By Joyce Onuora
Late Sir Aaron Anameke Onuora Jp , was born on April 17th, 1946 to the family of late Job Okafor Onuora in Umukwa Nawfia Village, Njikoka Local Government Area, LGA, of Anambra State.
He was the fourth son in a family of six children.
He received his early education at Presbyterian Primary School, Cross Rivers State in 1956-1962 and Secondary school in same presbyterian school in 1965-1970. He obtained his Professional Qualification of Nigeria Institute of Communication (NICE) under Graduate studies, including concentration in Journalism and Printing Technology in 1975. He also attended the institute of Theology at Igbaja in Cross River State
He was an exceptionally brilliant and outstanding student.
Until his death, he was a business Mogul, who dealt in car sales, ice fish business supplies in Cross River State, Land agency business in Abakaliki, before and after he got married.
Sir Aaron Onuora got married in April 1977 to his beautiful wife, Lady Monica Ukamaka Onuora from Eziakpaka Village Nawfia. The marriage was blessed with eight children, two males and six females.
Sir Aaron Onuora was a man of peace and justice, a loving, hardworking, respectful, disciplined and gentle man, who brought up his children in a godly way.
Sir Aaron Onuora Jp, was a man that loved God. He showed keen interest and dedication to the things of God right from his youth, especially as it concerned the Anglican Church of God. He fought strongly with two others to bring in and establish The Anglican outposts in the Ogoja area of Cross River State. When then priest late Rev. Ejim sought a volunteer to go and establish the presence of the church in the area, Sir Onuora, offered to go, when he got there, he discovered that only three families were Anglicans, worshipping in their respective homes.
By dint of hard work, he was soon able to win for the church worshippers from far and near. The areas he evangelized include; Okuku- Ogoja, Igoli-Ogoja, Obudu, Ofatura-Obubra, Ugep, Ikom, among other places soon he was able to win very many converts in those areas moved from worshipping in people’s private homes and primary schools. He and his esco acquiring parcels of land and built churches, St. Peter Church Ogoja in Cross River State and among others .
Sir Aaron Onuora became the Chairman of Ogoja churches while Mr Idede became the church teacher and parish secretary.
He also donated his house to Anglican Reverends to live in and to worship in the Church. He was the Chairman of the Building committee of St. Peter Church Ogoja, Cross River State in 1982.
He was one of the first registered members of All Saints Anglican Church, Abakaliki soon after the civil war. He was in the executive of the Anglican Youth Fellowship (AYF) led by Mr. Mike Maduegbuna. The AYF at the time was the leading group in Evangelism in the State. Sir Onuora became the pioneer editor and publisher of AYF newsletter, Voice of Brethern (VOB), which was effectively used to disseminate information among members in the area.
He was among the planning committee of the All Saint Cathedral Church Abakaliki ,and also a member of the Cathedral council in 2009.
He also joined the MCA Men’s Christian Association. He became the public Relations Officer (PRO) of MCA until 2016 when a new administration was inaugurated.
He played a significant role in St Michael Anglican Church Nawfia, his home town.
He was a Chorister, a Choir member in St Michael Anglican church Nawfia and All Saint Cathedral Church Abakaliki.
He was honored Distinguished Merit Award in Nawfia, for his outstanding contributions and dedication to the work of God while Stewardship Award was given to him by All Saint Cathedral Church Choir Abakaliki.
When the Bishop of Enugu wanted to carve out Abakaliki from Nsukka Archdeaconry, some stakeholders in Enugu Diocese sued him in the Abakaliki High Court. However, following a write up by Sir Onuora in the Daily Star Newspaper, the suit was withdrawn.
Sir Aaron Onuora served as Secretary of Igbo Union in Ogoja and also assisted in settling disputes between Ndigbo and indigenous people of Ogoja in Cross River State.
A Journalist by Profession, Sir Onuora started with the Renaissance Newspaper of East Central State, which metamorphosed into Daily Star Newspaper at the creation of Anambra State was broken into Enugu and Anambra State, he joined the Anambra State Newspaper and Publishing corporation, publishers of the National Light Newspaper in Awka, from where he was sent to represent the newspaper in Cross River State and later transferred to Abakaliki during the creation of the State. He represented Ebonyi Journalist in 2005 programe in Israel (prilgrimage)
He joined Ebonyi State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) in 1987. He was a member of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Ebonyi State as he served as the pioneer treasurer of Ebonyi State Council of NUJ from 1997 – 2003. And also served as Auditor of the council.
Until he retired on April 17th 2009, after attaining the retirement age of sixty (60) years, he worked with Anambra Newspaper Printing and Publishing Corporation (National Light) as the State Correspondent.
As he was passionately committed and dedicated to his work, he continued filing reports from Abakaliki Ebonyi State. He never wanted to put down his pen even at his well advanced age, until he took ill in 2019.
He will always be remembered in the Pen profession as a lover of Journalism and a jolly good fellow, who was always interested in the overall well-being of his Colleagues. He was fondly called by his Colleagues as “Oga Onuora, the business mongul”.
Conclusively, as his illness persisted, all efforts to save him proved abortive and he took his last bow to answer his Creator on the 6th day of September 2024.
We all will miss him as he was a father, uncle, brother, colleague, elder statesman, business partner among others, to many people. His outstanding devotion to God and to the course of humanity will forever be remembered.
May his gentle soul rest in the bosom of the Lord. Amen!
