Okwadike Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife commands a straddle larger than he seems to have been. During his lifetime, he was never reckorned as a moneybag, but his stature bestrides a combination of Igbo billionnaires put together. He was an intellectual per excellence and ran one of the most accountable and sane administrations in the South-East geo-political zone since after the 2nd Republic. At death, he resonates like a legend, drawing the mighty and commoners to pay him last respect, writes MALACHY UZENDU.
The passage of Dr. Ezeife opened a new chapter on simplicity and integrity among the Igbo and Nigerians generally. Okwadike was a governor, whom fate thrust upon him the leadership of Anambra State at a moment people felt the state would have gone into the hands of people whose character cannot be vouched for. Anambra, just carved out of the old form in 1992 by General Ibrahim Babangida, was in urgent need of a focused leader to drive the course to taking off on a positive course.
Providential, Okwadike Ezeife emerged governor from what was considered a minority political party in the South-East zone, then Social Democratic Party (SDP). Among the quartet ( Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, Enugu; Se. Evan Enwerem, Imo and Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, Ebonyi), they had no problem nominating him as the leader of the South-East Governors Forum. That was because Okwadike possesses all that it takes to lead and he never disappointed. Even on the always volatile political space in Anambra, Ezeife maintained unparalleled dignity, in and out of office, without a tinge of controversy ever trailing him.
It was not because of his academic pedigree, having bagged a Dotoral Degree in Economics from the prestigious Harvard University, in the US, nor was it due to experiences garnered as a Permanent Secrteary in the nation’s public service. His humility largely drew from two fronts: his family upbringing and his his Christian religious inclination. The former governor told me during an interview that “two things that propel me to behave the way I do are, the positive character ingrained in me by my parents; the second were the heavy dose of Christian ideals I got from the Salvation Army where I worship. When you allow the positives push your actions, then you don’t have to look behind you in taking decisions as it would sways be positive and in the interest of majority of the people to be affected by such actions or decision”.
No wonder of all his counterparts, he is perhaps the only one who has no gate leading to his compound, neither does he have any security detail trailing behind him or harassing people who wants to see him.
Upon his passage, the encomiums were as large as tgey were thunderous. From President Bola Tinubu who described Ezeifevas one of the finest politicians and leaders Nigeria ever had, to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio who described him as ab unparalleled leader, up to incumbent and past state governors, members of the diplomatic mission, political and cultural groups, the testimonials were loud and clear: that Ezeife lived unblemished lifestyle; he was an icon worthy of emulation and one whose legacies must be immortalised.
Perhaps, one of the greatest tributes made of Okwadike came from his colleague at the time, a former governor of Ogun State, Segun Osoba, who not only commended Ezeife’s astute and accountable leadership, but one of the strongest leaders of NADECO, who refused to go on exile, even when it was too dangerous to still remain in the country. But, Ezeife believed that a clear conscience should fear no accusation. And so, Ezeife never placed his life above anyone’s else. No wonder he lived a spartan simple lifestyle.
When his burial obsequies were being carried out, Ezeife received a grandiose burial with the high and mighty, small and the extreme peasant, thronging to see how the great man would transit to heaven.
With high flight personalities like John Cardinal Onaiyekan, the emeritus Catholic Archbishop of Abuja; former Senate Presidents, Adophus Wabara, Anyim Pius Anyim; former Governor Emeka Ihedioha, former ministers, members of the National and State Assemblies as well as a plethora of citizens across the country, the almost two weeks burial activities of the elder statesman showcases what a typical Nigerian ought to be.
As if Ezeife himself was clairvoyant, shortly before his passage, he had constituted a funeral committee to oversee his befitting transition to eternal glory.
According to a former Commissioner for Environment in Anambra State, Dr. Ifedi Okwenna, who became the Secretary of that committee, Ezeife told him at his sick bed that: “Okwadike (Ezeife) gave me the task of giving him a befitting burial before he died. He called me inside his room and said if anything happens, this is on your head. Call this person, that person, they will help you.
“So I had no other option immediately he was pronounced dead, than to put the machinery in motion and eventually we were able to get this set and so it was an assignment that I knew when it came and I never got tired. It was a hectic assignment, putting things together.
“Ezeife was a man acceptable all over Nigeria as a Nationalist, so the response was very wonderful and everyone that you approached to support wanted to contribute and we give gratitude to God that we gave him a befitting burial”.
With the razzmatazz, the emotions and the sight seeing his burial turned out to be, one thing became clear, money, political brigandage, which seems to have become the norm in Nigeria’s polity, as well as unbridled greed, were all demystified at Okwadike’s passage; good name, positive character and living accountable life style took the center stage. Okwadike opened a new lexicon in good leadership. It appears that the likes of late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Akanu Ibiam, Michael Okpara and Sam Onunaka Mbakwe, received a new Saint at the abode of God Almighty.
If our political leaders are desirous of learning any lesson, Okwadike provided the pedestal for such and there was no doubt about that.
