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Chukwuemeka Ezeife: Exit of an Accomplished Public Servant

Published

1 year ago

December 17, 2023

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

His death on December 14, 2023 brought to a temporary stop the destiny of a man, who had dedicated his entire being to the service of humanity, his country Nigeria, and most especially, his immediate constituency, the South East.

Better known and addressed as Okwadike, a title bestowed on him by the best of traditional rulers, the former governor of Anambra State, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, who was also on the political lists of many Nigerian presidents, has died.

Ezeife died at the Federal Medical Centre, Abuja, on Thursday, December 14, according to a short press release issued on Friday and signed by Chief Rob Ezeife, on behalf of the family.

The statement read, “On behalf of the Ezeife Dynasty of Igbo-Ukwu, I wish to announce the promotion to glory of our most distinguished son, ‘Okwadike’, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, CON, a former Federal Permanent Secretary, a former governor of Anambra State, a former Political Adviser to the President and former Presidential aspirant.

“This sad event took place yesterday at 6 pm at the Federal Medical Centre, Abuja.

“More details about the deceased and the arrangements for his state burial will be announced later.”

Born on November 20, 1938, the deceased fondly called ‘Okwadike’, was governor of Anambra state between January 1992 to November 1993 during the aborted Third Republic. It is said that he called the bluff of the likes Chief Arthur Nzeribe to become the first Excutive governor of the New Anambra State.

Ezeife, who was the governor of Anambra State was born at Igbo-Ukwu, Anambra State between January 1992 and November 1993 during the aborted Third Republic, was born on November 20, 1937. Reports had it that the man, who later became a force to reckon with, did not attend secondary school, but taught himself through correspondence courses, qualifying for university admission.

Out of a dint of hardwork, and sacrifice ladened in determination, Ezeife gained a BSc in Economics from the University College, Ibadan, before proceeding to the prestigious Harvard University on a Rockefeller Foundation scholarship. It was at Harvard that he obtained a Master’s degree, follwed by a PhD degree in 1972.

Thereafter, he became a School Headmaster, a lecturer at Makarare University College, Kampala, Uganda, a Teaching Fellow at Harvard University, and a Consultant with Arthur D. Little in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Describing his sojourn in education during an interview, the scholar said in part:

“While I was moving around, I met one teacher. I think he was Hausa and saw a certain result and wondered what it was,” he said.

“He told me it was a correspondence course. I asked what it stood for, and he told me about the General Certificate of Education (GCE), explaining that one could do it by taking some correspondence subjects and qualify to take exams, known as ordinary level at that time. That was what happened.

“I went to teach in a school in Anambra state and started applying for correspondence courses; and that went very well. I was the headmaster of the school and I taught up to 3 o’clock, then held an extra class by 5 to 6 and went to the bush to prepare for my correspondence courses. I started immediately. I did it for a month; then by Christmas, I had to go to Onitsha where my elder brother was, and read throughout the period. When my elder brother came back from the village, I had changed so much because I did not sleep due to long and continuous reading.

“That was how it happened until I took the first qualifying test in 1959. I took the ordinary level in 1960 and the advanced level in 1961. And I was lucky.”

It was therefore, surprising that in the following year’s exam, Ezeife, the poor boy from Igbo-Ukwu, who had no secondary education, and was a motor parts apprentice, beat everybody in the faculty and was named the best student. This was the pivot that framed his continuous leap throughout his entire productive life.

As a prelude to his enviable career, Ezeife joined the civil service as an Administrative Officer and rose to the position of Permanent Secretary.

During the return the Civil rule leading to the June 12, 1993 botched presidential election, Ezeife was elected governor of Anambra State on the Social Democratic Party (SDP) platform, holding office for about 22 months before the military coup of General Sani Abacha on November 17 1993, when all democratic institutions were scrapped.

As governor, Ezeife was reputed as a man, who was more interested in planning for the future; a template his predecessors capitalized on to satisfy the developmental needs of the Anambra people.

He is known to have transferred Nnamdi Azikiwe University and Federal Polytechnic, Oko to the federal government, which helped ensure that they survived in the ensuing military regime.

During the Nigerian Fourth Republic Ezeife, who described himself as a social democrat, was appointed presidential Adviser on Political Matters to President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Ezeife was appointed a member of the board of the Centre for Development & Empowerment of Commercial Motorcyclists. In February 2006, the Federal Capital development Authority bulldozed his house in Abuja on the grounds that the plot of land and those of adjacent houses had been acquired improperly. In January 2010 he was among thousands who demonstrated in Awka calling for credible and violence-free governorship elections on February 6.

In April 2010, one of Ezeife’s wives, Onyedi, was kidnapped by hoodlums who had earlier killed four policemen. The kidnappers demanded a high ransom.

An advocate of the best in political strcture for the South East, Ezeife also got on his soap box and severally criticised what he perceived as the marginalisation of the Igbo people by successive Nigerian governments. He was one of the loudest voices that clamoured for an Igbo president,and that fueled his support for the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, in the 2023 presidential election.

Till death, he believed that “Igbo have the assignment of developing Nigeria to become an economic superpower.”

He was also force to reckon with in the struggle for the return of the annulled June 12 mandate of late Chief MKO Abiola. He is quoted as saying:

“I have always challenged Yoruba people to tell me one person who worked so hard for the late Chief MKO Abiola before his election and after the annulment of the election than me.

“In the East, everywhere Abiola visited, he went with my pilot car. I was the governor of Anambra state at the time. We worked day and night to ensure he won. When the election was annulled, I was at the forefront of the campaign for its de-annulment. We were the founders of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO).”

Ezeife is a typical example of one who came, saw and totally conquered.

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Samsung’s CEO, Han Jong-Hee, Dies at 63

Published

1 day ago

March 25, 2025

Eric

The co-CEO of Samsung Electronics, Han Jong-Hee, has died of heart attack on Tuesday. He was aged 63.

A spokesperson for the South Korean tech giant confirmed this.

Han, who oversaw Samsung’s consumer electronics and mobile devices businesses became the Chief Executive Officer of South Korea’s biggest company in 2022.

He had joined the tech giant in 1988 after earning a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Inha University. Before he started to run Samsung’s electronics and devices division, he was in charge of the display operations.

In a tribute to the deceased, Samsung said Han dedicated more than 37 years of his life to leading Samsung’s TV business to become a global leader.

The company said, Han as the head of its electronics and appliances businesses, contributed to its growth amid challenging business environment.

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HURIWA Tasks Fagbemi, Onanuga to Prove Fubara’s Alleged Link to Militants

Published

1 day ago

March 25, 2025

Eric

The Human Rights Writers Association (HURIWA) of Nigeria has criticised the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, and Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, for alleging that Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, is connected to militant activities in the Niger Delta.

The group described the claims as baseless and lacking credible evidence.

In a statement issued on Monday in Abuja, HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, addressed remarks made by Fagbemi last week, accusing Fubara of “tele-guiding militants” to sabotage oil installations.

Onanuga, in a separate opinion piece, supported the Federal government’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, citing intelligence reports suggesting militant threats linked to the governor.

“These are serious allegations that can destabilise not only Rivers State but the entire Niger Delta, yet no concrete evidence has been made public to substantiate them,” Onwubiko said, faulting the officials’ reliance on unverified intelligence.

HURIWA highlighted Governor Fubara’s denial of the allegations in an official statement earlier on Monday, where he rejected any ties to militant groups and labeled viral videos alleging explosions on oil and gas facilities in Rivers State as “fake and malicious.”

The group praised Fubara’s call for security agencies to investigate the videos’ origins and prosecute those responsible.
“Governor Fubara’s insistence on peace and constitutional governance has been clear in all his public engagements. It is disheartening to see such character assassination being perpetuated from the highest levels of the federal government,” Onwubiko stated.

The association questioned why federal authorities have not presented tangible evidence if it exists, arguing, “As far as we are concerned, the dissemination of these unproven claims is not just unprofessional but a dangerous precedent in the democratic space.”

HURIWA also challenged Fagbemi and Onanuga to avoid “pettiness and rumour mongering,” urging them to base their statements on facts.

“It is disgraceful that at a time when Nigerians are yearning for stability and good governance, top officials of the federal government are busy engaging in baseless accusations, further tarnishing Nigeria’s image before the international community,” the statement added.

The group further criticized the state of emergency in Rivers State as “unconstitutional, unnecessary, and politically motivated,” asserting that no evidence of war or a breakdown of law and order, as required by Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, has been shown. “The AGF and other federal agents must be reminded that the Supreme Court judgment, which is now being used to justify executive overreach in Rivers State, does not license rumour-based governance,” HURIWA noted.

HURIWA urged Fubara to pursue legal action against those making the claims, stating, “even if the judiciary is seen by some as compromised, it is essential to set the record straight by taking advantage of available legal avenues.”

The association called on security agencies to launch a transparent forensic investigation into the allegations and incidents in Ogoniland and other parts of Rivers State, insisting it must remain free of political interference. “The dangerous game of labeling peaceful citizens as militants without evidence is not only reckless but risks plunging Rivers State into avoidable chaos. Nigeria’s democracy deserves better,” the group concluded.

Featured

Dangote Cement Achieves Higher CDP Ratings for Climate Change & Water Security

Published

1 day ago

March 25, 2025

Eric

Dangote Cement Plc (DCP) has achieved a ‘B’ score in climate change and water security disclosures according to the recently released 2024 CDP results.

CDP (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project) is the world’s largest, most comprehensive dataset on environmental action which empowers investors, companies, cities, and national and regional governments to make earth-positive decisions. Dangote Cement has disclosed its environmental practices annually through the CDP since 2018.

CDP provides a voluntary framework for companies to report on Climate, Water Security, and Forests. It rigorously evaluates corporate environmental performance, assigning scores from A to D based on companies’ transparency, governance, and measurable actions towards sustainability.

Following the release of company scores in February, Dangote Cement’s score on water security which was C was upgraded to B. Similarly, the company’s commitment to supporting a climate resilient future was also demonstrated in its climate change score of B in 2024.

Managing Director/Chief Executive, Dangote Cement, Mr. Arvind Pathak speaking on the new rating said, ‘Dangote Cement leads in Africa as one of few businesses in six states and regions of Africa to disclose through CDP.’ He further stated that ‘the 2024 score is an outcome of ongoing efforts to reduce our carbon footprint, accelerate climate action and promote sustainability across our business and its value chain’.

The Head, Sustainability, Dangote Cement, Dr. Igazeuma Okoroba in her remarks expressed gratitude to all stakeholders who aligned with the Group’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy overseen by the company’s Board which supported the achievement of an improved rating this year. She stated that ‘this year’s results are evidence that our contribution to create a world where people, planet and profit are truly balanced is paying off.’

Affirming the company’s commitment to decarbonisation, Dr Igazeuma stated that ‘Although this year’s score demonstrates our transparency on sustainability, DCP’s goal is to go beyond disclosure and take meaningful action through tangible solutions, innovations, and projects to close the gap between ambition and reality.’

Dangote Cement Plc is sub-Saharan Africa’s largest cement producer with an installed capacity of 45.6Mta across 10 African countries and operates a fully integrated “quarry-to customer” business with activities in manufacturing, sales, and distribution of cement.

The company is on track to meet its decarbonisation targets through energy efficiency measures, adoption of supplementary cement materials, carbon offsets and other sustainable practices.