● The Excitement About Wealth & Fame
There is something curiously inspiring about attaining successes or recording colourfully enthralling success stories, in which ever aspect of human endeavour that you find yourself.
The joy, emotional upheaval or even euphoria associated with attaining successes in life are beyond the power of literary descriptions.
To borrow the literary expressions of one of the most valued University teachers of Theatre & Dramatic Arts, the world over, the late Professor Ola Rotimi of blessed memory, “it was an each one, tell one, affair and movement for movement “, in Abuja, Nigeria, as Prince Engr Arthur Ikechukwu Eze, turned 75 years of age.
● Early Childhood Zeal For Philanthropy/Care Giving
Prince Engr Arthur Eze, was born into the ancient traditional stool of royalty of Ukpo, Dunukofia, the capital of Dunukofia Local Government Council in Anambra State, South-East Nigeria.
His father, His Royal Majesty, the late Igwe Michael Anekwe Eze, who was OKOFIA THE 4TH, EZE UKPO DUNUKOFIA, was blessed with no fewer than 32 children.
Like it is traditional with most parents, the world over, the late Igwe Michael Anaekwe Eze, then OKOFIA THE 4TH, EZE UKPO DUNUKOFIA, took special interest and likeness in Prince Engr Arthur Eze.
His Royal Majesty, probably noticed certain unique and sterling qualities in his son, Prince Arthur Eze, as he was growing up.
● Self-fulfilling prophecy about amazingly graceful financial wealth, riches & affluence
Background family sources have it that the King, specially blessed Prince Engr Arthur Eze and told him that he will be financially very wealthy and exceedingly rich beyond the imagination of every of his siblings, peers, friends, business associates and significant others.
This self-fulfilling prophecy has eventually come to reality as today, Prince Engr Arthur Eze, stands out as one of the wealthiest Africans, even as he does like normative predisposition by most Africans, to flaunt his net worth or how much he has in his bank accounts.
After completing his primary school, Prince Engr Arthur Eze attended the famous St. Augustine’s Grammar School Nkwerre, in Nwangene Local Government Council of Imo State, where he graduated in the 1970’s before travelling to the United States of America, specifically, the State of California.
He later enrolled and studied Mechanical & Chemical Engineering at the California State University, Long Reach, USA, graduating in 1978.
As a growing child, Prince Engr Arthur Eze had certain behavioural traits that tended to distinguish him from his other siblings.
Amiable, humble, friendly, jovial, sympathetic and spiritually predisposed to early acts of philanthropy, Prince Engr Arthur Eze, severally got scolded and at most times, flogged by his royal father, not for any anti-social behaviour or negative behaviour-discrepancies, but for his uncontrollable acts of childhood philanthropy, which were perceived as likely to affect his academic orientation.
● Primary socialization processes
The story is told of how, the then young Prince Arthur Eze, was sent by His Royal Majesty, Eze Dunukofia to buy some native kola nuts from the nearby market Eke Ukpo, a stone’s throw from the Palace; after a long while of waiting for him to bring the Kola nuts, his father, the King discovered to his surprise that youthful Prince Arthur Eze, had willingly handed over the money given to him by the King to an indigent and highly poverty-ridden old widow, who approached the young man and demanded financial help to enable her eat for the day.
Shortly after handing over the money to the poor old widow, young Prince Arthur Eze went about playing football with other children, at the dusty village square, and completely forgot about the errand.
His Royal Majesty of blessed memory, having waited patiently, sent his royal guards to find out what might be delaying his son from being prompt in executing urgent royal errand ordered by him?
After searching around within the vicinity, the royal guards, saw the young Prince Arthur Eze playing football with his friends and mates.
At this point, the guards ordered him to show his presence at the Royal Palace, without further delay.
When young Prince Arthur Eze got to the Palace, he narrated to his father, His Royal Majesty, what happened and why he had to assist the poor old widow.
This uncommon act of empathy, kindness, concern for the less-privileged and philanthropy, then offered His Royal Majesty the reality about the kind of child he had.
At the college front, His Royal Majesty would send his aides with an official car to convey young Prince Arthur Eze to St. Augustine’s Grammar School, Nkwerre, in Imo State.
On getting to school, young Prince Arthur Eze would take almost half or three quarter of his provisions for the term and share such to his friends, including those who might not have any friendship affinities with him.
Again, he drew a list of his friends and children of most indigent parents, whose parents, were unable to pay or afford their tuition fees and use his pocket money for his upkeep, including his own school fees to pay for them, ensuring that these lucky beneficiaries of his benevolent philanthropic gestures were not sent out of the school as a result of non payment of school fees.
After a while, young Prince Arthur Eze would send a message to His Royal Majesty, his father the King, demanding money for his tuition fees as well as some upkeep money.
Disturbed by the trend, which became regular experiences and lasting impressions for young Prince Arthur Eze, his father decided on officially handing over young Prince Arthur Eze ‘s tuition fees directly to the Principal of the college at the St. Augustine’s Grammar School, Nkwerre.
These were the story lines experienced by this urban man of all seasons.
While in the United States of America, the same trend of conditioned behaviour continued.
The adult Prince Engr Arthur Eze gave out freely to everybody who is somebody that approached him for assistance and went beyond normal demands or requests from people around him.
● Upon his return to Nigeria
For Prince Engr Arthur Eze, it is a factor of the brand of unique socialization process he Imbibed right from Infancy to his late adulthood, helping the widows, orphans, poor & even the lavishly rich In Africa & beyond.
● His middle name carries a spiritual message
His full name is Prince Engr. Arthur Ikechukwu Eze. His traditional title is Ozoigbondu 1 of Igboland.
In some instances, his peers, from his native Ukpo Dunukofia ancient royal kingdom of Anambra State, in South – East Nigeria, prefer to address him as Eze Na Ukpo.
A man of sharp instinctual reasoning, high emotional, cognitive, social and well-rounded native intelligence, Prince Engr. Arthur Ikechukwu Eze is a man whose weak points are seeing his fellow humans go through the pains of rural poverty and urban misery, as sociologists would describe it.
Today, at 75 years of age, elder statesman, multi-billionaire oil and gas mogul, with an array of multiple investment portfolios, cutting across real estate, hospitality, aviation, just to mention a few , stands as a colossus in Africa and beyond, having very solid institutional , diplomatic, economic, business, political and social contacts with almost all the Presidents in Africa, Europe, Asia and Americas.
He has touched lives. Hd has uplifted many from the pangs of rural poverty and urban misery across Africa and counting.
At 75 years of age, Prince Engr Arthur Eze, Ozoigbondu 1 of Igboland, can be described as the amazingly graceful African billionaire who redefined the global business concept of oil and gas , with well over 22 oil and gas mining licences in Africa, including Nigeria and internationally.
Congratulations to you, Ozoigbondu 1 of Igboland.
- Attribution: The writer of this birthday tribute, Enyi Ejike- Umunnabuike, is a seasoned journalist and strategic Communications experts & sent in this piece from Abuja, Nigeria ‘a Federal Capital Territory.
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