Ndubuisi Kanu’s rainy salute

As a student I stood close to the podium that carried first governor of Imo State, Lt. Commander Godwin Ndubuisi Kanu during May 27 ,1976 Children’s Day celebrations at the Owerri Township Stadium. The heavens opened up.

Kanu’s aides quickly rushed to his Aide de Camp(ADC), Sub. Lt Anthony Oguguo with an umbrella. The younger officer smartly covered the governor. His boss quickly removed the umbrella and allowed his uniform to be drenched. I was touched by that uncommon act.

If school children whose day it was and the reason everyone trooped to the stadium could march in the rain, the governor must have felt that even as Guest of Honour, he deserved as much soaking as the boys and girls. Yes, the man stood in the rain to take salute.

Some days later, I decided to pay a courtesy call. What served as Government House for the new Imo State was formerly the official residence of the Resident of Owerri. That was the colonial Douglas House. I went all alone because it was just at the back of Government Secondary School, Owerri.

Confidence was written all over me, a student. I got to the gate, manned by soldiers. They were so polite. They wanted to know my mission. I said I was there to see the governor. One soldier said Kanu had gone out. I told him, no, the governor was upstairs.

Another soldier walked to the building to fetch an official. I was asked again, who I wanted to see, I replied. The man went back to the house and returned after about give minutes. He said the governor was observing siesta upstairs. I thanked them all and walked away.

I am talking of Government House in a military regime. None of the security details sent me back, they did not come out smoking, with guns corked and ready to fire. Although I could not accomplish my mission, my impression was that Kanu was an uncommon military man.

Kanu was the first Igbo military officer to make the Supreme Military Council after the war. Murtala Mohammed gave him a place in his 22-man SMC in 1975. The naval officer, a Lt. Cdr. was the most Junior officer. A story followed that appointment.

Unconfirmed reports said Kanu who was on the Biafran side during the Civil War saved Murtala at Abagana. That attack led by Captain Jonathan Uchendu, a Sandhurst boy like the Nigerian commander, cost Nigeria almost an entire brigade.

When Imo State was created in 1976, Murtala sent Kanu there as governor. His rank remained the same. Commander Oko Ebitu Ukiwe was moved to the SMC. Ondo State governor, Air Force major, Ita David Ikpeme, was the only governor as Junior as Kanu.