‘A quiet, self-effacing man’ — Okey Ndibe pays tribute to Abdulaziz Ude

Okey Ndibe, a Nigerian author and columnist, has joined in the mourning of the demise of Abdulaziz Chibuzor Ude, former acting chairman of the board of directors of Newswatch.

Don Adinuba, the Anambra state commissioner for information and public enlightenment, announced Ude’s death on Saturday.

The statement disclosed that the cultural enthusiast died on Thursday in Lagos state.

According to the Anambra government, he has been buried in his hometown in line with Islamic rites.

Since then, tributes have been pouring for late Ude.

Ndibe is the latest to add his voice to the lengthening eulogy of the late elder statesman, describing him as “a quiet, self-effacing man” who helped many with “his extraordinary philanthropy.”

The author added that late Ude sponsored him “through graduate school in the US — as he did for scores of others.”

The author recanted how Nok Publisher, the deceased publishing firm, aided “in bringing out rich and powerful books that helped foster vibrant intellectual ferment in much of Africa and beyond.”

“In my debut novel, ‘Arrows of Rain,’ I acknowledged Abdulaziz Chivuzor Ude as a benefactor. Abdulaziz, who died two days ago (and was buried yesterday in line with Islamic rites), was an uncommonly generous man. Educated at Oxford and Columbia, he started out his professional life as a book editor in New York,” Ndibe wrote.

“He later relocated to Nigeria where he set up Nok Publishers, bringing out rich and powerful books that helped foster vibrant intellectual ferment in much of Africa and beyond. After branching out to other areas of business, he acquired great wealth that galvanised his extraordinary philanthropy.

“He paid my fees through graduate school in the US — as he did for scores of others. What’s more, he was always a quiet, self-effacing man. Twice, when he attended my book events in Nigeria, he tried –unsuccessfully, I’m glad to say—to hush me from telling the audience about his kindness to me and others.

“May the soul of this rare, remarkable man find eternal peace.”