Christian Onoh
Encyclopedia
Christian Onoh, popularly known as CC Onoh, (27 April 1927 - 5 May 2009) was a Nigeria
n businessman and lawyer who became governor of Anambra State
in 1983 at the end of the Nigerian Second Republic
.. He was also the father in law to Colonel Ojukwu.
Ngwo
, in coal country in what is now Enugu State
. His father died when he was 8 years old and he was brought up by his cousin Donald Oji.
Starting in the late 1940s, he worked as a contractor, then produce inspector and then livestock trader. Using the money from these ventures, he funded his education in the United Kingdom
, earning a law degree from the University of Wales
at Aberystwyth
in 1957.
In 1958, Onoh was elected member, House of Representatives for Enugu Constituency. He later resigned to take up appointment as the first indigenous chairman of the Board of the Nigerian Coal Corporation
. From 1961 to 1966 he was on the board of the Nigeria Railway Corporation. During the civil war, Onoh was appointed administrator of Enugu Capital Territory. In 1970 he returned to private life as a lumber merchant. He was a founding member of Club 13, which evolved into the Nigerian People's Party
(NPP), but later moved to the National Party of Nigeria
(NPN). He fought unsuccessfully for the Anambra State governorship on the NPN platform in 1979. He was then appointed chairman of the Nigeria Mining Corporation, and in 1982, chairman of the Associated Ore Mines.
(NPN) platform, defeating the incumbent Jim Nwobodo
of the Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP). The election was marred by widespread intimidation, violence and vote-rigging.
The election was disputed, but eventually decided in his favor in the supreme court. Three months after the election, on 31 December 1983, the military assumed control under General Muhammadu Buhari
and Onoh was dismissed.
created Enugu state in 1991.
Former Justice of the Supreme Court Anthony Aniogulu said "Christian Onoh ... was always and is always fighting injustice. But he would not mind using unjust method to fight injustice."
His daughter, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, became a beauty queen and then a businesswoman, best remembered for her controversial relationship with Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu
the Ikemba of Nnewi
and former Biafra
n president, who was over thirty years her senior. Their romance was a national talking point in the early nineties.
His son Joseph Onoh also went into politics and became Chairman of Enugu State House of Assembly Committee on Finance and Appropriation. Joseph Onoh was detained for two weeks in 2009 for allegedly making defamatory statements in a newspaper interview against Enugu State Governor Sullivan Chime
.
Christian Onoh died on 5 May 2009 at the age of 82.
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n businessman and lawyer who became governor of Anambra State
Anambra State
Anambra is a state in south-eastern Nigeria. Its name is an anglicized version of the original 'Oma Mbala', the native name of the Anambra River. The Capital and the Seat of Government is Awka. Onitsha and Nnewi are the biggest commercial and industrial cities, respectively. The state's theme is...
in 1983 at the end of the Nigerian Second Republic
Nigerian Second Republic
The Second Republic was the republican government of Nigeria between 1979 and 1983 governed by the second republican constitution.- Founding :...
.. He was also the father in law to Colonel Ojukwu.
Background
Onoh was born on the 27 April 1927 in EnuguEnugu
Enugu is the capital of Enugu State in Nigeria. It is located in the southeastern area of Nigeria and is largely populated by members of the Igbo ethnic group. The city has a population of 722,664 according to the 2006 Nigerian census. The name Enugu is derived from the two Igbo words Enu Ugwu...
Ngwo
Ngwo
Ngwo town is located in the south-eastern state of Enugu, Nigeria, with a population of about 50,000 people. The towns native population are of Igbo ethnicity.-History:...
, in coal country in what is now Enugu State
Enugu State
Enugu State is a mainland state in southeastern Nigeria. Its capital is Enugu, from which the state - created in 1991 from the old Anambra State - derives its name. The principal cities in the state are Enugu, Agbani, Awgu, Udi, Oji, and Nsukka....
. His father died when he was 8 years old and he was brought up by his cousin Donald Oji.
Starting in the late 1940s, he worked as a contractor, then produce inspector and then livestock trader. Using the money from these ventures, he funded his education in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, earning a law degree from the University of Wales
University of Wales
The University of Wales was a confederal university founded in 1893. It had accredited institutions throughout Wales, and formerly accredited courses in Britain and abroad, with over 100,000 students, but in October 2011, after a number of scandals, it withdrew all accreditation, and it was...
at Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, Wales. Often colloquially known as Aber, it is located at the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol....
in 1957.
In 1958, Onoh was elected member, House of Representatives for Enugu Constituency. He later resigned to take up appointment as the first indigenous chairman of the Board of the Nigerian Coal Corporation
Nigerian Coal Corporation
The Nigerian Coal Corporation is a Nigerian parastatal corporation responsible for mining and selling coal. It is based in Enugu.-Origin:...
. From 1961 to 1966 he was on the board of the Nigeria Railway Corporation. During the civil war, Onoh was appointed administrator of Enugu Capital Territory. In 1970 he returned to private life as a lumber merchant. He was a founding member of Club 13, which evolved into the Nigerian People's Party
Nigerian People's Party
The Nigerian Peoples Party was one of the major political parties that contested elections in the Nigerian Second Republic. The party was made up of three major groups: the Lagos Progressives, Club 19, and the Nigerian Council of Understanding....
(NPP), but later moved to the National Party of Nigeria
National Party of Nigeria
The National Party of Nigeria was the dominant political party in Nigeria during the Second Republic .-Formation:The party's beginning could be traced to private and sometimes secret meetings among key Northern Nigerian leaders after the proscription of political parties in 1966 by the military...
(NPN). He fought unsuccessfully for the Anambra State governorship on the NPN platform in 1979. He was then appointed chairman of the Nigeria Mining Corporation, and in 1982, chairman of the Associated Ore Mines.
Governor of Anambra State
Onoh was elected governor of Anambra State in October 1983 on the National Party of NigeriaNational Party of Nigeria
The National Party of Nigeria was the dominant political party in Nigeria during the Second Republic .-Formation:The party's beginning could be traced to private and sometimes secret meetings among key Northern Nigerian leaders after the proscription of political parties in 1966 by the military...
(NPN) platform, defeating the incumbent Jim Nwobodo
Jim Nwobodo
James Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo is a Nigerian businessman and politician who was governor of Anambra State during the Nigerian Second Republic and was Senator for Enugu East in Enugu State...
of the Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP). The election was marred by widespread intimidation, violence and vote-rigging.
The election was disputed, but eventually decided in his favor in the supreme court. Three months after the election, on 31 December 1983, the military assumed control under General Muhammadu Buhari
Muhammadu Buhari
Muhammadu Buhari was a military ruler of Nigeria and an unsuccessful candidate for president in the 2003, 2007 and 2011 presidential elections...
and Onoh was dismissed.
Later career
Onoh continued to agitate for a separate state for his Wawa people, and this was eventually achieved when the military regime headed by General Ibrahim BabangidaIbrahim Babangida
General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida CFR DSS mni , popularly known as IBB, was a Nigerian Army officer and military ruler of Nigeria...
created Enugu state in 1991.
Former Justice of the Supreme Court Anthony Aniogulu said "Christian Onoh ... was always and is always fighting injustice. But he would not mind using unjust method to fight injustice."
His daughter, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, became a beauty queen and then a businesswoman, best remembered for her controversial relationship with Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu
Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu
Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu was a Nigerian military officer and politician.Ojukwu served as the military governor of the Eastern Region of Nigeria in 1966, the leader of the breakaway Republic of Biafra from 1967 to 1970 and a leading Nigerian politician from 1983 to 2011, when he died, aged...
the Ikemba of Nnewi
Nnewi
Nnewi is the second largest city in Anambra State in southeastern Nigeria. Nnewi as a metropolitan city encompasses two local government areas, Nnewi North and Nnewi South; Nnewi North is commonly referred to as Nnewi central, and comprises four autonomous quarters: Otolo, Uruagu, Umudim, and...
and former Biafra
Biafra
Biafra, officially the Republic of Biafra, was a secessionist state in south-eastern Nigeria that existed from 30 May 1967 to 15 January 1970, taking its name from the Bight of Biafra . The inhabitants were mostly the Igbo people who led the secession due to economic, ethnic, cultural and religious...
n president, who was over thirty years her senior. Their romance was a national talking point in the early nineties.
His son Joseph Onoh also went into politics and became Chairman of Enugu State House of Assembly Committee on Finance and Appropriation. Joseph Onoh was detained for two weeks in 2009 for allegedly making defamatory statements in a newspaper interview against Enugu State Governor Sullivan Chime
Sullivan Chime
Sullivan Iheanacho Chime was elected governor of Enugu State in Nigeria in April 2007, taking office on 29 May 2007. He is a member of the People's Democratic Party .He was reelected on 26 April 2011.-Background:...
.
Christian Onoh died on 5 May 2009 at the age of 82.