AN OPEN LETTER TO THE OBI OF ONITSHA
October, 2002.

Your Majesty
The Obi of Onitsha
Obi Nnaemeka Achebe.

Congratulations for ascending to the throne of the Obi of Onitsha. It is an awesome responsibility, and the tasks confronting you are daunting. I don't need to remind you, the Agbogidi, that your preparation for 'Ije Udo' and your subsequent trip to 'Udo' had  transformed you as they did to your predecessors. You have to be comforted that you are following the footsteps of Giants like Eze Chima, Obi Chimaevi, Eze Aroli,Obi Anazonwu, and so on.
In your quest to confront the issues facing Onitsha, there are preliminary steps that Your Majesty may need ( if you had not done so ) to undertake in order to ensure a successful reign:
(a) An easily identifiable spokesman for the Obi of Onitsha needs to be in place.
(b) A personal secretary or 'Ime Obi' secretary, who must be the Obi's confidant, needs
    to accompany the Obi to record all discussions. 
(c) In the tradition of the ancient Town Crier, who communicated the activities of the
    Obi directly to the people of Onitsha, Your Excellency may consider the introduction
    of modern technology to disseminate information through a central location. This will
    help some of us who are confused with the flurries of communications purporting to  
    represent the wishes of the Obi of Onitsha.
I write to you as a loyal subject and a co-descendant of Obi Chimaevi ( Obi III ). I am a product of Isiokwe village of Onitsha. Isiokwe village, Your Majesty knows, is the head of Umuobichimaevi. Furthermore, Your Majesty knows that Umuobichimaevi is made up of Umu Ebo, Umu Anwula, Umu Chimukwa, Umu Eze Aroli and Umu Olosi. The first three constitute the Isiokwe village of Onitsha.
I, Ifeka Bosah Uwechia, as a descendant of the second son of Obi Chimaevi - Anwula, do wish Your Excellency a very successful reign.

Ifeka Bosah Uwechia
(Son of Akunne M. O. R. Uwechia of Isiokwe village of Onitsha)
Atlanta, Georgia U.S.A.