It is quite obvious that in the recent past political dispensation especially at the state level that many of our governors did not care a hoot about the impact of their presence. The reality of the afore stated truism was their least concern. It just did not bother them.
How else can one explain the problems of increased poverty, lost opportunities for growth, and even further decayed infrastructure that they bequeathed to their people?
Unfortunately, the antics of such ill-intentioned governors, coupled with the rather unfortunate sweeping but yet unproven (in some cases) allegations of corruption against virtually all former governors by Nuhu Ribadu, the EFCC boss either by his speech or his actions has made most of us to fail to see and recognize the positive legacies of some few of our immediate past governors.
Thus, when issues concerning almost all past governors come up in the media, all one sees is that we all tend to lump them all together as corrupt and abominable. Personally I do not believe this is right, especially when some clearly did quite well and left positive legacies.
But then, this kind of development may not be new. Chief Obafemi Awolowo is regarded by many Nigerians today as a great leader. However, the fact remains that this was not always the case. In those heady days when he was in office as Premier of Western Region, and even immediately afterwards, quite a number of people thought the worst of him. He faced all sorts of accusations, wild allegations and tribulations.
Several years on later, we all saw the positive impact of Awo's administration. Today no one can deny these facts. For the facts speak for themselves. Great Awo clearly gave the West an edge over all the other regions of the country in terms of development in virtually every important sector of our national life by the policies and activities of his administration.
Even in terms of infrastructural developments, the structures Awo's administration put in place remain the bedrock upon which all the states which the then western region was split into build upon till date.
I happen to have taken a tour of some sorts in that part of the country not too long ago. In many places, it is only some of the structures that the Awolowo administration put in place that many of the villages, towns and cities can boast of till date. Yet, Awolowo was vilified at a point in time and accused of all sorts of evils.
Despite the accusations of corruption and other evils against Awo then, time has revealed the overall positive legacies of his efforts and also showed that those negative allegations were a product of envy by Awo's detractors and self-serving political actors keen on winning the next election, who resorted to outright lying against the innocent.
A look at the leadership of Awo today, reveals the picture of a philosopher – king dedicated to the service of the common good of his people.
Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia, the former governor of my own Former Mid-west region also suffered a similar fate. But looking at Edo and Delta States which the Mid-west was broken into, it becomes obvious that no matter the accusations against Ogbemudia, he remains yet the best leader to have served the Mid-west area. His legacies still speak till date.
It is against this background and given the fact that Dr. Peter Odili has seemingly become an issue in the media yet again with some deliberately trying to smear his name albeit to score cheap political points that I find it necessary to take another look at the Odili administration in Rivers State and encourage fellow Nigerians to do the same.
We have passed this road of accusing visionary and effective leaders before and I do believe that it is time we learn from history. And rather give kudos to them, especially when they are no longer in office.
Already, I am coming to the conclusion that the mish-mash of allegations of corruption and other evils suddenly whipped up against Odili (who until then we all believed was a “Golden Governor”), just before and soon after the last presidential elections were a product of political chicanery.
How else can one explain that no one is yet able to point to just one foreign account Odili allegedly loaded billions into? At least we have seen the case of other former governors. How come his accusers are yet to show us a picture of one of the several refineries they allege he owns worldwide? How come they can't even show us a picture of at least a section of the best hospital they allege he built in South Africa that was said to be commissioned by the Madiba himself? Or did Odili build all these things under ground or in space above the various countries they allege he built them? Even then, is it not possible to take the pictures of these establishments via satellite or some equipment that goes underground? As a retired school teacher I may not know, so I think his accusers should assist us in this wise or shut up forever.
To be quite honest as the days go by, it is already becoming obvious that most of the allegations against Odili are puerile, lies and old wives tale meant to deceive the unwary or those whose forte is ignorance to hold a compassionate and visionary leader in contempt.
What I now clearly see, having taking a thorough look at issues is that Dr. Peter Odili has left a good legacy in Rivers State in almost every sector that has a positive impact not only in Rivers State but in Nigeria as a whole. Our new governors may well learn and copy the Odili example.
His personal charisma, intelligent analysis of issues as well as his common touch and broad smiles will remain a permanent feature in our minds especially those who had the opportunity to see him whilst he was governor of Rivers. That to me is a positive legacy. To have taken on the leadership of the state with a humane, compassionate and generous disposition is in itself a worthy legacy for a state.
I may not have personally been an immediate beneficiary of his famed generosity but I am happy that he had that approach and that some fellow Nigerians especially those who benefited from the N300million his administration paid as compensation to the victims families of the Sosoliso Flight Crash in Port Harcourt. It touched my heart. Odili did not only cry with the bereaved, he also reached out to them in more ways than one. Odili's legacy of being caring governor is one that will clearly last for all time.
The critical area of our national life in which Odili has placed an indelible mark is the area of power. This gentleman's administration refurbished the Eleme Gas Turbine which for the first time, was providing electricity to the entire Ogoni axis, built the 36 MW Trans-Amadi Gas Turbine Plant and capped it with the building of the biggest gas turbine independent power plant yet in Nigeria, the 150MW Omoku Plant.
All these developments to my mind point to a leader who clearly desires the well-being of the people. Unfortunately, this laudable achievement in the power sector became yet a point of malicious allegations against Odili by clearly ill-intentioned detractors. They falsely alleged that the cost of the contracts for the constructions of the plants were out of this world, as if one can't check certain facts out on the internet anymore. Besides, it has become obvious that Rivers got the Plant at a bargain cost. For no sooner had the Omoku been commissioned than the Federal Government followed the Odili example. The Federal Government was given a bigger bill by the same Rockson Engineering Company that built the Omoku Plant.
Four months ago, the PHCN in Rivers State revealed that 60% of the power being used in Port Harcourt city today comes from the Omoku Plant. This is despite of the fact that the plant is not working at full capacity because PHCN does not have the capacity to distribute all the power being generated from the plant.
I am not writing all these to praise Odili but rather to state the facts. In any case I do not even know him personally. I find it rather sad that a leader who has clearly set the pace for development not only in Rivers State but in the nation is constantly subjected to undue disparaging remarks in the media especially by some self appointed “critics” from the South-South as well as other voices of deceit in other parts of the nation.
It is my firm conviction that visionary leaders like Odili and others like him who have actually toiled in the service of the people and delivered some clear democracy dividends that we can all see should not be discouraged from serving the people. We should not keep quiet and allow some self-serving cantankerous and ill-intentioned few to continually smear the reputation of men who have clearly done quite well in their service of our society. To allow them to have their way whilst we all keep quiet will discourage some other well-meaning people from coming out to serve. The thinking will be, “If people like Odili who have clearly done quite a lot are constantly crucified in the media circles by wicked men whilst the majorities who have benefited from the activities of men like Odili keep quiet, then what is the point in serving the society?”
These base fellows who have nothing to show that they themselves have done for society over the several decades they have been on earth other than the fact that they play to the gallery time and again in such a way as to continually enrich themselves at the expense of the society should not be allowed to have a field day constantly piling false allegations against the innocent.
Some of such fellows have time and again been quick to make allegations of corruption against Odili. What I find annoying is the fact they are yet to provide evidence for a single one of their allegations other than the fact that they continually whip up sentiments.
If Odili is corrupt as they alleged, why will Odili invest N40billion for Rivers State , part of which was the N10billion investment in Tinapa? Will he not have simply siphoned such sums easily? We all know what happens in this country.
Even our President, Umar Yar'Adua was said to have left behind about N6billion or so on the treasury. Aside of investments and other development; the truth is that Odili left behind N5billion cash in the treasury for the incoming administration. We also all know what happened in other States. Most incoming governors met empty treasuries and a pile of debts.
I believe that as a society, we should not be ungrateful and allow those who have faithfully served society to the best of their ability to be constantly ridiculed by those who do so out of ignorance or plain wickedness. Our gratitude should show itself in acknowledging the efforts of visionary and great leaders especially when they are no longer in office.
Odili's administration had the unique achievement of building 1,200 houses in his first 100 days in office. Interestingly, such development in housing continued throughout his tenure.
His commitment to the welfare of workers during his tenure made him a friend of the Nigerian Labour Congress. In fact he was the only first state governor to pay the new minimum wage introduced by the Federal Government when most other governors whose states clearly had the capacity to pay the minimum wage were busy finding ways of how not to pay.
The procurement of 200 brand new cars for the first-ever city cab system operating at 70% subsidy clearly marked out Odili as a man of the future. Despite the challenges that scheme has faced, the reality is that it is a positive legacy, in dealing with the perennial problem of transportation.
The creation of an efficient micro-credit scheme with the payment of N500million into a micro-credit scheme is also a positive legacy as that particular programme has till date lifted several families out of desperate poverty. If this is not a good legacy, what then can be? More so, it is a sustainable programme.
In the area of healthcare I have also observed that Odili left worthy legacies. The new Braithwaite hospital is one of the best in the country. If our other governors have shown the same commitment as Odili to the health sector, my guess is by now it would have had an impact on the life expectancy of the average Nigerian.
In view of recent developments in the polity and with people saying or writing one thing or the other about Odili, I do believe that the good legacy Odili has left in Rivers State and the positive impact of that legacy on the nation itself will be the voice of posterity for years to come. If all that Odili has done for Rivers are not good legacies; then what is?
Indeed, if I may sound prophetic the sweet fragrance of the aroma of the “golden governor” will only waft stronger overtime. Somehow, I have this conviction that there are yet great days of service on the national front for this great son of Africa , who I see will eventually become a political institution like Awo, Zik and the rest of them. It is only a matter of time.
CHIEF SUNDAY OSILAMA writes from Ivioche Quarters, Ogbona, Edo State .
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