Mr June Iheanyichukwu Wenah, who by the special grace of God was the first Nigerian man to climb to
Mr June Iheanyichukwu Wenah, who by the special grace of God was the first Nigerian man to climb to the top of the highest mountain in Africa- “The Kilimanjaro Mountain” in 1971.
Mr June Iheanyichukwu Wenah is from Ogbodo-Isiokpo in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State. In May of 1971, he was among the First Nigerian Youths from Rivers State to successfully climb to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in East Africa under the auspices of the Rivers State Government.
This great event occured when the late Capt. Elechi Amadi was the Permanent Secretary/Field Administrator in the Commander Diete Spiff’s Military Governor’s office.
In May 1971, Messrs Wenah June Iheanyichukwu of Boys Secondary School Borokiri and Ofonya Eto of Baptist High School all in Portharcourt were among the Eleven Nigerian Youths selected after series of interviews conducted by Mr. John Wright of the Ministry of Rural Development and Social Welfare (as at then) to represent Rivers State in East Africa in what was known as International Students Exchange Programme between the Outward Bound Mountain School Kenya and Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre Nigeria.
Also, an official invitation was made by the First Military Governor of Rivers State through Late Captain Elechi Amadi before they left Rivers State to Lagos on the first take off of their journey where they met other Youths from different States of the Federation.
Captain Elechi Amadi (late) was the Permanent Secretary, Field Administration in Military Governor’s Office as at then, went along with them to the Military Governor, Navy Commander, Alfred Diete-Spiff for words of advice and encouragement.
While in the Goverment house, the Governor shook hands with them, and in his brief address, he adviced them and said, quote and unquote “June Wenah and Ofonya Eto, you are now Ambassadors of the State, going out of the Country to represent the State in Kenya for an International Students Exchange Programme, be of good behaviour as you arrive into the East African soil of Kenya, I wish you good luck, bye and God bless”. (see Newspaper publication attached).
In Captain Elechi Amadi’s office, on leaving the Government House, Captain Elechi Amadi directly went with them to his own office, there he as well adviced and gave them some money towards their traveling, and thereafter they finally left for Lagos, on arrival at Ikeja Airport in Lagos (now Murtala Airport) they were driven to the Rivers State Liaison Office in Lagos, there they were received by Mr Abrakassa who was probably the Liaison Officer in-charge, and from there they moved to Sea School Apapa Lagos (a Training Ground for Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre Nigeria) where they finally joined other fellow Youths from different States of the Federation.
On their arrival at the Sea School Apapa Lagos, they were received by Mr S.O. AAromolaran, the Assistant Director, Training and Operations, and Mr M. Ogandonu, the Chief Instructor who were delegates that led the Nigerian Youths to East Africa, there they also had an intensive preliminary training, had inoculations against yellow fever attack and were issued with t
he necessary traveling documents before they finally departed Nigeria to Kenya on the 16th day of May 1971.
During their flight, they had a stop-over at Entebe Airport in Uganda, and after about 30 minutes in transit, their flight finally left for Nairobi in Kenya, on their arrival at about 9:45pm East African time, they were warmly received by the Nigerian High Commissioner in Kenya, Mr Ignatius C. Olisemeka and his wife, together with the Officials of the Outward Bound Mountain School Loitokitok Kenya, thereafter they were lodged at the Nolfok Hotel from where they finally left in the morning to the Outward Bound Mountain School in Loitokitok Kenya, which was a training School in preparation for the Mountain Expedition as well as a tourist Centre.
