-By Nnamdi Okolie
A sagacious leader, a thoroughbred grass-root mobilizer whose words of wisdom, oratorical prowess and fluency in the Igbodo dialect only remind one of Chinua Achebe’s assertion in “Things Fall Apart” that “if words were roasted yam, proverbs would be the palm oil with which it is eaten”.
Our big bros Enwelim Victor Iloba was a mobilizer per excellence whose leadership skills manifested early on from his undergraduate days while at the University of Benin when he mobilized and superintended over Igbodo Higher Students Association, IHSA, for many years to become the most vibrant youth organ Igbodo ever had, a body that effectively set the pace and laid the foundation for educational renaissance of his younger generation of Igbodo people whose interest in academic pursuit as a status symbol peaked.
Igbodo is an agrarian community in Ika North East local government area of Delta State, South South Nigeria.
The IHSA under our late brother, Mr Enwelim Iloba commissioned the first ever community library Igbodo has ever had.
This further encouraged the Secondary School Students to form a healthy reading culture, not forgetting the launch of his book, authored as an undergraduate, “Taylor’s Famine”, though a fictional piece of prosaic literary form, warehouses the rich traditional and socio-cultural heritage of the people of Igbodo.
The novel is a litany of the rich idioms and proverbs of Igbodo flavoured by referenced historical events.
Mr Enwelim Victor Iloba was a huge influence on his younger generation aided by his towering figure, arguably the tallest Igbodo man in his prime.
Leadership trailed him as he graduated into Igbodo Development Union serving his fatherland in many capacities, chief amongst which include the President General, Idumu-Obior Development Union (Worldwide) and the Vice-President, Igbodo Development Union, Lagos Branch, positions he held until he was snatched by the cold hands of death.
Career-wise, our late leader shone like a star in his growth trajectory from sales in Coca Cola Bottling Company, Intercontinental Distillers Limited, Lafarge Cement and eventually, Pan African University where he worked till his demise.
Enwelim is a reminder that we are only remembered by our deeds. We are grateful for his life and the army of younger ones that he’s raised to continue from where he stopped.
May we all have the guts to speak truth to power no matter whose ox is gored like our late brother. A jolly good fellow, an ever towering presence has left Igbodo, leaving a vacuum that would be difficult to fill.
Rest in peace brother Enwelim!