(Mid 1944) EXCITEMENT, Oh such excitement in the Village of Eku that day, WOW, the drums were still beating, the people still singing and dancing with great exuberant hope !! This was the day that my parents, Rev. Dr. E. Milford & Eleanor Howell (Registered Nurse), were to arrive to the Chief’s Meeting Hall, to tell them what God had said during the night. The Okarorho, Chief Ikie Odjugo. (the oldest man of the Eku and Honored Head Cief) and all the other chiefs of the area, joyfully greeted them & had a “Cola Nut” Ceremony. This is where a dish was placed in front of my parents and Cola Nuts were put in the middle of it. Everyone who could, would bring some money, to wedge the nuts from rolling off the plate. They did Not want our friendship to roll away from them. The Okarorho then divided the cola nut sections up and gave some to each person to eat in. This Showed that they wanted to make a “Covenant of Friendship” with my parents. Afterwards, they told my parents that they were determined that night, to show God their faith, by cutting down and clearing off All the 25 acres of rubber trees, before the answer came. They said that with their sweat and muscles, they would show how desperately they wanted Eku to be the place to establish God’s Medical work !! My Dad, Rev. Dr. E. Milford Howell told them that God said, “YES”, and all the dancing and singing started again !!! There was much negotiating over the land, sense there were many people who owned different sections. One Land Owner said he did not want to give his front left corner of the land away, but All the others wanted to give theirs, because they knew how desperate their people were for help! So it was The Okarorho Chief Ikie Odjugo, talked him into it, and presented the land to my Dad ( Chief Ikie later died in 1957) – & said the land was to be Given free to my Dad & still wanted NOTHING – But Dad wanted the Foreign Mission Board to be brought into this legally, So only 12 small pennies every year, (one shilling) was to be given to the Eku people, by the American Mission for 65 years. After the 65 years, it was to be given Back to the Eku people. After the official agreement, medical work was finally, to begin, Hallelujah to our Lord Jesus’ Love for the precious people of Eku !! – My Mother was almost ready to birth me, so they asked for a place to live there in Eku. Chief Clark Edewor let them rent one of his houses just down from where the New Town Hall stands, on Market Road, down by the Market Place. This little plastered mud house – back then had a thatch roof & was so very appreciated ! They decided to live in the back and Begin a Clinic in the Front – Thus Began an Amazing Journey of Faith, With God, deep in the mosquito infested jungles of the Delta State – which in those days was called: “White Man’s Grave Yard” !! So very Grateful that God IS Continuing His Love for the precious people of Eku, so Keep Believing – He IS the God of Miracles — Oghene Doo ! “Oh, Taste and See how Good is the Lord” na Omoteko
On the Right side, is the Okarorho, Chief Ikie Odjugo. (the oldest man of the Eku and Honored Head Chief) around 1944. – the Patriarch & his last born child on the Left is: Prime Minister Daniel Erue Ikie,
My first Home was there in Eku,- It was mud and they plastered, painted and fixed it up so beautifully for us to live in the back and Mom’s Medical Clinic will be in the front