Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, best remembered as the leader of Biafra during the Nigerian Civil War, carried many titles.
He was the People’s General, Lion of the Tribe of Biafra, the General’s General, and a few would call him a romantic. Ojukwu had a softer, charismatic side, one that women found irresistible. He was born into wealth, the son of Sir Louis Phillipe Odumegwu Ojukwu, one of Nigeria’s richest businessmen and the first billionaire.
Ojukwu was Oxford-educated, blessed with a commanding voice, so he combined his intellect with charm. He studied at King’s College in Lagos, Epsom College in Surrey, and later at Lincoln College, Oxford, graduating with honours in history in 1955. Upon his return to Nigeria, he rejected the lure of his father’s business empire and joined the Nigerian Army in 1957.
His rise was swift, and by 1966, he was the military governor of Nigeria’s Eastern Region. The following year, faced with political tensions and violence, he declared the secession of the Republic of Biafra.
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As Biafra’s Head of State from 1967 to 1970, Ojukwu led his people through a bitter civil war that claimed millions of lives through combat and famine. Following Biafra’s surrender, he fled into exile in Côte d’Ivoire and later London.
He was granted a presidential pardon in 1982, and he returned to Nigeria, became a businessman, and made several attempts at presidential runs. He eventually died in 2011 after suffering a stroke.
Ojukwu’s Wives
Ojukwu’s life was legendary, and his romantic life, a bit controversial. He married four women in his lifetime, and they are: Elizabeth, Njideka, Stella, and Bianca. Each of them marked a different chapter in his personal journey. His first cousin, Chief Anthony Nnadozie Udemefuna Ojukwu, giving insight into his love life in a 2012 interview with Vanguard, said:
Look at Bianca; what she wanted in a man might be very different from what Njideka or Stella wanted. But what I want to assure you is that these four women were alike. They were all beautiful women. Emeka loved beautiful things and beautiful cars. He was a man of courage and was handsome, which was an irresistible combination. Ojukwu married four wives in all, but he was married to each of them one at a time. He married early. You know he was a young, rich and handsome man, with a lot of prospects.
1. Elizabeth Okoli
Elizabeth was the daughter of Nigeria’s first Postmaster General. Her marriage to Ojukwu lasted for just two years. She was a senior nursing sister by profession, and they were said to have been wedded in court. The marriage, however, suffered a setback, leading to the couple going their separate ways in 1958.
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2. Njideka Onyekwelu
Ojukwu’s second wife, Njideka, was the daughter of C.T. Onyekwelu of Nawfia, Anambra State. They met through their fathers, who were business partners, and reconnected years later at a London tube station. At the time, Njideka was studying law at Oxford.
Their romance blossomed, leading to an ordinance wedding in 1962 with a reception at the family’s Eastern House in Lagos. The union produced three children, including Emeka Jr. and Okigbo. She remained by his side as he rose through the army, becoming the 5th Battalion Commander and later Governor of the Eastern Region.
However, their marriage ended during his exile in Côte d’Ivoire, when Ojukwu decided to remarry. Njideka was hurt by this development, and she left him. She died in 2010.
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3. Stella Onyeador
The next significant chapter in Ojukwu’s romantic life was with Stella Onyeador, a lawyer from Arochukwu, Abia State. Interestingly, Stella had been chief bridesmaid at Njideka’s wedding, highlighting the intertwined circles of Ojukwu’s relationships.
She joined Ojukwu in Côte d’Ivoire during his years in exile, and they were together for about a decade. The couple never had children of their own but adopted a baby girl. When their relationship soured, Stella sought custody of the child. The matter ended in court, where Ojukwu was awarded custody under Ivorian law. Eventually, the two separated, and Stella returned to Nigeria. She died in 2009.
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4. Bianca Odinaka Onoh
The most famous of Ojukwu’s wives was Bianca Odinaka Onoh, daughter of C.C. Onoh, former governor of Anambra State. She is a lawyer, diplomat, and ex-beauty queen. Bianca was crowned Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria in 1989.
She met Ojukwu in the late 1980s. Ojukwu was said to have been one of the high dignitaries at the Silverbird beauty pageant where Bianca was crowned. According to a source, he wrote a love note to her with a flower inside. Their relationship drew significant public attention because she was 34 years his junior.
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Despite criticism, Bianca’s beauty and intellect won Ojukwu’s heart. They married in 1994 in a Catholic Church ceremony, the only one of his marriages solemnised in both church and court. Bianca bore him three children, including a set of twins. Bianca had spoken of their relationship in 2012, and she said:
