When mum went to school, dad played her role – Nwadiuto Iwuanyanwu

Weekly Trust: How will you describe
your dad?

Nwadiuto Iwuanyanwu: He is a caring father but also a very serious disciplinarian. Till date when he looks at youth wasting their time, he says we are losing our values, a man should be a man. He goes on to say that there is dignity in labour and that even if you don’t get the kind of job you want, you must do something. Even his relations are on alert when he goes back home.
WT: Your dad was in the military briefly. What did you miss doing with him back then?
Iwuanyanwu: I was his only child for nine years, and as the only child then we spent time a lot with each other. When he was an engineer with NCFC, he used to take me to work. When the chief engineer comes in, I would hide till he goes. He raised me up to a point as a single parent after the war, because my mum had to go back to school. As the only child then, any toy I wanted, he got for me, but still spanked me if I didn’t wash my uniform. I remember I started washing my school uniform at age five. The maid used to wash it for me but one day my dad asked her to stop, and taught me how to wash it myself.
WT: While growing up, what caution phrase did your dad use most?
Iwuanyanwu: He would say ‘don’t you know the family you come from; you have to be very organised,’ and remind you that he didn’t get to where he was by being careless. He scolded people a lot and I can’t recall anybody my dad scolded who didn’t amount to anything.  
WT: Is he into sports?
Iwuanyanwu: He is a sports person. My father was so much a sports person that when he was younger he trekked miles to participate in soccer and that was when he floated the Iwanyanwu Nationale FC. He financed that for so many years, until he gave it to the government of Imo State to continue. Most of the football stars like Jay-jay Okocha, Ikedia, Kanu Nwankwo, and some others started with his team.
WT: What character of your dad’s have you taken after?
Iwuanyanwu: My dad is very kind and doesn’t find it hard to assist people. He always says, ‘don’t attach too much importance to material things.’ My dad gave out my car once and I was so upset and that is the extent to which he gives. I was so sad because that was the car I drove each time I went home, but eventually that landed me a new one.
WT: Daddies and daughters have a close relationship. What is the best advice he has given you on relationships that you still hold dear?
Iwuanyanwu: The truth is that I know my father loves me. He hardly calls me by name. He always refers to me as ‘my Ada’ that I am. I launched him into the joy of fatherhood and he played a very good role. We have a very good relationship.  
WT: Has his name opened or closed doors for you?
Iwuanyanwu: It has opened a lot of doors. I will say it has opened 90 percent of doors, the remaining 10 percent I won’t say were closed but I could put it on a scale. You know politicians may want to take their anger out on you but those people could have been good to us, so we understand but some of them believe my father is the kingmaker in the East during politics, so if they run for something and they don’t win, they end up saying Chief made them fail.
WT:  Do you remember any day your dad was so angry at you and what did you do?
Iwuanyanwu: There was a particular day, which I will never forget. I was 15 and we were on vacation in London. I rarely kept company because my mother monitored me. Some of my family friends came and told me that Madonna the musician’s latest movie was out, called ‘Desperately Seeking Susan.’ So they said I should come and watch it at their house. They had more lenient parents, and before I knew it, it was dawn. I started crying because my curfew was five ’o clock. I knew I was in trouble.
My father said he was thinking of calling the police to report me missing. My friends went with me to beg him and he asked them to go back home. He asked the name of the movie and I told him and he said it must be a bad movie. That night I didn’t sleep, he knelt me down; he told me I wanted to become a bad girl.  I was released when my parents woke up in the middle of the night and still found me kneeling down. My dad eventually went to see the movie just to know what the movie was about and when he did he told me the movie wasn’t bad but asked what I was going to learn from Madonna.
WT: If your dad were not a philanthropist or politician, what else do you think he would have been?
Iwuanyanwu: Engineering is my dad’s passion. He would have made a good engineer.
WT: What other side of your dad is the public unaware of?
Iwuanyanwu: He has a good sense of humour, he likes cracking jokes and that is how he relaxes.
WT: What is your dad’s favourite food?
Iwuanyanwu: He likes roasted yam, palm oil and smoked fish. When it comes to food, he has traditional taste buds.
WT: Did his fame affect you as a child?
Iwuanyanwu: His fame affected me positively. I feel privileged to be a daughter of a prominent Nigerian and anywhere we go to, we are acknowledged and recognised. But the downside in that is when we were in school and my friends used to go and protest in secondary school, I wouldn’t join them because he didn’t want us disobeying school rules. So even if the issue was worthy, he wouldn’t want me to join them. More so, even now, there are things I won’t do and certain things I won’t say. I won’t do things to oppose my father’s interest, because be it a Bible or Qur’an, as long as your parents are alive, you have to honour them. That is why I think, no matter how terrible a mother or father’s decision is, don’t disgrace them in public: talk about it with them and at home.
WT: How did he handle the lowest point in his life?
Iwuanyanwu: I used to think his lowest point in life was when he lost an aircraft. He actually cried over that incident. But as time passed on, the death of his mum has proven to be the ultimate low for him because a part of him left with her.
WT: What misconception about him would you like to put straight?
Iwuanyanwu: There are lots of misconceptions, but with all sense of modesty, I’d say he is the kindest person that ever lived. His children should be upset about some things being said about him.
My dad is faithful to his friends. When he says yes, he doesn’t go back. He will never say a negative thing about a friend. The misconception is that they think he is brash, but he is not.