Special to USAfrica magazine (Houston) and USAfricaonline.com, the first Africa-owned, US-based newspaper published on the Internet.
Chido Nwangwu is the Founder of USAfrica. Follow on X (Twitter) @Chido247
It has been a very long season of sadness and deaths around us and in many communities, locally and internationally.
In a few hours into Thursday, January 4, 2023, the burial will commence in Amasu in Arochukwu of my senior colleague, outstanding personality and Nigerian television news journalist/broadcaster, Onyebuchi Okoronkwo. It is a major loss for our profession, collective Aro heritage and Nigeria broadcasting world.
Onyebuchi Okoronkwo set a reportorial standard of excellence at the Nigerian Television Authority, Channel 6, Aba. Alongside, such resourceful reporters as John Agha, Alozie Ndulaka, McLord Obioha, Felix Emele and several others.
Onyebuchi was an intrepid and seasoned reporter. We fondly called him ‘OO’. I knew Onyebuchi since the 1980s — the period that we worked together on assignments, for the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA Channel 6) news.
Also, we traveled to and reported on events across all the major communities in the old Imo State, Abia State and beyond.
Onyebuchi’s dedication, punctuality and commitment to facts and honesty in news reports will remain, for me, pastel pillars of professional reference.
My attempt at painting a word-picture of the man recalls the permanence of his smile and forever young, handsome, ebony babyface. And, his reading glasses which sat on the ridge of his nose nicely.
I recall that you, literally, always seemed to count every step you took; as in your physical movement. Your trousers were slightly bigger than your modest body size. But, anyway, it was fashionable at that time….
I carefully watched him handle or sort anything in the course of any assignment that I’ll proudly state that for several of those who really knew him held him up in respect and high esteem.
His relationships with almost all the members in the news team remained intact and exemplary.
Those remarkable attributes and sterling qualities, I was to learn later, came from a very good family upbringing and discipline.
Those sterling qualities were applauded and supported at the office by the late, legendary Mazi Anyogu Ukonu, who was the General Manager of the Nigerian Television Authority in Aba.
Some of those high standards were set and amplified by the very distinguished Mazi Philip Okereke (from Arochukwu) — then the Manager of News and Current Affairs. Emma ‘Stardust’ Aka was in the critical unit of Transportation. We knew our heritage connections and we remained professional.
Onyebuchi became such a respected news, reporter, that any assignment he reported would be in the top three items of the evening news— if not the main headline!
I thank you, OO, my friend, brother, facilitator and senior colleague. May your ever radiant soul rest in peace! Ndewo, nwanne m!!
•Dr. Chido Nwangwu, author of the forthcoming 2024 book, MLK, Mandela & Achebe: Power, Leadership and Identity, is Founder of the first African-owned, U.S-based newspaper on the internet, USAfricaonline.com, and established USAfrica in 1992 in Houston. He has appeared as an analyst on CNN, ALJazeera, SKYnews, and served as an adviser on Africa business to Houston’s former Mayor Dr. Lee Brown. Follow him @Chido247 and USAfricaLIVE.com
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