12/05/2022
Some great names can't be forgotten in the history of our nation due to many great strides noticed in them during their most active days.
One of such is that of Ozumba Mbadiwe.
Here is a quick run through his history and achievements.
Born on March 15, 1915 into the family of Mbadiwe Odum from Arondizuogu, present-day Imo state. Ozumba Mbadiwe was a politician, statesman, feminist advocate, nationalist and pan-Africanist. He was known for his glamorous and flamboyant style and was an important political figure in Nigeria's First Republic.
He attended Aggrey Memorial College in Arochukwu, Baptist College, and Igbobi College in Lagos from 1934 through 1935, respectively. He began trading after leaving Igbobi and in 1937 founded his own trading company, Mbadiwe Produce Association.
In 1940, Mbadiwe went on to study in the United States at Columbia University and New York University, where he assisted in the formation of the African Students Association in 1941 and the African Academy of Arts and Research in 1943 - two platforms that drew the notice of then-first lady of the United States, Eleanor Roosevelt, who welcomed him to the White House.
The famous Ozumba Mbadiwe Road in Victoria Island, Lagos where the Lekki Toll g*te is situated was named after him in immortalization.
Recently, a top Nigerian artiste, Reekado Banks sang a song titled "Ozumba Mbadiwe" also in his memory.
