The man behind the keyboard
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Who’s Acho Orabuchi?
ACHO ORABUCHI
Dallas, Texas
Thursday, December 23, 2004
Lately, writing has become my passion. I believe that writing is an art and window through which the world or the audience can see the artist at work. Despite that, people had wondered about this artist, the man behind the pen, or I should say in this age of technological breakthroughs, the man behind the keyboard. The man behind the keyboard in the eyes of others:
George Akunna wrote in August 29, 2001, “I am Chief Geroge Ugwumadu Akunna, a native of Otulu in Oru Local Government Area, Imo State of Nigeria. I met Iheanacho Orabuchi in Europe over twenty years ago. He was my roommate and classmate. I have known him to be a genuine Igbo-centric [and nationalistic] young man who never wavered on his support for Igbo cause. He is straightforward, honest and hard working gentleman. He is always fair and never supported injustice against any body.
Acho has
a great compassion for a fellow human being. I remembered how he
helped a
follow Igboman, one Mr. Anene who was stranded and could not go
home to
get his funds because he had no money for an airline ticket. Acho
persuaded me to give Mr. Anene my return ticket in order for him to travel
home to
get his funds. While others were making fun of Mr. Anene because of
his
predicament, Acho was very helpful.”
Ndiribe
A. A. Ndiribe concurred, “Chief Akunna, I met Acho last year during the WIC
convention. In my report on that
convention posted in this forum I described Acho as "a perfect
gentleman." You will know a gentleman when you see one. Acho has not
changed
from the one you knew 20 years ago. Not many would moderate
this
forum without having picked camps. The amount of flax that goes
on here
will make a hothead to spill the beans. Not Acho.
I have
no doubts that he is a dependable Igbo leader.”
"It said that a fruit does not fall very far away from the tree that grew it. Dr. Acho Orabuchi has displayed a commitment to serving NdiIgbo that is second to none. His commitment has been unflinching and is a good example of how those who mean to serve will find ways to be relevant, despite obstacles. I received his New Year message with the same gusto that I do his other postings. Although, I failed to see what it was that he congratulated Senator Wabara for, I relished the rest of his piece, and thank him for sounding a wake up call for all of us one more time," said Chief Morgan Iroha.
Dr. Odindu James Odunze, an educator, trainer, and a researcher currently employed by the United Research Services and Defense Materials Inc. under the Engineering Division, wrote an open letter recently to express his views. The excerpts:
TO THE GENTLEMAN DR. ACHO ORABUCHI: AN OPEN LETTER
By Odindu James Odunze Ph.D.
Dear Dr. Orabuchi,
I write to say that I see you epitomize ‘patriotism’ by awakening us all to the realization that; he dies unwept, unhonored and unsung, one who never says this is “my own, my native land: Whose heart hath never within him burned. As home his footsteps he hath returned, from wandering on a foreign strand,” paraphrased from PATRIOTISM by Sir Walter Scott.
You have also taught us all that life of great men could only be seen on the footprints they leave behind. You are now leading us to be up and doing with a heart for any fate. You also teach us all that we must learn to labor and to wait for the fruit of that labor. Again this is a borrowed thought from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in his “Psalm of Life.”
I believe that you epitomize these philosophical views of life with your clarion call for Igbo unity of purpose. It is an arduous task and I wish you and Dr. Okenwa all the best. Disregard any denigration by the paranoid pessimists who want us to take arms against anyone and everybody while the greater part of humanity seeks solidarity for greater advantages. You must not forget the old cliché that “not failure but low aim is the crime”
I wish I could be of any service at this all-important Igbo summit had I not already been committed to another Igbo assignment. In my telephone conservation with you, I expressed that I have a development conference scheduled. [Pan Igbo Political Conference with Igbo Presidency and Economic Empowerment as the theme, is scheduled for May 6, 7, & 8, 2005.]
I have gone through your list of invitees and I am impressed with it, particularly your invitation to most major Igbo organizations in Diaspora. I hope that all will attend with open mind to accommodate the redirection of our communal fate for the better. I hope that good sense will prevail and by God’s will we will emerge from Texas SUMMIT stronger and more united even as we rebuild and sustain Igbo political capacity within Nigeria body polity. I gladly say that this is not Orabuchi/Okenwa Summit. It is Igbo Summit and every well-meaning Igbo should and must give Pan Ndi-Igbo Foundation USA Inc. (PNF USA, Inc), the support to seek new ascendance in the Nigerian Polity.
I have also read through your session topics, which are apt and encompassing. You know as I do that this is a time for a serious reappraisal of Igbo leadership activities. I do not believe it is a time to honor failure. There is nothing to rejoice about that warrants self-ingratiating speeches by those who have failed us since the civil war. When we achieve something quite monumental, then we will honor those who have directed us to achieve such. The SUMMIT is not an occasion for self-exoneration. If our leaders will meet, let it be for informal togetherness to know one another but not for self-aggrandizement. We want to earn new laurels and not to dwell on old accolades and the only best way to do so is by quiet intra Igbo soul searching.
Concerning the recent election I have this to say; it was the Igbo populace, which rigged elections in Igboland. It was the Yoruba populace, which rigged elections in Yorubaland. It was the Hausa/Fulani populace, which rigged elections in the north. The same is true with every corner of the country where election was rigged. It was a national mess and must be addressed as a national problem. Our task is to educate our Igbo people to shun such primitive activity come 2007.
As you can see, we are already late in our pursuit of the 2007 Igbo presidency. I wish we could challenge and use Chief Iwuanyanwu to ask Obasanjo and Atiku to deliver the 2007 presidency to Igbo. I wish this Igbo SUMMIT would in its final communiqué ask Atiku Abubakar to stop his aspiration for 2007 presidency. I wish the SUMMIT would in its communiqué ask the PDP to rezone the 2007 presidency to the Southeast. The communiqué will demand that all parties in Nigeria nominate only southeast presidential aspirants for the 2007 election as a test for their genuine solidarity with the southeast/Igbo presidential aspiration and as immediate reconciliatory remedy for Igbo
marginalization.
But we cannot effectively present such strongly worded communiqué with Mr. Chekwas forming his shadow administration and [others] globe-trotting, seeking support to annul the recent election no matter how flawed it was. We must at this SUMMIT clarify our relationship with the north as emanated from recent embrace of General Buhari. We must know if such embrace extends to all other Hausa/Fulani friends as well. It would be nice to hear that we have forgiven the north for the pogrom and then readjust for what future will bring to Igboland particularly in our 2007 presidential project. I mean in terms of playing politics and in seeking formidable alliances if this is where the recent embrace of Buhari takes us.
Dear Dr. Orabuchi, I believe that the best way of playing a part is to be in it. And you are doing just that. We cannot run away from contemporary progressivism in our duty to rebuild Igbo leadership within the Nigerian polity and in that endeavor see if we could together get the old order to change, yielding a place for a new leadership.
You have my support and by God’s will, we shall vanquish.
Odindu Odunze
While some people revere me, others despise me. Recently I sent out a poser: Who’s Acho Orabuchi? Hear them:
Chief Morgan Iroha wrote, “Acho Orabuchi to me is a stickler for the truth, even if it leads to disharmony. He is imbued with a steadfast spirit of public service. The extent to which he welcomes dissent is still in question. However, even when he disagrees with you, don't look for him to engage you in a shouting match. He is too much of a gentleman to do so.”
Ugo Anakweze sarcastically stated, “Acho Orabuchi is the Eze NdiIgbo in America.” Cornelius Akubueze wrote, “Acho Orabuchi, a cool guy, plainspoken man, deal maker who does not negotiate the dealing. A man who is also self-promoting [not true], very ambitious and wants to be a leader of something, and possibly the President of a failing nation.”
Ikwelugo Eduputa opined, “I really don’t know much about him, so to speak. Based on the little I know, I would say: Acho Orabuchi is the moderator of Igbo-Forum (The Igbo Town Hall), a certified PDP card-carrying member belonging to one faction of the fractionalized PDP-USA, and an astute politician, who strongly believes in freedom of speech. He practices his belief in freedom of speech by allowing NdiIgbo in Diaspora on Igbo-Forum and in whatever political, religious, ideological, and philosophical persuasions, to freely express their opinions unhindered and without fear on various contemporaneous issues confronting Ndiigbo, the warped Nigeria, and the world.
He continued, “Having said that and perhaps due to his status as a moderator and an ardent Nationalist, it is hard for one to know his stand on issues because he hardly takes any overt position especially on controversially political hot issues, like Biafra, MASSOB, and the hellfire raging in Anambra State brought by his corrupt PDP party infighting as a result of 2003 selection fraud.”
“To his credit, though, Igbo-Forum has the most readership among Ndiigbo forums and it is a distinctive forum, of which one has to be proud,” Eduputa concluded.
Dr. Richard Nwachukwu said, “To me, Dr. Acho Orabuchi comes across more like Dr. Jerry Sonny Ugokwe - as mostly described by Dr. Herbert Nwankwo - on local politics in Dallas. I don't know what he will do in Nigeria as a politician. However, I do know him as a master strategist. Unlike Ugokwe, accountability is Acho's watchword. Dr. Acho comes across as very caring - especially if he has interest on something. He can call you everyday and hold you for hours on the phone. He has a cool demeanor, but never you underestimate him. His middle name is "Ikedinobi," and he will not hesitate to remind you of that.” “Take it from me,” he continued, “Dr. Acho does not call you for "nothing." If he calls you for "nothing," it is to ascertain and/or to maintain your loyalty. I had supported him and I had worked against him - openly. He is still my friend.”