On the 6th of March 1932, a child of destiny was born to the royal family of the Oke Nnachi Kindred of Oror Village, Arochukwu, Abia State. He was named Ogbonnaya Vincent. His lineage traced directly to Oke Nnachi Oke Opi Eze, the Great Apex Leader of Arochukwu Kingdom, who established the Arochukwu Monarchy.
The young prince began his life, carefully sequestered from the trappings of royalty, but under the watchful eyes of his family and relatives. He was groomed for a future life of leadership of his people through arduous and diligent training in the traditions of the Arochukwu Kingdom and those of Western education. He commenced his primary school education at National and Aggrey Primary Schools, both in Arochukwu. A few years later, he moved from the ancient town of Arochukwu to Western Nigeria with his family, where he continued his formal education at the Moslem School, Ijebu Ode and the Boys High School, Ibadan. He was an ardent science student. Upon completion of his secondary school education, he went overseas in search of the golden fleece. His interest was in Laboratory Technology, an emerging discipline that captured his interest. To achieve his dream, he sought and gained admission into the Paddington College of Technology, London, where he studied Laboratory Technology. He deepened his educational and professional skills at the South East Essex College of Technology, London, Queen Mary Hospital, London and the famous Imperial College, London.
During his studies, he also obtained Advanced Certificates in Microbiological Techniques and Laboratory Administration of the City and Guilds, London, and an Associate Diploma from the Institute of Medical Laboratory Technology, London. He bagged the Fellowship of the Institute of Science and Technology, London and was also an Associate of the Institute of the Medical Laboratory Sciences of Nigeria.
Upon his return to Nigeria following his successful academic endeavours, His Majesty took up formal appointment with the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ibadan, as a Laboratory Technician. After honing his skills at Ibadan, he moved to the General Hospital, Enugu, as a Senior Laboratory Technician. He subsequently went back to the academic environment of the University of Nigeria Nsukka, where he continued his job as a Senior Laboratory Technician and a Lecturer at the College of Medicine, University of Nigeria. He was the Pioneer Technologist, in Medical Microbiology, at the School of Nursing, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu. He ended his glorious career in 1986 and retired from the University of Nigeria as the Chief Medical Laboratory Scientist of the distinguished institution.
Mazi Ogbonnaya Okoro CFR, Eze Aro, was an academic researcher and writer of several professional articles. Some of his more well-known published works are, ‘A Preservative Effect on Palm Wine Due to the Bark of Saco Glottis Gabonensis’, and ‘Urban Humiriacence and the Morphology and Chemistry of Cell Walls of Micrococcus Radiodurance’.
He was a member of several professional bodies, which included the Royal Society of Health of England, and the Birth Society for General Microbiology.
He was crowned the Eze Aro in 1988, following the demise of His Majesty Mazi Kanu Orji CFR. and was conferred with the Commander of the Federal Republic, CFR.
He was a man of wisdom and he was an apostle of Contentment. He would always advise the multitude of his followers to seek contentment over material and earthly pursuits. One of his favourite quotes was, ‘contentment in a cottage is always better than afflictions in a mansion’.
He is survived by his loving wife and four children.
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