Chief Mike Nwaukoni: The Iyase of Ogwashi-Uku, The Tiger, The Winner, The All Time Giver

The overwhelming respect of the high and low that Chief Mike Nwaukoni, the Executive Chairman of Migfo Group Nigeria Limited, enjoys and commands in Nigeria particularly in his community and beyond is something he earned and therefore, is to be expected.

Onowu Mike Nwaukoni, a multi billionaire business tycoon and the Iyase of Ogwashi-Uku, is indeed, a true ambassador of his people’s tradition.

Here is a man who combines godliness with a very disciplined life style that has made him raised a family that is not only exemplary but also the envy of many. He has a quiet mien, good leadership qualities and excellent public relations that has continued to catch the attention of the world.

As the Iyase of Ogwashi-uku, he has shown that he is of a peaceable conduct as well as a dogged fighter.

Somehow those who dared him to test his fighting spirit, have come to discover that his quiet mien is not synonymous with weakness. It is not a surprise therefore, that he continues to disgracefully defeat those who go into contest with him.

For instance, in recognition of his leadership qualities, fore fathers’ ancestral roles, and his philanthropic activities to Ogwashi-Uka kingdom, he was installed as the Iyase by the Agidiase clan, whose progenitor was credited with founding the Kingdom and the clan. Hence the authority which they exclusive preserve to install an Iyase.

The Iyase traditional title, going by Ogwashi-Uku tradition, is the Prime Minister of the Kingdom and second in command to the Obi. High Chief Mike Nwaukoni, has continued to reign in the capacity of Iyase until 2008 when Professor Ben Okonjo, the late Obi of Ogwashi-Uku emerged as the Obi of the Kingdom after an acrimonious jostle for the Obiship by members of the Umu Obi Obahai Ruling House of which the late Professor Ben Okonjo was a member. He however ascended the throne despite the litigations that divided the Royal House.

Meanwhile, during the period of the struggle for the kingship of the kingdom following the demise of Prof Obi’s father, the late Professor Ben Okonjo wanted the Iyase of Ogwashi-Uku, Onowu Mike Nwaukoni, to be on his side to give him his full support.

But the Iyase urged the late Professor Ben Okonjo to first reconcile with his siblings and cousins as well as other members of the Royal Household before he would throw his weight behind him. Unfortunately, Iyase’s position did not go down well with the late king (Obi). He was later to declare a total war on the Iyase.

Close observers say, the late Obi, under estimated the fighting spirit of Onowu Nwaukoni, and went ahead contrary to the tradition to pick Collins Afuwa, to be the Iyase in place of Onowu Mike Nwaukoni. That was when a battle line was drawn and the fight began.

At the lower court, his opponent won but the legal fireworks unknown to the opponent had just begun. The tiger and never-say-die as Onowu Mike Nwaukoni is often described, appealed the judgment of the lower court at the higher court and won his title back. His opponent, Afuwa went to appeal the judgment until the legal battles climaxed at the Supreme Court, where Iyase Mike Nwaukoni was declared as the authentic Iyase of Ogwashi-uku.

However, the late king, Prof Ben Okonjo did not give up. He commenced another battle by going to the High Court to ask it to declare that Onowu Nwaukoni was not the authentic Iyase. He lost. He proceeded to the Appeal Court, he lost. He then proceeded to the Supreme Court. The case was still pending at the Supreme Court when he transited in September 2023.

Curiously, the Okonjo, a royal family did not give up after the transition of their patriarch. The late Obi’s third son, Prince Chukwude Okonjo, who succeeded his father reawakened the case at the Supreme Court. Again, Nwaukoni, the tiger, gave them another devastating knockout.

Rugged but peace loving, High Chief Nwaukoni is a true African son who believes in justice, equity and fairness at all times. This may be why his kinsmen believe that with such an outstanding personality as the Iyase of the kingdom, development and massive progress will be attracted to the kingdom moreso when his name is synonymous with economic development and massive growth in diverse areas of the Nigeria economy. They believe that through his remarkable contributions and philanthropic programme coupled with his high Iyase title, the kingdom would rank among the most industrialized and full with highly trained professionals that would be exported to the world.

True to this expectations, Iyase Mike Nwaukoni single handedly restored electricity to the Kingdom, after almost a decade of darkness in the Kingdom, the project cost him several millions of naira. In addition to this, he made the single highest donation to the community town project. As part of the Iyase’s vision to export more brains and talented persons from his kingdom to the world, Iyase has been paying the school fees of over one thousand children of the community from primary to university level.

This is in addition to employing indigenes of all the quarters that make up the Kingdom in his vast business empire.

This partly accounts for the overwhelming support he enjoys from the Principal Chiefs also known as the Idimes of the kingdom, namely Chiefs Onihe, Odafe, Ihonor, Igwoba, Odafe, Alamuzo, Isagba, Ihaza and Ozoma. They have continued to allign with High Chief Mike Nwaukoni because of his leadership qualities, peaceful disposition, tireless quest for the unity of the Kingdom and his philanthropic commitment to the entire people of Ogwashi-Uku.

To them, the only Iyase known to the people and recognised by them is Chief Mike Nwaukoni. No wonder even Afuwa, the man who took the Iyase to court had to denounce his Iyaseship and now quietly supporting Chief Mike Nwaukoni as the true Iyase of Ogwashi-uku Kingdom.

So when next you see Chief Mike Nwaukoni, know that he is the undisputed Iyase of Ogwashi-uku Kingdom. This much was emphasized by Olorogun Fred Majemite, a two time Commissioner and a former governorship aspirant in Delta State when he said” the battlefield is not for the weak but for the lions and tigers of this world.

As the undisputed Iyase of the kingdom, Chief Mike Nwaukoni has more than ever before resolved to ensure that peace, unity, stability and progress are the bedrocks that Ogwashi-uku Kingdom will be known for. One hopes that another battle will not be brought as a way to further distract the tiger since they could not defeat him in the Iyase title tussle but Francis Nwaojei an indegene of Ogwashi-Uku say Chief Nwaukoni’s journey to the top was not accidental rather Onowu Mike Nwaukoni has been destined for greatness and as such will continue to win all battles..