Sunny Igboanugo
Let me confess my bias from the outset. Jim Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo, former Governor of old Anambra State, former Minister of Sports and Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who once represented Enugu East in the National Assembly, is more than a celebutante icon. He is an institution.
Whichever way you turn the mirror – business – sports – politics, and even lifestyle, his persona reflects a certain elevated position beyond the ordinary – one several notches above his peers – a phenomenon whose streak of success, betrays some sort of heavenly interventions.
As a highly successful businessman and socialite, Nwobodo’s appointment as Chairman of, then Rangers of Enugu, now Rangers International, begot the glorious era of the club, leading to it winning the African Cup of Winners title in 1977 the first time the trophy came to Nigeria.
Recall how he also led Nigeria to winning the football Olympic Gold medal, at the Atlanta, Gorgia meet, as Minister of Sports, in 1996, another gold medal through Chioma Ajunwa in long jump, one silver and three bronze medals – a feat considered today as one the greatest outings of Nigeria in global sports.
Politically, Nwobodo’s legacy as governor, between 1979 and 1983 is still visible in the three states that comprise the old Anambra State he oversaw – Enugu, Anambra and Ebonyi.
More intriguingly, Nwobodo, remains one of the two surviving members of the class of ’99 governors of the second republic. All other the 19 members outside him and Kashim Ibrahim, former Governor of Niger State, have gone to the great beyond. That in itself is demonstrable evidence of God’s hand in his affairs.
So, all round, the story of this elder statesman, who celebrated his 86th birthday in May this year, is one told superlatives than ordinary. As a privileged insider, I watched the entire streets of Enugu blocked by human traffic, just by his appearance alone. I watched eager residence screaming the ear-splitting rendition – Jiiiim! No other politician in the state, living or dead as at today, possesses such magic, none so overwhelming.
So, when I saw a screaming headline – As Demolition of Properties Tears Nwobodo, Wife, Kinsmen Apart, Polarises Enugu Community – I quickly rushed to read the details, only to discover that it was about a dispute over a piece of property in an estate belonging to the elder statesman.
Thereafter, I quickly put a call through to him and discovered a man in great pain. It was about a row between himself and one Basil Ogbuanu, an indigene of the state, over a piece of land in an estate owned by the former governor at Independence Layout, a choice ambience Enugu metropolis. Both parties, I hear are already in court over the matter.
Essentially, Ogbuanu, said to be a businessman in Lagos, from what I could glean from the report, is accusing Nwobodo of demolishing a property he was developing in the estate, sold to him by the former governor, despite being in possession of all the relevant documents empowering him to build on the land.
The row, which got to a head early this year, following the demolition saga, saw Ogbuanu, in furtherance of his push for a pound of flesh, upping the ante in June this year with a letter fired to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), alleging ethical misconduct against the Senator’s wife, Patricia, herself a senior lawyer.
Now, anyone familiar with the Senator, knows of his undiluted affection for the wife. Ogbuanu, has thus touched a sore nerve in the heart of the Senator. So, it was not surprising that he was full of lamentations over the development. His anguish is even more because he claimed he was warned about the person is now dragging him and his precious wife.
Nwobodo, who claimed that he bought the land in 1976, for a hotel project, before abandoning the idea when he joined politics, recounted how he told Ogbuanu, as others who bought into the estate to wait for the rectification of the documents from lease to the current arrangement of Certificate of Occupancy (C of O).
He alleged instead of waiting as agreed, Ogbuanu, allegedly stole into the land to start building secretly. In violation of the prototype plan of the estate, which was supposed to mimic an exclusive, serene and noiseless ambience, he erected structures for student hostels, leading to complaints of by other landowners, who threatened to exit the estate, and even when stop order was issued by Enugu State authorities, he was said to have continued.
Denying any hand in the demolition, Nwobod lamented: “My regret is listening to those who persuaded me to have anything to do with him, because I was warned. But my wife persuaded me to give him a chance because he kept disturbing her and praying for her, claiming to be a pastor. This is the same woman he is vilifying today. Now, newspapers are claiming there’s tension in Nkanu. Where is the tension. Not a single person has spoken to me or anybody about this matter to create tension. Who knows him in Nkanu? His intension is just to smear my name.”
Now, Nwobodo is not new to conflicts. I have watched him wage some of the fiercest battles in his political trajectory, one of them against Chimaroke Nnamani, whom he practically installed in power, who turned against him no soon after. I have also watched him lose Savannah Bank, one of his prime investments. But I have never seen him as pained as the present case.
That is really my concern. At 86 and with his legacy, I believe he should be a deity today and his home a place for pilgrimage to revere and venerate him, because he has paid his dues. I not only watched the late Owelle of Onitsha enjoy such a place, but escorted all manner of people to his Onuiyi Haven in Nsuka, when it was a mecca.
I was thrilled recently watching the ambience of Eko Hotels in Lagos erupt with Jiiim! Such excitement in April this year as he appeared to The Vanguard Personality Award, which indicates that the public had not forgotten is what is apposite at this time rather than the above ugly story.
It was Shakespear who wrote: “The purest treasure mortal times afford is a spotless reputation.” I guess that name is what the Senator is after at this moment, the reason he appears so distressed over the attempt to besmear it. I think those who love him, should be concerned.
I wonder if Peter Mbah, the Enugu State Governor is aware yet. He should! One of the questions he might begin with is, where are the others who also bought into that estate? Why is it only Ogbuanu that seems to have this problem?