Okigbo: Tribute to a legend


By Prof. Uka Ezenwe  (EMAIL)
Ahmadu Bello University
Zaria, Nigeria
Sunday, October 29, 2000


Although I had read several of his works, I never met the man, Pius Okigbo until at the 1975 annual conference of the Nigerian Economic Society (NES) which was held in mid May at the Bagauda Lake Hotel, Kano. At that conference Pius presented a commissioned lead paper entitled Interpersonal Income distribution in Nigeria. His presentation was unique in its originality and focus, masterly and provocative in its depth of analyses, and rich and flawless in its factual information that all floor comments were positive and complimentary. I could not get a copy of the paper because the organisers produced less than the actual number of participants. I therefore had to approach the author for a copy and in the process struck a life-long friendship with Pius. It is indeed an irony of fate that it was at the same annual conference of the Nigeria Economic Society � this time at NICON Hilton Hotel, Abuja that the rumour filtered through, and later confirmed, that the former President and Fellow of the Nigeria Economic Society passed on on September 12, 2000.

For those of us who knew this intellectual giant well and whose lives he influenced, directly or indirectly, it is difficult to come to terms with his transition.

Born on February 6,1924 in Ojoto-Uno in Idemili South Local Government area of Anambra State, Dr. Pius Nwabufo Charles Okigbo had a horizontal education right from primary school. The late renowned economist started his long educational career at St. Odilia Primary School, Ojoto (1930-32) from where he moved to St. Mary's Primary School, Onitsha, and concluded at St. Mathew's Primary School, Adazi, Anambra State in 1936.

Pius also attended the famous Christ the King College, Onitsha (1937-40), Higher College, Yaba (1941-42), Achimota College, Ghana (1942-43) and London University, England (1944-48), and later first and Second academic missionary journeys to Northeastern University (1952-54, 1955-56) and Oxford University (1954-55, 1957-58). At the end, he harvested degrees in History, Law and Economics. Pius Okigbo was the first African to earn a Ph.D in Economics from Northwestern University, United States. His penchant for academic pursuits is unequalled. As late as 1983, despite over three decades of achievements and high-profile service, Okigbo returned to school and earned a D.Sc in Economics by examination from the University of London.

Dr. Okigbo started his working career as the First Africa Development officer under the colonial and administration (1948-52). Between 1955 and 1958, he lectured in Northwestern University of Wyoming, United States and University College, Oxford, England. He surveyed the Nigerian National Income (1958-60) and was the first Economic Adviser, Government of Eastern Nigeria (1960-62). He was also the first Economic Adviser to the Government of the Federation of Nigerian (1962-67), the First Nigerian Ambassador, European Economic Community (1963-67) and Economic Adviser, Government of Biafra (1967-70)

Happily married, Dr. Okigbo was blessed with six children, three boys and three girls. Unquestionably, Pius was many things to many people. Shortly after the civil war, he founded Skoup and Company Limited, a flourishing economic consulting firm with close associates, like Dr. Sylvester Ugo and his late elder brother, Chief Lawrence Okigbo, Onwa. Earlier he had been chairman, Board of governors, NISER, Ibadan (1963-66). He was also the chairman, Review of the Nigeria Financial System (1976); member, Constituent Assembly (1978); chairman, Presidential Committee on Revenue Allocation (1979-80); chairman, Panel on the Reform of the Central Bank of Nigeria; chairman, Committee on National Policy on Solid Minerals Development (1996) and Special Adviser on Economic Matters to President Olusegun Obasanjo.

In his characteristic forthright orientation, Dr. Okigbo stood for national interest probity, integrity, honour and transparent honesty.

At the international Plane, Dr. Okigbo worked even harder to better the lot of mankind during his lifetime. He was a member, Committee for Technical Co-operation for Africa, South of the Sahara (1960-65); chairman, United Nations Fiscal Commission (1962), and member, United Nations Panel of Experts on the Possibility of an Africa Development Bank (1961).

In fact, Pius was a member of the team that developed the concept document which metamorphosed into the establishment of the African Development Bank in the early 1960's and the bank has to date disbursed almost US$40 billion development assistance to its 53 African Regional members.

Because Dr. Okigbo's achievements were profuse his awards were equally lavish. He was a recipient of Zik's Prize of Leadership in Africa (1966), Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON), 1997; National Order of Merit (1983), and was conferred with the International Order of Merit (I0M) in 1993. During his life time, Pius collected numerous honorary degrees from various universities some of which railed from University of Nigeria (UNN) 1996; D.Litt from Ahmadu Bello University (1989); D.Litt from Federal University of Technology (FUTO) Owerri (1991); D. Sc (Economics) from University of Lagos (1992) and D. Soc. S of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University in 1997. The process of nominating and screening a candidate for an honorary degrees can be engulfed in politics in some universities but when I nominated Pius in a special Senate meeting of ABU for the purpose way back in 1989 there was no single dissenting voice.

Perhaps, one area where Pius Okigbo clearly demonstrated his unparalleled creativity, breath of knowledge, command of language and analytical skills is in his writings. His works are many and varied; the most prominent ones being: Nigeria National Accounts (1952) Nigerian Public Finance (1965); African and the Common Market (1981); and Essays in the Public Philosophy of Development (Vols l-5). Aside from pure academic books, lectures and papers, Dr. Okigbo authored numerous panel reports � single or jointly � designed to address various National and International Problems.

For over four decades Okigbo was deeply involved in uncountable national and International assignments and affairs but he remained humble, firm, selfless and dedicated in the pursuit of truth and justice. He possessed a socially pleasant personality and a sense of good humour. He belonged to a number of social clubs, namely the Nigerian Chess Federation.

All told, Nigeria and indeed the intellectual world have lost a thinker, scholar, author, administrator, patriot, and above all, a first class economists who has contributed greatly to the formulation of the nations major economic policies, the development of education and intentional diplomacy.