Weep Not for Okadigbo

by Ejike Okpa II

Do not weep yet. It does not matter what the ‘INTER’ and ‘INTRA’ relationships are: majority with minority and minority on minority, Nigerians big or small, have not learned how to live with themselves.

While Okadigbo may have been in the center of many things, no one should be so disturbed about what he drafted, crafted and or grafted, they have no viable legacy. Ogbunike his home town is no better than what it was some years before Okadigbo was born and after he made his [in]famous entry into national polity.

How can he Okadigbo be credited with citing of Asaba as the capital of Delta when IBB with his inlaws in the town and was heavily worshipped by Sunny Odogwu [inlaw], was instrumental in creating some of Nigeria’s ill conceived states?

It is no brainer studying what Okadigbo did politically because it was nothing except the noise and apparent smoke without FIRE. I am sure if the minorities are left on their own they will not do better than their abusive majority. So what is the consolation and hope? I have no answer but TALK of the living and forget the dead. The dead have no powers and no matter the eulogy, the living have the chance of undoing what the dead left behind.

Look forward and not back. and if you want to look backward, Okadigbo’s presence in Nigerian politics does not merit study nor serious comment. The man showed up and used all kinds of gimmicks to get where he got but at the end, he was faulted and shamed by the same thing that he thought he was above.

Had Ogbunike benefited in anyway, I would have seen the need to miss the man. But since Ogbunike is still largely the ‘CAVE TOWN’ it has always been and its people remain one of the marginalized in the scheme of things in Anambra [politically speaking], Okadigbo is better remembered as a flame that came and left without leaving any mark.

The early Ogbunike politician of repute Chief Onwudiwe [though he was trashed/defeated by Onyeama na Eke], did better with little formal education than Okadigbo did with his array of paper qualifications.

No one should weep when politicians of Okadigbo’s style pass on in Nigeria. That Nigeria is where it is, what it is, partly because of the machinations of people like Okaidigbo who when they returned from US trumpeted their way into power but did nothing with the people’s mandate except ABUSE.

Was Okadigbo not witness to the killing/maiming of innocent political supporters of Emeka Ojukwu and Edwin Onwudiwe when the two clashed at Nkpor junction during 1983 battle for Onitsha senatorial zone election? At the said junction, Jim Nwobodo was traveling with Edwin Onwudiwe [NPP] {an Ogbunike man from the same town as Okadigbo} and Ojukwu was with Okadigbo [NPN] and when they met at the junction fight ensued and many died and got wounded. Sort of what happened in Kano when teargas was used.

Okadigbo never apologized to the families nor accepted responsibility. Those that died at the junction were never compensated nor any investigation conducted. It was swept under the carpet and life went on. Their spirit is still seeking justice.

I do not want to dwell on this subject. Okadigbo came, saw and conquered nothing. He played, refereed, changed the rule, re-wrote the rule but at the end, he WON nothing and may never be remembered for anything politically speaking.

Yes, he is an acclaimed speaker and delivered all the political views, but you have to look at the audience and ask yourself, are these people that can comment?

When more than 60% of those that seat in Nigerian Senate got there by some foul play and basically have no education in the sense of legislative undertaking or understanding, it should not surprise anyone that people like Okadigbo that possess some ability to read and write, are considered genius and very eloquent. They shine when majority do not know what it is they are doing.

It was easy for Okadigbo to have been considered one of the best Nigerian Senate presidents but look at the senate and tell me if a goat with a PhD could not be given such an accolade?

I REST!

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9 comments

Benny Okoye December 2, 2009 - 8:04 pm

The late Senate President Chuba Okadigbo was not only an excellent orator or a respected idealist but also a man of steel and principles. Chuba may have had a Ph.D. in Political Science and may have indeed been an astute political strategist, but in lowering his guard thereafter, he betrayed extreme naivety about the Emperor’s character flaws and ultimately set himself up for the sucker punch, which was swift in coming. The rest is now history.

MR EJIKE OKPA GET SOME EDUCATION!

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Engr Ekpokoba November 28, 2009 - 2:36 am

The Islamic majority of the nothern Nigeria have their right to their Sharia law or what you call it. if you dont like it then leave them alone.

The notherners are not guilty forb the situation in Nigeria. During the Nigeria civil war almost the whole Nigeria helped the notherners to fight the Ibos and today you are complaning about them. The main officers in the Nigerian army before the war were the Yorubas and Ibos Infact the southerners and today you people are complaining? If I am to be a notherner I will show you Ibos and Yorubas how much totois is prised at ekeoha market. It was said that a lady who stays on her own offboard a boat complains that she was not given space

You sold your birthright and now you are complaning. shame on you. SHARIA THIS SHARIA THAT. You cowards you run away to exile and shout like a woman who locked herself up in her room and then is brave enough to cause her cruel husband. How many of you came out really as a genuine respected Nigerian except with Ghana must GO. Now you are wise and all of you are expaerts about Nigerian problem. “CURRUPION CURRUPTON, This one is GOOD that one is BAD”

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boslyna dom April 6, 2009 - 6:56 pm

mr ejike okpa,so far so good.and as long as God the giver of life keeps us all alive we shall continue to speck vibrantly.well is not a bad thing that u air your mind.to my mind i would not not say that you have spoken very badly.but my prayers reminds that God should grant you all you require to build up what u have in mind[thank God that you are a politecian,then we can be able to compair and contras.

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michael June 25, 2006 - 11:09 pm

first things first,i'm amazed that a person of your standing can speak so distastefully about the dead.

more importantly,Dr Chuba Okadigbo was a very honourable,hardworking,straight-talking politician.

you on the other hand would be lucky to possess half the man's qualites which is why you will probably never succeed in United States politics.there is such a thing as being diplomatic and tasteful about the things you say,thats one of the qualities that endear the public to their politicians!how can you put out such an article on the deceased?did you think about the family's loss?did you consult your public relations officer bofore you went to press with that?the article,your choice of language was totally barbaric and the people you expect to vote for you in subsequent elections will read it and get a taste of the kind of person you are and you'll never end up in office!

once again,you'll be lucky to achieve half the things Dr Okadigbo achieved!

this is open to debate/dialogue,even though you do not strike me as the kind of man to discuss.

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Anonymous April 7, 2006 - 10:58 am

I have been longing to see you. My phone no. Is 08033234696.

Benji ejiofor

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Papa Duba (onye awka) January 27, 2006 - 8:17 am

Mr Ejike, You seem to have a lot of figures on Dr Okadigbo, but people like you (Ejike) who live outside Nigeria and make noice, would do worse than Okadigbo if you were to come back home. Since you claim to know it all, and can even contest in USA politics(as you claim), how come you never thought it patriotic enough to come home and help out in Nigeria politics and governence. Oh short you mouth there Ejike, you are just a loud mouth of a guy. We have seen people like you who come back home and run off after a few months back to the cool comfort of America that others had worked for.

You most likely went to USA as a student (I guess), just like Okadigbo did. The last time I checked, students go home to apply their studies, just like Okadigbo did. At least he was patriotic enough to come home, while people like you stay back in school(USA).

Tell me Mr,… what have you ever done for your people?. Lets start from your direct family memebers back home. Tell us where you are from(town/vilage) and we will check it out and praise or boo you. Until then , please be silent.

What more can I tell you,…. Are you seeking some sort of fame or what?. Anything is nothing, till it get home, if you've got some, come home and show us what you've got. I mean brain, please.

Papa Duba (Onye Awka)

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Anonymous January 4, 2006 - 10:30 am

Dear Autuor,

Your assesment of Rt. Honourable Dr. Chuba Okadigbo is very dissapointing.Pray that you should posses 10 of his qualities.Okadigbo was a genius

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Anonymous August 14, 2005 - 1:28 pm

excellent writing we need courageous people like you in Nigerian politics Okadigbo was once my hero due to his outspokeness but my distaste for him started after he teamed up with presidential aspirant Muhammed Buhari as his running mate Buhari had promised to set up islamic state in Nigeria if he had won the election(complete with sharia laws) since then i began to look at Okadigbo as somebody who will accept anything to get into office sharia law was ok to him as long as he was the vice president of the nation. Remember Buhari and Okadigbo did not accept the election outcome and that was the issue that led to numerous protest marches by the duo including the outing that led to his death.

Okadigbo would have been alive today had he not been in Kano if he had held strongly to his views and put democracy first instead of personal aggrandizement.

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Anonymous May 5, 2005 - 1:10 pm

Ejike Okpa:

I pity you very much. You are so sensitive about your orgin and current socil standing that you are mockingy the dead. When Dr. Okadigbo was alive and one of the giants of the Nigerian political scene, you were mute. Now that he has joined his ancestors, you have learned how to talk. Without giving your irresponsible writings and thoughtless scribbles any futher consideration because they are simply hapharzation essembles of rotten gabbage, those thoughts of yours are actually not in the garbage can but in the incinerator covered in order to minimize their stench until they are incinerated for use in planting some inedible crops. We have heard you and you have not come out smelling like a rose. I never expected a moron to have heard or have suddenly developed selective amnesia. Have you forgottten that The Late Hon. Dr Chuba Okadigbo was found innocent of all allegations by the Senate of the federal Republic Of Nigeria. Do not gloat that the "son of the leopard" has translated.

The comment was written by

Anagbogu Anyaegbunam

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