User:Tonukari Ochuko

Ochuko Tonukari (born February 9, 1980) in Oghene Road Sapele, is a Nigerian writer, orator and comedian, who hails from Isiokoro, the headquarters of the present day Ethiope East Local Government Council of Delta State, Nigeria. He is widely known for his expertise at rendering and propagating the history and culture of his native Urhobo people of the Niger Delta Region through his writings.

Since he published his first works in the website of Urhobo Historical Society (UHS), Ochuko has risen to some level of acclaim, and he is often described as one of the best upcoming writers in his Urhobo country. Some of his works include: Aziza: King of the Urhobo Forest, The Influence of Christian Values on Urhobo Culture, Urhobo Community as Unity of Two Worlds as well as Sacred Groves and Tree Worship among the Urhobo. He has contributed more than two dozens articles to Urhobo Voice, a veritable channel of information for the Urhobos.

His role models are Prof. Peter Ekeh, Prof. Tanure Ojaide, Dr. John Tonukari, Rev. Chris Okotie, Barr. Ejiro Etaghene and Anthonia Oruabure, all of which are intellectual giants in their own rights. Recently, Ochuko was described as a magical realist, which he considered to be a very apt description. He writes about the world of the physically living and the metaphysical, the individual and the collective, drawing the reader into a world with vivid descriptions. At present, he is working on a novel.

Early life Ochuko was born Tonukari Justice Ogheneochuko in Sapele, on 9 February1980, to Chief Philip Avwobosieku Tonukari and Mrs. Rose Avwenagbiku Tonukari who are both devout Catholics. Ochuko's mother and Sister Okemute told him many stories as a child, which greatly shaped his worldview. In 1985, his parents relocated to their home-town Isiokolo, the headquarters of the present day Ethiope East Local Government Council. Isiokoro is a rural background that tended toward traditional values of the African kind. There they lived for many years.

Education In 1986, Ochuko entered Agbon Primary School Isiokolo and completed in 1991. He was admitted to Orhoakpor Secondary School in 1991 and finished in 1997. In 2001, he was admitted to Delta State University, Abraka to read Library and Information Science and he graduated with honours. Presently, he is undergoing a Masters’ Degree Programme in library and Information Science. His hobbies are: fishing, creative writing, cooking, traveling, gardening, reading, listening and playing scrabble.

Bibliography

• Aziza: King of the Urhobo Forest

• The Influence of Christian Values on Urhobo Culture]]

• Urhobo Community as Unity of Two Worlds

• Sacred Groves and Tree Worship among the Urhobo

• Mammy Water: Urhobo River Goddess of Varying Temperaments

• The Place of Women In Traditional Urhobo Society

• Urhobo Traditional Marriage and the Place of Polygamy

• The Mysterious Dream of Pa Orerhe

• Adogbeji Salubi: A Man Worth Remembering

• Oji Reincarnation: The Story of a Tormenting Child

• Widow Inheritance Amongs the Urhobos

• A Celebration Of Aziza: One of the Numerous Deity of the Urhobo People

• Urhobo Age Of Heroism

Reference http://www.waado.org/urhoboculture/Religion/tonukari/tanukari_homepage.html