By Awa Kalu, (SAN)
Ottawa is in Canada and Canada is a leading commonwealth country just as Nigeria. President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan recently presented letters of credence to a fresh team of envoys and easily, the most visible in that team is Chief Ojo Maduekwe, CFR, eloquent and well read Lawyer, astute politician, skilled administrator, public affairs analyst, great orator and thinker extraordinary.
That is the man that has been dispatched to Canada to represent the interest of this country to the best of his ability and as circumstances may warrant being that time and circumstances have over the years shaped the contours of International diplomacy.
Ojo Maduekwe's nomination as ambassador elicited as much commentary as his posting. In some quarters, it appeared infra dignitatum that after climbing the Olympian height as Nigeria's Foreign Affairs Minister, it was sheer madness for the same man to return to the same Ministry as an envoy subject to the control of a Permanent Secretary and a Minister. His posting to Canada, though elevated, generated another type of controversy.
Why should a man who has served gloriously in several capacities not be given a choice Ambassadorial posting such as to the United Nations as this country's Permanent Representative? What about St. James' Court, as our envoy to the United Kingdom. The arm chair analysts indeed offered many reasons why our man for the season ought to 'rest on his oars'.
However, other events have shown that a significant number of people think that Ojo's twilight has not yet arrived. Rather, his trajectory in the public domain is in full bloom. This is attested to by a flurry of activities that have unfolded since the presentation of the letters of credence to the Ambassadors. A few of such events will suffice to show that the high and mighty think that Ojo is indeed a worthy Ambassador.
Senator Ita Enang hosted five of the new Ambassadors in a vivacious evening of utmost conviviality. On hand were the Ambassadors to North Korea, Equatorial Guinea, Switzerland, Russia and Canada. A star studded Live Band provided entertainment at the highest level punctuated by a welcome speech by the amiable chief host and responses from the lively quests.
On that occasion, although the MC thought that chief Maduekwe would be circumlotous, he merely reminded his audience that the present crop of Ambassadors were 'Ambassadors of Transformation'. He promised that the only item on the agenda was to go out and to perform to the satisfaction of the generality of Nigerians.
The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Emeka Ihedioha assembled the crème de la crème of Abuja to say farewell to Chief Ojo Maduekwe and his wife and it was another round of emcomius that was the order of the day. Then on the very first day of July, a Sunday, the 'high command' of the Presbyterian Church gathered with a powerful congregation at the Church's Abuja 1st Parish in Wuse 2 to send Ojo and wife forth to Ottawa, Canada. Led by the Prelate, the Most Reverend Professor E.M. Uka, the Presbyterian Church heirachy bid farewell to one of the church's most decorated high flyers.
The church struck a chord in the minds of discerning worshippers when it combined the ambassador's send forth with a birthday celebration for Mrs. Ucha Maduekwe (beloved wife of Chief Ojo Maduekwe) and her twin sister, Mrs. Nnenna Anigbo. Both sisters, born 66 years ago, are only alive today because of the humanitarian intervention of a Presbyterian legendary missionary, Mary Slessor whose sojourn in Nigeria.
To avoid a rigmarole on this piece, the sermon on the occasion was preached by the Prelate himself and rather than eulogise, he dutifully charged Chief Ojo Maduekwe to recognize the years of Presbyterian history which he was called upon by virtue of his appointment, to defend. With lessons from appropriate portions of the Old Testament, it was easy to see why several people who were elevated to high offices ended as disappointments having suffered from 'power failure'.
Whether this was intended as a pun on the inadequacies of public power supply in Nigeria is immaterial but the examples offered were very daunting reminders that life's race is not for the swiftest. Samson's power was shut down by his dalliance with Delilah while Saul lost power due to disobedience – doing what he was not supposed to. David, Solomon and a host of others fell from the Olympian height at different times. The abiding lesson is that all power comes from God and when you are entrusted with power, you most use it in a manner that edifies and not for pedestrian purposes.
Ojo Maduekwe was charged to be an Ambassador for Christ and only in that way will Glory come to the country and to God. A whole day of celebration followed the church's send forth and it would serve no useful purpose to list the political and social juggernauts who turned up to wish the Maduekwe's farewell. However, it would be apposite to merely recapitulate one or two instructive speeches that were made in the course of the celebration.
Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, ably surmised the Nigerian condition and was of the view that Nigeria can be rescued from the precipice if an internal regeneration process is designed and faithfully executed. The present crop of leaders, under whose watch the nation's hopes are fast evaporating, must rekindle their spirit and speak out boldly when things are going wrong.
On the same line, the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission recommended that Nigeria's way forward is to develop a template for selecting our leaders at all levels. The cliché's in this era of technology is 'garbage in, garbage out Properly translated as a mantra for national development, only tested and trusted leaders should lead us in the management of public affairs.
On that premise, it is easy why Chief Ojo Maduekwe has successively shown up in the hunt for talent. He graduated with honours from the University of Nigeria in 1972 and was admitted to practice as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme court of Nigeria in 1973. That was the beginning of a stellar career at the Bar, in politics and public office. He served as a member of the National Boundaries Commission in 1997 and in the same year was appointed member/Technical Adviser, VISION 2010.
He served as a member of the defunct National Assembly in 1983 before the military took over the reins of Government that year. Between 1988 and 1989 he served as a member of the National Assembly and even though the 1989 Constitution never became the 'grundnorm', the Babangida step by step transition to civil rule which was designed to start at the grassroots and culminate in an elected President benefitted from the work of the Assembly.
Each stage of the transition programme was empowered by a Decree which extracted an appropriate portion of the 1989 Constitution to enable democratic tutelage. He was an Adviser to the Chairman of the Social Democratic Party between 1990 and 1992, Adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1993 to 1995. He also participated in yet another constitutional conference in 1994-1995.
At the dawn of the new democratic experience in 1999, he was appointed Obasanjo's Minister of Culture and Tourism and was later appointed Minister of Transport, a position in which he proposed a bicycle riding culture for Nigerians not only as a means of transport but for fitness. When he left that office, he became the President's Adviser on Legal and Constitutional Affairs and later served as National Secretary of Africa's largest political party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He was tapped from that position and translated to the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs between 2007 and 2010. When it was time for elections, he became the Deputy Director General of the Dr. Goodluck Jonathan Presidential Campaign – the outcome of his sojourn being the election of Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
That summarizes the career in public office of a senior member of the Nigerian Bar. Born to a Presbyterian Minister, Chief Ojo Maduekwe himself is also a ruling Elder of the church, just as his wife, Ucha. As the Prelate of the Presbyterian church, most Rev. Professor E.M. Uka said, Chief Ojo Maduekwe's life of public service merely confirms that there is spiritual capital and it can provide a rich harvest.
I know that I speak the mind of his many admirers by prophesying that he will go to Canada and the Nigerian flag will be held aloft having regard to his pedigree. We look forward to eating Ohafia soup in his Residence once he settles down there.
Vanguard Nigeria