My father, Alaowei T. O. Onduku exited our world on Sunday 23 November 2008. I could remember that day. I had just returned from RCCG School of Disciples Graduation Ceremony the previous day from London. Pastor Andrea and I had started the programme in the USA but completed it in the UK. The phone call of the announcement of his departure came in from my elder brother Prester Onduku and he calmly advised that I remain calm and strong to take it as it has happened. The rest is history.
The full names of my father are Thomas Omette Oboratarhieyeren Onduku. He was born at Ayakoromo in current Burutu Local Government of Nigeria’s Delta State to Pa Onduku. His mother Aligboro was from the Adjomo family of Okpare-Olomu in current Ughelli South Local Government Area. By 1936, my father was moved to Okpare in Central Urhobo by his mother to attend the Anglican Church Missionary Society (CMS) Central School for his early education. There was a great deal of jeers from age grades for being an Ijaw boy. Albeit his mother was Urhobo and had to be born to an Ijaw father, he never liked such baneful remarks on Ijaw people. Along the line, he overcame this situation and got some playmates among whom were the likes of John Tebite, David Edjere, Degreat Tonwe, Paul Ihimo, Owumi Kofi, James Omologbo and others. Some of these became his personal life friends. He attributed his success in early schooling to Ighoghoja and Emmanuel Edjedafe his first cousin at Okpare. In all, his educational pursuit took him to the Sido Institute Warri; Government Teacher Training College Abraka; Rural Education Centre Ibadan and University of Ibadan.
His Names:
The names given to him were:
(i) Omote which he prefers to spell Omette. His mother got twelve children but most of them died before they were adolescent. Most of these children were boys. Therefore, when he was born, and identified as another male child, she said, 'this is not a male this time, it is a female'. So, the name Omote was given him. According to my father, "although it is a name I have been called, yet I detest it because I cannot admit the name 'female' since I am not a female." Hence, he spells it as 'Omette'. Omote in local Urhobo language means a girl, ‘this is a girl'.
(ii) Oboratarhieyeren - This name was specially given him by his father Pa Onduku. Its meaning is that one lives according to what one stated in heaven before he was born. Here too, my father Chief Onduku don't seem to agree with the philosophy in the meaning of the name. According to him, "I do not believe fanatically in fate. But l do believe the world is a creation of a Supreme Being. I do believe also that our biological process of development has been functionalized through live cells which are themselves the creation of that Supreme Being. Our development - bodily, intellectually, spiritually are essential due to our encounters in our different processes of life. Our weaning, nurturing, home and environment have much to play in the overall development of human beings. The person becomes refined or remains ignorant according to the type of education made available to him. Our success, therefore, largely depends upon our making good use of the tools nature has already made for us, not what a person has to bring from heaven. This, I do not believe. I would never tell God that I would ever experience hardship if it were possible for ‘every individual’ to give Him our words before we came. So, to say, ‘we live out whatever life we lead as we had brought from heaven’ is incorrect as far as I can imagine. It is, therefore, something funny that I happen to disagree with the meanings of my two names.”
iii. Thomas: His third name Thomas is a Christian name. This name was written on his Primary Two notebook in 1937 by Pa Yekwe of Ayakoromo. According to my father, “at school when I saw that most pupils go by English names, I had to adopt it. So, till this day, I have been known as Thomas Omette Onduku.”
My father was a great scholar, language tutor, author, patriot and nationalist. His pioneering work on Ijaw Language study, preservation and development is a momentous and invaluable contribution to Ijaw national development and progress. In his last days on earth, he was appointed by then Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha as a member of the Ijaw History Project with Professor Ebiegberi Alagoa as Chairman. My elder brother, Barrister Preye Onduku represented him on the Project when my father had a challenging health condition. He lived as an Anglican, and he offered his house to be used as home of the Anglican Church in Ayakoromo. Nearly all of us his children were baptised and confirmed in the Anglican Communion.
On this day marking the 17th year of your transition, on behalf of all my siblings we remember you for your uprightness, truthfulness, sincerity, service to humanity and commitment to community development. Adieu Papa, the indefatigable and fearless Olotu of Ngbilebiri-Mein Kingdom and the progenitor of Izon language orthography.
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