In his most accomplished evening years, the GUO emperor deserves some holidays and Onwa was going to have his ball
Emma Okocha
“The town of Nogales is divided by a fence: on the north side is the United States, and on the south side, Mexico. And the inhabitants on the northern side face lower crime rates, live longer and earn three times as much as their southern neighbours.”
– Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson, Why Nations Fail, London 2012
He was on vacation to the United States, God’s own country. He had come to celebrate with his son. The later was receiving an Award for his humanitarian activities primed from the Ritz hospital which since inception continues to provide ample medical aid to the Adazi Communities.
In his most accomplished evening years, the GUO emperor deserves some holidays and Onwa was going to have his ball. History indeed, would be kind to him and for his singular and massive contributions to the country’s economy and development; his footprints would be chapterized in gold.
READ ALSO: Fujairah, beyond Dubai… On the tickets of the Guo Emperor
If you are still in Alice’s wonderland check out the West Africa’s Highways from the Seme border village, to the University City of Legon coming from Sekondi-Takoradi to Accra. The GUO air conditioned blue or white fleet of buses dot the travellers’ landscape. Then from Seme to the Cameroons Mountains the GUO brand, the motors’ proficiency, speed of delivery, comfort and safety of the passengers over the years, have taken over the Onwa name.
Onwa Godwin Ubaka Okeke from buying and selling, surging, surviving the cut throat competition, holding his grounds inside the hectic Jewish haggling that is the Onisha market… the largest in West Africa, GUO grew his business to an empire, spanning into Real Estate, Industries and Services.
READ ALSO: Leadership crisis causes panic in Onitsha market
Just about to roll his sleeves, smell the roses and retire, he was jolted up by the extravaganza of the World cup. As a school boy in Onitsha, he was a stubborn full back who was not so friendly with the opponents’ attackers. The Russian World Cup many have commented established a new Religion. Football! More than the opium of the masses, the round leather Ball is god to the different peoples of the world.
The incredible performances of the Croatian Captain Luka Moderic, and the overwhelming creativity of the 19 year old Mbappe of France did not escape the holidaying GUO.
While others were consumed by the World Cup spectacle, Onwa whispered to his wife… GUO is returning once more to the saddle. For the last time permit me to extend some of my few working years. GUO would establish standard football Academies and prepare to export the trained young men to join the export market….
In Fujairah as we sat at the back seat of the car driving on the macadamized road after we picked him from Dubai International heading to Fujairah, west of Oman and approaching the Southern borders of Iran, he opened to me….
READ ALSO: Back from Fujairah, beyond Dubai… on the tickets of the GUO Emperor
He would continue to impact, change people’s lives, establish the Asaba and Lagos football academies for the sons of Carpenters and citizens of Ghettos and prepare the ground for the next Iheanachors to emerge.
In my life, I have been very fortunate to meet with his kind. I have talked about Chief Abiola, Iwuanyanwu ahaejemba, Jim Nwobodo and Justice Umeadi.
Onwa Ubaka Okeke is different.
He is a Tennis buff like me. He was a footballer like me.
His house is a home of daily Ministry.
The man who has recalled me to Sports since my sad ouster as Director of Sports Delta where in six months we moved Delta from the bottom to the premier status!
Daily in his house, he offers hope to the hopeless.
Breathes life to the comatose, shares corn and tea to the hunger stricken
In the name of the Lord I return to Sports to toe the footprints of this Goliath Jefferson
And give to the myrmidons a new world through the GUO Academy.