Chief Sir Paul Madumelu (Ide-Omor)          

(Accountant / Management Consultant )

Birth and Childhood Life

Late Chief Madumelu Nnamuma (Nnama as short form) was born around the year 1917 into the noble home of late Nze Nnamuma Okpanatu and late Iyom Ifeonu Nnamuma Okpanatu. He was given the name MADUMELU which when translated into English means ‘’Is it done by human being’’. He was the last child of the family of five children and had a brother by name Udegbunam Nnamuma and three sisters namely Mmanye, Nkechi and Onwuamegbu. He also had half brother called Chike Nnamuma.

He was the first person in the community to be given the name “Madumelu” and it was unique in nature. At that time, it was like a tradition for people to associate child’s naming with some well known wealthy families and qualities being displayed by a particular child. Many families began to give their new born babies the name Madumelu. That is why in our community today, we have many other families answering the same family name.

His parents loved him and were proud of him not only as a promising child but because of his inherent leadership attributes. Today, all his biological children have adopted his name as their surname in remembrance of his greatness and achievement in life.

He lived a full active and very productive life. He impacted the lives of many in our community and left indelible footprints in the town. As a child, he was dynamic, well spoken, self-supportive and worked very hard to support his parents.

His parents were engaged in farming as that was predominantly the main occupation of the people then. Farming was the main occupation of many people in the area. The most celebrated crop cultivated by people then was yam. It was seen as the only main crop that males grew while women folk concentrated in planting maize, cassava, melon, pepper, etc at that time. Families that were able to cultivate plenty acres of farm land especially in yam production and had many bans of yam were seen as wealthy families. His parents were very hard-working and owned large expanse of farm land. He was brought up as a farmer and a disciplinarian. He grew up and later acquired other skills as a strong promoter of moral and traditional values. Being a hardworking child, he believed that he could achieve a lot through self efforts. Though during his time, there was no school in the community and most people did not see the importance of sending their children out to cities like Nsukka, Onitsha  and Enugu to attend schools. Even though the parents had more than enough that could have seen him through the academic ladder. As such, he did not have the opportunity of receiving formal Western education.

Being aware of this predicament, he diversified his sources of income and ventured into rice cultivation in addition to planting yam. This started bringing additional income with which he was able to sustain his large family and those of his extended family relations. He then saw the value of Western education through his early contact with the colonial masters and began to send his relations to school and even those that were not close relations but whose parents agreed and released them to start schooling.

Late Chief Madumelu started early as a promising child to develop and show his leadership qualities which was noticed by everybody that had the opportunity of getting close to him. Though not literate, he was exceptionally endowed with natural intelligence. For so many years, he was in-charge of home affairs in Omor. He undoubtedly dominated Omor local politics. He was simply an epitome of diplomatic finesse, a thorough pundit in human resource management. (As he was described by Okonkwo Onuigbo in his book titled Ayamelum in Brief)

He contributed his quota to the welfare and progress of Omor as a Community, always sympathizing with others when in difficulties and never aspired to rise by pulling down other people.

Chief Madumelu was a tall handsome man, fair in complexion, well-built and had graceful look that had much to attract people. In fact, he had a very intimidating personality that made him stand out at any gathering. He belonged to the school of thought who believed that “it is only hard work that can lead to success and glory”. He encouraged those that came close to him to continue to work hard and that it was only hard working that could lead one to success in life. The road to success, he often said “is not a smooth one, sometimes you come across apparently unclimbable ridges, sometimes you become weary but you must overcome all this if you must succeed”.

To his children, he practiced what he said and they all gained from his precepts as well as his noble examples. Despite the fact that he had his wives and children welfare to cater for and many responsibilities to bear, he still gave financial help to some people in the town and helped his close relations and many other people climb to their educational ladders. All these he did without expecting or demanding any reward or compensation from anybody. He had an outstanding ability to speak eloquently and persuasively. He possessed a clear and audible voice.

Chief Madumelu as an Intelligent Leader

Chief Madumelu rose from very humble beginning to become a man with numerous admirers. Though, there were some who swore not to see the good qualities in him, many agreed that he was a legend, erudite, charismatic, patriotic and a hero in Omor. There is nothing that can be written now that can describe the role he played in the history of Omor. In fact he extended his popularity and influence widely in Ayamelum and beyond. He was a great politician, a diplomat, a philosopher, and to cap it all an Orator. He was the speaker of the entire community during his time which earned him the name “Onunekwulu–Ora“.

Chief Madumelu helped some people to climb to the height of their academic life, even though some of them later reviled the sight of him. He refused to weep at man’s ingratitude or shortness of man’s memory. Rather he chose to seek to live his life according to the will of God and led the community to peaceful existence for decades before death snatched him on August 7^th, 1996.

As the one-time Leader of Omor Traditional Council of Elders (Ndi Ichie-Ukwu) and with his wealth of experience in customary laws, he introduced some changes which made the elders to be treated with highest respect.

He made sure that traditional institutions, native laws and customs were preserved except where such laws and customs were repugnant to natural justice, equity and good conscience. The rules and regulations governing settlement of breaches of native law and customs were instituted. People were encouraged to bring up cases relating to Omor customs and traditions to the town hall for settlement and to avoid wasteful practices of going to court to settle matters that could ordinarily be resolved at the local community level. He presided over all matters brought to the town hall for settlement. He solidified his position to the extent that any day he was absent, all matters would be adjourned.

As an astute and peace loving leader, he managed inter and intra community disputes in manners that guaranteed peaceful co-existence such that none degenerated into communal crises or wars. He played very important roles in settling land disputes within the town and between communities in Ayamelum local government area.

His Leadership Qualities

Leaders are able to work effectively with other persons.

Chief Madumelu led the people by asking for individual and group opinions and suggestions. Sometimes, he took decision that seemed as if he was autocratic but all was to remedy any situation that had the tendency of turning into chaos but did not compromise his objectivity in dealing with such situation. He had the ability to take a decision that people regarded as appropriate in a particular circumstance.

He displayed unquestionable integrity and honesty, self confidence and inspired others toovercome current and future challenges in life.

He was a committed leader and passionate too which made him to gain respect of his followers.

He displayed empathy by sharing the feelings and pains of others and helped them in overcoming their life threatening challenges.

He is a selfless leader. Men like him are rare to come by and people of Omor will always remember him.

He was known for his organizational skills and his meticulous attention to details.

The first thing one noticed about him was his god gifted self-knowledge and wisdom. He always knew his strengths and weaknesses and a key part of his self-knowledge was his listening skills.

Chief Madumelu Nnamuma: Career/Working Life

Chief Madumelu, though did not receive formal education, he engaged a private teacher coupled with the assistance from his educated children and relations to learn. Determined to achieve his aim in life, he did not allow his predicament in acquiring formal education to deter him from achieving his objectives in life. He was appointed to various positions of responsibilities both at the government and community levels.

He believed that ability to excel in life lies with the mind. Despite the fact that he was not literate, he used the brain given to him by God to excel in life and was able to perform his tasks efficiently. He held many positions of responsibilities from his youthful age.

Due to his early encounter with the Europeans through the elite from the Old Nsukka and Enugu Divisions and in total regard to his effective method of passing messages to the community, he was appointed a warrant Chief of Omor by the British colonial masters. He used this position with the help of other known personalities in the community to nurture the coming of western education by bringing school and Health Center to the town. Many families were forced to send their children to school and the elders with the help of some few elites met from time to time to see to the upkeep of the school and payment of school fees through communal efforts.

Chief Madumelu played very strong roles in bringing about the Community Secondary School in Omor. He was at the forefront in the award of contract for the construction of buildings for the take-off of the secondary school. The school commenced and progressed to class 3 before the civil war came to Omor town.

Below were some of the appointments/positions he held from 1953 to1983.

1. His first appointment came on 9^th November, 1953 when he was appointed as a member of Omor Native Court by the then District Officer in the old Nsukka Division. The appointment took effect from 1^st of November 1953, and he occupied the position as the youngest member of the Native Court handling all the cases/matters relating to customary laws.

• On the 11^th day of July 1958, he was re-appointed by the Honourable Minister of State as a member of the Omor Customary Court in a letter signed by the Administrative Officer in-charge of the Old Nsukka Division and the Oath of office was taken at the District Office in Nsukka on 29^th July, 1958. This appointment lasted till 1967 when the Nigerian Civil War broke out. After the war, he went back when the court commenced sittings. Members of Customary Court Judges were paid sitting allowances only.

• On the 16^th day of May 1962, he was elected member of Divisional Executive of National Council of Nigeria and Cameroons (NCNC) Nsukka Division then being the only representative from Omor. NCNC was then a political party from 1944 to1966.

• On 20^th December 1971, he was selected unopposed as a Councilor representing Umuokpanatu, Umugama and Okpachiwetali ward on the Omor Community Council.

• On 30^th November, 1973, he was appointed Patron of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, Omor Unit in the Old Uzo-Uwani  Division of East Central State. The appointment was usually given to eminent citizens of Nigeria who were identified as being capable of assisting the society in rendering philanthropic services in times of epidemic or disaster situations.

• On 9^th January, 1974, he was appointed a member of the old Uzo-Uwani Divisional Law Panel with the responsibility of contributing to the development of Land Laws. The Committee developed Draft of Customary Land Laws obtaining in the then East Central State of Nigeria.

• On 20^th March, 1974: He was again  returned unopposed as Councilor representing Umuokpanatu/Okpachiwetelu/Umugama ward as his nomination was not opposed by any other person in a letter signed by the then Senior Divisional Officer.

• On 30^th May, 1974: He was appointed a member of Assessment Committee for the year 1974/1975 by the Internal Revenue Office, Nsukka in line with the powers conferred upon the office by section 9(2) of the Finance Law (Cap. 53) Laws  of the then Eastern Nigeria 1963.

• On 8^th February 1983, the Old Anambra State Judiciary Service Commission terminated the appointment of six (6) Traditional Leaders from old Uzo-Uwani Division in which Chief Madumelu’s name was included and they were replaced with non-traditional rulers who were in one way or the other loyal to the then member representing Uzo-Uwani Division at the Judiciary Service Commission. The letter of termination did not pass the test of the time as Chief Madumelu was  re-instated on the 9^th of March 1983 barely one month after termination through a letter signed by the Chief Registrar of the Customary Court of Appeal in Enugu and sent to the President of Omor Customary Court.

He constantly prayed to God to give him the wisdom to always make the right decision that would transform the life of people, bring about peace and progress of the entire Omor community.

He planted himself like a seed which its outer shell dies off but germinates again and begins to grow to bear fruits. He sowed a great seed that would continued to grow. He made some sacrifices and stayed committed throughout his lifetime. He left a legacy for the present generation.

Irreplaceable Chief Madumelu Nnamuma

Chief Madumelu was a man of valor. Below were some of the words people used to describe him during his funeral oration on the 18^th day of October 1996:

• Led an exemplary life
• Deeply caring and loving
• A leader, not a boss
• Firm and assertive
• Passion for supporting others
• A great man, fearless and courageous in all situation
• Bold and brave
• Principled and passionate leader
• A role model per excellence
• An optimist even in the face of adversity
• A man of generosity
• A man of uncommon humility
• A man of integrity
• A charismatic leader

How else can one describe him and his life.