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Today, the 19th day of July, 2017, the man regarded as one of the best in governance, at any tier, in the annals of our country turns 56. As usual, drums would be rolled out by some of his admirers who believe excellence ought to be celebrated.
They contend that if for nothing else, it is a means of promoting merit as role models in name and indeed. In a country where even imbeciles garbed in purple fall over one another seeking attention, it is about time the society set up a clear template for granting honour to whom it is due.
In another vein, beyond panegyrics by his enthusiasts, most people will just wish him a perfunctory ‘Happy Birthday’.
In this piece, I set out to re-examine, through the memories of his tenure, what good governance is all about and to encourage Nigerians to look up to him as the man who came into governance through entirely different route, with an entirely different mentality and left it as nobody has done in the history of governance in Nigeria.
For me, this is decent birthday present that would also instruct those in governance on the right way to go.
Born on July 19, 1961, Peter Gregory Obi started his life in the rustic city of Onitsha, and obtained his initial formal education in Onitsha and Nsukka. He has since attended some of the best tertiary institutions in the world in his thirst for intellectual insemination to boost his competences.
How shall we rank him? Which of us possesses so varied the Knowledge to understand him adequately? As an experiment in perspective, let us see him through his dramatic entrance into government and what he did while there as distinct from business as usual.
Before him, news emanating from the State was not palatable at all. It was always stories of intrigues, squander mania, rape and rapine. Visions and memories of the State tormented all persons of goodwill; an involuntary gloom penetrated our souls, chilling their imaginations.
The Bakassi group and their co-predators worsened the situation as they turned our dear State into a vast Golgotha of carnage, an arena for horror, where her children tore and destroyed one another with the clear conscience of nature.
Concerned like other decent people, Peter Obi developed an urge to turn these barbarisms into civilization and this was what compelled him to seek election into public office.
He campaigned vigorously and was seen as the best candidate for the job. In many respects he was different: He was softened to tolerance by education and experiences as a top board-room man.
He relied on persuasion and effective marketing of his programme of action to garner support and votes. Alas, his opponents, hardened by the streets and subterfuge, stole his mandate.
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Evidently, Almighty God always has special interest in Peter Obi’s affairs; and for every indignity he suffered, he came out stronger and as a reference point for the country and Nigeria-watchers.
By regaining his stolen mandate through the courts, he became a locus classicus in that regard, not just from the point of law, but from establishing a commendable precedent as the first Nigerian to have done so.
A study of the circumstances that led to that feat will easily show that it was due largely to the grace of God and his perseverance and ability to remain focused.
A few months into his tenure, some renegades in the State House of Assembly led by Hon. Mike Belonwu contrived his impeachment.
It was not hidden that the impeachment process that came to its peak on the visit of the then President Olusegun Obasanjo, had some of its roots in the swelling resentment against his parsimony; how, rather than business as usual, he was using the resources of the State to work for the State and her people.
Consider one of the reasons why he was impeached: the House used to “add and share”; accusing him of re-building the burnt Government House with less than 50% of the actual money budgeted for that purpose. This may sound incredible, but it is true.
It was the mark of the rascality of the time that the house ended up impeaching him. Convinced of the rightness of his conduct in office, Peter Obi challenged the action of the House of Assembly in court; and set another record as the first State Governor to come back into office from impeachment.
As the Governor, he had many challenges, but as customary with him, his usually calm and thoughtful temperament often saved him from unsavoury situations.
Despite his convictions that the condition of Anambra required early decisions and quick implementation of policies, Obi, in the freshman year of his government, submitted himself to robust debate over the State’s many problems. He started with a profound bow to planning by establishing the Ministry of Planning.
He did not have to rush into new projects – mostly unplanned – when there were many projects started by his predecessor which needed to be completed.
As a board-room guru, he subjected his decisions to the Executive Council [EXCO] for proper debate and consideration. He did this because he was the captain of the ship and was in control. Till this day, his erstwhile Commissioners recall their exhilarating times with him.
One of them is the highly-respected Dr. Patrick Obi who revealed that the then Governor was often “Prolonging Council meetings, always returning to the question – Is this just? Is that useful? He subjected each question to exact and elaborate analysis”.
