MORE CITATIONS ON SENATOR (DR) JIM IFEANYICHUKWU NWOBODO

Senator Jim Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo, an illustrious son of Nigeria. An astute businessman, publisher and industrial developer equipped to operate within the international economic arena, ascended the high office of first Executive Governor of Anambra State at the age of 39.

His Excellency Senator Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo was born on 9^th May 1940; started his primary School education at St. James School, Lafia but completed this stage of his education at Government School, Awka. In 1956, he entered St. Peter’s college, Zaria and completed his studies in 1959 by which time the College, still bearing the same name, had moved to Kaduna. After one year at the Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology (1960-61), once again first at Enugu and next at Ibadan, he obtained his “A” Levels and moved up to the University College, Ibadan in September, 1961, to read English. In 1964, he graduated with an honours degree in English. As an undergraduate, Senator Nwobodo served as Secretary of the Students’ Union; and during his tenure of office, the Students Bursary Scheme was introduced to the benefit of many. Furthermore, the young undergraduate Nwobodo participated in many international conferences and also represented Nigeria for 4 years as the only student nay the only African executive member of the World University Service at the organization’s conventions. We may catch a glimpse of the first signs of the brilliant future career as go-getter, politician and Statesman.

Soon after his graduation, Senator Nwobodo was employed as tutor in King’s College, Lagos – a post he held from 1964 to 1966. In 1961, Senator Nwobodo took up an appointment with the Shell Company of Nigeria as Development Manager, Lagos. Later that year, he was seconded to Shell BP, Port Harcourt, still in the capacity of Development Manager, a post he occupied throughout the Nigeria-Biafra War.

After the war in 1970, with his twenty pounds in his pocket (like every other defeated Biafra), Senator Nwobodo embarked on a business career which flourished into a multi=million corporation of many divisions. The flagship of the Nwobodo’s corporation is Link Group International Limited. Since its incorporation in 1972, Link Group International; Limited, in association with Fisher Scientific Company of U.S.A. (its principals) has played a major role in the stimulation of awareness in the teaching and learning of sciences in Nigeria. The company is specialized in the sup[ply and servicing of laboratory equipment and as a leading name in this field boasts of the following achievements:

1.     Supply of various laboratory equipment for the re-equipment of the post war University of Nigeria at a cost of N3.5.

2.     Supply of 156 new Teachers’ Training Colleges in Nigeria to the tune of $16 million in 1974 and 1975.

3.     Supply of 52 Federal Government Colleges with General Science and Domestic Science equipment to the tune of $6.7 million in 1976 alone.

4.     Furnishing of Agricultural Science Laboratory and Workshop of Ahmadu Bello University at a cost of $2.15 million in 1978.

5.     Supply and furnishing of a complete quality control laboratory at the Moscow Road office of NNPC in Port Harcourt at a cost of $1.1 million.

6.     Supply of Science Equipment for Physics, Chemistry and Biology to 45 secondary schools in the old Anambra State at the cost of $0.66million.

7.     Supply of drugs and dressing to the Anambra State Ministry of Health at a cost of $0.6million.

The list goes on and on. Suffice it to add that Link Group International Limited, in order to ensure that it keeps pace with the developments in science and technology, provides 15% of its yearly profit for the training of its staff and other manpower development schemes.

Another division is Link Pharmaceuticals which represents the UPJOHN WORLWIDE, one of the 5 major drug manufacturing companies in the world and based in Kalamazoo, Michigan, U.S.A.

Senator Nwobodo started Jupiter Publishers Limited as a subsidiary of Link Group in 1981. Jupiter Publishers Limited was later transformed into a vibrant and thoroughly modern Satellite Press Limited which publishes Satellite Daily and Sunday Satellite.

As a philanthropist and long before becoming a Governor, the young Jim Nwobodo took the first step of donating N50,000.00 for the construction of a church building. This initial sum was subsequently enlarged by several installments; and to the glory and praise of God, that church building was consecrated on Sunday, 25^th April, 1982, as St. Matthew’s Anglican Church in Amechi-Awkunanaw by the Most Reverend and Right Honourable Robert Alexander Kennedy Runcie, Archbishop of Canterbury. An acclaimed masterpiece of Art Deco design, the church stands proud, beautiful, spiritually enriching and a joy forever.

As a champion of post-war sports in Anambra State, the young businessman Nwobodo took the ancient Latin adage to heart: “miens sane in corpore sano”. Anxious to put his money where his eloquent mouth was, he assumed the position of Chairman of Rangers International Club in 1975, and held that position until 1979. Within one year as Club Chairman he had with the right mixture of fatherly support and steely drive for success, propelled Rangers forward to the capture of the Africa Cup of Winners’ Cup.

Having attained success in business, Senator Jim Nwobodo was persuaded in 1979 to run for Governor of the old Anambra State. He became the State gubernatorial candidate of the Nigeria People’s Party (NPP), endorsed by Rt. Hon. Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, the Owelle of Onitsha and he won by a landslide.

Within two years of assuming office, the energetic and irrepressible Jim, as he was popularly called, had rebuilt his war-torn State and had used his proven-business acumen to make the State of Anambra solvent. Therefore, he was able to secure and without Federal Government guarantee from a coalition of international bankers (hard-headed and with zinc-lined stomachs as well) who represented a consortium of 44 American banks a package loan worth $150million for the development of infrastructural facilities of post-war Anambra State. The package financed the following:

1.     The Greater Enugu Water Project

2.      The Abakiliki Water Scheme

3.     The Nike Lake Resort

4.     The Ikenga Hotels at Awka and Nsukka

5.     The Flour Mill at Emene

6.     The Aluminum Products Factory at Ogbede in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area.

7.     The Building Materials Factory at Ezillo in Ishielu Local Government Area.

Other externally funded schemes include:

8.     The $16million First Phase of the rural Electrification Scheme financed under the first contractor-finance arrangement with Turnkey.

9.     The Greater Onitsha Water Scheme financed by the World Bank

Furthermore, there were Federal Government guaranteed loan arrangements which financed the following:

10.                        The Metallurgical Factory at Ozubulu

11.                        The Specialist Hospital at Abakiliki was started as the first of three. A second would have been sited at Nkpor and the Park Lane General Hospital here at Enugu would have been upgraded to complete a triad of specialist Hospitals.

Locally generated finance was not spared; and the following projects were financed locally:

12.                        The construction of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium was initiated in the period.

13.                        The Anambra State Television Channel 5-0 was built and ranks among the best of its kind in all Africa.

What would these projects have cost now? The mind boggles! In response to this massive life blood transfusion, the Anambra State Gross National Product (GNP) increased by 50%, job opportunities shot up; the old Enugu-Onitsha road was rehabilitated and other road systems were developed; school attendance tripled and, as one says in French: “quand le vin est tiré, il faut le boire”. In spontaneous response and to the sound of the popping champagne bottles of sheer satisfaction, and in full praise, the people of Anambra State rejoiced and the Rangers Football Club, in full bloom, kicked harder, ran faster and jumped right back to the top of the League and cup competitions in response and to the greater joy of the masses. Between 1979 and 1983, His Excellency amassed a total of nearly 50 chieftaincy titles from every part of the old Anambra State.

Let me recite but a few:

Excellency Sir, you are

1.     Ezekwesili 1 of Nsukka

2.     Agbawodike-izu 1 of Umunnachi

3.     Ezeanaekwu 1 of Oraifite

4.     Igiligi nadaluora 1 of Akwu-Ukwu

5.     Ezejiofor 1 of Amawbia

6.     Ezeora 1 of Enugu-Agidi

7.     Eze Okwelume 1 of Abacha

8.     Agunechemba 1 of Ukpo

9.     Ezeudo 1 of Abatete

10.                        Anyanwuna-etiri oha 1 of Nkanu

The list speaks itself for itself. And it is an eloquent testimony to the high esteem and touching adoration the great people of Anambra State have their young Governor. The Anambra State Administration of Jim Nwobodo has an impressive list of achievements in the field of the establishment of higher institutions of learning. This list includes Colleges of Agriculture and Education spread out over Anambra State. But the greatest achievement of His Excellency Jim Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo as Governor of the old Anambra State, and an achievement which will forever stand, was his decision, following in the footsteps of his mentor and political godfather, the Rt. Hon. Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, to build the first University of Technology in Nigeria within his first year in office. To achieve his vision of a Nigerian Institute of Technology, in the mould of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he relied on the international status, and proven innovative and experienced administration of the late Kenneth Onwuka Dike, Professor Emeritus of Harvard University and the scientific know-how of Dr. Heskia Heskia of the New York Institute of Technology. Anambra State University of Technology was founded along the lines of the original blueprint on a multi-campus basis so as to broaden the base of the impact on and stimulation of the native industry and technology of Anambra State in particular and those of Nigeria in general. Today, the university founded by His Excellency has blossomed. It is now three full fledged universities – Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka; Enugu State University of Technology, Enugu and Ebonyi State University, Abakiliki.

It is also worthy to note that the Bursary Scheme his administration as Governor introduced for the students of the old Anambra State (now Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu States) without which some of the indigenes of these States in public, corporate and private sectors, including some of the well known professionals in the Diaspora would not have the opportunity of having university education. They are in government as Governors, Legislators, Ministers, etc., past and present, top management of banks and other professionals including judges, lawyers, accountants, and medical   professionals.

Senator (Dr.) Jim Nwobodo was made Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports in 1995 and will be remembered for leading Nigeria to their best ever sporting outing in the Olympics till date, winning their first ever gold medals in football and athletics among many silver and bronze medals. The Nigerian male soccer team which was referred to as “the Dream Team” won the first ever soccer Olympic Gold medal for Africa. To achieve this feat, the Dream Team defeated all the best teams in the world namely Brazil, Japan and Argentina. And it was re baptized as the African Dream Team. This soccer gold medal was referred to as the mother of all gold medals.

Senator Jim Nwobodo was elected into the Senate in 1999 to represent Enugu East Senatorial Zone. He became the Chairman of Senate Committee on Internal Affairs where he initiated many reforms in the Immigration Service, the Prisons, the Civil Defence Corps and others.

In 2008, he was made Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Action Committee charged with the reconciliation of the factions of the party in the States of the South East geopolitical zone, namely Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States which he discharged excellently by resolving virtually all disputes then.

He was also a member of the PDP Integration and Reconciliation Committee for North West, a body set up by the then Chairman of the party to reconcile and reintegrate the aggrieved party members from the Zone.

For his massive contribution to the social, economic and political development of the country, senator (Dr.) Jim Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo has been honoured with the Honourary Degree of Doctor of Laws (LLD) by the Anambra State University of Technology on 11 May 1991 and the prestigious National Honour of the Commander of the Order of the Niger, CON by His Excellency Umaru Musa Yar’Adua on 22^nd December 2008 at a colourful ceremony held in Abuja.

This is a brief Citation of the man, Senator (Dr) Jim Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo, a statesman and politician of note, publisher, entrepreneur and seasoned administrator and great manager of men and resources and above all, a true Christian who puts God first in all he does. His greatest legacies will be in the following of the footstep of his political mentor, Zik of Africa by founding the first university of technology in Nigeria as the Governor of the old Anambra State (the Anambra State University of Technology) which is now three full fledged universities namely, (1) Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki in Ebonyi State (2) Enugu State University of Technology in Enugu State and (3) Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, in Anambra State now a Federal University.  The products of these universities including the students of the old Anambra State (Ebonyi, Anambra and Enugu States) who enjoyed the bursary scheme he introduced during his administration are holding various top positions now in all spheres of life, political, corporate and private in Nigeria and in the Diaspora.

This citation will therefore be incomplete if I do not recognize the woman who has been a pillar to Jim – Patricia. Together they have formed an unbreakable bond and partnership that has touched the lives of many. The marriage is blessed with two wonderful children – Jim and Pat Jnr.