A Great Nigerian Passes On: Sir Walter Chukwura Mbonu, 1924-2007
Walter Chukwura Mbonu, a distinguished Nigerian, from Umuoji Anambra State, passed on in his sleep in the early hours of September 19, 2007.
Walter Mbonu, born in 1924 was a distinguished Scholar, Author, Historian, Government Administrator, and an Anglican Knight of St. Christopher. Walter Mbonu's life started humbly when he left home at about 12 years to live with an Uncle, Sam Agina, who was serving as a colonial police officer in a nearby city.
The young Walter displayed such an acute intellectual ability, that Sam Agina was compelled to commit some of his meager resources as a young police officer to train Walter through Primary School.
Walter Mbonu blazed through primary school and showed so much intellectual promise that the colonial administrators hired him immediately as a teacher after primary school. The colonial administration in continued appreciation of his brilliance, sent him to additional training and in a few years made him a Headmaster in his early 20's.
As a young teacher, Walter Mbonu was unsatisfied, knowing that his intellectual abilities had set him apart from his peers. However with no wealthy relatives to pay his tuition, Walter embarked on self-help. Without any formal Secondary Education, he started to study for higher education.
Walter Mbonu did not just study for the O-Level GCE as administered in those days by Cambridge University in the United Kingdom, rather he skipped the O-Level to study for the A-levels, which when successful, guarantees Direct Entry to a University of choice.
In the 1950's, there were only 2 Universities in all of West Africa, the Fourah Bay University in Sierra Leone, and the prestigious University of Ibadan, in Nigeria. No doubt the competition among West Africa's then approximately 70 million people, who were dispersed across 11 countries was fierce, but Walter Mbonu aimed high; he blazed through the A-Levels and was immediately admitted to the esteemed University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
At the University of Ibadan, the financial crunch set in, higher education was of course a luxury meant mostly for the children of the privileged. Although Walter Mbonu was on a partial academic scholarship, there was no money for anything else and he was in danger of leaving the University.
Then fate set in, when a British Professor at Ibadan decided that he would not let this bright mind waste. He provided funds for Walter Mbonu to stay on and complete his studies. He eventually graduated with honors, and was among the best in his graduating class.
After graduation he was offered several positions including an entry-level executive position at the then budding West African Examinations Council (WAEC), amid other fellowships at Ibadan. However Walter decided on a faculty position to groom the finest young minds in Eastern Nigeria's most elite college, the Government College Umuahia.
Shortly after, the Biafra/Nigerian war started. During the war, Walter Mbonu was selected as a representative of the World Council of Churches (WCC). He had the responsibility of distributing relief materials, including food and medicine to starving families in Biafra. No doubt his efforts, sacrifices, and magnanimity saved a lot of lives during the Biafra war.
As the war ended, the Nigerian government sought out her brilliant sons from the east to re-integrate into mainstream Nigerian administration. Walter Mbonu was hired as a top public servant (Divisional Education Officer-DEO). He worked tirelessly in many parts of Eastern Nigeria, helping to rehabilitate Eastern Nigeria's highly acclaimed, but war devastated educational sector.
In the early 1970's Nigeria was looking to broaden its foreign relations efforts and needed to retrain some of her intellectuals. In due time, the government tapped on Walter Mbonu among others, this time for graduate training on full scholarship at Ohio University Athens, Ohio, United States. He enrolled for advanced degrees in International Affairs and History.
At Ohio University Walter Mbonu excelled, graduating Suma Cum Laude at the top of his class. He was immediately offered a faculty position to teach International Affairs at Ohio University. Many of his associates in that university still recall his brilliance.
Walter Mbonu, being a man of dignity, turned down the faculty position at Ohio University United States, and returned to Nigeria. He continued with his educational career as an Educational Officer and Lecturer, and wrote the History handbook of the Joint Admissions Matriculation Board (JAMB). He retired in 1990 and spent his final years in Umuoji Anambra State.
Sir Walter Mbonu leaves behind, his wife of 50 years Mrs. Adeline Mbonu, Children, Grand Children, Siblings, Inlaws, Nieces, and Nephews.
Children:
Chinyelu Nwokolo, Ph.D.
Chuma Mbonu, Ph.D.
Okey Mbonu, J.D.
Nneka Okereke
Emeka Mbonu
Ijeoma Okeke
Chuka Mbonu
Siblings:
Sir Eugene Mbonu
Mrs. Ego Agbogu
Inlaws:
Sir Azuka Nwokolo
Izu Okereke, MD
Ajeh Mbonu, Pharm.D.
Juliet Mbonu, PMP.
Burial arrangements will be announced in due course
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