By Frank Oshanugor
To a former Deputy Comptroller-General of Immigration Service, Dr. Emmanuel Brasca Udo Ifeadi, retirement from public service is not a departure to docility or unproductivity, but rather a time for the exploration and exploitation of the innate potentials that were not expended while in service for the nation and the good of mankind.
It was therefore, a fulfillment of expectation for him recently when guests from various walks of life gathered in his honour at Newton Park Hotel& Resorts Limited, Abuja to witness the unveiling of a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) named “Conflict Resolution and Migration Awareness Initiative” (CRAMAI) founded by him. It was also an occasion to publicly present “A Handbook on Shotokan Karate for Beginners: Elucidating Karate Myths, Fallacies and Truism” – a book also written by him.
What may have spurred the former Immigration chief into the two-in-one adventure could be a question which answer is not difficult to find as those who have had close working or social relationship with him easily attest to on the occasion- that he is an embodiment of knowledge. With a chain of university degrees including two doctorates acquired prior to, and while in service; Brasca Ifeadi has certainly shown that he is a rare breed, whose intellectual dynamism can only find expression in what he is currently engaged in.
Speaking on CRAMAI on the occasion, Ifeadi disclosed that “the incorporation of this NGO is in furtherance of my commitment to evolving practical conflict resolution mechanisms as well as the need to promote regular migration within Africa, West and Eastern Europe, the Americas and beyond and also to work in close synergy with other relevant stakeholders in realising the all-important goal of entrenching profound peace and harmony, safe and beneficial migration regimes in our modern society.”
According to him, within the framework of the constitution of “Conflict Resolution and Migration Awareness Initiative”, the aims and objectives of the organisation among others, include – the promotion of private sectors change management; conflict prevention and resolution skills; building confidence in youths to explore their potentials for positivity and sustainability; and awarding of peace scholarship to young people, including those affected by conflicts in order to ensure that they are not left out of education.
The NGO is also set to promote community and youth development, education for sustainable human resource development, environmental health, food security, good governance, poverty reduction, conflict prevention and all peace-building initiatives, just as it is poised to support Nigeria, Africa and the world community in the prevention of the mad rush for irregular migration to Europe and other countries within the globe. The occasion was chaired by Mr. Tony Ogbuigwe, a retired Group Executive Director at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.
As the issues of conflict are increasing by the day in contemporary Nigeria and beyond, with many local and international organisations showing interest in resolving the plethora of conflicts and other debilitating challenges, Brasca Ifeadi has assured that CRAMAI would robustly network with such organisations with similar aims and objectives, just as the chairman of the occasion lent credence to this, when he expressed the view that those seeking resolution of conflicts from international agencies would easily find the new NGO invaluable. He equally expressed the hope that CRAMAI under the leadership of Ifeadi has the ability to resolve some of the prevailing conflicts in present day Nigeria.
This belief, according to him, obviously stemmed from the former Deputy Comptroller General’s disciplined background which was largely shaped, among other things, by his training as a Karateka. This remark could not have been confirmed by much better evidence than Ifeadi’s new book on Karate which was a major highlight in the two-in-one event. However, the official presentation of the book could not come much earlier until the NGO had officially been unveiled and members of the board of trustees led by Dr. Ifeadi publicly presented by the Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State, Silas Ali Agara, ably represented by a serving commissioner in the state, Anangba Bamaiyi.
Much as the guests who came from various walks of life to grace the occasion shared in the former DCG’s ability to pilot the affairs of the newly founded CRAMAI in the right direction, the presentation of the new book on Shokotan Karate, the first of its kind written by a Nigerian, held more attraction for him as the official presentation of the book commenced.
With the book reviewer; Prof. Sylvanous Ebohon, of the University of Benin providing insight into the contents of the book before the audience and Karatekas stepping out in their professional attire to practically demonstrate part of what is contained in the book, most of the guests had no choice but to quickly buy into what Ifeadi had earlier said about the book in his opening speech.
He had said that the book constituted a special part of his humble contribution towards the steady dissemination, growth and development of the study and practice of Karate in Nigeria. “The book is aimed at carefully elucidating a myriad of Karate myths, fallacies and truisms by rebutting certain misleading assumptions about the practice of Karate and other martial arts, and mainly to debunk the occultic, demonic, satanic and arrogant attitudinal perceptions which have been wrongly and mischievously ascribed to the study and practice of Karate by some ill-informed mythographers and religious fanatics.”
This maiden edition of the book is also considered a veritable channel for the sensitisation of all interested persons as it attempts to, among others, herald and showcase some notable karate instructors nationwide, most of whom were present at the event. The book is also to clear the apparent confusion and frustration of young Karatekas who due to their inability to readily correlate the Japanese complex Karate related terminologies vis-à-vis their English translations usually capitulate or terminate their dream and learning process of the noble art.
The chief launcher of the book, Mrs. Joan Onyemaechi Mrakpor who represents the Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, while publicly presenting the book, described Dr. Ifeadi whom she humbly referred to, as “Uncle Brasca” as a man of integrity with unquenchable appetite for excellence in whatever he does. The two-in-one event attracted eminent Nigerians from diverse sectors. From the Immigration service were former Comptroller-Generals’ Chukwurah Joseph Udeh and David Shikfu Parradang; immediate past Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase; Mrs. J.O. Olaitan; Rt. Reverend Justus Mogekwu, Bishop of Asaba Anglican Communion; Major-General Abba; former Director-General Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Prof. Epiphany Azinge; Col. Moses Gara, who represented Major General C.O Ude Shihan; Dr. Jack Mbom, Ifeadi’s first Karate instructor and Shihan Goby China.
Other guests include a former Director, Department of State Service, Mike Ejiofor; the Managing Director of Rainoil, Dr. Gabriel Ogbechie who was the co-launcher; Mrs. Stella Okunola Odusote; Kester Ifeadi and Dr. Tony Elumelu of ECOWAS Commission.
In their various goodwill messages, most of the guests had similar positive things to say about Dr. Ifeadi. There was a convergence of opinions that the former Immigration chief is a man of high integrity, humility, a robustly disciplined paramilitary officer, an intellectual of immense repute and above all, a lover of God and humanity.