Francis-Leon integrated International Academy, Amawbia is the best in Anambra state……… Sea Captain Francis Anyikwa

                                                      Ozo Akaekpuchionwa Amawbia

ODOGWU EMEKA ODOGWU writes that Ozo Mpi, Sea Captain Francis Anyikwa is an Ex-British Sea captain and Sailor. After several decades sailing all over the world and  crisscrossed all the Continents of the world before retiring to his Ezinifite Village Amawbia, Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra state.

He spoke to BOT Chairman pf www.odogwublog.com on a wide range of issues including how he survived the Gulf war , returned to open a school Francis-Leon Integrated International Academy as a way of giving back to the society among others.

According to Ozo Mpi Anyikwa : ‘’ By the grace of God, I am the founder and proprietor of Francis-Leon integrated International Academy, at Ezinifite, Amawbia, Anambra State.

He said he had looked around the state and ‘’found out that certain facilities that should be incorporated in the schools are not there, so I decided to open up a school where students will acquire skills and be properly educated and also create facilities to educate them in so many things because in our society, today talents are wasting due to poor equipment in our schools.

‘’So many schools lack conducive environment, so I have provided a conducive environment for learning, as well as constant water supply and light to enable the children to watch some educative movies and news around the world which will help them in their studies.

On population and skill acquisition, he said: ‘’We just started with about 400 students, hoping that we will still get more students because we are still new, hoping that parents and guardians will enrol their wards in our school in the coming term.

‘’We are hoping to incorporate the arts hall. With time we will equip it where students will be taught how to play the piano and music, as well as helping them to showcase their talents so they can kick off from there.

Experience abroad in Britain: ‘’Well, I gained a lot of knowledge and experience over there because my British training made me to be exposed. I was a sailor for four years in Britain and I think the Britain is one of the best maritime nations on earth. Once you have a British certificate you can easily get a job.

‘’After my training I was supposed to come back to Nigeria but because Nigerian hadn’t gotten the fleet of tankers they were supposed to have to be able to shift their crude oil, I decided to travel to Europe to work with foreign companies.

‘’I spent 10 years working with the Kuwaiti government and that gave me exposure which made me to be promoted to Captain. It was during the Gulf War between Iran and Iraq, and to God be the glory, I am still alive today  to tell the story.

How Sea Captain Anyikwa survived the Gulf War: ‘’ It was a horrible experience. I never thought I would still be alive because the Iran and Iraq Gulf War was not funny. The very day we loaded about 2 million barrels of crude oil to leave for the United States at mid night with our ship (I was the Captain), I saw two Iranian fighters coming to our direction. That was the day I thought I would have died. When I saw them coming, I had to sound the alarm to let those sleeping know there was danger. I don’t know what happened that made them to change their direction. So that was the day I thought was my last day and I think it was a miracle and I keep thanking God for that. If not, I would have been dead by now.

‘’And during that Iran and Iraq War, I had every opportunity to make money but I am not money conscious because I like to be transparent. In whatever I do, my integrity matters a lot to me. I was a ship captain for four years and 22 years as a sailor abroad

Regrets: ‘’Like I said before, I liked being transparent in whatever I did, I had every opportunity to divert millions of Naira into my account and no one would know about it, because it was during the war. So I have no regrets about it. I love and respect God and I don’t think I could do anything that would tarnish my image. This is because so many people look up to me and I don’t want to disappoint them

Igbo Language and culture to others: ‘’I have travelled around the world. I have been to Japan, China and India where they practice their culture the way their ancestors left it for them; not like our Igbo tradition where they will see you as an idol worshiper.

‘’We have adulterated our culture and our children no longer learn our norms and traditional way of life.

Ozo Mpi title: ‘’Well, Ozo Mpi is just a title; it doesn’t prevent me from carrying out my duties when I’m supposed to do so. And being an Ozo Mpi doesn’t mean you know all the traditions of Igbos.

‘’I wasn’t forced to take the title; I just want to carry on the lineage of our forefathers since they are no longer with us. So we, their children, will take over from them and the coming generation will take over from us. I also tried as much as possible to abstain from certain things

Advice to youths: ‘’The behaviour of the youth is quite abnormal because in our own days we worked hard to survive, but today the youth are not working hard and can do anything to make it big without working for it. So I think they need to wake up and face the reality of the world’’.