ADVERTISEMENT
The Sun Nigeria
  • Home
  • National
  • Columns
    • Broken Tongues
    • Capital Matters
    • Diabetes Corner
    • Duro Onabule
    • Femi Adesina
    • Frank Talk
    • Funke Egbemode
    • Insights
    • Kalu Leadership Series
    • Kunle Solaja
    • Offside Musings
    • PressClips
    • Public Sphere
    • Ralph Egbu
    • Shola Oshunkeye
    • Sideview
    • The Flipside – Eric Osagie
    • Tola Adeniyi
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • The Sun TV
  • Sporting Sun
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • National
  • Columns
    • Broken Tongues
    • Capital Matters
    • Diabetes Corner
    • Duro Onabule
    • Femi Adesina
    • Frank Talk
    • Funke Egbemode
    • Insights
    • Kalu Leadership Series
    • Kunle Solaja
    • Offside Musings
    • PressClips
    • Public Sphere
    • Ralph Egbu
    • Shola Oshunkeye
    • Sideview
    • The Flipside – Eric Osagie
    • Tola Adeniyi
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • The Sun TV
  • Sporting Sun
No Result
View All Result
The Sun Nigeria
No Result
View All Result
Home Editorial

Tribute to Emma Okocha

22nd December 2020
in Editorial
0
Tribute to Emma Okocha
0
SHARES
124
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Renowned Nigerian journalist, author and conflict scholar, Chief Emma Okocha, passed on recently. The ace sports writer and administrator died on November 29, 2020 in Asaba, Delta State. The celebrated essayist and a man of personal conviction will be remembered for accurately documenting one of the darkest moments of the fratricidal Nigerian Civil war of 1967-1970, which claimed millions of lives on both sides of the conflict.

His chronicling of the Asaba Massacre in his definitive book entitled, Blood on the Niger, was the most revealing of the needless atrocities of the bestial war. In Blood on the Niger, Okocha skillfully and eloquently exposed the gory genocidal dimensions of the civil war with graphic details. In the book, Okocha catalogued the human rights abuses of Asaba people during the Nigerian Civil War and uncovered the truth about the heinous war crimes. Through the book, he sought justice for victims of the Asaba Massacre.

The book has been critically acclaimed as one of the best historical accounts of the unfortunate and avoidable war. According to General Robert Castor of the United States, “Blood on the Niger is, indeed, the only enquiry on the cataclysm that befell a particular Nigerian people during that country’s civil war, 1967-1970. It is the saga and dilemma of the innocent western Ibos, who because of their geographical placing, suffered the brunt of the war.”  His Blood on the Niger inspired the research on the Asaba Massacre and subsequent publication of the seminal work, The Asaba Massacre, Trauma, Memory and the Nigerian Civil War, written by two American professors, Elizabeth Bird and Fraser Ottaneli.

As a cerebral columnist, Okocha had used his articles to denounce bad leadership, official corruption and social injustice. In all his incisive newspaper articles, he was bold, elegant and fearless in speaking truth to power. He also devoted most of his writings to defend the oppressed and the downtrodden in the society. He advocated for an equitable and better Nigeria where all citizens will be fairly treated.

Although an indigene of Asaba, in South South,  Okocha was very proud of his Igbo roots and heritage. At home in Asaba as well as in any part of Igbo land, he played active role in the pan-Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Nidigbo.

It was unfortunate that Emma Okocha died a day before he would have been conferred with the chieftaincy title of Ikemba Ahaba by His Royal Highness, the Asagba of Asaba, Prof. Chike Edozien. It was an honoured he looked forward to and cherished, but death snatched him awsu before he could wear the crown. However, he received the title posthumously on November 30, 2020.

The deceased read Mass Communication at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), where he honed his writing skills and rights activism. Later, he attended the University of Lagos where he got advanced degrees in Political Science and Conflict Resolution. He was the publisher of the Washington DC-based USA AFRICA magazine. Apart from Blood on the Niger, other Okocha’s major works include; Angola: The Landing of the Cubans and Chad: The Coercive Outcome.

The deceased was the Sports Editor of the defunct Satellite newspaper based in Enugu. He was the chairman of Delta State Sports Commission. Reputed for playing a competitive soccer, he also co-authored a book on Rangers International of Enugu. He was given the title of Ogbueshi Mkpagbu in 2014.

It is sad that Okocha died at a time his interventions will be readily sought for national development. A social crusader and a patriotic Nigerian, he tirelessly campaigned for a Nigeria that will be a force to be reckoned with in Africa and the entire world. He will be missed by his readers and numerous friends. We toast to this good Nigerian and commiserate with his family, the journalism profession, the people of Asaba, Delta State and the nation on the irreparable loss.

May God grant him eternal repose.

Click Here>>>>>>7 Natural Herbs to Finally End Premature Ejaculation and Weak Erection<<<<<<

Click Here>>>>>>Anti-kidnap and anti-theft device for tracking and listening<<<<<<

Tags: Emma OkochaOgbueshi Mkpagbu
Rapheal

Rapheal

Related Posts

Kwankwasiyya petitions Chinese bank, Lawan to block Ganduje’s €684m loan request 
Editorial

Lawan @ 62: Man of candour and focus

12th January 2021
Buhari’s 60th independence anniversary address
Editorial

Buhari’s New Year speech

12th January 2021
Orji Kalu, my dad, Gov Ikpeazu and I –Abia Speaker
Cover

Orji Kalu, my dad, Gov Ikpeazu and I –Abia Speaker

11th January 2021
Next Post
Searching for smoking guns against Atiku

Do they know it’s Christmas?

COVID-19: Oyeyemi deploys 5 FRSC ambulances to PTF; officers step up enforcement

Oyeyemi and modernisation of FRSC

$150m annual Capex investment limit killing power sector –DisCos

Consumers, Discos at daggers drawn over outrageous billing

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Highlights

Ex-AGF stranded in UAE over COVID-19, lawyer tells court

New Year protest: Sowore gets N20m bail

Fire kills 3 in Kano

Gunmen kill 3 police officers in Delta

LASU: Varsity of petitions

IPPIS: ASUP decries irregularities in implementation, mulls strike

Trending

Sports minister, Dare, empowers 300 women
Sporting Sun

Sports minister, Dare elated over Alaafin’s visit to Soun

12th January 2021
0

Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, has applauded the duo of Alaafin of Oyo and...

Balogun emerges 15th President of Rotary Club of Lagos Mainland

Northern youths attack Ahmed Musa

12th January 2021

Nigeria’s Anigbata shines in Wildcat invitational

12th January 2021
EFCC arraigns ex-AGF, Adoke, today

Ex-AGF stranded in UAE over COVID-19, lawyer tells court

12th January 2021
Alleged new year’s eve protest: Court remands Sowore, 4 others

New Year protest: Sowore gets N20m bail

12th January 2021
ADVERTISEMENT

Follow us on social media:

Categories

  • Abuja Metro
  • Arts
  • Broken Tongues
  • Business
  • Business Week
  • Cartoons
  • Citizen Joe
  • Columns
  • Cover
  • Culture
  • Duro Onabule
  • Editorial
  • Education Review
  • Effect
  • Elections
  • Entertainment
  • Events
  • Features
  • Femi Adesina
  • Food & Drinks
  • Frank Talk
  • Funke Egbemode
  • Gallery
  • Global Square by Kenneth Okonkwo
  • Health
  • Insights
  • Kalu Leadership Series
  • Kunle Solaja
  • Kunle Solaja
  • Letters
  • Lifeline
  • Lifestyle
  • Literary Review
  • Marketing Matters
  • Muiz Banire
  • National
  • News
  • Offside Musings
  • Opinion
  • oriental news
  • Politics
  • Press Release
  • PressClips
  • Public Sphere
  • Ralph Egbu
  • Shola Oshunkeye
  • Sideview
  • South-west Magazine
  • Sponsored Post
  • Sporting Sun
  • Sports
  • Sun Girl
  • Tea Time
  • The Flipside – Eric Osagie
  • The Sun Awards Live
  • The Sun TV
  • Thoughts & Talks
  • Time Out
  • Today's cover
  • Tola Adeniyi
  • Travel
  • Travel & Tourism
  • Trending
  • TSWeekend
  • Turf Game
  • Uncategorized
  • Updates
  • Views from Abroad
  • Voices
  • World
  • World News
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Paper Ad Rate
  • Online Ad Rate
  • The Team
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy

© 2019 The Sun Nigeria - Managed by Netsera.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • National
  • Columns
    • Broken Tongues
    • Capital Matters
    • Diabetes Corner
    • Duro Onabule
    • Femi Adesina
    • Frank Talk
    • Funke Egbemode
    • Insights
    • Kalu Leadership Series
    • Kunle Solaja
    • Offside Musings
    • PressClips
    • Public Sphere
    • Ralph Egbu
    • Shola Oshunkeye
    • Sideview
    • The Flipside – Eric Osagie
    • Tola Adeniyi
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • The Sun TV
  • Sporting Sun

© 2019 The Sun Nigeria - Managed by Netsera.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist