By Sunny Igboanugo
How much of Peter Obi do you really know? Okay let’s start with COVID-19. Do you remember what happened during that period? I’m sure you might not. There are so much to think of about that eerie and inglorious era to remember some of the specific details.
But I shall remind you. You remember that piece of news that surfaced sometime in 2020 regarding Obi donating N1billion to the national efforts in Nigeria to battle the pandemic?
He was named alongside the likes of Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, who donated N2billion alongside the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Abdul Samad Rabiu, of (BUA Sugar Refinery), Segun Agbaje (GTB), Tony Elumelu (UBA), Oba Otudeko (First Bank), Jim Ovia (Zenith Bank), Herbert Wigwe (Access Bank), and Femi Otedola of Amperion Power Distribution, who donated N1 billion each to the fund.
Perhaps the purveyors of that information may have intended it to be a positive move either to elevate Obi’s profile in the public by placing him amongst the Nigerian A-list financial movers and shakers, or enhance him in the political space as a good-hearted Nigerian ready to give to the cause of humanity. It was just few months after the former governor ran as the running mate to former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar for the 2019 presidential election. Perhaps not. It might also be a bait to tempt the former governor, so that if he lapped up the glory, he would be exposed as a liar, if the truth eventually turned out.
Whatever the intention never succeeded, for Obi denied the story promptly. He never donated any money for that purpose, even though he saluted the efforts of those who did as a good move to the society.
Hear him: “I have not donated to the fund. The issue at hand is so scary and of great importance to the world, especially our dear country, to be tainted by any manner of fake news. As a Nigerian, I am deeply worried about the situation in the world, especially what Nigeria and her citizens are going through. I had earlier made case for the vulnerable and advised that their plight should be a priority in any decision on how to fight the pandemic.”
That was vintage Obi. But did he stop at that? Certainly no! Indeed, earlier enough, he had actually mobilised the PDP in Anambra State, where he was the leader, to raise N125million for a similar effort. That was a month before.
Chidi Onyemelukwe, daughter of the late former Vice President Alex Ekwueme, who was appointed the chairman of the high- powered committee for the disbursement of the funds, said it was to establish a well-equipped test center in the state.
Besides, she assured that each of the 181 communities in the state would get N300,000, while 60 selected poor families in each community would get N5000 immediately. Similarly, each political ward would receive N105,000 during the first phase, while the local government areas would get theirs during the second phase.
She also said that three health institutions including Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH), Awka and the General Hospital, Onitsha would get N12 million each for upgrading of isolation.
Of course the specific details of what would go where in terms of funding and utilisation of the money, would leave very few in doubt about Obi’s imprimatur in the entire arrangement.
But it didn’t stop there. The former governor, had to raise his own team of trusted aides for the same purpose. This particular group, headed by Stella Okunna, who earned a special place in Obi’s heart for her great achievements in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) programmes she headed during their time at the government house in Awka, was put in charge of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), through which Obi, activated his own initiatives and channelled his own personal funding to the COVID-19 campaigns.
Of course, those who know this special team, would not be surprised why Obi went for it – integrity of the process, financial prudence and high-level achievement of the goals. It was not surprising that within the period their activities lasted, Nigerians were seeing real time visits to hospitals, schools and other public and private institutions where COVID-19 materials, equipment and supplies were made available.
In the end, despite spending more than the N1billion he was said to have donated to the CACOVID initiative embarked by the CBN, the jury is out on who actually impacted more on the COVID-19 project between the two entities.
It is left to Nigerians to find out how much of the more than N30billion generated by the CACOVID, could be accounted for in terms of the actual deliveries and Obi’s own privately funded programme, the one that actually reached those it intended. That is Obi.
So, when Reverend Father Camilius Ejike Mbaka, calls Obi a stingy man, the question should be, which Obi is he talking about and what is his definition of stinginess? Is it the same Obi that has been spending at least N1.5million every week in donations to hospitals, schools and other public institutions since he left office in 2014? Is it the same Obi that has only a few months ago, doled out a whopping N100million for the upgrading of the Bishop Shannahan School of Nursing Nsukka that he’s speaking about.
Okay, another sampler! In May, 2018, Obi was at the burial of his elder sister, Lady Bibiana Adani in Ukana, Enugu State. It was said that some of the people in the rural community, went home unhappy. Why? They had come prepared for a lavish ceremony, with some of them bringing extra bags to carry home some of the goodies, while others were already imagining that they would go home with souvenirs like mobile phones, electronics and other highly-priced takeaways. After all, our in-law was a governor and a big man! They however drank from Obi’s bitter rivers of stinginess! Would you blame their grumbling as they went home sharing their bitterness?
It wasn’t difficult for the former governor to explain, when he was subsequently confronted by reporters, who witnessed entire drama. “Sometimes I shudder on what people do for the dead as if they are marketing commodity. All the dead needs from the living is decent burial after they must have taken care of them while living. As a Catholic, what I owe her now are prayers and booking of masses for happy repose of her soul and not an opportunity to display wealth that should rather be used to add value to humanity.”
And to make good this line of thought, he immediately commissioned a brand new hospital be built in the community in memory of the same woman. That is Obi’s style. So, where is the stinginess Mbaka spoke about?
You may have seen the video of the encounter before the selfsame Mbaka in the run to the 2019 election in which Obi is running as the VP to Atiku. Juxtapose it with the other video in which Hope Uzodinma, the current governor of Imo State, then a Senator on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC), appeared on the same platform to announce a huge donation. Compare Mbaka’s reaction. All Obi, asked in his own encounter was – Father, show me a project that you’re doing, so that I can contribute.
But, for where? The priest would rather Obi doled out money. But, was it not the same Mbaka that started assailing Uzodinma, months after, complaining that the governor no longer picked his calls? What was that all about?
The difference is that with his brand of politics, that partially-blind man in Kano, that well-equipped library in Wukari, that brilliant child in Abeokuta that has just excelled in his examinations, may just have benefitted from Obi’s interventions, in the same manner the five Anambra Girls from Regina Pacis Secondary School Onitsha, who became the pride of our nation by winning the Gold Medal at the World Technovation Challenge in the Silicon Valley in San Francisco, may go home happier and more beneficial to themselves in future than regaling in a momentary binge that are best, fleeting.
This is actually the season of politics. Obi is now running for President. From the look of things, he’s likely to become the next leader Nigerians may have. Something strange seems to be happening in which this seems to be manifesting in many ways, despite the obvious manipulations.
For Nigerians of all works of life who are rooting for him, this is the time to pray fervently for Obi, not only to survive the current onslaught, but to survive what might come with it, should he eventually emerge victorious.
On Sunday, June 12, Obi was the only candidate of a political party invited by the organisers of democratic forum at the home of the winner of the historic June 12, 1999 election, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola.
How relevant that outcome to the historic political evolution of the country, is yet to be seen. But, those who know say, the revolution Nigerians are seeing today, happens in every 30-year circle, only that they are followed by tragic ends. The prayer point would be: May Obi survive and give this nation a New Nigeria!
• Igboanugo is the Publisher of Whirlwind, an e- newspaper.