By: Ike Philip Abiagom
Death has taken away one of the greatest son of our Igbuzor,the doyen of Ibusa Entertainment Industry, a compassionate philanthropist, and a beloved husband and father, grand father, Pa. Eddy Nwokobia born 77 years ago in Ibusa, Delta State. His journey was one of resilience, determination, and unwavering commitment to serving humanity because he lost his parents at the tender age of four. From his humble beginnings in Ibusa, Delta State, Pa. Eddy Nwokobia exhibited an exceptional intellect and a passion for excellence.
All these past days, I have been trying to figure out between death and life. So far I have come to realize that depending on what God has destined our earthly time to be, we could hang around for as little as a second on the clock or if lucky for as long as our folks with longer lives. It all goes to show that we need to value life after death, a journey of no return and to cap it all the inevitability of death where human life ends.
The news of his demise that shocked the entire nation was announced on December,2023.The late entertainment guru and philanthropist who hails from Isieke-Ibusa spent decades in Ibusa town where he settled with his family. He passed away at a private hospital in Asaba. May his soul rest in peace.
As I try to write this short tribute honoring the life of a man who has rendered tremendous service to humanity, I’m still in absolute disbelief and pain over his death at 77 years. He was a highly respected community elder and leader who has spent his wealth/properties to help his community and mankind in general. The late Pa. Eddy Nwokobia was a distinguished personality. He was consummate, entrepreneur, industrious and above all faithful.
There is no single soul connected to Ibusa that has not benefitted from his goodwill gesture and wealth, either directly or indirectly, far and near. He was that sort of a generous man. His contribution to entertainment in Ibusa cannot be overstated. The Ibusa entertainment story is incomplete without the mention of Pa Eddy Nwokobia and his Isabella Theatre which invited fame to Ibusa in the consideration of many. Nonetheless, many would wonder why many who were beneficiaries of this centre rarely discuss the significance of the social development of the community. The remains of the Eddy Theatre are seen today in the conversion of a private school, obviously the reminder of what easily passes for one of Ibusa’s social heritage sites for the future generation.
The Cinema business which constituted an important aspect of the local economy in Ibusa then, the business flourished from 1970s and 80s.The cinemas business provided employment to many Ibusa youths and also served an important social function. One of the developments which came with colonial rule in Nigeria was the cinema. Ibusa town were among the first to experience motion picture entertainment in Nigeria.
Pa. Eddy Nwokobia built “Isabella Theatre”, which was the biggest youths engagement that happened in the entertainment industry of Ibusa way back in the 80s,before the emergence of Isabella Theatre, there were places like Hotel Rekado, Awele Cedar, Ibusa Town Hall, and Ogbeowele Town Hall that were used for events but the Isabella Theatre was unique being that it was a purpose-built cinema hall unlike when people trooped to Ashia-Eke market of the community to watch cinema in the open. The maiden film was a Chinese movie that featured Bruce Lee, the protagonist of Blessed Memory in his spectacular Kung Fu fight with Angela Mao. It was quite exciting, putting the Ibusa community at the forefront of the social strata in the defunct Bendel State. Eddy-Pool about the same period, introduced a discotheque in Isabella Theatre and it became the talk of the town as far as neighbouring Asaba, Okpanam,Ogwashi-Uku, Onitsha, and up to Onitsha-Ugbo. Students from boarding schools would always stray out of boarding to attend disco sessions and socialize with people from other institutions. It was the disparate desire to disco with students from other institutions of learning that earned any such outing. The popularity and patronage of Isabella Theatre by young fun seekers encouraged Eddy-Pool to open up another spot which he called “Enbo Inn”. Enbo Inn was strictly for disco sessions while Isabella Theatre catered for cinema. Often, it differentiated the ‘local boys’ from ‘city boys’ who come into town with the latest rare dance steps much to the admiration of the young ladies who were being wooed, dazzled, and ‘super-rapped’ into courtship. Isabella Theatre brought Ibusa to the highest level in the entertainment industry but not without consequences. Ibusa became a hurly-burly for fun-seekers from far and wide most especially Yuletide season.
Pa. Eddy Nwokobia is the legend of entertainment business in Ibusa. He is the man who made all that possible with the help of his wealth and exposure.He was obviously the most popular and glamorous Ibusa man of his time, respected for his personal achievements and stupendous wealth specifically. His state of art auto machine- Citroen car, one of his best of the 1980s was exotically, the car to behold. It was full of fables for the youths and adults alike who admired the suspension on motion, screaming “Eddy,” “Eddy, Eddy every time he was driving past them, especially on Isieke High Street of the community. Indeed, the hydro-pneumatic suspension which aided was a type of motor vehicle suspension system designed by Paul Mages, invented by Citroen and fitted to Citroen cars. The suspension system enables self-leveling and driver-variable ride height which in the process provides extra clearance in rough terrain.
Eddy-Pool was a rich young man at his age then and used state-of-the-art cars like Citroen which intrigued us as youths, a car that rises and increases in height when turned on. Imagine the look on our already amazed faces then. In his fleet was also a Mercedes Benz 280s stretch with the embossed registration number of MA 755 of the then Midwest State and others cars. This Isieke born Eddy-Pool was a start and living and also living large then.
His charity worked while he was alive, the late Pa. Eddy Nwokobia has made an immense financial contribution in his effort to help close and long-distance families, friends, relatives and neighbours. He was hugely involved in community work, And he did it with humility and diligence.
Pa.Eddy Nwokobia is widely described as a doyen whose hard work and selfless service to the people made him the most generous person that I have known. I could confirm his humbleness without an iota of doubt as I am a living witness to his humility and generosity.
For example when I visited him at his house last year, he took two hours of his valuable time trying to engage me in meaningful conversation.
My interaction with him did not only give me the chance to listen to him as he offered inspirational advice and prayers, but also availed me the opportunity to learn and be more God-fearing, humble and more so a better person.
You follow his footsteps, you get rewarded here and hereafter because he has lived that kind of a life. Believe me he spoke to me just exactly the way an inspirational father would talk to his son.
Little did I know that would prove to be our final meeting. Few months later I got the devastating news that the man who links the Igbuzo youths and other neighbouring communities to the global world of entertainment, our mentor and a father-figure is gone – oh death; you have taken the life of a man so rich with people, wealth and faith.
Such is the character of the man who has instilled the spirit of confidence, exposure, motivation, ambition and faith into the youths of Ibusa. He never lived a lavished life to the detriment of his children, for that he would forever be respected and admired till we meet him in heaven. May his soul rest in perfect peace, Amen.
