During the civil war, the Biafran military assembled a cast of core engineers, scientists, agriculturists, strategists, technologists etc to produce food, weapons, defence systems and equipment for civil and military uses.
Now some of the key people who were in RAP and I will tell you what I have found out about what they did.
Ben Chukwuka Nwosu, nuclear physicist, – he was the overall head of RAP, not Dr. Ekechukwu
Willy Achukwu, scientist – he was in charge of RAP in Umudike
Sylvester Akalonu, engineer, – he was part of the team that developed the Ogbunigwe
Prof. Charlie Okafor, chemist – he was one of those who helped to name it RAP and the team that compounded solid smokeless rocket. The initial rockets fired had trails of smoke.
Prof. Ngozi Okafo, chemist
Prof. Agu Ogan, biochemist – helped to design some of the weapons and some antidotes for any eventual chemical attack on Biafra
Gordian Ezekwe, engineer – he was the head of the team that produced the explosive weapons and rockets, especially Ogbunigwe. The weapons development revolved around this soft spoken gentleman.
Clifford Ezeilo – engineer, specialist in thermodynamic, he worked on the rockets
Mark Chijioke, engineer – together with Ezekwe made solid fuel for the rockets.
Dr. C.O. Chiori, pharmaceutical scientist
Edmond Kaine, engineer – rocket and weapons design
Prof Oleka Udeala ( former vice-chancellor UNN and inventor of award winning kit for detection of fake drugs the IDQ test kit) pharmaceutical scientists, helped in creating pharmaceuticals and other drugs as well as antidotes
Ebenezer Ekechukwu – engineer, he was the prime mover for the creation of the salt lake in Uzuakoli. He helped to source the brine and salt cakes for that project.
Eddie Mbadiwe, biochemist
Martin Nwaji, chemist, designed the incendiary weapon that burned through tanks. FEMIT
Sam Agogbua, biochemist, synthesised writing ink from herbs with FU Ekezie
Emmanuel Anosike, biochemist
Prof Chimere Ikoku, ( former VC UNN) chemist – was the head of the Uzuakoli group of RAP
Fabian Ekezie, technologist – rearmed spent bullets, synthesized vehicle fuel from alcohol and created laboratory glassware for the scientists and engineers. Also built silencers for guns with Agogbua
F.N.C. Oragwu – nuclear physicist, headed a unit in RAP and was at the core of producing war machines for the military
Willy Achukwu – technical scientist whose input helped in building Ogbunigwe
Fred Ozoh – chemical technologist, ensured the laboratories worked at prime.
Now there are many others that I cannot remember fully because there were quite a number of great men and women who made RAP what it was. RAP was big. It had many branches. I am more concerned here with the Uzuakoli unit.
PRODA
The Projects Development Agency was the idea of the then Administrator of the East Central State, Ajie Ukpabi Asika. It was set up under a state edict and had Professor J.O. C Ezeilo, an eminent mathematician and one-time Vice Chancellor of the UNN as its founding Chairman.
Dr. Ebenezer Ekechukwu was the first Director for a while before leaving for the US. He did well in providing leadership at those initial times. The draft document setting up the Agency had some deficiencies, key of which was setting the tenure of the Director. When the document was finally corrected, Ekechukwu’s term ended abruptly. When he left Professor Gordian Ezekwe came on board to run PRODA as Director. So Franklin is right that his Uncle was the first Director, but not correct that he founded the place.
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Of course, there were others like Engr. E.O. Kaine, Harry Okolo (eminent chemist), Vincent Iwenofu, Ferdinand Obodo (technologist) F.U. Ekezie (who was consultant to PRODA for over ten years), Prof Nduka Okafor, and many others.
I am putting the records right so that these people who worked so hard will always be remembered.
Finally to the memory of the great men who have gone the way of all flesh, I pray you to remember them, our fallen heroes: Gordian Ezekwe, Ben Nwosu, James O. C. Ezeilo, Ebenezer Ekechukwu (recently), Martin Nwaji, C.O. Chiori, Agu Ogan (recently), A.N. Njoku-Obi, Sam Agogbua, Fred Ozoh, Fabian Ekezie, Ferdinand Obodo of PRODA, Vincent Iwenofu and others.
May the Lord continue to grant them rest.
Ken Chijar Ekezie’s wall
