Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday highlighted the pivotal role played by former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Victor Obong Attah, in the abolition of the onshore–offshore dichotomy, describing him as the foremost champion of the struggle.
Jonathan made the remarks in Abuja during the presentation of “Attah: Architect of a New Democratic Dawn,” the biography of Arc. Victor Attah, who also marked his 87th birthday.
Dignitaries at the event included former Edo State Governor Lucky Igbinedion; former Lagos Deputy Governor Akerele Bucknor; former Ekiti State Governor Niyi Adebayo; members of the 1999 governors’ class; Senator Tunde Ogbeha; Akwa Ibom Deputy Governor Akon Eyakenyi; former Chief of Staff to Jonathan, Mike Ogiadomhe; Victor Udoma-Egba; Chairman of the book launch committee, Godknows Igali; and former Minister of Education, Obiageli Ezekwesili.
Jonathan said the now-abolished policy, which gave the Federal Government full ownership of offshore oil revenue, would have crippled oil-producing states in the Niger Delta. He praised Attah’s determination, noting that even after a Supreme Court judgment against his position, the former governor persisted in the struggle.
“Victor Attah was one of the champions who fought for the abolition of the onshore–offshore dichotomy,” Jonathan said. “Yes, other governors — including my good friend Peter Odili and the late DSP Alamieyeseigha — also fought, but Victor Attah was the champion. He was number one.”
He emphasised that Attah’s unwavering resolve, despite legal setbacks, helped drive the eventual reversal of the policy.
Jonathan described Attah as a man of character whose mentorship has shaped leaders across generations. He added that the biography captures not just the story of an individual, but a legacy of courage and visionary leadership.
According to the former president, if the Supreme Court ruling had stood, “the development we see in Akwa Ibom today would be less than one percent of what it is.”
Jonathan also quoted Attah’s next line of action, which was contained on page 19, where he said: “Adaka Boro fought with guns. He was killed. Ken Saro-Wiwa fought with the pen. He, too, was killed. But we have a more potent weapon — our ballot paper. Unless they kill all of us and seize our ballot papers, we have the right to choose only those who recognize that there is a problem in the Niger Delta, that we have a right to the national endowment of the Niger Delta, and that the day of emancipation has come.”
However, President Olusegun Obasanjo provided a political solution to the issue, leading to the current 13% derivatives from the previous 1%.
Commending the celebrant’s efforts, Jonathan said, “Today, the states with offshore oil wells — which are now enjoying the benefits — owe a debt of gratitude to Victor Attah.”
He added, “And I am pleased to join all of you in paying tribute to His Excellency, Obong (Arc.) Victor Attah — a visionary leader, an accomplished professional, and a remarkable teacher — on the occasion of his 87th birthday.
“At 87, Obong Attah stands as a testament to what it means to live a life of purpose. His contributions to the evolution of modern Akwa Ibom State remain indelible. As governor, he dreamt boldly, planned meticulously, and executed decisively. The foundation he laid in infrastructure, urban development, economic strategy, and institutional reforms continues to bear fruit decades after he left office.
“Obong Attah demonstrated that leadership is not about occupying an office but about transforming the lives and aspirations of one’s people
“Beyond politics, he is a man of character. His integrity, his sense of duty, and his mentorship have inspired many and shaped leaders across generations.
“The biography being presented today, ‘Architect of a New Dawn’, captures his invaluable contributions. It is not just the story of an individual, but a chronicle of courage and visionary leadership.
“As we honour him today, may we also draw inspiration from his journey — a reminder that leadership is most meaningful when it strengthens communities, uplifts people, and lays a solid foundation for future generations.”
In his remarks, Obong Victor Attah narrated how he was invited for interrogation for a misinterpreted comment about a hotel he helped to expand.
Attah said he was privileged to have worked on the seven-star hotel in his days in Barbados and therefore referred to it as his hotel to a former First Lady, only to be invited by the anti-graft agency to explain the source of his wealth.
“In 1966. I had just finished at Columbia. My wife—whom I married in England the year before—was heavily pregnant. We had bought tickets to come home.
“But the media was filled with news of trouble in Nigeria—talk of civil war. So I told my wife, ‘We cannot go home in these circumstances. Let us go to Barbados, where you come from. We can stay in your father’s house; you have the baby. Once things settle, we will go to Nigeria.
“I went to Barbados, got a job with Roberts and Watts—the firm that developed the Sandy Lane estate and the Sandy Lane Hotel. The first thing they assigned to me was a 25-room extension to the Sandy Lane Hotel.
“Now, those of you who read Forbes or Fortune magazines will know Sandy Lane. It used to be advertised inside those magazines. It was one of the very, very few seven-star hotels in the world at the time. So I felt very proud that I had added 25 rooms to that hotel.”
“Fast-forward to 2002. I was the governor of Akwa Ibom State. I took my wife and two children to Barbados on holiday, as I used to do frequently. Being governor, the High Commissioner in Trinidad came to welcome me, with all the royal treatment.
“Three days later, I got a frantic call from her. ‘Please, are you still on the island?’ I said yes—hoping nothing was wrong. She said the late First Lady, Stella Obasanjo, was coming to Barbados for a holiday, and there was no flight from Trinidad to Barbados. ‘Would you please go to the airport to receive her so she would at least have a reception?
“So gladly, we went. We received Stella. After the airport ceremony, I asked, ‘Where are we taking you, Your Excellency?’ She said, ‘Sandy Lane.’ Ah! Out of excitement, I said, ‘You are going to my hotel!’—meaning the hotel I had designed.
“After a few days, she left. Two weeks later, I came back to Nigeria—and there was an invitation from the EFCC to come and explain how I owned Sandy Lane Hotel in Barbados.
“That tells you the type of Nigeria that we have.”
“But please permit me to tell you that there are two simple stories about my life that you will not find in that book. And with your kind permission, I’d like to tell you those two short stories. I tell them because, for me, they illustrate what Nigeria is, and the character of Nigerian people.”
He also narrated another experience which pertains to Nigerians’ perception of a big man and what he was told when he attempted to go back to his profession after serving out his term as governor of Akwa Ibom State.
According to him, “The first happened exactly 50 years ago, in 1975. Inter-Design Partnership had been established. I was running it. Our office was on the seventh floor of the Ten-Storey Building in Kaduna, owned by the NNDC. It was the prestigious office building of the time.”
“People were lining up to be employed there. The secretaries who worked in that building had formed themselves into an elite group of very stylish people.”
“On the eighth floor was a British firm of structural engineers. Now, I have a car that takes me to work every day. But the British engineer who ran the eighth-floor office rode his bicycle to work every single day of his life. Whether it was raining, whether it was sunny—he would ride that bicycle to work.”
“One day, I had sent my car for servicing. I expected it would return before lunchtime. It didn’t. So I went upstairs to the British engineer and said, ‘Please, may I borrow your bicycle?’ He agreed.”
“I rode to work, rode home, had my lunch, and came back.”
“Shortly after I returned, my secretary came in, stayed half a second, and left. She came back, lingered, and went out again. When she returned the third time, I said, ‘What’s wrong with you? I’m preparing for a meeting here.’ That was the alarm bell.”
“She burst out crying—crying like something terrible had happened. I rushed to her. ‘What’s happened?’ When she finally could speak, she said.
“Sir, why have you disgraced me like this? All my friends are laughing at me. They say my boss rides a bicycle.”
“That tells you how Nigerians see the ‘big man.’ The British officer rode his bicycle every day—but I, a Nigerian big man, how could I?”
In his attempt to return to his profession, he said questions were being asked.
“One person even asked me, ‘Okay, well, former governor—why are you still doing this thing?
He said he responded that, “I was a professional in politics, not a professional politician. If Jimmy Carter could return to a peanut farm after being the President of the United States, I feel no compulsion whatsoever about returning to my profession as an architect and town planner after my tenure as governor of Akwa Ibom State.”
He therefore concluded, “I want to believe that someday, we in Nigeria will get our priorities right; that we will have woken up to a renewed democracy. And then—Nigeria will be great again.”
Meanwhile, the Pan Niger Delta Elders Forum, PANDEF, has hailed Attah’s contribution to education, politics, and public service.
Amb. Godknows Igali, PANDEF national chairman, hailed Attah’s contributions to academia, architecture, politics, and public service, saying it has not only shaped Nigeria’s destiny but has also inspired generations to strive for excellence.
“Your dedication to nation-building, democracy, and the pursuit of greatness has earned you a revered place among Nigeria’s most illustrious leaders.
“We, the people of the Niger Delta, are particularly grateful for your tireless advocacy for our region’s rights and interests, including the landmark achievement of fiscal federalism, especially the 13% derivation principle and environmental remediation,” he added.
