Dr. Ije Jidenma is the daughter of late Frederick Chidozie Ogbalu, the first Nigerian to write a book in Igbo language. He wrote over 200 books in Igbo language before he died in 1990. That feat transformed Ogbalu to becoming a lifelong teacher and champion of Igbo cultural heritage. Jidenma, an accomplished management consultant, spoke to Simeon Mpamugoh and Chidiebere Ibeneche. In this interview, she narrates his father’s linguistic and literary achievements.
Your father read Economics. What propelled him to promote Igbo language and culture so elaborately?
My late father attended Dennis Memorial Grammar School (D.M.G.S.) Onitsha, where, in addition to his studies, he joined the Society for Promoting African Culture (S.P.A.C.). It was this society that stirred his thinking about African culture, especially the Igbo culture. After he completed his studies and passed the Senior Cambridge School Certificate in 1944, with an exemption from London Matriculation, he proceeded for training as a teacher. After obtaining a BSc degree in Economics from University of London as a private candidate, he was also elected a Fellow of the Royal Economics Society of London. He briefly served as a tutor in his Alma Mater, Dennis Memorial Grammar School, in 1948, where he taught Economics, Government Latin and British Constitution.
At that time, the Principal of the school was Rev D.C. Clark, an expatriate, who also encouraged traditional dances, proverbs contests and literary activities in Igbo with the award of prizes. My father also wrote political articles in The Spokesman newspaper, which had nationalistic flavour. Rev Clark was not pleased with his political incursions. Instead, he challenged him to write in his language since there was a clear vacuum in this regard. He took up the challenge, and started writing in Igbo language. By the time he was posted to St Augustine’s Grammar School, Nkwerre, the following year, he founded the Society for Promoting Igbo Language and Culture in 1949 at the age of 21 years. He was greatly committed to the ideals of advancing the use of the Igbo language and the promotion of positive cultural practices while discarding harmful and discriminatory ones.
In those days, students were not allowed to speak the indigenous languages in schools. Luckily, the principal of St Augustine’s Grammar School, Nkwerre, Mr. E.C. Ezekwesili, was a courageous Nigerian who brooked no nonsense. My father had much respect for him, and looked up to him as a mentor. So the duo took the nationalistic flavour to another level that was hitherto unimaginable. St Augustine’s Grammar School challenged the status quo of having the schools mottos in Latin (for instance, Dennis Memorial Grammar School, ‘ Lux Fiat ‘; King’s College, Lagos, ‘Floreat Collegium’) by having a motto ‘Ibu anyi danda ‘ in Igbo. Since then, he never looked back in building the society through a series of advocacy, technical seminars on language development and effective network of advocates, which, literally, became a sort of movement. Thus, before his tragic death in 1990, he was generally referred to as the ‘Father of Igbo Language and Culture.’ His fiery passion drove him to continue on this path, though, later in his career, he obtained a Master’s degree in Education from an American University.
How did he sustain the movement?
He took the promotion of Igbo language as his life’s mission. He was totally committed to it, and derived intrinsic satisfaction from doing so. He collaborated with well meaning and highly reputable Nigerians, such as Dr Akanu Ibiam, a distinguished medical missionary and a former Governor of Eastern Nigeria, in the First Republic, who dropped his English name to project his Igbo name. We also had collaborations with Archbishop Francis Arinze, now Cardinal Francis Arinze; Mrs. Margaret Ekpo, a pioneer female politician and activist in the First Republic. His students believed very much in this due to the early orientation they received at school. People like Prof Adiele Afigbo, a great historian, and Prof Elochukwu Amucheazi, a political scientist, who successfully served as the Director General for National Orientation Agency. He equally gained the confidence of others from other ethnic groups, such as Prof Babs Fafunwa, the highly respected educationist with whom he worked together to found the Association of Nigerian Indigenous Languages and Culture ( A.N.I.L.A.C. ).
The Institute established by the Federal Government to advance this cause was later led by two of his close associates, Prof B.O. Emenanjo and Prof Chinyere Aniche. He also got encouragements from his students. Some of them had become highly respected Nigerians, and referred to as his disciples, given their commitment to the vision which had become a sort of movement. Other intellectuals in leadership, who encouraged him, included, Prof B.O. Ukeje, the Provost of College of Education, Owerri, who invited him to set up the first Department of Igbo Language & Culture in a tertiary institution in Nigeria, and the leadership of University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where an annual seminar was held. There were also collaborations at other centres of excellence, like University of Lagos, where Profs Uzochukwu and Chinyere Aniche were, and the English Department of University of Benin where we had Prof. Romanus Egudu. I believe that, beyond the encouragement he received from these quarters and others not indicated here, he was so engrossed in the vision that he literally took it as his personal project thereby committing his resources, time, talent and treasure without counting the cost.
I remember how he kept sleepless nights researching and writing what he then termed ‘Igbometrics’ before the civil war, the precursor to what metamorphosed into the relatively new counting system where you have ‘Nari’ (one hundred) , ‘Puku’ (one thousand), etc. Before then, the Igbo counting system ended with ‘nnu’ (forty) and factors of it. Millions would then be uncountable; what was termed ‘Agukata agba a walu’, which translates to ‘counting until the jaw is broken’. He worked doggedly, receiving little or no grants, but, depending on his earnings, his salary and the resources of the Varsity Press and Varsity Bookshop at no cost to the society. They ensured that things were done through their support staff, printing of materials or encouraging young authors by publishing their books mostly on credit, etc.
My father also organised seminars and workshops, colloquia and symposia, national and international conferences and refresher courses in Igbo. He undertook the mental and physical task of preparing the details of these conferences. Papers were commissioned on the various themes which people researched and presented. He led delegations of academics and traditional rulers to federal and state governments, ministries and agencies to discuss issues concerning Igbo language and culture.
As a result of these efforts and others, Igbo language was recognised as a subject of study in the West African School Certificate ( W.A.S.C.), Higher School Certificate ( H.S.C.) and National Certificate of Education (N.C. E.) He served as the Chief Examiner in Igbo in WASC for several years. Subsequently, it became a subject of study in several Nigerian universities at the various degree levels. All these successes did not come without associated challenges, personal sacrifices and doggedness.
What are you doing to uphold the legacies he left behind, especially in the area of the propagation of Igbo language and culture?
Most of his children were influenced by his vision, and they are contributing in various ways to advance the Igbo legacy. The family has been supporting some of the prizes he instituted in various schools and colleges. It has financially supported the Annual F. C. Ogbalu Lecture, which was instituted at Nnamdi Azikiwe University during the tenure of Prof Pita Ejiofor as Vice Chancellor. After his sudden death by automobile accident in 1990, his second son, Mr. Felix Ogbalu, a civil engineer, took over the management of Varsity Press and Varsity Bookshop. He helps Igbo authors to publish and print their texts, as well as sponsor related activities, especially the fight against piracy. He is also part of Nigerian Publishers Association’s books summits. He promotes not only the books of our late father but the culture of reading and writing, generally. His first son, Mr. Chris Obi Ogbalu, a lawyer, worked with late Prof Adiele Afigbo in organising and sponsoring two seminars in his honour. The event took place at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The output of that seminar was the public presentation of the book F.C. Ogbalu and Igbo Language, edited by Prof Afigbo. It was published by University Publishing Company, the publishing arm of the Varsity Press.
Though we are all variously involved in our professions, my mother studied Igbo language at the National Certificate of Education (NCE level); my late father’s younger brother, Chief S. U. Ogbalu’s wife, studied Igbo, and is now an associate professor in Igbo language at one of the universities. His legacy lives on through his numerous students, their children, his research, writing and publications, etc. On my part, I am doing some work through the Goddy Jidenma Foundation. I also plan to set up F. C. Ogbalu Trust to work on the preservation of these legacies. The family is also looking at ways of preserving his life’s works for scholars, researchers etc to consult. I am currently working on his biography and would greatly appreciate to have any material (s) that would make the project successful.
My father wrote over 200 books. Some of his books on culture include Omenala Igbo and Ila Oso Uzuakoli. His Igbo novels include Uwaezuoke, Ebubedike and Obiefuna, while his collection of Igbo folklore include Mbediogu and Nza na Obu. His newspaper and magazine publications include Anyanwu and Onuora, while some of his books in Igbo grammar include Igbo Mbu series, etc. His legacy lives through the numerous writers whom he encouraged and their pieces of work. It lives beyond the boundaries of Nigeria, to other parts of the world. During his lifetime, he also received numerous doctorate degrees from Nigeria and American universities, such as D.Litt (Nig), PhD (Arizona), D.Hum Litt (Tuscan).