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[email protected] Political Scientist USA

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LESSONS FROM OKADIGBO'S DEATH

�m very saddened by the news of the passing of Dr. William Wilberforce Chuba Okadigbo, the Oyi of Oyi and the former Senate president in the fourth republic. He was not only an Anambra son or Igbo son, but a son of Nigeria as he served as an inspiration to me as a young boy and to many others before and after me. I had met him a few times, but most recently in the US four years ago when he accompanied Obasanjo on a state visit. On that trip, I found him to be the same energetic Okadigbo I met back in the days when he was campaigning for NPN in the 1979 presidential elections.

He had made the trip to my school and I was one of those pupils singled out to meet with him. Even at that age, I could appreciate his intellect and his astute acumen. Something told me that he was not just an ordinary politician, he was different from the crop. I was captivated by his oratory and fun disposition. But even more stunning was that a man of his remarkable achievements at that time would descend to my lowly level to encourage a mere schoolboy to follow his dreams and become a productive citizen of the land. He had nothing to gain by this encouragement as I wasn't even of voting age. But in the true spirit of humanity, he showed genuine concern [as he had for much of his life up until that point] by impacting the words of wisdom.

I must confess thus, that Okadigbo inspired me to gain the highest degree academia had to offer in my chosen discipline. I was captivated by his intellect and his unassuming disposition. He had a certain flare about him that attracted many intellectuals. During his days at Nsukka, he was very popular and known as the people's voice. Many of the young male and female students flocked to his corner to learn from this ever-flowing fountain of knowledge. An older cousin of mine who was his student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, today, even in death, still hails him as the greatest teacher he ever had. His newspaper articles underscored to no end his superior intellect and it became obvious that he was the conscience of the people. A particular article he wrote in 1973 launched him into the limelight. That article, which I searched for and finally found twenty years after it was published, is safely archived in my private library. It was a masterpiece, a work that ought to be edged in the ever visible annals of history. It demonstrated his unflappable commitment to the polity and his utter disdain for the palpable lack of probity in governance.

The Okadigbo I knew was a tall, handsome and skillful dancer. In particular, during the above referenced visit to the US in October of 1999, at a state banquet held in honor of the president, Okadigbo, without warning, broke into a "dance of liberation" as he called it after I asked him what that was all about. As the traditional Igbo dancers were dancing to the drums and music, the Oyi of Oyi, sporting his traditional red Igbo hat, leaped from his chair with the agility of a lion, an agility I thought had left him three decades ago. He leaped with his feather-made fan firmly in his grip, and approached the dancers. He then proceeded to make nonsense of the efforts of the lead dancer as he stole everyone's attention with his gyration and twisting. He danced as the spectators broke into a spontaneous chant of "Oyi, Oyi, Oyi".

By the time he finished, to the amazement of all, including the president, Obasanjo, Jibril Aminu, then ambassador to the US, Theophilius Danjuma, then defense minister, Authur Mbanefo, Nigerian UN ambassador, Dr. Kema Chikwe, then transportation minister, Mohamed Lawal, then governor of Kwara, to mention but a few, everyone was on his/her feet to applaud the prowess of the Oyi in this wise. The Igbo dancers, shocked at his performance, instantly offered him an honorary membership.

Okadigbo was not perfect as he had his shortcomings. As his political career progressed, I became increasingly frustrated with his performance as a public servant. There was a palpable disconnect between him and the people he had advocated for much earlier in his politically active days. I felt that he could have had more impact on his people and used his position and education to improve the lot of the average man. His political life was an interesting mix of courage on one hand, and of seeming aloofness on the other. His political astuteness may have been responsible for the apathy that clouded his political posture in his later years and made him to depart from the virtues that had endeared him to the plight of the downtrodden.

In my humble opinion, the Oyi missed a great opportunity to etch his name into the annals of history as a faithful and steadfast pioneer of the people�s cause. In many ways, with all due respect to the dearly departed, he became a victim of his own political shortcomings. If he had used his power, position and leverage in government in the last twenty-five years, especially, as a Senate president, the third most powerful position in the land, to improve the health care system through legislation, building more hospitals with state of the art equipments and competent doctors, he might still have been alive today. Rather than being driven to the hospital and dying in the laps of his wife, he would have been treated in the ambulance by competent paramedics on his way to the hospital.

The alleged cause of death, the inhalation of teargas, is a condition that could have been easily remedied if only we had viable healthcare system. Doctors in the West frequently treat this type of condition which may have affected his respiratory abilities given his age. The Oyi's death could have been prevented only if the Senate he presided over as president for nine months and a member for four years had the foresight and vision to undertake meaningful healthcare reforms rather than embroiling itself in materialistic treaties without regards to its main objectives of improving the lives of the people.

The Oyi himself, in four years, did not see it fit to introduce a bill to revamp our deplorable healthcare system, but rather engaged in the trivialities of power by amassing wealth, cars and misappropriating billions of naira in his short reign as Senate president. Our leaders are used to flying overseas to seek medical attention while neglecting the deplorable healthcare situation on the ground which is the only hope for the poor Nigerian who cannot afford to fly abroad for medical treatment. It is time to look inward, it is time for us to search our souls. It is time for our leaders to be serious about the business of leadership.

Even as we mourn his passing, we should note that the circumstances surrounding his death are very instructive and must be put in perspective. To do otherwise, is to deprive one of the lessons contained therein. He [Okadigbo] once said that he never joined a losing party in his political career in response to criticism that he joined the "northern" party of the NPN rather than joining the NPP, led by his kith and kin, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe. The Oyi must have miscalculated this time by joining the ANPP, a decision that has ultimately taken his life as he was gassed in his efforts to seek redress in the court of law and that of public opinion for the irregularities in the last elections.

The need for our leaders to be consistent and fair is even more evident in this unfortunate case of the passing of Okadigbo. He was said to be in Kano with Buhari protesting [with their numerous supporters] the PDP's rigging of the last elections and canvassing for support in the pending court case. But history will note well that Okadigbo was one of the biggest beneficiaries of the rigged 1979 and massively rigged [August 6] 1983 presidential elections that ":swept" Shagari back into power. Those governments, especially, the shortlived one that was "elected" in 1983, were illegitimate as they never had the power's mandate. Ironically, this was one of the reasons adduced by Buhari, the man who overthrew that government on December 31, 1983, the same man, Okadigbo, joined forces with to protest the alleged irregularities in the most recent elections. But history will also note that Okadigbo did not raise an eyebrow neither did he protest the electoral irregularities then. There is nothing more deserible than leadership by personal example, our leaders should learn how to eschew personal gain and always promote the cause of justice whether it benefits them or not.

The lessons and ironies here are manifold and couldn't be any clearer. It is unfortunate, very unfortunate, that they are coming as a result of this tragedy. But they must be learnt. In this life, we have to maximize each and every opportunity we get as no one knows when that opportunity will lend itself again. It�s imperative that public servants to whom we have entrusted the mantle of leadership be good and faithful stewards, fulfilling their responsibilities to their constituencies in a responsible and acceptable manner and to the best of their abilities. Holding a public office should not mean an opportunity to enrich one's self, but an opportunity to serve the people selflessly and leave an indelible legacy when it�s all done. It means that you leave the people in a better condition than in the one in which you found them. How many of our leaders can claim this legacy today?

It is also instructive for public servants not to utter irresponsible statements such as the threat leveled against the president by Buhari and Okadigbo that he be given the Ghandi/Kennedy treatment. They should reckon that they have no say as to when they leave this world. Their lives are not in their hands as we are all living on borrowed times. This is precisely why we should do right at every opportunity and contribute to humanity selflessly. This why we should enjoy every moment we have and help as many people as we can in recognition of the fact that the judgment of history is far more valuable and indelible than momentary gratification and self-aggrandizement. It is my hope that we can all learn from the unfortunate passing of Okadigbo. It is my hope that the National Assembly and particularly, the Senate, the highest legislative body in the land, would take this opportunity to improve our healthcare system for the benefit of all and institute viable election reforms to prevent such wide-scale rigging by any of the political interests, including the ruling party.

Nonetheless, without equivocation, it must be noted that Nigeria has lost a valuable son, if not in the political realm, in the academic circle. He was author of eight books, all of which I have read in my own search for knowledge. He gained his doctorate from the Catholic University in Washington DC in 1975 and was a professor at Howard University also in Washington DC, not to mention the University of the District of Columbia. His many academic awards go to prove his scholarly prowess and the respect he gained amongst his peers. He was an academic gem, an inspiration to many young Nigerians from Nsukka to Port-Harcourt to Lagos to Kano, etc. I learnt a lot from this Igbo statesman, an �apostle� of the great Zik of Africa, to borrow the words of Dr. Femi Ajayi. His passing is a big blow to academia, especially, the humanities, no matter how you slice it. His work and philosophy will continue to be a stable in the menu of academia. For those of us in political science, his work has continued to challenge us to adopt new prism and to reassess our long held assumptions and beliefs in these fluid political times.

May his soul rest in peace.