Udozi the Unsinkable: The Half-Man Who Floated, Climbed, and Confused the Oracle
Udozi the Unsinkable: The Half-Man Who Floated, Climbed, and Confused the Oracle
Prince Agbedeyi O. D. Writes for Egbema Egberi Media International from Asaba
In the heart of the Egbema creeks, long before smartphones and social media, there lived a legend whose story still causes chuckles — and headshakes — around village fires today.
Born Different, Built Different
In the unforgettable year of 1975, during the era of the Udozi Award in Nigeria, a child was born in the creekside communities of Egbema Kingdom. But this was no ordinary child. From the moment his mother screamed in the delivery room (which, at the time, was a mat in a smoky kitchen), everyone knew something strange had happened.
The baby had no legs. Not short legs. Not folded legs. Just half a body — full of life, but without the usual equipment for walking. Naturally, the family panicked. “What kind of spirit is this?” his father whispered. “Maybe it’s a mistake,” his uncle added. “Maybe the legs are late.”
They waited. No legs came.
Attempts to Cancel the Baby
The family, confused and afraid of village gossip, tried everything to make the problem disappear — including the baby himself. First, they took him deep into the Evil Forest, a place where even snakes walked carefully. They left him there, wrapped in a torn wrapper, expecting silence.
But what they got was three days of loud, persistent crying. Hunters reported hearing a “soundtrack of survival” echoing through the forest. The elders called an emergency meeting.
The Oracle was consulted. The chief priest, after chewing kola nuts and sweating mysteriously, declared:
“If this child dies, his parents will never have another. And their house will know sorrow.”
The parents carried the boy home — reluctantly.
But they tried one last trick: a boat ride. In the middle of Adagbarasa River, they pretended the boat capsized and left him floating. The baby, instead of sinking, floated like calabash. For hours.
One canoe paddler swore he saw a small fish guiding the child back to shore.
The Rise of Udozi
They named him Udozi — after the national award trending that year — maybe hoping it would bring him luck, or at least normalcy.
Instead, it brought fame.
By the time Udozi was a teenager, he had become a local phenomenon. No legs, but all action. He was the only person who could climb the tallest coconut trees in Ofunama using just his arms and a daring spirit. People watched in disbelief as he scaled trunks like a gecko in a wrestling mood.
He swam across wide rivers with ease. He even learned to “walk” using his hands, the sides of canoes, and pure stubbornness.
But the real surprise? Wrestling.
Udozi had a standing challenge:
“If you can make my back touch the ground, you will own my riches.”
Strong men from far and near tried. Ajoni the Wrestler, Biniere the Muscle-Mouth, even Adumu the Twister. All failed. Some said Udozi used charms. Others said he was simply blessed by the spirits of the river.
Lover Boy and Village Mystery
He had more than a few admirers. Girls swooned. Some claimed he whispered ancient words in their ears. Others said he used love potions. One girl confessed she saw him walking on the side of a canoe like it was a runway in Lagos.
“Not love potion,” her grandmother snapped. “Na juju with confidence.”
Despite the whispers, Udozi remained a mystery. Half a man, but full of adventure. He defied death, tradition, and even gravity.
The Legend Lives On
Today, in the oral chronicles of Egbema, his name lives on:
So the next time you hear someone say, “I’m not lucky,” tell them about Udozi. Then ask, “But have you tried floating on a river with no legs and still becoming a legend?”
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