He walks with a dignified poise. He is not a loud and talkative Prince. But he seems divined to achieve his life’s dreams rather effortlessly. He represented Aniocha Oshimili Federal constituency from 1999 to 2003. He left his marks during his stay in the House of Representatives.
In 2018 he tried to beef up his game to the Red Chamber and narrowly lost at the primaries to the incumbent Senator Peter Nwaoboshi of the PDP.
For Prince Ned Nwoko, it is never over until it is over. Any time he returns from Abuja to his country home in Idumuje Gboko he is never alone.
He has built for himself a massive palace for the people who inundate his home in their hundreds to welcome him home. He does not walk or stay alone. The crowd is always there for him to entertain and chat over issues of cultural import and the royalty.
The Onowo and his chiefs are always in attendance to stay with him and consult on matters of priority to the village and Anioma Nation in general. My observation of Ned Nwoko’s unique style is collective humanism which does not discriminate between the very poor and the rich, the elite and the rural farmer.
Last month, I paid an unscheduled visit to see him by public transportation and I arrived there for 2p.m and waited patiently until 10: 20 pm in the night. He had gone out to Agbor to attend to social meetings and other gatherings within his constituency.
Even in his absence, special caretakers were in charge of the Kitchen and the cooks who are usually busy 24 hours a day. Every visitor is treated like a Prince Ned Nwoko guest and they drink and eat depending on one’s taste.
Around 4 pm I was served rice and stew in his sprawling dinning chamber. With ten chairs and plates arranged in readiness for visiting guests. When he eventually returned home from his extensive tour of his constituents, I ordered for a Malt drink into the bargain.
I also found out that there is a Zoo within the large premises where monkeys and crocodiles are kept and different species of Crown birds.
One particular monkey was so smart and happy go lucky that he jumps regularly from the Zoo into the front of the Palatial building and touching on the legs of visitors who are amazed at its dexterity in a jumping bouts from tree tops to human legs seated on chairs.
That he missed the primaries of the PDP does not in any way diminish his grandiose outings and coming in from outside trips. Then suddenly, there was heard a continuous blast of sirens announcing the arrival of Prince Ned Nwoko, amidst a long convoy of cars and Jeeps of different sizes and shapes.
The convoy was atypical signature tune of the Princely Ned arriving home from far and near. The crowd in the compound was agog and those who were almost asleep were woken up from their slumber.
It was 10:30 pm by my watch. The cars screeched to a halt in its regular parking lot. The police and outriders dashed out and the doors of the lovely Prince were flung open as he stepped out in a dignified poise.
I still kept my cool until he had settled down with groups of his political foot soldiers who had lined up in one corner of his spacious home with more than five parlours.
At the end of his meeting with his political groups, he came out and told the security operatives to take me and other ISSEELE UKU bound women groups and drop me off at Asaba. I got home by 12: 30 am as my son and daughters were surprised I could stay out so late.
My wife an easy bird that goes to sleep as early as 7.30 was surprised I came back knocking by the side of her bed-room window. Ned Nwoko is a dependable friend and brother and you can trust him to carry any promise he makes to a friend. He is a lawyer who played a patriotic role in recovering the trumpeted portions of Abacha loot from Swiss Banks to Nigeria.
He is a polished politician with panache and one of the finest politicians in Delta North. And he believes that truth would prevail in his pursuit of justice and fair play. A little tour of his premises also reveals a large swimming pool where occasional competitions are held. Not to mention spaces provided for amateur golfers to enjoy themselves.
His ultimate ambition is to build a Sports University in large acres of land in Idumuje Ugboko and that could be the first of its kind in Nigeria. Prince Ned Nowoko never walks alone. His friends are legion and they keep trooping in at his Lodge in the country home Idimuje Ugboko . A trip to Ned’s palace is worth a try any day. A tourist haven. Make sure he is home to take you around.
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