Igbo Family History & Genealogy Records

Among the late Ikemba’s numerous wives who he married after each separation or divorce was Njideka Onyekwelu, his second wife. They were married in 1964. Njideka had earlier been married to one Dr. Mends, with whom she had a set of twins, a boy and a girl, before they separated.

According to an insider account, Njideka and Ojukwu were said to have met through their fathers who were friends and business partners. After their first encounter, they met again three years later at a tube station in London. A relationship ensued soon afterwards and was subsequently cemented through marriage, which produced three children, two of whom were named Emeka (Jnr) and Okigbo.

Describing the kind of husband the late Ojukwu was, Njideka had said: “He is just a very kind man, very polite, not intrusive. He cared less about what happens in the kitchen; he just settles for whatever you offered him. He respected me and my opinion a lot. Later, when the children got across to him, he would ask them what my opinion was on issues and I loved him immensely in return.”

Njideka and Ojukwu, according to a source, had what was called ordinance wedding then and the reception was in the family house, Eastern House in Lagos. Ojukwu married Njideka when he was the 5th Battalion Commander and they stayed on till he was appointed the governor of Eastern Region. The marriage reportedly ended in separation in Cote d’Ivoire when Ojukwu decided to take a second wife. Njideka was alleged to have left him angrily.