Chief John Nnia Nwodo Leads the Team to Interview Dr. Tokunbo Awolowo Dosumu
Olusegun Olopade
(official bio below)
CHIEF JOHN NNIA NWODO
The story of a great mind cannot be told in a hurry. It is only comparable to the proverbial hot soup which is licked from the periphery. It is only the unwise that tests the depth of water with both feet. The best way to eat an elephant in your path is cut him up into little pieces. In extolling gallantry the Igbo say Uta gbatara eleke, ya rie Ogu aku- The bow that shot the Sparrow should be presented with twenty arrows. The wise elders say, Ugo adighi ebe n'obere osisi- the Eagle does not perch on a small tree. One should maintain one's high integrity. When the bird perches in the fence, the fence dances and the bird dances too. Essentially, it is great to be in glory, for nothing must be done hastily except killing fleas. Above all, a man who pays respect to the great paves the way for his own greatness. It is therefore, a rate privilege to stand out to introduce a luminary of international reputes as our guest lecturer.
Chief John Nwodo hardly needs any introduction. A man whose life style, has no tinge of pride as he relates with both the weak and the strong. Born into the well-known Nwodo family of Ukehe in Enugu State, John Ogbonnia Ugwuamakofia Nwodo, IKE UKEHE, IKE NSUKKA, economist, politician, legal practitioner, consummate traditionalist, orator par excellence, knight of St. John International (KSJI), philanthropist and playwright was born on 11th December, 1952 at Ukehe in Igbo Etiti Local Government of Enugu State to Igwe John Ugwuamakofia Nwodo, Okwulora II of Ukehe, former Eastern Nigerian Minister of Commerce and Industry and later Minister of Local Government; and Chief Mrs. Josephine Nwodo. Young Nnia Nwodo was born in the year his late and illustrious father entered into partisan politics. Nnia presents a serious specimen for a genetic study as to whether a father's occupation at the time of his child's conception predetermines the occupational disposition of the child on attainment of maturity.
Besides, it is of critical importance to note that his father did not stop at giving the young child the name John; but he went on to confirm and certify his conviction with the second name Ogbonnia- the father's name sake (one who resembles father). A chick that will grow into a cock can be spotted the very day it hatches. This can be likened to the biblical record which states that "By faith Moses' parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was not an ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king's edict" (Hebrews 11:23). Unarguably, John Nnia's father recognized the innate vigour in the young child and so named him rightly, for a good name keeps its luster even in the dark.
Nnia Nwodo had a strong Catholic and disciplined upbringing, the foundation of which was laid by his parents and strengthened and consolidated by the schools he attended; namely, St. Patrick's School, Iva Valley, (then run by His Lordship, the late Bishop Emeritus, Most Rev. Dr. M.U. Eneja, who incidentally had great influence on him and his siblings), Holy Ghost Primary School, Enugu and College of Immaculate Conception, also in Enugu.
From these institutions, John obtained his First School Leaving Certificate and the West African School Certificate before he went to the University of Ibadan to read ECONOMICS. Not satisfied with this, he later gained admission into the famous London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London, to study LAW, after which he did his professional BAR course at the Nigerian Law School Victoria Island, Lagos. (In some of these institutions, John held responsible posts some of which were to prepare him for higher positions in life. Amongst these were: The Deputy Senior Prefect, Senior Sacristan and Refectory Prefect in C.I.C. and the President, Students Union, University of Ibadan). Now equipped with an honours degree in Law with distinction in International Law and a second class honours degree in Economics, John went out to face the world of work. His experiences in this area range from that of Research Assistant in Federal Cabinet Office, Revenue Officer at Board of Internal Revenue, General Manager at his father's palm produce company, to Anambra State Secretary of N.P.N, Special Assistant to the President, Lecturer in Human Rights at Faculty of Law, ESUT, Chairman, Urban Development Bank of Nigeria and two time, Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with portfolios for Aviation, as well as Information and Culture. He also ran for nomination as a Presidential candidate of his party, ANPP in 2003 along with our current President, H.E. Muhammadu Buhari.
It is to John's credit that in each of the above named positions, he distinguished himself creditably and excellently. In all, he broke barriers and blazed the trail. Nnia a distinguished scholar and seasoned administrator, has a number of first to his name. He is the first non-Yoruba President of Students Union Government, University of Ibadan in 1974/75 session at a tender age of twenty two. He was appointed Personal Assistant to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 1980 at the age of twenty eight; the first to be so appointed at such relative young age from the South- Eastern Nigeria. Being driven by vision and passion in that capacity, within three years he was elevated to the exalted position of a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at the age of thirty one. Yet, the first to be so appointed at that age bracket from the South-Eastern Nigeria.
In the political terrain he exhibited an uncommon act of gallantry. As Minister of Information, he came into office at time our dear country was isolated, looked down upon and avoided internationally like a plague because of her gross abuse of Human Rights and the draconian leadership style with which the country was administered under General Sani Abacha. Back home, people distrusted the government and groaned under intense hardship.
Through John's ingenuity, skilled political engineering and careful and appropriate use of diplomatic language, together with International networking, he was able to reconstruct and recreate a new and positive image of Nigeria before the international community. As a result of this, our country quickly regained recognition and credibility from countries in Europe, America, Asia and other parts of the world. These conditions facilitated our return to democratic rule in 1999. For this singular achievement, John has been acclaimed by Nigerians as well as foreigners, as the best spokesman, image maker and indeed the most effective Minister of Information the country has ever produced. His contributions in the Federal Executive Council were incisive and invaluable.
Like his father late Igwe John Nwodo who was a parliamentarian and Regional Minister for over ten years, John did not limit himself to politics in his services to humanity. He is an outstanding character in generosity. His life over the years has been a life sacrificed for the wellbeing of the people. Chief John Nnia Nwodo has given hope to many. He has shared in the burden of numerous people. His life has been one of love and he has been a voice of the voiceless. Records show that he is financially responsible for the training of over 200 secondary school leavers, over 100 university graduates and innumerable artisans and craftsmen. Several destitute families owe their shelter to him. Settlement of hospital bills is a common feature for him; but above all, a large portion of John's earnings goes into buildings of churches, support for priests and the religious and to poor people. He is an advocate of peace and goodwill. His philosophy is the golden rule "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." He believes that, "truthfulness, diligence and hard work always make for successful life." He completely believes that God has a central place in the affairs of men. Owing to his pedigree and prodigy, he was appointed the Chairman of the Enugu Centenary Committee in 2009 by the Enugu State Government. He tremendously brought to bear qualitative organizational skills from his vast library of intellect and wisdom. His visions did transform the celebration into a huge success.
For such an exemplary and worthy life characterized by the fear of God, respect for people and honour for elders, humility, hard work, political dexterity and uncommon achievements at such a relative "young age," his people honoured him with the title Ike Ukehe and subsequently Ike Nsukka by the entire Nsukka people. When an honour comes within, it comes with profundity and originality. Essentially honour at home swells our stature nourishes our ancestry and embellishes a life of achievement. Such an enviable title Ike Ukehe and Ike Nsukka meant for the wise and strong one; gives an eloquent testimony of his impeccable character, excellent leadership qualities and cosmopolitan world view. People recognize him as a son of inestimable value, a courageous leader and a facilitator with dogged determination and passion for positive change.
Mr. Chairman, I crave your indulgence to highlight one aspect of this giant's life. Chief John Nnia Nwodo is a brilliant "wordsmith". He is mighty in words with supremacy and superiority in the delivery of formal and informal ceremonial speeches. Nnia has delivered prodigiously and extensively spellbinding public speeches. There is no gain saying that he has the personality and presence to hold any audience spellbound as we shall witness shortly. Of course, if the hen stops clucking, what will she used to train her children? The flair with which he uses proverbs in expressions is uncommon. He is at his best when he speaks ex-tempore. He has a million rare Igbo proverbs always ready to use. Nnia is distinguished for great skills and power as a motivational speaker. For him passion is the greatest motivator. He shows surprising emotional depth in formal ceremonial speeches usually soft and lilting. He has the sagacity and fluency of delivery in speechmaking. As it were, Shakespares alter ego.
He has an incredible sense of humour an avalanche of rib cracking jokes. To this colossus, every sensitive subject must be treated with humour, but in such a way that no one would be offended. One can only refer to prophet Isaiah's acknowledgement that "The sovereign Lord God has given me a well- instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary..."(50:4). Furthermore, the book of Proverbs frequently emphasizes the aptness of words- "a word fitly spoken is like applies of gold in pictures of silver." (25:11) and "words spoken in due season, how good is it" (15:23). Nnia lives and speaks boldly yet gently and respectfully. When it's time to take a stand, he exhibits powerful example of courage combined with courtesy.
John Nwodo is now engaged in Legal Practice and also seats on the board of a few trading and construction firms. He has landmark achievements and commitment to excellence in very sector. As man driven by vision and passion he consistently rubs minds with so many other celebrated personalities of the world. He strongly believes that Nigerian has the potentialities and capabilities to complete globally and has a niche for global practices. He is a stickler to promptness, and possesses the can-do-spirit. He believes that Nigeria can achieve greater heights and that one way of doing this is to change the orientation and perception of the public towards excellence. Above all, he insists that a leader should lead with the fear of God and love for humanity. He has played host to a huge gathering of international luminaries.
John Nnia Nwodo is a prolific writer and has authored the following lectures and publications, among several others.
PUBLICATIONS/LECTURES WITH DATES
• MATCH MAKING IN MARRIAGE (DRAMA) - - - 1989
• CUSTOMER SERVICES AS KEY RESULT AREA IN BANKING SERVICES -------- 1989
• PROSPECTS AFTER SCHOOL - - - - --------1995
• WORLD UNDERSTANDING AND PEACE- - - - 1996
• UNITY: AN ESSENTIAL INGREDIENT FOR THE PROGRESS OF ENUGU STATE --------1997
• INCIDENTS OF STUDENTS VIOLENCE IN OUR UNIVERSITIES AND THEIR IMPACT ON NATINOAL DEVELOPMENT - - - - - - -- - - 1997
• THE STRONG CARING FOR THE WEAK - - - - - 1997
• THE NECESSITY FOR A NEW SOCIETY - - - - - - - 1997
• "THE STATE OF THE NATION": THE SOCIO-POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC RIGHTS OF NIGERIA - - 2004
• DECLINING MORALITY IN NIGERIA SOCIETY - - - - 2004
• PHILOSOPHY AND THE PROBLEM OF LEADERSHIP IN AFRICA: THE QUEST FOR PERFORAMNCE IN OFFICE BY AFRICAN LEADERS; CAUSES, IMAPCT AND SOLUTION -2004
• THE NIGERIA DEMOCRATIC EXPERIENCE- ITS IMPACT ON DEVELOPMENT OF DEMCORACY IN AFRICA - - 2007
• DECLINING MORALITY AS AN IMPEDIMENT TO QUALITY SERVICE - 2005
• POLITICS AS A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO THE EROSION OF ENDURING IDEALS IN NIGERIA'S PUBLIC SERVICE - - 2007
• ELECTIONS OR SELECTIONS, ETHNIC AND MONEY POLITICS IN NIGERIA: LESSON FROM THE PAST TOWARDS A BETTER TOMORROW - - - 2007
• QUALITATIVE EDUCATION AND LEADERSHIP CHALLENGES FOR PRODUCTS OF MISSION SCHOOLS - - 2008
• CHALLENGES OF FINANCIAL CRIMES IN NIGERIA - - - - 2009
• ECONOMIC IMPLICATION OF CORRUPTION- LEGAL CHALLENGES OF FINANCIAL CRIMES IN NIGERA -- 2009
• EDUCATION AS AN INSTRUMENT OF EVANGELIZATION- - - - - 2009
• THE NIGERIA WE NEED ----- 2009
• "DEMOCRACY AND FUNDAMENTAL PROMISE OF NIGERIA: NEED FOR SECURITY, WELFARE AND CREDIBLE ELECTIONS - 2010
Mr. Chairman, it is said that a golden fish has no hiding place. It is for this reason that this citadel of learning IMT Enugu, modeled after the great Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States of America, thought it wise to invite Chief John Nnia Nwodo to x-ray the topic: "IMT in the Eyes of The Public: The Past, Present and The Future" Essentially, a well-known phase expressing a general truth about the Igbo world view holds that, "seeing but not speaking is characteristics of elders; speaking but not listening is characteristics of young people"
Mr. Chairman, Visitor, Rector, Academic and Administrative Staff of IMT, Students, our distinguished guests and members of the press, it is obvious that one can only run round the stalk of the pepper plant, but cannot climb it, and if one plucks (fruits) with the intention of filling his bag, he falls at the base of the tree. May we therefore, rise to give a standing ovation to this rare gem, let us welcome to the podium our man of the moment whose credentials are enormous and inspiring? He is a man of distinction, integrity, hardwork, honesty and perseverance. An achiever per excellence; a man committed to rigorous and vibrant scholarship, and social responsibility. A great leader and an asset to Igbo people, a servant with passion and zeal, an epitome of patriotism, resourcefulness, humility, dauntless courage, commitment to selfless service and accountability and transparency.
He is a great and illustrious son of Igbo land; a great philanthropist; a voice for the voiceless. An outstanding man of honour, a believer in the maxim" To keep Nigeria one is the path of peace, justice and charity for one another." An advocate for peace and goodwill, he is a true and illustrious Nigerian, Mr. No-Nonsense icon of Enugu State, this native Ukehe son, a fluent speaker of native Ukehe dialect; a celebrated orator, a paragon of virtue, a husband of a renowned and late justice of the Court of Appeal, this prolific writer, soldier of Christ, lawyer, economist and two-time minister of the Federal republic of Nigeria that I present to you as our lecturer for the 3rd Distinguished Academic lecture of the Institute of Management and Technology - CHIEF JOHN NNIA NWODO!! IKE UKEHE, IKE NSUKKA. He has endeared himself to a significant select few as "Ike Nigeria".
In January, 2017 Chief Nwodo was elected President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide. In this office he has redefined Igbo leadership and taken it to higher heights. In the past two years he has advocated good governance and espoused Igbo interests creditably.
His recent lectures include:-
i. IMT in the eyes of the public: The Past, Present and the future IMT Enugu
ii. The role of religion and governance Enugu
iii. Remarks at civil reception in honour of His Excellency Ebonyi
President Muhamadu Buhari
iv. Political economy of restructuring in Nigeria: Problems and prospects Awka
v. Restructuring Nigeria: Decentralization for National Cohesion Chatam London
vi. 2017 Enugu State civil service public lecture entrenching a citizen centred service delivery culture:
Partnering with youths for Africa's Transformation Enugu
vii. The economic implication of a restructured Nigeria ESUT Enugu
viii. The narrative of a separatism and strategies to develop
An alternative and counter narrative in the South East Anambra
ix. Aku luoo unoh CIC Enugu
x. 50 years after Biafra: Reflection and hopes
xi. Ife eji malu Igbo Enugu Sports Club
xii. Authority News Paper Annual Awards night Abuja
xiii. The case for a restructuring of the Nigeria federation Coventry
xiv. The 9th Mike Okonkwo Annual lecture series Lagos
xv. The Igbos in the building of the Nigerian Nation
-The unrealized dreams COOU Igboariam
