PETER OBI AND LEADERSHIP INTEGRITY

Esin Suji

On balance, nobody gave him a chance. To many people, he was a neophyte who would end up wasting his resources and be humiliated. Leave politics to the Politicians, they told him. Those who were familiar with him advised that he bided his time as the State was in the firm grips of powerful forces with strong affinity to Abuja.

But Almighty God was with Peter Obi in his resolve to take up the mantle and challenges of governance in his native Anambra State. He contested and won the 2003 elections into Government House, but was denied access to office. Over a period of three years, he was in court, variously to claim his mandate and reverse an unconstitutional impeachment – surviving all kinds of trip-wires and booby-traps laid in his path by entrenched predatory interests.

Peter Obi's travails and triumphs introduced staggered elections in the country, which was good in the sense that it brought the State under search-light. In April 2010, the young man came up for a second term, which he also won. This time around, sanity had prevailed and several of his co-contestants promptly congratulated him and pledged their loyalty to the progress of the State.

Compared to several other States in the Federation, Anambra easily boasts some of the pace-setters and achievers this part of the universe. Name them: Nnamdi Azikiwe, Nwafor Orizu, Louis Mbanefo, Odumegwu Ojukwu, Ben Enwonwu, Pius Okigbo, Emeka Ojukwu, Chinua Achebe, Cyprian Ekwensi, Emeka Anyaoku, among others. But is it not appalling that from the same State emerged a band of marauders who held the area in a stranglehold. In the aftermath, to whom do we ascribe the advent of Peter Obi who is steadily cleaning up the mess and restoring sanity to the society, economy and polity?

The attainments of his administration to date have been elaborately documented and discussed by those who should know. Rather than give excuses over the over-whelming rot he found when he assumed office, he plunged headlong to tackle the hydra-headed developmental challenges simultaneously. Admirers and critics alike agree that the novel Anambra Integrated Development Strategy [ANIDS] has made tremendous impact in a State which had been literarily brought to its knees by leeches on the public treasury. A young man who God has used to stamp integrity in governance must be commended and celebrated. Performance in office is one thing, and the exhibition of admirable character traits another. This combination speaks volumes about the man and his times.

In the Nigerian experience, it is a thin line between genuine admiration and sycophancy. Be that as it may, a reflection of some of the responses to the Peter Obi phenomenon is revealing. The bases are well-founded -- from the local, national and international perspectives:




In his home State, one of Peter Obi's predecessors noted that Eye-Marking [Seeing is Believing] has demonstrated the commitment of the Obi administration to the meaningful transformation of the area. He should know, with the benefit of a brief tenure in Government House and an inspection tour of projects around the State. Other elder statesmen who have commended Governor Obi include former Vice-President, Alex Ekwueme [a leader of an opposing political party] and the irrepressible Ikemba Odumegwu Ojukwu.

Representatives of the Federal Government -- also controlled by another political party -- have also at different fora routinely acknowledged that Peter Obi is focused on meaningful development. The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Professor Sheikh Abdullahi observed that “The Governor has continued to demonstrate understanding of food security by his every move”. This was the occasion when the Federal Government handed over the giant Rice Mill at Omor to the management of the Anambra State Government.


On his part, the Minister of Defence, Mr. Adetokunbo Kayode went beyond the call of duty to appeal to the people of Anambra State to be grateful to Governor Peter Obi for his commitment to the development of the State. He also commended the cordial relationship between the Governor and President Goodluck Jonathan -- a relationship based on mutual respect and which has steadily attracted Federal priority rating for the State.

The highly-respected Iyom Josephine Anenih, who is the Minister of Women Affairs, asserted that the State is the backbone of the country, while commending the Obi administration for transforming all segments of the State.

Information and Communications Minister, Professor Dora Akunyili, an indigene of the State has also lent her voice to the encomiums for the People's Governor. Describing him as a re-branding model, she extolled Peter Obi as the most outstanding State Executive in the country who has demystified public office with humility and integrity. She noted in for the first time -- in the February 2010 Governorship election -- people voted for a candidate of their choice irrespective of party affiliations. In her estimation, the Governor had won re-election on the basis of his phenomenal achievements for which God is using him to strengthen good governance and restore hope and smiles to the people.


Similar commendations have come from a number of other Federal public officers. Interestingly, in Peter Obi's first term in office, the Federal establishment and all its might were his sworn adversaries

The international community has not lagged in giving honour to whom it is due. The incumbent Country Director of The World Bank recently noted that the Breton Woods institution practically fled Anambra State in the dark days of predators in the corridors of power. Happily, he went on, the Obi administration has successfully restored the interest and confidence of the Bank in the State as a Development Partner. Such is the confidence level today that quite a number of other Development Partners, bi-lateral and international agencies regularly get involved in some form of development initiative or the other in the State.

Similarly, the Obi administration has attracted local and foreign investor- confidence as well as the development partnerships of several communities, Civil Society Organizations and Non-Governmental Organizations.

Peter Obi has demonstrated that governance and leadership are not about control and powers, but about service. He has indeed portrayed strength of character that has not been enamoured by the trappings of high office. A man whose main strength lies in his reverence of God, humility and empathy, he has consistently extended his schedules beyond the public sector. On several occasions, he has provided funds and other facilities to private schools, hospitals and other institutions which his administration regards as partners in development. More recently, he pledged to pay several months arrears of Federal Pensioners in the State. Sadly, the records showed that the monies were released to a past government in the State, but did not get to the intended beneficiaries.

This country needs, urgently, more patriots in governance and other leadership positions; men and women of proven integrity; the likes of Peter Obi. The Peter Obi phenomenon can be discerned as an insipient trend in the management of public affairs in our country. It is in our collective interests as a people and a nation to pray that the phenomenon should not be passing phase. Then the generality of Nigerians can look up to the future in the hope and expectation that all is not lost in our society that has been beset with venality. But the real challenge lies in our resolve to insist on integrity as a leadership trait in the 2011 Elections. That way, that critical transition and transformation would have been assured. So help us God.