BRIEF FAMIY BACKGROUND OF CHIEF G C O AFIAWARI

BRIEF FAMIY BACKGROUND OF CHIEF G C O AFIAWARI

 

FAMILY HISTORY IN BRIEF 1

Chief GCO Afiawari was born into the family of Chief P A Afiawari the don. Chief P A Afiawari was a man who loved the things of this life and he lived it. He had eighteen wives, several concubines and many servants and slaves to attend him in his daily ministrations.

He acquired land properties large enough to constitute villages of their own. He would do anything possible to ensure the safety and prosperity of his descendants unborn. When his first son was born he named him Governor chuks oyema Afiawari in anticipation that he would rule over the estate he was creating.

FAMILY HISTORY IN BRIEF 2

HE migrated from Udoni where he was the king to Ase and immediately became the Agwuamanoyia of Ase. With these dual offices he became the custodian of the traditions and customs of these lamds. Since it was not uncommon for men of such standings in those days to involve in riyuals to protect their estate, this Chief created his own gods and should his protégés adhere to his principles, prosperity and long life would be theirs but should they do otherwise then they were creating problems for themselves as these gods would do everything possible to frustrate their effort. The man died in the year 1944.

FAMILY HISTORY IN BRIEF 3

Chief GCO A fiawari was inclined to his father’s style of living. He did not follow his principles either. He left home and travelled to many distant lands and finally settled down in Benin City. He attended the C & s movement church and became Senior Apostle emeritus.

He gave much time to praying and meditating.

By the time he returned back home, and haven been persuaded by one of his sons the Reverend Father Chuks Afiawari, he converted to the catholic church but still retained his Pentecostal beliefs as he had been thouroughly briefed with materials from one of his sons who takes delight in the things of the after life.

FAMILY HISTORY IN BRIEF 4

Chief GCO Afiawari had three wives and seventeen chilgren. The first child is Chief Ambrose Afiawari the Don. A more comprehensive biography of the Afiawari’s can be found in the history book written by Emmanuel Afiawari as he heard from the lips of Chief GCO Afiawari himself.

He lived a successful life. He fought many battles with the forces of darkness and triumphed over then all gloriously. He finally departed this sphere of existence at the ripe age of 108yrs. Although he requested that neither traditional rights nor fanfare should be given to him, the people amongst whom he dwelt respected the traditional rights request but used much fanfare to celebrate the burial of their Agwuamanoyia as different groups from surrounding towns and far and wide came to bade their final farewell to the man whom they all loved. God bless us all.