Peter Anosike

Igbo living in Lagos recently rolled out drums to celebrate the 98th birthday of His Royal Highness, Eze Cyril Anomneze who happens to be the oldest Igbo man in Lagos State.

Speaking at the event, which attracted many prominent Igbo sons and daughters, the Chairman of the occasion, Chief Innocent Nwaogugu said that the celebrant is instrumental to the movement of a lot of Igbo to Lagos.

According to him, when the celebrant was playing football for ZAC Football Club,Yaba, Lagos in the 30s, his popularity inspired a lot of Igbo to begin to see Lagos as a land of opportunity.

Chief Nwaogugu described the celebrant as a man of great intelligence, integrity who has motivational abilities.

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Contributing, the Ezeigbo of Surulere, Sir Jossy Egwuatu, said that the celebrant is a philanthropist who has contributed immensely to the development of lives and communities around him.

Sir Egwuatu who is the founder of Auto Spare Parts and Machinery Dealers Association (ASPMDA), Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, said that the contribution that the celebrant has made in the progress and development of Igbo people in Lagos cannot be overemphasized

He said there is hardly any Igbo man who came to Lagos from the 40s that doesn’t have one good story or the other to tell about the celebrant.

According to him, the celebrant is a man of peace, very accommodating and always ready to go out of his way to help others.

His words: “We are here to tap blessings of longevity, which is a product of obedience, kindness and integrity. His Royal Highness, Eze Cyril Anomneze is the father of all Igbo in Lagos and he is living up to the role as a true father. His constant admonition is for everybody to live in peace and eschew bitterness .

I met him here in Lagos in the 50s and then he was into full distributorship with Guinness Nigeria, Nigerian Breweries and Portland West Africa. From a very young age, God blessed him with wealth and intelligence and he has been using these blessings in the service of mankind.”