By Tony Onyima, Ph.D.
The sun set quietly on April 5, 2025. Still, its shadow was long and heavy, especially over the land of Amichi, Nnewi South, Anambra State, and the broader political and cultural landscape of our dear country. On that day, we lost Ọkwaka Amichi – Chief Maja Emeka Alex Umeh— a statesman, a community builder, a proud Igbo son, and one of the finest raconteurs ever to walk our land. A man of dazzling charm, wry wit, and irrepressible spirit, Maja lived a full life, brilliantly coloured with service, grace, laughter, and purpose.
I had known him before I met him. On assumption of office as Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism in Anambra State, I had corrected what I saw as an oversight: our ministry was not engaging past commissioners. That simple act brought Maja Umeh into my orbit – and what a gift that friendship became. From that moment, I drew from the deep well of his experience and generous wisdom. He was always available to consult, counsel, or regale you with a story that would leave you both wiser and in stitches.
Born on October 7, 1960, in Enugu, the seventh of eight children, Chief Umeh’s life mirrored Nigeria’s journey: marked by disruption, resilience, and reinvention. The Biafran war uprooted his early schooling, but he found his footing in Amichi, finishing at St. Eugenia Primary School, and later at the prestigious Christ the King College, Onitsha. With a political science degree (and later a master’s) from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, his life took him through academia, business, and public service, where his legacy was most profound.
As Political Adviser and later Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism under Governor Peter Obi, Maja Umeh distinguished himself with vision and passion. He championed culture not just as heritage, but as soft power. His initiatives – Mmechi Aro Anambra, the regional revival of the New Yam Festival, and sustained advocacy for Igbo language and culture – remain reference points. He was not just curating culture; he was living it.
And he lived it loudly and proudly. He was Anya Amichi Ji Afụ Ụzọ, the Eye that Opens the Way. And he earned that name. Maja Umeh was instrumental in attracting vital infrastructure, especially the 22-kilometre road that changed the lives of communities in and around Amichi. He brought water to hospitals, school support, and household hope. In every sense, he embodied the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) slogan of Nke a bu nke anyi—This One is Ours. Not surprisingly, he was APGA to the core, serving as a trustee and later honoured as a Life Patron. He was a keeper of the party’s spirit and stories.
But Maja was more than a politician, a public servant, or a patriot. He was a human being of rare charm and candour. Open-minded yet deeply rooted in tradition. Urbane but never out of touch. Stylish without affectation. Even after a medical challenge a few years ago, he refused to be defined by illness. He never lost his humour, his warmth, or his sparkle. You could still count on Maja to lighten the room or spotlight a historical moment. I remember one such occasion on April 26, 2018, at Finotel Hotel, Awka. Three generations of Anambra Information Commissioners were present – himself, I, and Chief Tony Nnacheta. It was Maja who noticed the symbolism and insisted we take a photo. That was his magic: always finding meaning, always keeping memory.
He encouraged, he affirmed. After reading a travelogue I wrote on Zaria, he messaged me:
“Tony, you can’t stop stunning me anytime you put pen to paper. You are something else. I am so proud of you.” I responded: “Thank you, Hon. Commissioner and peace ambassador. My mission is to sell hope and accentuate those timeless values that make nations strong. Anya Amichi, I salute you.”
Today, with a heavy heart, we all salute Anya Amichi – this man who saw far, spoke wisely, and served humbly. His footprints are etched in the sands of Amichi, in the roads he helped build, in the lives he touched, in the stories he told, and in the laughter he gave so freely. He now joins the ancestors, where surely, he’ll still be spinning stories and championing justice.
Chief Maja Umeh will be laid to rest on July 11, 2025, in his beloved country home in Amichi. But his legacy lives on – in his family, his friends, his political family, and all of us who had the honour of knowing him. We mourn, but more importantly, we celebrate.
Rest in peace, Ọkwaka Amichi. Your story will never be forgotten.
