Born in Mbodo in Aluu in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State at a time, period and dispensation when different cultures in different geographical locations and clime were suffocating and reeling from the corrosive Western influences and the struggle against colonialism, social and cultural imperialism, Amadi’s native Mbodo remained flagrantly defiant, impregnable and sacrosanct.

Unlike his pen and pencil contemporaries, Elechi Amadi did not only grow up with the hawk and eagle eyes, but also grew with the scientific microscopic examination and statistical analysis of events and happenings around him. Suffice to say that while his “Ukwu” (Age-Grades) of Mbodo were irresistibly on the seamy side of life as depicted in his trilogy, the destiny-boy, so to speak at this time, decided to go to school to study Physics and Mathematics despite all odds.

But then, the budding latent talent held sway in him and his first novel “The Concubine” which of course happens to be his magnum-opus, came into being. Students of African Literature in diaspora and sub-Saharan Africa tell us that Elechi Amadi’s” The Concubine” is the only African novel that captured and showcased a typical African rural life and rural setting. Also on the trot came “The Great Ponds”, “The’Slave”, “Sunset in Biafra” his war memoir and a plethora of literary genre followed to his credit.

Some literary critics and analysts in and outside Nigeria, the continent of Africa, including the enormously popular British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), while conducting a review on “The Concubine” had, however, posited that the novel is a work on fiction, but they err, in view of the obvious fact that what Captain Elechi Amadi saw with his eagle eyes and penciled down to his wide audience, avid and voracious readers, are still living and contending with us even as I write this epic tribute, namely ­the negative attributes of supernatural evil forces and the sheer human follies of greed, jealousy, envy, lust, selfishness, vaulting ambition, unnatural hate or hatred if you like.

The foil, antagonist and flat character typified by Madume in the novel brings to the fore the whole truth of the matter. Madume became a tool, an instrument of fate in the hands of the sea-king or god. Since he could not have Ihuoma as a wife, he became jealous and envious of her husband-Emenike- and consequently squared up with him. Although, Emenike died in the unfolding drama and episode, the coast was not still clear for Madume to marry the alluring village belle, alpha, nymphet and beauty queen. Subsequent attempts and advances made by him were futile and proved abortive. Madume also died and was buried with his recurrent dreams and negative influences.

Is it not for these odious reasons and negative influences and attributes that politicians are plundering and looting our treasury and carting away our oil money into foreign lands? Contract awards are not executed speedily and most times abandoned completely. Salaries of workers are not paid and on time. Paradoxically, we are in a· country blessed with the abundance of human and material resources, yet the rich are flaunting their wealth and living in the lap of luxury while the poor are famishing on the streets and picking their wintry faggot from the thorn.

Other sectors of the economy are no exception in this regard. Hospitals, schools, examining bodies, banks, the military, the para-military, power and energy, our penal and legal systems to mention but a few are at present bursting and bulging at the seams.

In the case of Elechi Amadi’s “The Concubine”, the invisible supernatural sea-king was primarily and ultimately responsible for the catalogue of deaths recorded in the novel as we are made to understand in the falling action and denouement.

But who is responsible for the country’s economic woes, stagnation and myriads of social vices staring the people in the face today -such as-armed robbery, kidnapping, rape, cultism, rising unemployment and inflation? Others include, hunger, poverty, malnutrition, prostitution and miscegenation, the chasm between the rich and poor and fatal deadly tropical diseases ravaging the land. What a faux pas!

Going by his personality profile and biography, Amadi had every opportunity to enrich himself, his immediate family, stack away money in foreign banks, build estates in Port Harcourt, Lagos, Abuja, Ghana, South Africa, become a casanova like some of our legislators and university lecturers, and of course buy houses in London and Dubai, but he could not, rather he trodded on the path of moral rectitude and honour and spent quantum parts of his lifetime at his Mbodo village in Aluu up to his ears writing as a sideline. “A little that a ‘righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked”, so says the sage and psalmist in the Holy Bible.

Elechi Amadi’s career profiling has it that he was first-a Commissioner for Education and later Permanent Secretary in the same Ministry. Second, Commissioner -Ministry of Lands and Housing, Chairman – Rivers State Scholarship Board, Dean – Faculty of Arts in the upgraded College of Education, Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt, Sole Administrator ­Port Harcourt, Rivers State and a Captain in the army during the thirty month internecine war between Nigeria and Biafra. Perhaps, it would be an element of self parody if there is a wall of silence over his leadership prowess in championing the cause of Ogbakor-Ikwerre – a socio-cultural group or organization.

The group under him witnessed tremendous changes, came to limelight and reached its acme and apogee of greatness. If I may ask a fundamental question at this juncture, what on earth could have precluded this realist, this idealist, this literary colossus and guru, this unassuming philosopher of Ikwerre extraction from amassing wealth and making fast quick mega bucks and talk like the rich fool in the Bible who forgot that “we brought nothing into this world and it is certain we can carry nothing out?” Succinctly put and indeed, Elechi Amadi’s philosophy of life is a pointer to the biblical injunction that we are pilgrims and strangers on the earth.

In projecting and portraying the culture, customs and traditions of his people, Amadi’s works of literature speak volumes and are of a truth living oracles to this assertion. This was made possible by the skilful and artistic infusion of Ikwerre proverbs, adages and wise sayings in’ his novels and plays. “Isiburu Ekperi,” for example, is a play depicting the rich cultural heritage of Ikwerre ethnic origin or background. Even as I write, the annual wrestling festival which usually comes up in the second half of the year is still being celebrated with fanfare, elation, pomp and pageantry amongst various communities in Aluu and Ikwerre land as an entity.

“Death is inevitable, an appointment and a necessary end”. According to William Shakespeare, “it will come when it will come.” It has come for Captain Elechi Amadi and regrettably “Ikwerre Agwuru Asa Notu” will miss him. Friends, relatives, family members, colleagues, fellow countrymen, his audience, Africa and the entire world will miss him so dearly as he joins his counterparts and men of timber and calibre in the literary arena ­Senator Obi Wali and Chief Okogbule Wonodi of blessed memories. Nevertheless, that he lived and died naturally having fulfilled his destiny on earth is indisputable. This is our consolation and hope that another Elechi Amadi, another Obi Wali and another Okogbule Wonodi will emerge from the same native soil and fill the vacuum created by the icy cold hands of death. Otherwise, finding another replacement would be a tall order and a tall story.

Good night Captain Elechi Amadi.

Owhorji wrote from Omademe.

Christian Owhorji