The 64-year-old herbalist, who married his first wife at the age of 15 , by the recent marriage, now ranks among the world’s most polygamous men.
OnuUwa wedded Ndidi, a secondary school leaver at a flamboyant traditional marriage ceremony unprecedented in the annals of Ajii, a hinterland community in the Igbo Eze North Local Government Area, Enugu State.
The herbalist who said he specialized in healing the sick, especially those whose ailment had defied orthodox therapy; preparation of good luck and success charms, claimed to have received his power from Eze-Nwayi at an early age.
Although he told Daily Sun that his latest wife, Ndidi would be his last, a family source said it is doubtful if he could resist the urge to marry more wives, insisting that “he will marry again.”
OnuUwa, who said he was a baptized and confirmed Catholic, as well as a Mass server, denied any involvement in ritual sacrifices or shedding of human blood..
“I will go to heaven because I am a good man,” he boasted, adding that if he were bad, the gods would have punished him through his children or wives, pointing out that he has never recorded death of a child or wife.
It is just very wonderful how peaceful the family is, given its large population. Explaining the secrete behind the unprecedented harmony in his family, he attributed it to the strict adherence of members of his household to the written rules guiding his family, which he calls the “four commandments” that forbids them to steal, be jealous, fight or kill.
There is no barren woman in his household, but he refused to disclose the number of children he has.
“How can I tell you the number of children I have. You don’t count children, because they are gifts from God. Before you leave, one of my wives may give birth, would you not call me a liar?” the herbalist queried jokingly.
“My ambition to establish a village with my family has been realized. We are now more than a village,” he told Daily Sun. Hear him:
I once served mass
I started my herbal business in 1962 when I was 15 years. I was attending the Catholic Church. I was baptized and confirmed in the Catholic Church and I even served the mass. Because I was poisoned by my enemies I had to leave. I was born in 1947, the year locusts appeared in the sky.
My kind of herbal practice
Since I started the herbal practice in1962, I have been kind to my patients and I used my gift to help very many persons. If you give me $100 million to kill a human being, I will not take, I no dey “share” blood. I am a man and I cannot “share” blood because, God created the people.
I want to emulate King Solomon
No, it is not 47 wives, but 48. Yes, I married a very young secondary school leaver and did the traditional marriage recently. Her name is Ndidi and I love her too much I decided to marry the 48th wife because, it is what I desire to do. To marry many wives is ordained by God. For me, I want to marry like King Solomon in the Bible. God is helping me. I am healthy. I have the money and can marry as many wives as I like, since I am sexually active. Even in the next 30 years, I will still be sexually active. I am a herbalist and I know the power of plants and roots in our body.
Ndidi will be my last wife
Ndidi will be the last woman I will marry. I will not marry anybody again. I don’t want to marry any more. I am okay. I am getting older even though I am healthy; I am okay with 48 wives. I will not marry again; I don’t want to reach 50 wives. You want me to marry two more to make it 50, no!
How many wives have you, yourself?
The number of my children
They are plenty; I don’t know how many they are. You don’t count children, they are gifts from God. I don’t count them. It’s abomination to do so. What I know is that some of my wives have 10 children, some five, some four, some two. We have not recorded any death here either of a wife or child. The last wife is yet to get her own children. One of my daughters is a councilor, serving for the fourth tenure. My first son Emeka has married and he has six children and his first daughter is already married. I have 35 grand children. Many of my daughters are married. One of my wives just came back from the North where she went to see her daughter who gave birth recently. Some of my children are in the universities.
The work I do
The work I do is not by inheritance. It is a special gift from Eze Nwayi. She can choose anybody from the family irrespective of age. It is my destiny; nobody can learn it unless you are chosen because it is very, very hard.
When I will die
Yes I know, and it is God who will say it. When he says, I will know. How can you ask me that question? Do you want me to challenge God? No, I will not.
Me being a politician
I am the father of all the political parties, PDP is my own; PRP is my own; NCNC is my own, all of the parties are my own. Anyone of the politicians who want to contest, if he comes to me, I help the person. I like politics; I love it so much because it is the easiest way to make money in Nigeria today. I did not go to school otherwise I would have become a politician.
Yes, I helped many of them to become governors and commissioners, but I will not tell you their names. Why do you want to know their names? They come from Hausa, Igbo, Igala, Yoruba and other parts of Nigeria. Some are now in the National Assembly; when, you help them and they go up, they will not remember you again. They are wicked.
Achieving my dream of having a village as family
Yes, it has been achieved, God has made it possible, if you come to my house now, you can get more than 300 people, are they not up to a village?
My best wife
Thank you very much. My lovely wife and the one I love most is Ndidi, the last one. I love her most because she is yet to get her own children. When she gets issue up to two or four I will begin to love all of them equally.
Any Will?
I will not share my property now. I made no Will. If I do it now it will bring misunderstanding. God gave me obedient and good wives. Nobody is envious of her neighbour. Even if I die today, they know how to share my property peacefully because they know I am not a wicked man, I am not a bad person; God will never give me or my children power to do bad things. I am sure of that one.
Feeding my wives and children
Some of my sons have money. They are rich. My first son has his own house and is married with six children. The senior rich children are catering for their families. I only see to the upkeep of the junior ones. None of my children is useless. All of them are very responsible. That is why I have no problem.
My strength sexually at 64 and with 48 wives
Yes, I am strong 24 hours. Even in the next 30 years, I am on; in the next 30 good years I have the strength to meet my wives. Do you know the reason? I have no envy in me. I have no time to fight with anyone or struggle for something. Money is not my problem. I have never made case with anybody. I live a peaceful life. All these things make me to grow younger. I am always happy in my compound. Everybody knows what to do and what is forbidden. So, there is no quarrelling or scolding. My wives are happy. If there is no peace in my house it can weaken me both physically and spiritually. I feed very well. If a wife who should feed me for the day fails, another one will take over.
Any regrets in life?
Nothing whatsoever; absolutely nothing. I say nothing at all. I am fulfilled. God is so kind to me. I thank my God for everything. I don’t habour any ill feelings. Even all my wives know this. I don’t tolerate nonsense. If any of my wives misbehaves, I sack her . But thank God none of them has given cause for me to act in that way.
I married all my wives in the traditionally
I did not marry any of my wives in the Christian tradition. I married all of them in the pagan way. True, I was a Catholic and was baptized and confirmed in the Catholic Church and was a Mass server. I had to leave the church when I was poisoned by my enemy.
Advice to my children
I don’t want any of them to tell lies, I don’t want any of them to steal, I don’t want any of them to be jealous, I don’t want any of them to kill or do any evil. I told my children that any of them that disobeys the advice, I will disown him.
Ndidi: why I married my husband
My wedding the herbalist is the best thing that has happened to me in life. I am grateful to God for doing me the favour. He is my choice, nobody or circumstance forced me. I love him because he has a good reputation in our area and beyond. I relate well with other wives. As human beings, if we have any misunderstanding, we settle it immediately before our husband finds out because if he finds out, we will be in trouble.
