TRIBUTE TO ONE OF NIGERIA’S FINEST: ISRAEL NWAOBA NJEMANZE
Witty, self-vilifying short man and the S.I. unit of ebullience, the nation was brought to tears when his murdered & dismembered body was found strewn on railway tracks in Lagos on Fri Apr 8, 1955.
Who was Israel Nwaoba Njemanze?
Born on Christmas day in 1922 in Amaawom, Owerri to the Njemanze royal family, he also died on a Good Friday, betrayed at the age of 33 by an intimate member of his orchestra.
I dare not say he was Nigeria’s Jesus but the similarity still sends shivers down the spine of those of us old enough to remember.
He was not born Nwaoba, he added it to his name during a visit to the Oba of Benin at the time. When he was introducing himself to the Oba, Israel humbly wanted the Oba to know that he was from a royal family and so he had added the word “Nwaọba” (son of a king) after Israel.
He was the vocalist of a music group known as the “Three Night Wizards”.
He stood out as the pioneer of critical lyricism; packing his songs with comical but strong messages and brutal honesty.
His height, tribe, friends and Lagos women bore the brunt of his sharp humour.
When he was serious, politics was the topic. He used his music to mobilize support for Independence, praise and criticize politicians of the day like Zik, Awo, Akintola, Mbonu Ojike, and Amanze Njoku.
He challenged all the politicians to uphold national unity, regardless of party.
He warned men to be wary of Igbo girlfriends because they would drain their pockets, unlike Yoruba ladies, who would extract money under false pretences from her fathers and give it to their boyfriend ��
And that Urhobo women were the surest option if one wanted a caring wife�
Despite their success, Israel announced that he wanted to leave for the UK – to study music formally – disputes soon followed.
On Wed 6th Apr the group held a meeting at the residence of the band’s treasurer, Samuel Jegede in Idi-Oro, Mushin to settle the dispute.
Stalemate.
On the morning of 8th April, his body was found on the rail tracks in Surulere – cut to pieces – 18 pieces precisely – apparently crushed by a train�
The problem was that the train had been delayed that morning. The accident arrangement had failed.
The country was devastated.
There was nationwide mourning with processions around Nigeria.
Trial began.
There were emotional scenes outside the courthouse throughout.
Eight people including the band’s treasurer, Samuel Jegede were charged for his murder and the jury found six of the accused guilty.
two were discharged for want of evidence.
The condemned men included Samuel Jegede (band leader), Michael Adeyemo (another member of Three Night Wizards), Dede Onolabi, Cyril Anikwe, Peter Nwangwu, and Lawal Dada.
They were hanged at the Broad street Prison, Lagos….
The two discharged men died, one after the other, under mysterious circumstances within a few months after the judgement.
Israel’s body had decomposed significantly and could not be sent to Owerri, and he was buried in an unmarked grave in Lagos.
He did not rise after 3 days.
The motive for the murder is still blurry
One angle is that is betrayed his partners and associates from a previous record label in the matter of a shady deal they had struck.
Another is that a politician needed his persuasive tongue for rituals for the 1960 presidential election campaigns.
Israel Nwaọba Njemanze had described himself in a song as equal to eight men despite his diminutive stature, and 8 men actually went with him.
His death was an irreplaceable national loss and little was/has been done to immortalize him.
