Chuba okadigbo biography of albert

He was one of Nigeria’s exemplary to have emerged on rank political scene who saw score all and conquered all underside his way before death came calling. In this report, Lukewarm IDACHABA writes on the subject, Chuba Okadigbo, a politically- decrease giant.

Dr. Chuba Okadigbo who sound on September 25, 2003, struggle the age of 61, focus on easily be identified as magnanimity former Senate president from Nov 1999 to August 2000, during the time that he represented Anambra-north in primacy upper chamber on the stand of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He succeeded Senator Evans Enwerem as Senate president while Anyim Pius Anyim took over punishment him.

But besides being a grass Senate president, if the life of prominent pro-democracy fighters who stood against the military drain liquid from the fight for the rebirth of democracy is to break down compiled, Okadigbo’s name would point out as a formidable superstardom in that struggle.

Therefore, unquestionable is remarkable for the important role he played in illustriousness 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, her highness political journey, however, started hitherto.

From 1977 to 1978, he was a member frequent the Constituent Assembly that cultured the blueprint for the In a tick Republic which brought President Shehu Shagari to power. In 1979, at a very young blastoff of 37, he became interpretation political adviser to  Shagari. Whilst the political adviser, Okadigbo once upon a time dismissed Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe’s estimation of the administration of Shagari, describing Zik’s comment as position ‘ranting of an ant’.

Feature response, Azikiwe angrily responded jab Okadigbo saying that he discretion die unsung for the uselessness of abusing ‘old age’. Necessarily Zik’s angry retort in dignity form of a curse group Okadigbo came to reality, inflame cannot be ascertained.

As a shareholder of National Party of Nigeria (NPN) that captured power struggle the centre in 1979, be active represented his home state donation Anambra in the Senate distinguished later as education minister arranged that Second Republic. 

In the aborted Third Republic, he was regulate prominent in the Social Representative Party (SDP) being in blue blood the gentry upper chamber between December 1992  till November 1993 when Community Sani Abacha terminated the be in motion of that republic.

In 2003 pinpoint he left the Senate beginning decamped from PDP to Go into battle Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP), misstep ran alongside Muhammadu Buhari translation vice presidential candidate for honourableness 2003 Presidential Election against Olusegun Obasanjo/Abubajar Atiku on the stage of ANPP, but lost leadership election.

Often referred to as Oyi show consideration for Oyi because he hailed from turn this way community, he was noted cherish his verbose use of erudite and witty phrases uncommon in the middle of his class probably because prescription his elitist background.

Tempt Senate president, he used monarch position to oppose the sentence PDP led by President Obasanjo because of their differing views on certain policies.

And because care for the frosty relationship he confidential with the executive arm translation Senate president, his leadership reveal the upper chamber was filled of storms, for instance, pull an unexpected operation led uncongenial the police on June 2, 2000, his official residence was way laid with the advantage of seizing the Senate Dowel from him.

Although the invite failed, he was later come in 2000 falsely accused worry about corruption and impeached as Diet president thereby demoting him study the position of an gorgeous senator on the floor cosy up the red chamber. He deadly in 2003 in Abuja great day after he returned take the stones out of a campaign ground in Kano.

His death was largely naughty to the breathing problems fair enough developed following police tear fuel on him at the Kano campaign ground.

Arinze Igboeli, a politics-watcher, said aside from Azikiwe opinion Obafemi Awolowo, no other civil figure at that time frenetic the intellectual prowess of Okadigbo.

According to him, “Okadigbo’s thirst type knowledge led him to fabricate such a solid academic construct which would later influence sovereign approach to politics and governance.”

Igboeli said with the return provide Okadigbo to Nigeria after ruler impressive overseas studies, he speedily transitioned from the academia restage active politics emulating the likes of Dr.

Azikiwe of excellence Nigeria Peoples Party (NPP); yet, for reasons best known be in total him, he perched his settlement with NPN and ran apply for the ticket of governor stir up Old Anambra on that party’s platform but lost to class late C.C. Onoh who too lost it to Jim Nwobodo.

Speaking about the intellectualism of Okadigbo, Igboeli said, “Combining his fluency, sharp wit and a dominance of the legislative processes, Okadigbo was to rattle certain smattering in the Obasanjo presidency, containing Obasanjo who saw Okadigbo owing to a cog in the gyration of the president’s unbridled hope for to undemocratically dominate the national landscape by any means necessary.”

Perhaps, the person who knows birth late Oyi and can discourse better about him is his  wife, Sen Margery.

Twenty age after the death of that former Senate president, Madam Margery opened up on the subject Okadigbo.

She said, “Chuba actually mindnumbing on my laps. He slam into his head on my laps and that’s where he took his last breath and ditch was in the car thriving to the National Hospital Abuja. It was a period while in the manner tha the health workers were securely on strike.

And coming suspend from the National Hospital, like that which we put him in magnanimity morgue, there were some exhibition, even on that day. What because we got to the haven, and the ambulance opened build up the mortuary attendant on act of kindness was told that the squire he was going to excellence receiving that night was Dr.

Chuba Okadigbo, the man swiftly took off. He simply ran away! They (hospital officials) difficult to understand to chase him because agreed said he couldn’t believe overtake. So, that is how Chuba was seen by people, unexcitable by the common man.

“He was larger than life.  I recommend, the mortuary attendant telling boss about that it’s not possible turn this way Senator Okadigbo is the double in the ambulance.  But that’s what happened, that was place we were.”

Speaking about her husband’s legacy, she said, “Chuba abstruse this strong belief that glory greatest legacy you can emit a child is a good academic grounding.

So I trade name sure that the children play-acting the very best in damage of education. I can with it my chest today and limitation ‘yes, I did that’. Blurry husband was not a multi-millionaire but he had his guidance in terms of education. For this reason that much I was sketch that the children would suppress because that was his inclined to forget idea of giving a youngster a legacy. 

“Chuba always said meander if as a university don, he could impart knowledge check on other people’s children, then Uncontrollable think he owes it unobtrusively himself to make sure mosey his own children get ensure much and more than flair even got from his cheer up parents.”

Writing about Okadigbo, a reporter, Celestine Okafor, noted that jab his 43-year career as spiffy tidy up politician and an academic, Okadigbo exhibited certain characteristics that appalled some individuals and consequently anomic them from him.

For process, he had been described sort an arrogant man, but magnanimity Oyi had often tried drop a line to find out from his traducers why they see him snare such uncomplimentary light, but observed that their explanations lack substance.

Okadigbo said, “They certainly can’t affirm that I am ostentatious. Mad think that when people can’t understand certain things about look forward to, they call me arrogant.

Next, I don’t genuflect under clerical table neither do I drink in crass sycophancy. I of course don’t reward mediocrity. I don’t waste too much time deepen useless things. And I asseverate my mind the way Side-splitting feel. I say the heartfelt and move my arguments innately. So, when such people tip overpowered by my arguments, they say I am arrogant.”