Children’s immediate families will shape their personalities and determine as well as influence their lives’ trajectories as to career, marriage, and others. A child’s family has the greatest influence on him or her. My interaction with Osita Chidoka’s father informed as well as reinforced my belief that our families do shape our personalities and are linked to our achievements and failures in life.
We were in the expansive compound of Osita Chidoka when the news of Obinna Chidoka’s victory at the election tribunal filtered in. In response to that cheery and soul-lifting news, the throng of expectant party faithful, and friends and relatives of Osita Chidoka went into a frenzy of Jubilation. A soldier standing near me pulled out his rifle and fired into the sky. Then, staccato sound of gunshots rang out from different places in the expansive lush compound. And some ladies broke into a familiar song and gyrated beautifully and seductively to its rhythm.
Amidst this atmosphere of conviviality and jubilation, my wife and I were ushered into the living room of Osita Chidoka, the former minister of aviation. We sat across him, and there were other guests there, too. I had gone there to present my book to him. Then, an elderly man with very fair skin broke the silence that enveloped the room when he cleared his throat and called for prayer. The man, who is remarkably handsome, is the father of Osita Chidoka, the former aviation minister. His intellectual depth, philosophical bent of mind, and firm grasp of the bible, all these qualities of his greatly endeared him to me. He effortlessly quoted passages from the bible; and he knows some psalms in the bible by heart. Not only is he a man of great learning, but also he is forthright and honest. He advised us to desist from engaging in evil deeds.
My interaction with Chidoka’s father gave me a glimpse into the personality of Chief Osita Chidoka, Ike Obosi. Osita Chidoka’s strict family upbringing and the quality education he received are what prepared him for the leadership positions he held while in the bloom of his youth. His life is an exemplification of the Shakespearean truism that says this: “Some are born great; some achieve greatness; and others have greatness thrust upon them.” Chidoka achieved greatness, however.
Osita Chidoka worked as a personal assistant for the minister of state in the Federal Ministry of works and housing and the minister of transport between 1997 and 2000. His grasp of the Nigerian politics, sociability, amiability, and humility are the factors that secured the jobs for him. While working for those politicians, he learned the nitty gritty of the Nigerian politics.
Not surprisingly, he got a well-deserved preferment in 2007 when he was entrusted with the leadership of FRSC. During his leadership of FRSC, he formulated and implemented pragmatic policies, which led to the reduction of the number of bus accidents on our roads. More so, he organised lectures on road safety measures for commercial bus drivers and motorcyclists. Those that flouted traffic laws and rules were always punished in accordance with the traffic laws. He enforced the wearing of helmets by motorcyclists plying our roads. And it’s he that digitalized the processes for the acquisition of driver’s licence in Nigeria. More so, he contributed towards the solving of Nigeria’s problem of youth unemployment by recruiting qualified university graduates into different cadres in the FRSC.
So not surprising, he was appointed Nigeria’s aviation minister in 2014. He set to work soon after he was made the minister of aviation. It is to his credit that touting activities were stamped out at our airports. CCTVs were installed at the nation’s airports, which improved their security situation. And he had formulated policies aimed at revamping and rejuvenating the much-troubled Nigerian aviation industry before the ruling party to which he belongs lost the last presidential election. A loyal and staunch member of the PDP, he campaigned passionately for the re-election of former President Goodluck Jonathan. Being a man with genteel refinement, he didn’t descend to the low-level of calling their political opponents unprintable and uncharitable names while on the husting.
Now, some politicians who used to be in the top hierarchy of PDP had defected to APC, the ruling political party owing to pecuniary factor and other selfish reasons. Unlike those politicians without guiding philosophies, principles, and political ideologies, he has not switched political party. Owing to his deep religious background, and positive morality-code, Chidoka is not easily swayed by monetary inducements. He is still a staunch member of PDP. More so, till now, his ever- rising political career is not sullied by accusations of financial misdemeanour. EFCC is neither hounding him nor is ICPC on his trail for any financial wrong-doing. That is a measure of his shining and exemplary morality-code and probity. The Obosi-born titled Chief, Chief Osita Chidoka, is an exemplar of political sagacity and island of integrity.
Now, since Uche Ekwunife who contested for the senatorial slot of Anambra Central Senatorial Zone on the platform of PDP exited PDP, there have been relentless and ceaseless strident calls for Osita Chidoka to be nominated as the PDP’s flag-bearer in the forth-coming Anambra Central Senatorial re-run election. Ekwunife defected to APC upon the Nullification of her election victory by the Appeal Court.
Alongside other topnotch politicians who belong to the Anambra PDP, Osita Chidoka towers above them in terms of clout, cult following, leadership qualities, political sagacity, and clean public records.
Were Nigeria a civilized and developed country, Chidoka and his ilk would be included in the government at the centre owing to their reservoir of knowledge, political wisdom, probity, patriotism, and leadership qualities, not minding the political parties to which they belong. That will be inclusive government at work.
Chiedu Uche Okoye is a husband, civil servant and a lover of Nigeria, and he writes in from Uruowulu Obosi, Anambra State.
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