafran Soldier after returning from the war front went back to again to the battlefield the second time but never returned home till date and Dad will always describe him as a gallant and energetic Biafran Solder.
Our Dad never joked about education. A collector of books and magazines, he had a personal library where he stocked popular novels and books written by popular authors during his days and this reading culture which he later imbibed in his children. He also ensured that every apprentice he brought in completed primary school under his supervision, to enable them to become better people in life.
He continued with his skilled profession at home where he created the brand name ‘’De African Tailor’’ he was well known within the Enu-ani circle, as he made clothes for most prominent personalities in the Onicha-Ugbo back in the days, neighboring towns and villages including the former Obi of Onicha –Ugbo Obi Emenem of blessed memory and the incumbent Obi and made uniforms for students of Saint Pius X Grammar School and many of them are alive today.
He specialized in making Suits, Safari Jackets, regular and combat wares and all forms coveralls and uniforms.
Family Life:
After the end of the Nigerian civil war while running his tailoring workshop at home he met a beautiful lady Miss Justina Okwuchi from Umu-oshomi Quarters in Onicha –ugbo who was also in the same profession, a seamstress and they dated for a few years and got married in the early 1970’s.
Their marriage is blessed with six children, three boys and three girls viz: Emmanuel Ike, a set of twins Christie Ngozi and Christopher Dumebi, and another set of twins Mary Uche and Martha Amalonye and finally Andrew Nnamdi.
Diokpa was a family man to the core, sacrificing personal comfort most times, for the growth of his family. He contributed immensely to the education of his younger siblings, which he again replicated when he started having his own family. He was always interested in carrying out unscheduled inspections of our books and homework. Apart from regular school we all attended extra school lessons and during holidays we assisted in fixing buttons and ironing clothes that were made for clients.
He will always recall that since he didn’t have the opportunity of going to secondary school or University, he would make sure all his children get the best of education.
Our Dad had different names which they call him, popular among them was ‘’AFRICA’’ while we call him ‘’Gaike’’ a corrupted translation of ‘’Nnadi – Ike’’ we later changed it to Popsi and Diokpa in his later years. He loved family life and loved telling us the history of things that happened in the past, he was a moving encyclopedia for those who came very close to him.
He loved good and delicious food including pounded yam and banga soup, beans, and vegetables. He’s not an alcoholic person but likes to take red wine, palm wine and small stout occasionally.
As a professional tailor he likes to dress well, he had a silver-plated bicycle then and later bought a Suzuki motorbike which used to move around, and his clothes always ironed even few days to his death he took his time iron his outing clothes like someone travelling and all his shoes neatly packed in his room.
Service Years:
In his quest in taking his career to the next professional level and based on recommendations from his clients in 1972 he joined the Nigerian Police force with his standard six certificate as a tradesman professional tailor and as soon as he graduated from the Police College Ikeja Lagos, he was posted to the workshop at Obalende Ikoyi Lagos. He didn’t work for long there before he was posted to Benin City, then Bendle state Police command where he spent a greater part of his career. He worked with the likes of Late George Onwuemene, Mr. Akpapuna, and a host of other officers from Enu-ani.
His promotion in the force was initially rapid, but when he got to the rank of inspector of Police it stalled for about 18yrs as a result of quota system that played major roles in the force, and he vowed that none of his children will join the force. He later got promoted back-to-back when moved to Asaba.
In 1987 he was transferred to Akure Ondo state capital and was mandated to move with the entire family. At Akure he served as second in command Quartermaster, although he never like the place and after 2yrs he transferred back to Benin in 1989.
On his transfer back to Benin City he was posted to the Police College in Benin as the Quartermaster, Daddy used it as opportunity to bring in a lot of youths from Enu-ani to be enlisted into the police force and some of them are top ranking officers today, while some have equally retired.
In 1991 when Delta state was created a new Police command was also created and some officers were deployed from the Benin to startup a new office in Asaba, that was how Dad was transferred to Asaba Delta state to head the new department.
As the new head he demanded for more men from the authorities, and this gave him another ample opportunity to recruit more professionals to the force especially people from our Anioma origins and till his last days some of them still show appreciation for giving them jobs.
Our Dad made uniforms for top Police officers including commissioners and senor officer serving under the state command till his retirement 1997 and notable among them was Late Tafa Balogun who later became the IGP and many others. Daddy made uniforms for other sister organizations including the Nigerian customs service, Nigerian Civil Defense Corps, the then Nigerian Prison service and the Shell Police and other private security outfits.
They say in every successful man, there must be a woman beside him, when the wage bill was getting higher training all his children in secondary and universities our Mum who was a petty trader then in New market Benin on relocating to Asaba dusted her certificate and got a job as an office assistant at the Federal College of Education Technical Asaba to assist the family financially and she worked in different Depts. as a non- academic staff till her retirement.
Religious and social life:
He was a devoted catholic to the core, he officially wedded our Mum at St. Joseph Catholic church Benin City in a group wedding organized by the parish early 1990’s.
He was a staunch believer of the catholic faith and never failed to profess it. He never like going into argument that is religious and all his children got baptized and confirmed at Saint Joseph’s Catholic Church in Benin City.
He was a strong member of the Catholic Men’s Organization right from Benin to Asaba and finally at home till his last days. He was a pioneer member of Noble League club, a social club which comprised of members of Enu-ani people residing in Benin back in the days. An active member of the Onich-Ugbo progressive Union (OPU) both in Benin, Asaba and at home.
Our Daddy had some close friends in Benin way back and majority of them have since joined their ancestors notable among the were Late Mr. George Onwuemene, Mr. Diji, Mr. Okafor Abor, Mr. Felix Odogbo, Mr. Ujomu, Mr. Kojo Onwueze, Mr. Ogbugo, Mr. Sunday Oduh and the list goes on….
Daddy was a great historian that left big vacuum that will be hard to fill some of which are documented. According to him if he had gone to the university, he could have been a professor of history. Daddy was ready to engage anyone when it comes to our history and intellectual discussions including quoting dates of events. Anytime you spend with him be sure to learn something new from the discussion.
Daddy loves social interactions and meeting new friends, he speaks Hausa fluently, he understands Bini language and he speaks all the variants of Igbo languages including our native enu-ani language.
He had no secrets. He had nothing to hide. His sitting room and bedroom were always open and accessible by everyone. He was generous and kind. Many people took undue advantage of his large heart but that never deterred him from extending his kindness to the next person.
LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS:
Dad was the pioneer head of dept. of Nigerian Police Tailoring workshop in Delta state a position he held till retirement with over 100 officers and men onboard. He also created different sections and ran the office with minimal interference from above.
Upon retirement in 2007 he stayed a while in Asaba and finally relocated back home in 2014 with his wife to live the retirement life.
Daddy became the oldest member of Nwoko descendants and later the Diokpa Umu-Abor following the death of Diokpa Enueze. He was also the Diokpa of the Eboh and descendants of Umu-Ohagneme Umu-Olo till he passed. He presided over the family meeting and settled disputes and other issues concerning the family from time to time.
Health
A few years after his retirement Daddy was diagnosed with prostate enlargement, and from time to time he was in the hospital for days and weeks. Around 2018 he had a Bike accident on his way from a barbing salon and had a fractured ankle, had a near death experience as he was rushed to FMC Asaba orthopedic center where he was on admission for close to four months until he recovered.
Daddy has been in and out of hospital on different occasions and for over 18yrs has been managing a diabetic condition to the extent that our Mum become a professional caregiver managing which her routine taking good care of him and he never joked with drugs and breakfast and sustained him till passed on.
Daddy’s Last Days
In September 2023 he fell terribly ill and was rushed to the FMC once again, thinking that will be his last he requested Nnamdi his son to call his Rev. Father to pray for him and administer anointing oil which he obliged, but miraculously he recovered and returned home, Many thanks to my childhood and family friend Mr. Noel Akpati and Doctors who were always on ground to assist with all his medical needs.
In the first week of December 2023, we had phone conversation, and I promised all his children and grandchildren will be around for the charismas and celebrations to spend quality time with him Daddy was so happy about that decision and honestly it was one of the best times with Diopkpa as all his ground children flocked around him throughout the two weeks we spent at home. It was party after party and on Christmas the children sang Felix Navidad for grandpa and New Year was with fireworks all around which he enjoyed.
On the 5th of Jan 2024 before departure, he called out the children prayed for everyone, he then gives each of them new =N=1000-naira notes and said goodbye!
On Saturday 20th January 2024 Diokpa entertained his brothers at home and other kinsmen although he did not join them physically, he was all indoors throughout the day.
In the early hours of Sunday 21st January at about 0405Hrs a call come from Mum. It was a call nobody will ever want to pick, I knew his time was up, the handwriting on the wall was very clear, Diokpa has gone to sleep peacefully and gone to be with the Lord. So ends his mortal life and a new one begins!
‘’Indeed, for your faithful, Lord, life is changed, not ended.’’
We thank you for being a great father, grandpa, uncle, niece, and in-law, we will continue to uphold your legacy because you came, you saw, and you conquered.
Left to mourn him are.
• Mrs. Justina Chiedu (Wife)
• Emmanuel Ike Chiedu (Son)
• Mrs. Christy Chiedu-Laté (Daughter)
• Engr. Chris Chukwudumebi Chiedu (Son)
• Mrs. Mary Uche Udemagwuna (Daughter)
• Mrs. Martha Amalonye Opone (Daughter)
• Mr. Nnamdi Andrew Chiedu (Son)
• Mr. Somtochukwu Joshua Anadi (Grandson)
• Miss Ifeoma Clare Chiedu (Granddaughter)
• Master Francis Chukwudubem Chiedu (Grandson)
• Miss Alfreda Udemagwuna (Granddaughter)
• Miss Sophia Chiedu (Granddaughter)
• Miss Karen Opone (Granddaughter)
• Miss Winifred Ngozi Udemagwuna (Granddaughter)
• Master Leonard Udemagwuna (Grandson)
• Miss Kosisochukwu Chiedu (Granddaughter)
• Mrs. Ogechi Chiedu (Daughter -in- law)
• Mrs. Evelyn Chiedu (Daughter -in- law)
• Mrs. Anthonia Chiedu (Daughter -in- law)
May the soul our dearest father Augustine Okolie CHIEDU and the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in PEACE…. AMEN!
Signed //
(On behalf of the family)
Mr. Emmanuel Ike Chiedu Quality, Health, Safety & Environment Consultant
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