STAFF at your County Gazette received a special visitor in July 1955 - a Nigerian chief.

Ogiri Oko, the Paramount Chief of the Idoma Tribe of Northern Nigeria, enjoyed a tour of the Gazette offices during a special visit to the UK.

The report noted how the chief cut an impressive figure in ‘his handsome cloak and turban, and wearing the King’s Medal, awarded to African chiefs who have given outstanding services to the Crown’.

Mr Oko was given a tour of the offices by joint managing directors S A Woodley and T A Skerman and among the highlights was an incident which saw the chief drop a metal slug as it was too hot to hold.

Although speaking no English, the report noted he asked many questions through a secretary interpreter, Ogo Oko.