On Tuesday 8 August 2000 the then Senate President (my personal fav) the Late Dr Chuba Wilberforce Okadigbo was removed from office on allegations of corruption/misuse of public funds. That same day I first learnt of the extraordinary exchange between him and Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe.

We all remember Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe (Zik) as the 1st indigenous Governor General of Nigeria & the 1st President, who was removed from office in the infamous coup of January 1966. What is less known in this history deprived era is that Zik subsequently tried in vain to be President.

At the end of the 2nd Republic Presidential elections in 1983 which was contested by Shehu Shagari (NPN), Awolowo(UPN), Zik(NPP), Aminu Kano(PRP), Ibrahim Waziri(GNPP) and Tunji Braithwaite(NAP), the FEDECO Chairman, Ovie Whiskey announced Shagari as the winner of the election.

Understandably aggrieved by the election results as announced by FEDECO, Zik complained bitterly. About this time, Dr Okadigbo was the Political Adviser to President Shagari and when asked about Zik's complaints allegedly likened them to "the ranting of an ant".

History records the following as the legendary response from Zik of Africa.

"My boy, may you live to your full potential, ascend to as dizzy a height as is possible for anyone of your political description in your era to rise...

... May you be acknowledged world-wide as you rise like an eagle atop trees, float among the clouds, preside over the affairs of fellow men...as leaders of all countries pour into Nigeria to breath into her ear...

...But then, Chuba, if it is not the tradition of our people that elders are roundly insulted by young men before the world as you have unjustly done to me, may your reign come to an abrupt and shattering close...

...As you look ahead, Chuba, as you see the horizon, dedicating a great marble palace that is the envy of the world, toasted by the most powerful men in the land, may the great big hand of fate snatch it all away from you. Just as it appears as if nothing can possibly go away...

... Chuba, as you look forward to hosting the world's most powerful leader and shaking his
hand, as you begin to smell the recognition and leadership of the Igbo people, may the crown fall off your head and your political head fall off your shoulders...

... None of my words will come to pass, Chuba, until you have risen to the very height of your power and glory and health, but then you
will be hounded and humiliated and disgraced out of office, your credibility and your name in tatters forever..."

Powerful words you will agree. Now fast forward to the return to civilian rule in 1999, three years after the passing of Dr Azikiwe. A new breed of political class was now in power (new relative to the class of 1979 - 1983). One of the most flamboyant of them was the Oyi of Oyi!

Dr Okadigbo was originally expected to be the Senate President in 1999 but for some reason the President and the party favoured Evans Enwerem and the latter emerged. Months later Evans Enwerem was impeached on grounds of corruption and ultimately Dr Okadigbo took his place.

In emerging as the Senate President - the number 3 man - Dr Okadigbo had truly "lived to his full potential, ascended to as dizzy a height as was possible for anyone of his political description in his era to rise" and had "risen to the very height of power and glory and health."

In August 2020, while the Nigerian government, including Dr Okadigbo, was preparing to "host the world's most powerful leader" President Bill Clinton who was visiting Nigeria and who would have addressed a joint session of the National Assembly, presided over by Dr Okadigbo...

... the Senate accepted the report of its committee which investigated the misuse of public funds and accused Okadigbo of inflating contracts, overspending on official home furnishing, accepting US $200k as a Christmas “welfare gift” and acquiring eight unauthorised cars.

The Senate voted 81 to 14 to remove Dr Chuba Wilberforce Okadigbo from office as the President of the Senate. A few days later Senator Anyim Pius Anyim emerged as the Senate President.

As I mentioned earlier, immediately afterwards people drew a connection between the travails of the Oyi of Oyi and the supposed "curse" placed on him by Zik. There different but related events/circumstances added to the intrigues.

The first was that Dr Chuba Okadigbo had indeed risen to the height of his glory and power as Senate President (I still consider him the best since 1999). Second, he was preparing to host the US President and three, he had indeed just opened a new mansion, his official residence.

Whether this was nothing but an extraordinary set of coincidence one may never know. What I do know is that I have since learnt to keep certain thoughts to myself even when I consider some elders' words as akin to the mere ranting of an ant. You can't curse what you didn't hear.

Thank you coming to my contemporary Nigerian history. Have a good evening.