olena
<font color=green>Emerald Angel<br><font color=mag
- Joined
- May 12, 2001
- Messages
- 22,566
EAGAN, Minn. - In Minnesota, Marty Johnson of Eagan is a mortgage broker and father of two. In Nigeria, he's a prince, next in line to be chief.
Johnson, 38, was adopted, and over the years he made a few fruitless attempts to find out about his background. Then two years ago his birth mother contacted him. His birth mother, from Cedar Falls, Iowa, had fallen for a Nigerian who was studying for a master's degree in education at Northern Iowa University. He had to go home; she put the baby up for adoption.
With that information, and with heavy prodding from his wife, Laura, Johnson began to make some contacts in Nigeria. He discovered that his father is one of a line of chiefs who, in the days before central government, were so powerful they could declare war. Johnson's great-grandfather founded a school; his grandfather and father continue to run it.
Johnson said he is now regarded openly by the chief and dozens of other relatives including three brothers as the chief's first-born son. When his birth father dies, Marty Johnson will be known in Orlu, Nigeria, as Ude-Ekeh, which means chief. And someday so will his 6-year-old son, Jacob.
The Johnsons are planning to go to Nigeria in December, but despite what could turn out to be a royal welcome, they also plan to come back. The future Ude-Ekeh, after all, still has a job and a mortgage.
I smell a movie!
Johnson, 38, was adopted, and over the years he made a few fruitless attempts to find out about his background. Then two years ago his birth mother contacted him. His birth mother, from Cedar Falls, Iowa, had fallen for a Nigerian who was studying for a master's degree in education at Northern Iowa University. He had to go home; she put the baby up for adoption.
With that information, and with heavy prodding from his wife, Laura, Johnson began to make some contacts in Nigeria. He discovered that his father is one of a line of chiefs who, in the days before central government, were so powerful they could declare war. Johnson's great-grandfather founded a school; his grandfather and father continue to run it.
Johnson said he is now regarded openly by the chief and dozens of other relatives including three brothers as the chief's first-born son. When his birth father dies, Marty Johnson will be known in Orlu, Nigeria, as Ude-Ekeh, which means chief. And someday so will his 6-year-old son, Jacob.
The Johnsons are planning to go to Nigeria in December, but despite what could turn out to be a royal welcome, they also plan to come back. The future Ude-Ekeh, after all, still has a job and a mortgage.
I smell a movie!
