THE late Edmond Azuka Mbaso, a lawyer, was born on August 31, I942 in Kano, Nigeria to Chief John Festus Chukwudebele Mbaso and Mrs.Theresa Nwinyaya Mbaso. At the day of his birth in Kano, there was a great rainfall and his father needed help from his brother, Chief Paul Uzuukwu Mbaso to get his pregnant wife to the hospital. This made his father give him the name “Azuka” which means having people behind you is better than riches. This indeed would characterise the late Mbaso’s life as he placed credence on relationships more than the pursuit of wealth.

Eddie, as he was fondly called, started his primary school at St. Theresa’s Catholic School, Yola, before transferring to St. Michael’s Primary School, Eziora, Ozubulu, Anambra State, to complete his primary education. He later proceeded to Zickson Grammar School, Ozubulu where he finished his secondary education.

He started his working life as a Clerk at Onitsha, Anambra State in the Ministry of Finance in 1967 around the time of the outbreak of Biafra civil war. He was subsequently, at the heat of the war, recruited at Enugu into the Special Trained Force of the Biafra Army headed by Lt. Col. Onu Aguruchi. He was commissioned as a Lieutenant upon conclusion of his training.

The Special Trained Force was renowned for their extreme dangerous missions; they engaged in multiple combat missions’ throughout the length of the war. However, in a counter offensive battle launched by regrouped offensive soldiers, he was shot on the patella and he lost his kneecap as a result and was transferred to a Medical Camp and treated for his injuries.

This, as fate would have it, was where he met his wife and the mother of five of his children. Bridget Ego Mbaso (nee Oliagba) was visiting a family friend, Captain Aghaabunam who was injured in the war and also recuperating at the Medical Camp where she met Eddie. Eddie confessed to his children years later that it was love at first sight and the lovebirds eventually got married on December 31, 1969 barely a month to the end of the Biafra War. After the end of the war, he attended Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu where he graduated with a Diploma in Accounting.

Eddie and his wife relocated to Kaduna where they began their family together. He started working with Peugeot Automobile Manufacturers (PAN) while his wife was employed at General Hospital, Kaduna. He later left PAN to start up a Construction Company — Eddico Contractors Ltd — with his best friend, George Okoye.

Having nursed a long time ambition to become a Lawyer, Eddie in 1984 embarked on a Law Degree programme at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria from where he graduated in 1989 and proceeded to the Nigerian Law School, Lagos, after bagging an LLB Hons degree. He was called to the bar in 1990. He was also the Principal Partner at E.A. Mbaso and Co. law firm from where he retired in 2013.

Eddie, albeit not a die-hard religious man, he was nonetheless a member of the Catholic Church. In Kaduna, he was a member of Catholic Men Organisation through which he contributed his quota in the service of God and humanity.
Because of his belief in God, he ensured that all his children were christened in the church.

As a mark of honour to him and recognition of his sterling qualities as one of the leading lights in his community, he was admitted to the exalted membership of Agbalanze in the Obi’s Cabinet, Ozubulu, where he was given the title of Agbalanze Ononenyi. He also acted as the life-long Legal Adviser for the Peoples Club, Kaduna Chapter and was a member of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Kaduna Chapter. Left to mourn him are his wife, children and other relatives.

Eddie, who died on December 15, 2015, was buried on Tuesday, February 16, 2016 at Mbaso’s Compound, Udoji Road, Ebgema Ozubulu.