LONG JOHN SILVER NWARU & I
It was 1966/67 the pogrom was on, and like many places in the southeast, Nenwe had her own share of returnees. The schools especially St Peters were filled with new faces like the Mbahs, Mbanwarus,Nwaruezes,Chukwukadibes ,Kanus, Onwes etc. Most of them spoke igbo sparingly.
However , there were also some people at Peters who weren't returnees but 'migrated' from St. Paul's, St David's and St Theresa's that hadn't elementary 5 classes, so we had to decipher the "Nenwe refugees" from the locals through their level of grip of olu Nenwe.
Jon was a college fellow anyway but when the real war began,schools closed the militias came to quarter in County from then we started to see such people around.
My first contact with John was at the Altar under Rev Fr Silvester Eze who became the chaplain for the Biafran Militia in Nenwe etc.. He doubled with serving also Rev Fr Orji of Nenwe who also returned home . He was ordained just about a year or less.
John was always elegant and thought us the junior ones mass serving diligently. It was the period that followed the transition of the old ways of mass( the Rev and alter backing the congregation) which we knew already. John was a patient and nice teacher. We travelled in Fadas' small Fiat 600 all around Nenwe. We served him, the reverend and the mass but I think serving him(Jon) was what we cared more for because as kids he would recommend any efforts to the Rev and his approval of our abilities was paramount …..Nenwe fell into the handsome the Federal troops (a.k.a Vandals) and we parted………. Truncated
To be continued.
Charlie.mbc@gmail.com
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