By Frank Oshanugor
The agrarian and SPORTS University town of Idumuje-Ugboko in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State is ready to play host to guests from far and near this week as the funeral activities of the father of Dr. Michael Nwoko; Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa would begin on Thursday.
AtlanticNewsonline gathered from the SSA at the weekend that arrangements have been perfected to give his late father Prince Augustine Enuraiwe Nwoko a befitting burial. He died 4th March this year at the glorious age of 92 years.
According to funeral arrangements put together by the family, there would be a service of songs/wake keep at the family compound, Ogbe-Obi Quarters, Idumuje-Ugboko on Thursday 7th July, while interment takes place on Friday 8th July, in the same place. Guests would be entertained as from noon same day at the residence of Dr. Michael Nwoko at No. 1 Dr. Michael Nwoko Street, behind RainOil Petrol Station, Idumuje-Ugboko.
The late Prince Augustine Enuraiwe Nwoko until his death was one of the surviving children of Obi Nwoko II, of Idumuje Ugboko Kingdom which is a historic town in Delta State.
Born in 1930 into the Royal Family of Obi Nwoko II, the late Pa Augustine could be said to have come into the world with Silver Spoon. He had his early Education at St. Silas CMS School, Old Umuahia in Abia State and finally at Holy Trinity School in Kano State.
Soon after his primary Education in 1949, his father sent him to Western Boys High School, Benin City and later Zik’s Institute, Onitsha where he finished his Secondary Education in 1955. While in school, a brilliant student, his father decided to send him Overseas for further Studies but as luck would have it before his overseas trip could be effected, he secured a very lucrative job in the department of Civil Aviation as an Air Traffic Control Assistant, a job he did both in Kano and Lagos States.
He later resigned the appointment and joined Michelin (Nig.) Limited as the Regional Representative both in the Northern, Eastern and Midwestern regions of Nigeria. At this time, Prince Augustine’s academic ambition was at its peak that he pursued a course in marketing and thus bagged a Diploma in Marketing and Salesmanship.
The Civil war set in to delay his onward march to real affluence but behold he was undaunted. When the Civil war ended, he left Michelin and joined Scan African (Nig.) Limited as its Area Representative but left the company in 1971 to start his own business. In the same year, he established Arin Associates with his very good friend, Prince Tony Omoaghe. Both Prince Augustine and Prince Tony Omoaghe were Co-Publishers of Midwest ThisWeek, a weekly Newspaper and the Midwest Directory of Trades.
Prince Augustine single handedly wrote and published Hotelier’s Digest from which he established the Nigerian tourism. He incorporated Midona (Nig.) Limited, a building and Civil Engineering Organization which has erected so many edifices throughout the country.
Until his death in March, 2022 he was a Building and Civil Engineering Contractor, a Christian and Married with many children.