Hon. Chime Oti Chima, a
weight lifter turned businessman whose
other name OTI BABA came as a result of his bravery in the sports of jerking
the iron.
Hon. Chima Oti, a great servant of
his people, the Chairman, planning Committee Edda Day 2018 had the time to
share with EDDA MAGAZINE among other things is the reason Aba is preferred for
the epoch-making event EDDA DAY 2018, his experience as a weight lifter as well
achievements. With Eze Sampson enjoy.
Good day sir.
Good day,
how are you?
How are you doing sir?
Fine, am
doing very well.
Sir, can we know you
please?
My name is
Hon. Chima Oti Chima.
We know you rather as
Mr Oti Baba.
Yes, Oti
Baba is my name. Chima gave birth to Oti
and Oti in return gave birth back to Chima, without them Oti is nothing.
(general laughter)
Which means you are
named after your grandfather?
Yes.
What do you do please?
I’m a weight
lifter and a businessman.
There’s something we hear
all over the social media about EDDA DAY CELEBRATION 2018 can you tell us something
about it?
Edda day is
an event we are organizing to celebrate our uniqueness as a people. This year’s
own will be unique as we will be showcasing those things that we are known with
as a people. We have a lot of things to show to the world.
Somethings like?
We have a very
culture that we want to show to the world. We have traditional wrestlers. We
have what is called OLO, we have UKPO, we have OTI, we have NDAGHA, OBU
MEME have NKWA UMU AGBOGHO from
OSO. You will see all those cultural display on that day.
You mentioned two
significant things here and they are NKWA UMU AGBOGHO and OBU MEME, are you
sure am going to see them on that day?
You’re going
to see all of them even more on that on the 10th of November 2018.
They were things I used
to see as a child back then in the village, I remember watching NKWA UMU AGBOGHO
from OSO and OBU MEME all the way from Libolo and it will be great to have them
showcased to the reach of the world.
They will,
sure they will.
So when is this program
starting?
On the 10th
of November and the time is 9am till 6pm same day.
You’re saying that NDE
EDDA all over the world will be gathering…cuts in.
At Abia
State School of Health Technology Aba, Abia State.
Sir, we understand that
it is not easy to gather people, moreover we have not had events like this
before, as the planning committee Chairman how has it been trying to gather Nde
Edda all over?
They are all
getting ready for the program, because of the cultural celebration people are
ready and this also will help to settle some problems among us Nde Edda. For us
to gather together the problems cannot continue, unity will be taking over from
that day.
Some for us in diaspora
we keep hearing about conflicts erupting here and there among brothers at home
and that has been a challenge to us, are you saying that the Cultural Day will introduce
reconciliation?
The Cultural
day will definitely bring them together and with time the conflicts will be a
thing of the past.
We all know that this
period in Nigeria is a political era, currently we have the APC governorship
candidate in Ebonyi State who used to be a member of the PDP but currently in
APC, are you saying that this event will not be turned to a political arena?
This will
not be turned to a political arena, it’s about culture we’re not going to talk
about politics, culture and politics are two different things. It still does
not stop people from being members of their political parties but our culture
first.
Are you telling Nde
Edda all over the world both those that believe in politics and those who do
not believe in politics that they should all come together that it is time to
celebrate Edda?
Yes, that’s
our dream and we will achieve it.
Tell us about the characteristics
of Edda day 2018 ?
You see when you go to Ohafia you see Ohafia War Dance and it is known all over the world, when you go
Anambra you see Ikponkita and when
you go to Afikpo you see Nkwa Umuagbogho,
they are all known all over the world. We are making sure that the world see
our culture, for instance OLO, when
people see it on that day, they’ll know we have a very unique and beautiful
culture. Our culture is one of the things that will make us come together and
we must live together as one. Edda is one of the clans in Nigeria that has one
Local Government Area, so we’re supposed to be one and we must remain one.
Sir, before now we have always known you as Dee Oti Baba,
good number of persons home and abroad don not know you as Mr Chima Oti, can
you tell us where that name came from?
Like I told you
earlier I’m a weight lifter and the name Oti is a name I was known with right
from my active days till now, and many still use the name on me.
Okay, let’s take you back to your younger days as a weight
lifter we want to know about those days?
Yea, I started weight lighting in 1987. I’m the first weight
lifting in Abia state as well as the first weight lifting trainer in Abia
State. I went as far as Olympic trials but because of the Nigeria factor is man know man, I still remember before
the trials I jerked 160 kilogram yet they took someone that jerked 140 kilogram
to Olympics to represent the country. You know in the Nigerian system if you
don’t know anybody you can’t become number one and that have affected a lot
people including me. If one were fortunate enough to know anybody at that time I’m
supposed to be a world champion by now but I’ve been training people, a lot of
people. Many people from our community are lifters. We have them in Lagos,
Calabar, Enugu, Kano and many other places across the country lifting.
Can you tell us apart
from going for Olympic trials were there other competitions you participated in
during your active days?
Yea, I went to Lagos I came second, 1991 I was in Bauchi and
came second too, in Calabar I came first, during Abia Festival I came first.
Whao! In all these you must have a lot of prizes like money
and other things you won?
Yea, I won medals, you know in Nigeria they can only give you
medals and certificate they can’t give you money it’s only when you go on
international assignments that they give you money. The only thing they do here
is to employ you and when they do that they can’t even pay you at the end of
the month, you’re aware in some states we know too well like the one we’re in,
the government is owing the people as much as 6 to 8 months salaries. That’s
why everybody is trying to go abroad because if you don’t your talent will die
here in Nigeria.
Sir, you said you’re
training some lifters already?
Yea, I’am.
It means you will as well make sure they don’t repeat some of
the mistakes you made during your time?
Yes, of course making sure anyone you’re training travels because
it’s only when he travel that they can make money.
Can you tell us what the experience was like traveling round
the country from Lagos to Bauchi, Calabar to other parts of the country, as
well as the exposure?
Most of those places have equipment for training and when you
take people there you give them the necessary training but here they’re no
equipment.
And this challenge is still what we’re facing today and we
only hope that we get over this with time.
Yes, we believe so.
Okay, back to the reason we’re here. Edda as a community,
what is your pride as Onye Edda?
I am a happy and proud
Edda man because Edda man is a warrior, back in the days people come to Edda to
hire warriors to fight for them, now education is the talk of the day and our
people are measuring up with their counterparts even in the business world
we’re not being left behind in anyway. So we’re great people and we can never
be last.
Sir, we want to know out of the 36 states of the federation
including the FCT why did your committee choose Aba for this great event?
We chose Aba because if the total population of Nde Edda is
10 million, 7 million are in Aba. That’s
why, as far as Edda is concerned Aba is where you get the highest population
and we remember that IGWE BU IKE.
More so the crowd is important in an event of this magnitude.
We know that this
program is a very huge one and as long as Edda people are concerned we’ve not had
it this big, can you tell us how your committee is reaching to Nde Edda all
over the world?
Okay, we’ve been writing letters to Nde Edda in Abakaliki,
Portharcourt, Lagos, Abuja and other places Edda people are. Edda has 11
Autonomous communities and these communities have gotten the necessary
notifications, the traditional rulers and community leaders home and abroad.
Having said that you’ve written letters and passed
information across to where Nde Edda are, is there any arrangement made for
easy movement to the venue of this event?
We have arranged for vehicles to convey people from all over
the place where Nde Edda are residing. Remember that this event has not
happened in any place and this is the 3rd edition here in Aba , the
first edition was in 2014 followed by the one in 2015 and we are happy about
the success so far.
We learnt that this event has been attracting people from all
works of life.
Yea, you know people don’t know that we have a lot of great
personalities for instance someone like VOTE FOR JESUS. People think he is from
Anambra without knowing that he is from Edda and good number of others you do
not know yet.
Whao! You mean Ambassador Mike Okoro?
Yes. People don’t know that the great man is from Edda.
That’s great news. You just made mention of people, tell us
who are the people we are expecting on that day?
We’re expecting the governors of Ebonyi and Abia states in
the persons of Engr. Dave Nwaeze Umahi and Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, Senetor
Enyinnaya Abaribe, Hon. Ossy Prestige and a lot of other political big wigs
will be embracing the occasion.
Are you saying that we will be seeing these personalities on
that day?
You’ll see all of them it’s a great event, they so love Edda
People because we’re friends.
In events of this caliber, apart from publicity security is
another aspect that must be taken very seriously, what is your committee doing
about security?
Everything security is in place. We’re leaving nothing to
chance security wise.
Lastly, what is your advice for Nde Edda that will be coming
to this great event.
My advice for the people of Edda and others is that we want
everybody after the program to go home peacefully. We don’t want anybody to go
outside and start causing nuisance because anybody found causing trouble must
face the consequences because we are ready for this event. We’re very concerned
about our image, so we are here to protect our image and not to destroy it. We
believe that everybody will go home peacefully without any problem after the
event.
Edda is blessed and one of their uniqueness is in their food,
can you tell us the names of some of those foods Edda is known for and with?
We have some foods called Okasi, we have Egburegbu
and that Egburuegbu is one food you
can’t find any where else apart from Edda and no one outside no matter how good
can prepare it like an Edda person. None can challenge us about it because it
is the best food in the world.
(General laughter)
I’ll be coming along on that day with my friends.
Oh! Let them come and enjoy themselves because we’re ready… (still
laughing)
Thank you very much sir for your time.
Thank you my brother.
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