The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Obi

  • Catholic bishops honour Obi over contribution to education

    Catholic bishops honour Obi over contribution to education

    FORMER governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi ,was yesterday honoured by the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria for his contribution to education during his tenure as the governor of Anambra State.

    The award was presented to him by the Catholic Archbishop of Owerri, His Grace, Archbishop Anthony Obinna, on behalf of the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria at the 2nd National Catholic Education Summit, held at the National Centre for Women Development, Abuja.

    Archbishop Obinna said that the decision to honour Obi was due to his phenomenal contribution to the advancement of Catholic education in Nigeria, adding that he hoped the honour would spur other leaders to realize that the society appreciates good things and leaders that serve the people and society well as Obi did. In his remarks, Mr. Obi, who thanked the Catholic bishops on the award, said that the church in Anambra, including Catholic, Anglican and others contributed to the success of his government through healthy and positive collaboration, especially in the area of education and healthcare delivery.

    He called on the church in other parts of the country to strive and partner with the government in a way that will bear fruit for the society. Recounting the opposition he encountered when he was about to return schools to the church, Obi said that everybody now appreciated that because the fruits were now manifesting, with Anambra State suddenly coming first in national examinations.

  • Obi cements starting spot in Inter’s midfield

    Obi cements starting spot in Inter’s midfield

    Out of favour Super Eagles midfielder, Joel Chukkwuma Obi, appears to have sealed his spot in the midfield of Walter Mazzzari’s Inter Milan.

    The 23-year-old made his third straight start as Inter pipped Sampdoria 1-0 to get back to winning ways.

    Prior to Tuesday’s night game, he has also played from the start in games involving Napoli and Cesena.

    He lasted the regulation time of 90 minutes before being substituted by Ibrahim Mbaye in time added on.

    Obi helped Inter-Milan control possession for the time he was on the pitch, he won and distributed the ball much to the frustration of Sampdoria.

    Since breaking into Inter Milan first team in 2010, the Nigerian midfielder has been restricted to bit part role no thanks to an injury ravaged past years.

    This is the first time since 2011 that he has featured in three games in a row, injuries permitting he is now an integral part of Mazzari’s midfield at Inter.

    In the Sampdoria team, former Italy Youth International of Nigerian parentage Stefano Okaka Chuka was on for the entire duration of the game.

  • APGA: Obi and Bianca

    Bianca Ojukwu, widow of late Biafran leader, Dim Chukwuemeka  Odumegwu-Ojukwu, is grieving. She had cause last week to bare her current state of mind. Though the issue has little to do with the demise of her husband but it is not entirely unrelated.

    She is grieving because the most trusted confidant of her late husband and former governor of Anambra State; a man trusted to uphold the ideals of the late Ikemba, Peter Obi dumped the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Obi rode on the shoulders of APGA to become the governor of Anambra State twice and was seen as the political son of the late Ojukwu. The minimum expectation from such a person is to keep the flag of APGA, a party dear to the heart of Ojukwu flying. But all that hope has now been dashed.

    Not just that. Obi decamped without the courtesy of confiding in Bianca. She granted an interview last week expressing deep shock and disappointment at the development.

    According to her, up to the last moment, Obi continued to reassure her that “this will never happen; that it would be over his dead body; that the day he leaves APGA would be the day he quits politics; and most importantly, that he would keep the promise he made to Ojukwu”.

    Bianca feels greatly pained and deeply betrayed because Obi swore in his honour before her late husband that he would never leave APGA; that he would do everything within his powers to sustain and advance APGA, that he would ‘sink and swim’ with the party.

    All these promises appear to have come to naught with his recent defection to the PDP. Bianca fears that his action could rob off negatively on the fortunes and ideals for which APGA has continued to attract large following in the south-east geo-political zone.

    Given the weight of issues raised by Bianca, Obi could not but join issues with her. He said ‘loyalty to a cause does not change with a change of platform’ and there has not been any change of principles on his own part. Admitting that Bianca gave accurate account of his exchanges with the late Ikemba, Obi said he is “still loyal to our great leader (Ojukwu) in terms of what serves the interests of our people and the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

    He was quick to add however, that APGA today is no longer what it used to be and his assurance to Ojukwu did not imply he will remain loyal to a platform some people have turned into an empty shell without an inner core of shared values.

    In his words “time would reveal whether the APGA of today is still propagating the late leader’s core principles”. He said he had seen enough violation of what APGA stood for and therefore cannot continue to stay in a place which has departed from the original course and where clearly he was not wanted.

    The issues raised by both personages are as touchy as they are weighty. This is very evident from the manifest caution on the part of both parties in handling the subject matter. Bianca had very pleasant words for Obi both in terms of his sterling performances in office, his principles, loyalty and commitment to the APGA cause. Her expectation is that Obi ought to remain the lynchpin on which the APGA spirit revolves.

    Unfortunately, that hope has been betrayed such that a big vacuum that may adversely affect the party’s fortunes has now been created. Matters are not remedied by what amounts to her loss of confidence in Chief Victor Umeh, APGA national chairman.

    For Umeh, Bianca had this to say: “the bitter truth and sad reality is that every vice, offence and transgression his predecessor, Chekwas Okorie was accused of, which prompted his removal as national chairman of APGA has been committed a hundred times over with impunity by Umeh”.

    With these, one can then appreciate why Bianca is scared about the fortunes of the party. We can understand why Obi’s defection jolted her in such a devastating manner. This is more so when the dwindling fortunes of the party in neighbouring Imo State is brought into focus. The governor there, Rochas Okorocha also rode on the platform of APGA but has had to dump it for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    If Bianca takes a total picture of the party in the two states that are considered its stronghold, she will indeed have great cause to worry. Her feelings should be understood.

    For now, Obi’s contention that loyalty to a cause does not change with a change of platform is puerile. The reverse should really be the case if party politics is conceived in its pure form. Each platform (political party) comes with its shared values, expectations and loyalty patterns. That is why parties are registered as distinct entities. They ought to offer alternative choices to the electorate through their different ideologies and programmes. You cannot serve two masters loyally at the same time. It is an exercise in wishful thinking for Obi to nurse the feeling that he can still serve the overall interest of APGA from his current platform. He cannot.

    But more importantly, Obi raised further contradictions in his reasons for leaving the party. He had sought to justify his position on the grounds that APGA has deviated from the spirits of its founding fathers. If APGA is no longer propagating the leader’s core principles, Obi should share in the blame.

    In his positions as the former governor elected on its platform and lately the chairman of its Board of Trustees (BOT), Obi had critical and pivotal roles to play to redirect the party to its original ideals rather than present himself as someone helpless in the circumstance. The impression we get is that there is a behemoth in the party that determines everything. And who could that have been except Umeh who has survived many battles to shove him aside. May be Umeh has become the greatest obstacle to the survival of the party. Or could it have been governor Obiano who is just learning the ropes?

    So when Obi made the allusion that he is no longer wanted in the party, one begins to wonder who those frustrating him are.

    Bianca corroborated the point that Obi should have done more to reinvigorate the party when she said many of the members victimized by Umeh for demanding internal democracy were disappointed that he could not help them.

    Beyond these, it did not come as a surprise that Obi defected to the PDP. All along his body and soul have been there. Bianca should also be consoled by her current ambassadorial appointment courtesy of the PDP government. APGA has not really behaved as an opposition party and this is bound to affect its fortunes. The current fate of the party is partly self-inflicted and partly a response to the dynamics of party politics in this country. With the formation of the APC, the political landscape has substantially altered. Parties without national spread are bound to suffer reverses. It is trite that APGA has become a franchise exploited by desperate politicians to climb to power in Imo and Anambra states only to dump it as soon as their interests have been served. Is anybody listening?

  • Obi of Onitsha seeks more care for underprivileged

    Obi of Onitsha seeks more care for underprivileged

    The Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe (Agbogidi) has urged Nigerians to care for the underprivileged in the society.

    The monarch hailed the national carrier, Globacom, for re-awakening the cultural essence among Nigerians.

    Igwe Achebe spoke at the weekend in Onitsha, Anambra State, at the beginning of this year’s Ofala Festival.

    The monarch urged Nigerians to always show love and concern to the less privileged, adding that such affection would give them a sense of belonging in their communities.

    He explained that during his seclusion before the Ofala started, he told his ancestors and God to forgive the people’s communal misdeeds and give them a brighter future.

    Igwe Achebe said Globacom had been supporting the Oreze International Arts Exhibition, as part of the Ofala celebrations, in the last two years.

    He said: “For the second year running, our indigenous artists have mounted an international art exhibition in this palace as part of the Ofala Festival. The exhibition is showing the works of 80 artists from Nigeria, Ghana, Benin Republic, Togo and Nigerian artists in the Diaspora.

    “We are grateful to Globacom and the artists for collaborating with the organisers of the exhibition since inception. We would like to thank all our sponsors for their continued support to make Ofala Onitsha second to none as a cultural festival. In particular, we thank Globacom Limited, which has been our main partner for the fourth year.”

    The monarch also hailed the Federal Government for containing the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak.

    He noted that had the virus not been contained, it would have caused havoc in the country.

    In a goodwill message, Globacom Chairman Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr. said this year’s Ofala Festival “means a lot to us in the Globacom family as it signals the beginning of a new phase of our relationship with the Onitsha palace on Ofala Festival”.

    He added: “The 2014 festival commemorates the renewal of the partnership for another three years. It is a confirmation of the abiding faith and implicit confidence your majesty and the people of Onitsha have in us. We see and regard this as a call to greater responsibility.

    “I want to assure all that we will not fail in this task of making Ofala one of the biggest and most celebrated festivals in this part of the universe.”

  • Mixed reactions greet Obi’s defection to PDP

    Mixed reactions greet Obi’s defection to PDP

    There have been mixed reactions to the defection of former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Among those who spoke on the defection are Obi’s uncle and political mentor, Chief Nwobu Alor; former Governor Chris Ngige and an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Chief Charles Amilo.

    They told our reporter yesterday that if nothing is done to stop the drift in APGA, it might go into extinction.

    Alor said Obi did not inform him before he joined the PDP, adding that his defection was a bad omen for APGA.

    Ngige, the senator representing Anambra Central, noted that Obi’s decision had vindicated him (Ngige) that APGA was a party of traders.

    The senator said it was saddening to those who played some roles in the formation of the party.

    He said the former governor had committed one of his worst political blunders.

    Ngige said: “…When I heard it, I wasn’t surprised because we were privy to his style of politics. But what I found nauseating is that about six months ago, Obi publicly vowed that any time he leaves APGA, he would quit politics. He also said he would never contest any elective position again to face his business, which he said had suffered.

    “Every APGA member is a trader; I need to be proved wrong. The bogey about the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) being a sectional party and APGA being an Igbo party, has been laid to rest.

    “I wish him good luck. I ask Igbo that with this movement, they have to open their eyes and know that some of us, like Rochas Okorocha, Ogbonnaya Onu, George Muoghalu, B. B. Apugo, Okey Ezea, Senator Osita Izunaso, Stanley Ohajuruka, among others, are not sell-outs. Our Igbo blood and spirit are strong. That is why we have chosen to make our people the third leg of a tripod in the APC national party, which is a national movement of all tribes in Nigeria.

    “If Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu was alive, this movement would have still occurred because they were only using his name to win elections in Anambra and Imo, which was what one APGA chieftain told me.”

    Amilo said Obi’s defection showed how honourable he is.

    He said: “After galvanising the Anambra people of how important it is to have an Igbo party (called APGA) to protect Igbo interest, then what is he looking for in the PDP?”

    The APC chieftain noted that Obi’s new party did not give the Ndigbo a position, from numbers one to six in the hierarchy of government at the national level.

    But Alor said: “It (Obi’s defection) will affect APGA. The party is going down the hills and if we do not put out this fire, it is likely to lead the party’s extinction.

    “I still believe we can come together to salvage the situation. We know he cannot come back. All we need now is to dialogue with those around, with a view to finding a solution to whatever is the problem in APGA.”

    Despite his defection from APGA to the PDP, Obi has said his relationship with Anambra State Willie Obiano.

    The former governor addressed reporters yesterday in Lagos when an Igbo delegation of top PDP members met with him.

    He said: “There is nothing wrong with APGA, and my joining the PDP has nothing to do with APGA. I enjoy a cordial relationship with Obiano and the Anambra State government is doing well. I will continue to support him in building a better Anambra State for the good of the people.”

    On why he left APGA, the former governor said it was because of his commitment to be strongly involved in President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid.

    He said: “Mr. President is doing well. He has a lot of policies in place that will transform the country, if re-elected. We shall support him fully for the benefit of the country.”

       APGA National Chairman Chief Victor Umeh has said the party lost nothing with the Obi’s defection to the PDP.

        Addressing reporters yesterday at a rally in Asaba, the Delta State capital,  where Dr. Anthony Azuya, a House of Representatives candidate, led defectors from the APC  and Labour Party (LP) to APGA, Umeh noted that more people had joined the party after Obi’s exit.

       “You can see that as Obi left the party, about 7,000 people have joined the party today,” he said.

  • Obi’s aide, commissioner disagree on sport facilities

    Obi’s aide, commissioner disagree on sport facilities

    Mr Valentine Obienyem, the media aide to former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, has disagreed with Sports Commissioner Tony Nnaecheta that the Willie Obiano administration inherited dilapidated sporting infrastructure.

    Obienyem said the commissioner was either misquoted or was unable to convey his thoughts properly and endangered the facts.

    The former aide said Obi was the only governor who ensured the even development of all sectors in Anambra State.

    He said: “By the time he became governor, no aspect of the state was working. In sports, Anambra State lay prostrate. But today, through the efforts of Mr. Obi, the state has three mini-stadia, namely: Justice Ikpeazu Stadium, Onitsha South Stadium and Awka Stadium. Obii rehabilitated the Ime Obi and Rojenny stadia at Onitsha and Oba.

    “He re-introduced school sports. From 15th position in 2011, Anambra came fifth in 2012 and third in National Schools’ Sports in 2013. It won gold medals in the male and female National Youths Sports Federation (YSFON) in 2012. This qualified Anambra to represent Nigeria at the World Youths Sports Federation in Oslo, Norway. In May 2013, Anambra funded the state’s footballers to the world’s pre-season tournament at Antalia, Turkey, where six Anambra athletes were selected for professional careers in Europe.

    “Obi initiated the first Governor’s Unity Cup and the first Traders’ Cup in 2013. He initiated the first disabled sports competition. Obi hosted the Flying Eagles twice and placed members of old Rangers (Football Club) on monthly stipends and provided buses for them, the Ministry of Sports, the Anambra State chapter of the Nigerian National Supporters’ Club and the National Youth Council.

    “Rather than acknowledge this and build on them – and even surpass them – Nnaecheta described the state of sporting facilities as shameful. When prominent persons in the state said they voted the present governor because of Obi’s achievements, what does the commissioner think they were saying?”

    Obienyem said the Justice Ikpeazu Stadium, which prompted the commissioner’s reaction, was built over seven years ago.

    According to him, continuity means amending, expanding or even shortening parts of the stadium, where necessary.

    The former aide noted such is the practice for development everywhere, not the “ill-motivated condemnation” that could be deduced from the commissioner’s words.

    He said: “I do not think the commissioner did a background study of his ministry before taking off; this is what good administrators do. If he did, he would have known that the Onitsha Local Government headquarters was knocked down and relocated for Obi to build the stadium under reference.”

    Obienyem regretted what he called “a misleading report by a commissioner,” adding it was bad that in the midst of many false stories on Anambra on the social media.

    “Is this not the case of seeing chaos rising and adding to it?” Obienyem queried.

  • Jonathan, Obiano, Ngige, Obi condole with Senator over sister’s death

    Jonathan, Obiano, Ngige, Obi condole with Senator over sister’s death

    PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State, Senator Chris Ngige and former Governor Peter Ob all paid tributes during the burial of Senator Ben Ndi Obi’s younger sister, late Prof. Josephine Obiananma Anagbogu, yesterday in Awka, Anambra State. Obiano, who read the message from Dr. Jonathan, prayed God to grant the family the fortitude to bear the loss.

    The church service, which was conducted by the Anglican Bishop of Awka, Most Rev. Alexander Ibezim, held at the Cathedral Church of St. Faith in Awka. More than 50 Priests were in attendance, including prominent men and women in the society.

    There was heavy traffic, while security operatives had hectic time clearing the way for easy movement. Also in attendance was oil mogul, Prince Arthur Eze, who gave the church the sum of N5 million. The National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh, was also attended the event.

    Other dignitaries included the Anambra State deputy governor, Dr. Nkem Okeke, members of the state executive council, senators and House of Representatives members. In his Sermon, the Anglican Bishop of Awka, Rt Rev. Alex Ibezim, told the congregation that this was the right time to seek the face of God.

    He said that people live their lives today as if nothing would happen. Ibezim, however, prayed for the repose of the departed, adding that God would guard the family to bear the irreparable loss.

  • Fashola, Obi call for return of values among leaders

    Fashola, Obi call for return of values among leaders

    THE Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Raji Fashola and former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, have narrowed down the problem of Nigeria to failure of leadership. They both spoke yesterday at the Oriental Hotel, during the 2014 Annual Conference on Corporate Governance organized by Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria, with the theme: ‘Leadership and Governance in the Public Sector’.

    Speaking at the event, Governor Fashola, who said that the question of leadership was the question of values, described public sector leadership as the management of public trust. Analyzing the qualities a leader should have , he said: “A leader must have the strength to bear the burdens of the led; the wisdom to represent us; the patience to listen to the people even when he has no solution; he must be fair to all even when he has his favorites.

    ” In his own contribution, the former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, said that part of the problem with governance in Nigeria was the misplacement of values and priorities. “Sometimes, I wonder what has happened to the values of our people. A bank wants to have their meeting in Dubai, even when the problem they want to discuss is in Nigeria.

    Such wastefulness is even witnessed more in public service, where a lot of money is wasted because of mounting cost of governance. I saved money for the state because I cut the cost of governance.” Using Singapore as an example, Obi said it moved from third World to first World because its leadership focused on the right things by absorbing their best in academics into the civil service.

     He said that the idea of most Nigerians about public and corporate service was a platform to amass wealth and engage in Epicurean indulgence, and called on Nigerians to start asking questions about the life and conduct of their leaders.

  • Obi: offerings need not be publicised

    Obi: offerings need not be publicised

    Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi has said he believed it is better to make offerings that are not announced in public.

    But he was pleased to be among the contributors to the building of churches in any part of the world, including his home parish, the Madonna Assumpta in Agulu.

    The former governor spoke yesterday at the dedication of a church by the Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, Rev. Paulinus Ezeokafor.

    Obi was announced with the former Information Minister, the late Prof. Dora Akunyili, as the biggest donors to the project.

    The former governor said he was a little uneasy when the parish priest announced his name, adding that he believed that thanksgiving attracted more blessings when not announced.

    Paraphrasing the Bible, he said: “As a Christian, we should not let our right hand know what our left hand is giving.”

  • Odenigbo lecture bemoans dearth of Igbo leadership, commends Obi’s legacy

    Odenigbo lecture bemoans dearth of Igbo leadership, commends Obi’s legacy

    PROFESSOR Chinedu Nwajiuba of Imo State University has decried the dearth of true leadership in Igboland since the startling examples from Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Dr. Mike Okpala, and Dr. Sam Mbakwe. He made this assertion at the weekend at the annual Odenigbo Lecture, where he spoke on “Expectation of Good leadership (Ochichioma, Olileanya Ohaneze), at the Odenigbo Podium at Assumpta Cathedral, Owerri. As customary, the lecture was delivered in Igbo language. Speaking, Prof. Nwajiuba reeled out the virtues of good leadership to include humility, prudent management of resources, resourcefulness, genuine commitment to the goods of the people, respect for the led, discernment to recognize and sieve evil from good, and mourned that no Igbo leader has shown such laudable leadership qualities since the times of Zik, Okpala, Ojukwu and Mbakwe, until the former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi came in and demonstrated to our people, once again, what true leadership should be. Speaking on good economic management as part of what is desired of good leaders, Prof. Nwajiuba said: “Since 1999, Mr. Peter Obi was the only real leader that came from Igbo land. His governance of Anambra State has continued to receive positive testaments from the people, especially the manner he guided the resources of the State through prudence and his civilized conduct. To crown it all, unlike what is obtainable, he left Billions of Naira for his successor.’ The Prof said that the unprecedented improvement in the infrastructure in Anambra State under Obi would remain a testimony to his enviable legacy. He pointed out how Anambra under Obi utilized the money she got through the Millennium Development Goals to carry out beneficial and tangible projects which he advised others to understudy and do the same for their States. Instituted in 1996, the 2014 lecture was the 17th in the series. It started with a holy mass presided by the Archbishop of Owerri Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Anthony Obinna.