‘King of Satan’: Life and times of Enugu’s super polygamist

Perhaps Enugu’s super polygamist, the famous native doctor, who graduated from the spiritual rank of “Son of Satan” to “King of Satan,” Chief Simon Odo, also known as Onuwa, was a man of history both, in life and death.

Chief Odo, who died on December 14 at the age of 74 following a brief illness, hailed from Aji autonomous community in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu State. He was also buried at midnight of the same Tuesday in his country-home with a brand new Mercedes Benz as the casket was placed on top of the car, in accordance with his directive, Daily Trust on Sunday learnt.

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Apparently, the King of Satan , whose other title is “King Solomon of Africa” because he was married to 59 wives, with whom he begot over 300 children and grandchildren, would go down in history as the first Nigerian or African to be buried in such a manner. 

It is said that he was buried with a car, which was blaring his best song, while everything was covered with red sand as he was committed to mother earth. A huge mass of red sand would tell any visitor the amazing size of the unusual grave.

“I will not want you to photograph the King’s grave because we the children are not done with it yet. We have to decorate it and carve or mould his statue on it before you will be invited to photograph the grave,” one of his numerous sons, a 33-year-old Ukaonu Odo, told our correspondent as he fought back tears each time sympathisers, comprising old men, women, friends, associates, well-wishers, kinsmen, the youth and neighbours came to console him. Ukaonu shared some intimacy with his father more than any of the King’s children.

“The King is gone. Daddy is no more,” Ukaonu announced to the man on the other end of his telephone. His phone kept ringing as people continued calling, while  he never stopped explaining to them how King of Satan joined his ancestors.

“It was just a brief illness and he has left me. My father has left. I didn’t know that the King would leave in this manner. I thought daddy would have lived up to 100 plus years,” Ukaonu said.

The King of Satan has in his expansive compound, which many describe as a community, several storey buildings, bungalows, huts, enclaves, shanties and other kinds of structures housing the many temples or shrines dotting the entire space for spiritual practices.

“My father controlled more than 18 shrines/temples within this premises. Each temple or shrine has its own function,” Ukaonu told Daily Trust on Sunday.

Ukaonu took our correspondent from one part of the massive compound to another, passing through adjoining rooms, where one often had to bend in order to access. There are semi-dark corridors linking each other to the ‘mini-zoo,’ where one would find the King’s crocodiles, python, a white guinea pig waiting to be strangled and swallowed, four big hawks inside a cage, fish ponds etc. It was like a tourist destination.

“All the animals, including birds, are not necessarily for consumption or commercial purposes. They are part of the materials the King used in his herbal practice,” one of the King’s apprentices, Prince Chibuzo, said, adding that he is from Anambra State and was privileged to witness the last moments of the popular polygamist.

“While on earth, the KOS (King of Satan) insisted that he must be put in a car and buried. Not long after the car was brought home from Lagos, he passed on,” Chibuzo said.

He also gave an insight into Chief Odo’s last moments, saying, “I was not surprised that the King died. Anybody could tell that Chief would pass on. Even that night, everybody knew he would die. He attempted to battle death, but no way, and he passed on quietly.

“Earlier on that day, we were together discussing and he was joking with us. He played with me and my wife. He asked a question which my wife couldn’t answer, but I provided the answer. Chief then gave me a bottle of stout and kolanut. But because I don’t drink alcohol I gave the drink to one of Chief’s wives who gulped it, while I ate the kolanut.

“When it was 1am, Chief’s illness began; he died at exactly 5:25am. I checked the time when we were taking him to hospital and it was past 3am. We were on the road when he asked where we were taking him to and we told him that it was the hospital. But he insisted that he was strong and would have to be taken back home. He maintained that the vehicle should make a quick u-turn; and we drove back home. Soon after turning the vehicle, he breathed his last. The King knew that he was about to join his ancestors and didn’t want to bother people going to the hospital.”

Chibuzo disclosed that all the King’s animals had stopped eating after his death, as if they were on hunger strike. “If you threw a live animal to Chief’s python, it would strangle it and put its (python’s) head on the animal but won’t eat it; even the crocodiles. None of them could eat anything since Chief died, including the over 1,000 fishes in his pond,” he added.   

Apparently, Odo’s demise took the family members by surprise because the illness was not prolonged. 

Speaking on the legacy of his father, Ukaonu said, “My father was not a government contractor, so his wealth was not from the government. He was a strong native doctor who derived his spiritual powers from the river.

“My father stood for truth, justice and progress. What he disliked was anti-progressive elements – those who would not like to see the progress of their fellow men. My father’s herbal practice, which brought him fame and riches, was anchored on healing, saving lives, progress, and how to uplift people from lowly backgrounds to higher grounds. He helped people to achieve their aims in life.

 “I was the closest to King. Before his death, my father told me that I should not allow my siblings to suffer. He said I should be in control of the herbal practice, so I will be taking charge of the over 18 temples and shrines. He said I would do the herbal practice the same way he did it. He warned that he would protect whatever he handed over or bequeathed to any of his children or wives, vowing that he would smite anyone who tampers with such things. And I believe what he said. He said I would not add or subtract from what he taught me since I was 14 years and started training under him.”

Ukaonu said he was at the age of 14 in class three in secondary school when his father withdrew him so that he would engage in fulltime herbal practice. He added that since then, he had been drilled in the art of herbal medicine.

“I feel sad that daddy is dead. The only thing he left for me is his herbal work,” he said, adding that his father gave out not less than 17 cars. He also said that some of his  siblings, who are slightly above one-year-old, three, four years, in that order, were given cars before his father died; and he would not allow anything happen to them. The implication is that the cars will be parked until they come of age. Nobody should dare use them because that would violate my father’s instruction, which could have consequences,” he said, amidst tears.

General family meeting

Ukaonu also talked about their general family meeting, which would come up in a month, during which they would discuss the traditional ceremonies that would demonstrate to the world that the King of Satan is gone.

Asked whether he would like to be a polygamist like his father, Ukaonu repeatedly said no. “In fact, I regret being born in a polygamous family. I don’t want to talk more than this,” he said.

During an interview with our correspondent few years ago on how he related with his numerous wives, King Solomon of Africa had said, “God helps me to feed my large family. I kill cows and rams. Bags of rice and beans and tubers of yam are in regular supply. They are prepared for the family. I encourage the children to eat from the same pot. Discrimination is not tolerated while I am here. Hunger will not kill any of my family members, by the grace of God.”

On how he was he able to satisfy his wives sexually he said, “I will show you something,” and entered his room and came back with a tiny bottle containing a sex enhancing medicine. “Do you know the name of this small bottle?” he asked. “It is called ‘madam, switch off the lamp.” The King was 65 years at the time. 

The most senior wife of the man had told our correspondent that, “No woman in this family misbehaves because, if anyone does, by the time we would handle her according to the rules guiding the women, she will know whether to continue staying here and be humble or go. If there is no rule, there won’t be order.  If one woman goes to market, another one would take care of her children. If I return from farm work, for instance, and I am hungry, I will tell the next available woman to give me food. We live like one community. ”

The eldest son of the King of Satan, Mr Emeka Odo, declined interview with our correspondent, saying, “I am still in shock because of my father’s death. You can see that I am not relaxed yet.” The wives also declined to speak.