By Nehru Odeh
Simon Odo, a native doctor who married 59 wives and had over 300 children and grandchildren is dead. He was aged 74.
The man, popularly known as King of Satan, who once said he wanted to create his own village, hailed from Aji in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu State, died in the early hours of Tuesday during a brief illness.
Mr Emeka Odo, one of his sons, who confirmed the death of his father to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in their family house, said that the father died at the age of 74.
However, before his death, Udo had instructed his wives and children that his remains should not be deposited in a mortuary. As a result of that arrangements for his burial is already in progress.
“Yes, my father popularly known as King of Satan is dead; he died on Tuesday morning as he had been sick for the past three weeks.
“We are having a family meeting to perfect arrangement for his burial since he instructed us not to put his body in the mortuary,” he said.
He lamented that the death of his father was a big blow as he had a loving and caring father in spite of the large number of family members.
“Since this morning that my father died, kinsmen, friends and well-wishers have been trooping in shock and surprise to come and sympathise with our family,” he said.
Odo, who was also known as Onu Uwa was once quoted as saying he desired to have a village for a good reason. “I can only stop marrying more wives whenever I can no longer satisfy women sexually.”
The renowned herbalist who branded himself “Africa’s King Solomon” also revealed why he had 300 children and how they were doing. “My children are numerous and that is what I bargained for as Africa’s King Solomon. Out of 56 wives, some have seven, eight, five and three children; some are still pregnant, just last week, one of them delivered a set of twins. “I can’t say the number that is pregnant as I speak with you. I feed all of them comfortably without hassles. I have an estate to solve the accommodation challenges of my family. All my wives and children have never complained of lack of accommodation. My children, to say the fact, are over 300 to my credit.”
Odo was born in 1947 into a Christian family. He later became a mass server at St Mary’s Catholic Church, Aji, where he was baptized in 1956 and got confirmed in 1958.
Odo who lost his father at 16 over a parcel of land said he was afflicted with tuberculosis by the same people who had killed his father because he demanded to know the cause of his death. And that was what led to his becoming a native doctor.
“After his death, I was also inflicted with tuberculosis by the same people because I demanded to know the cause of the death of my father. I suffered from tuberculosis for five years after which they crippled me for another five. At this point, I cried and said, God why will you allow all these to befall me.”
“After my outcry, I ran to one old native doctor in Ijebu Ode and stayed there for seven years, it was there I learnt the trade of native medicine and began to practice.
“I do all manner of jobs for people, but the only thing I don’t do is to prepare charm for armed robbers. If you go to Anambra state, all the people late Osita Osadebe mentioned in his music “People’s club” had at one time or the other visited my shrine for services.”
Odo also maintained he had aided people to travel abroad with his native medicines and boasts that no embassy can deny them a visa to travel to any country of their choice.. “I am not a politician, but a good number of politicians are my clients, they come here with all manner of gifts after a successful business.”