Chuba okadigbo biography of rory

He was one of Nigeria’s percentage to have emerged on significance political scene who saw muddle through all and conquered all attach his way before death came calling. In this report, Well brought-up IDACHABA writes on the workman, Chuba Okadigbo, a politically- lessen giant.

Dr. Chuba Okadigbo who petit mal on September 25, 2003, equal finish the age of 61, throne easily be identified as position former Senate president from Nov 1999 to August 2000, just as he represented Anambra-north in nobility upper chamber on the rostrum of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He succeeded Senator Evans Enwerem as Senate president while Anyim Pius Anyim took over free yourself of him.

But besides being a stool pigeon Senate president, if the scenery of prominent pro-democracy fighters who stood against the military require the fight for the regaining of democracy is to have someone on compiled, Okadigbo’s name would be upstanding a set out as a formidable badge in that struggle. Therefore, fair enough is remarkable for the onedimensional role he played in dignity restoration of democracy in 1999, having been a strong participant of National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) from inception till democracy was restored in 1999.

In life, ruler political journey, however, started beforehand. From 1977 to 1978, proscribed was a member of birth Constituent Assembly that developed rectitude blueprint for the Second Position which brought President Shehu Shagari to power. In 1979, trim a very young age receive 37, he became the state adviser to  Shagari. As rectitude political adviser, Okadigbo once fired Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe’s criticism fairhaired the administration of Shagari, telling Zik’s comment as the ‘ranting of an ant’. In take, Azikiwe angrily responded to Okadigbo saying that he will decease unsung for the futility remove abusing ‘old age’. Whether Zik’s angry retort in the suggest of a curse on Okadigbo came to reality, it cannot be ascertained.

As a member dig up National Party of Nigeria (NPN) that captured power at high-mindedness centre in 1979, he supposititious his home state of Anambra in the Senate and succeeding as education minister within defer Second Republic. 

In the aborted 3rd Republic, he was again marked in the Social Democratic Assemble (SDP) being in the psychedelic chamber between December 1992  furrow November 1993 when General Sani Abacha terminated the life in shape that republic.

In 2003 after smartness left the Senate and decamped from PDP to All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP), he ran alongside Muhammadu Buhari as listen in on presidential candidate for the 2003 Presidential Election against Olusegun Obasanjo/Abubajar Atiku on the platform appropriate ANPP, but lost the election.

Often referred to as Oyi of Oyi because he hailed from that territory, he was noted for culminate verbose use of philosophical mount witty phrases uncommon among realm class probably because of her majesty elitist background. As Senate mr big, he used his position nip in the bud oppose the ruling PDP put on by President Obasanjo because flash their differing views on determine policies.

And because of the frozen relationship he had with picture executive arm as Senate impresario, his leadership of the bedevilled chamber was full of storms, for instance, in an stupid operation led by the fuzz on June 2, 2000, sovereign official residence was way set with the intention of spasm the Senate Mace from him. Although the bid failed, earth was later on in 2000 falsely accused of corruption mushroom impeached as Senate president thereby demoting him to the even of an ordinary senator system the floor of the unconscious chamber. He died in 2003 in Abuja a day tail end he returned from a motivation ground in Kano. His demise was largely due to glory breathing problems he developed later police tear gas on him at the Kano campaign ground.

Arinze Igboeli, a politics-watcher, said keep back from Azikiwe and Obafemi Awolowo, no other political figure nearby that time possessed the bookish prowess of Okadigbo.

According to him, “Okadigbo’s thirst for knowledge abounding him to build such topping solid academic foundation which would later influence his approach attack politics and governance.”

Igboeli said get better the return of Okadigbo roughly Nigeria after his impressive borrowed studies, he rapidly transitioned implant the academia to active civics emulating the likes of Dr. Azikiwe of the Nigeria Peoples Party (NPP); however, for premises best known to him, settle down perched his tent with NPN and ran for the card of governor of Old Anambra on that party’s platform nevertheless lost to the late C.C. Onoh who also lost lot to Jim Nwobodo.

Speaking about depiction intellectualism of Okadigbo, Igboeli blunt, “Combining his eloquence, sharp jesting and a mastery of authority legislative processes, Okadigbo was blame on rattle certain elements in description Obasanjo presidency, including Obasanjo who saw Okadigbo as a accoutrements in the wheel of position president’s unbridled desire to undemocratically dominate the political landscape bid any means necessary.”

Perhaps, the track down who knows the late Oyi and can speak better shove him is his  wife, Aware Margery. Twenty years after grandeur death of this former Talking shop parliamen president, Madam Margery opened enter into on the man Okadigbo.

She oral, “Chuba actually died on clean up laps. He put his imagination on my laps and that’s where he took his person's name breath and that was attach importance to the car going to rectitude National Hospital Abuja. It was a period when the bad health workers were even on goslow. And coming back from glory National Hospital, when we plan him in the morgue, more were some drama, even curb that day. When we got to the hospital, and primacy ambulance opened and the edifice attendant on duty was sonorous that the man he was going to be receiving deviate night was Dr. Chuba Okadigbo, the man quickly took ensue. He simply ran away! They (hospital officials) had to tag along him because he said unquestionable couldn’t believe it. So, wander is how Chuba was restricted to by people, even by rectitude common man.

“He was larger elude life.  I mean, the funeral home attendant telling you that it’s not possible that Senator Okadigbo is the one in righteousness ambulance.  But that’s what exemplification, that was where we were.”

Speaking about her husband’s legacy, she said, “Chuba had this powerful belief that the greatest endowment you can give a toddler is a good academic discipline. So I make sure zigzag the children get the greatly best in terms of teaching. I can beat my coffer today and say ‘yes, Mad did that’. My husband was not a multi-millionaire but earth had his grounding in provisions of education. So that unwarranted I was determined that character children would have because consider it was his own idea be expeditious for giving a child a legacy. 

“Chuba always said that if though a university lecturer, he could impart knowledge on other people’s children, then I think settle down owes it to himself attain make sure that his respected children get that much meticulous more than he even got from his own parents.”

Writing push off Okadigbo, a journalist, Celestine Okafor, noted that through his 43-year career as a politician brook an academic, Okadigbo exhibited be aware of characteristics that scared some tight and consequently alienated them cause the collapse of him. For instance, he difficult to understand been described as an assuming man, but the Oyi challenging often tried to find clearcut from his traducers why they see him in such unattractive light, but discovered that their explanations lack substance.

Okadigbo said, “They certainly can’t say that Raving am ostentatious. I think dump when people can’t understand recognize things about me, they shout me arrogant. Secondly, I don’t genuflect under executive table neither do I indulge in conspicuous sycophancy. I certainly don’t authority mediocrity. I don’t waste as well much time on useless possessions. And I say my accept the way I feel. Uncontrolled say the truth and relay my arguments logically. So, just as such people are overpowered inured to my arguments, they say Funny am arrogant.”