Ekweremadu: Nigerian's Humble and Selfless Man
By Okechukwu Oboh
I have been following the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu's activities, politics, and performance and found him to be a rare individual in the context of Nigeria's socio-political environment. As a result of my interest in studying the behavior and actions of some Nigerian politicians, particularly Ekweremadu, I attempt to read every article about the Deputy Senate President. I read a scintillating story, “Ike Ekweremadu I Know,” published sometime in The Sun last year and became more fascinated about the man.
A few days ago, I read Barrister Nwachukwu's masterfully written piece on the Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu. The article was well written and to the point, but I tend to disagree with you on some points starting with the title of the piece “Ekweremadu: Enugu's Golden Boy”. I seriously object to this title because the Deputy Senate President by his actions no longer belongs exclusively to Enugu State. The title of the piece should have been “Ekweremadu: Nigerian's Humble and Selfless Man”. Yes, this should have been the title because Ekweremadu now belongs to the whole of Nigeria and he is humility personified. I do agree with the piece that he is golden, but I know he will prefer to be seen as selfless instead of golden.
There is no doubt that Senator Ekweremadu has brought development to his immediate constituency but we will be doing great disservice to him if we fail to mention the fact that his law-making and negotiation abilities has brought tangible developments to the whole of Nigeria. This should be no surprise to no one since the amiable Senator was well prepared for law making by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka world renowned law faculty which bestowed upon him an advanced degree in law. Although the honorable was elected by citizens of Enugu West to the senate he should not be seen as a sectional politician anymore because his achievements have catapulted him to the upper echelon of Nigerian and world politics. In a nutshell Senator Ekweremadu's primary constituency has changed from Enugu West to the whole of Nigeria. His positive influences can be seen in all parts of the country. It will be an understatement to state that the most stabilizing force in Nigerian politics since April 2003 has been the Deputy President of the Senate – Chief Ike Ekweremadu. He has been a strong moderating voice bringing different factions together. Unlike his compatriots, Senator Ekweremadu believes that political posts is not a profession rather it is service to humanity hence his campaign to restrict political office holders to a single term in office. As a pragmatist and visionary, Ike Ekweremadu, in his recent remarks to Enugu politicians, he pleaded with them to play by the rule while cautioning them not to engage in activities that will overheat the polity. He warned them that “2015 is not a do-or-die affair.”
In the murky waters of Nigerian politics, backstabbing, shenanigans, and setting up of fellow senators for failure have been the norm rather than the exception. Despite the uncertainty, Senator Ekweremadu has maintained his poise and position as Senate Deputy President for over a significant number of years. That in itself is a testament to the respect with which peers in the senate view him. Furthermore, he has been elected as the Speaker of the powerful ECOWAS Parliament, a position that is good for Enugu State and Nigeria in general. As a man of peace and integrity, Senator Ekweremadu believes in the power of diplomacy and abhors all kinds of violence hence his stance in faraway Japan last week during his visit to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and Park with regards to peace. During this trip the Deputy Senate President reiterated the need to have sustainable peace in every part of the world.
In conclusion, regardless of his personal success and his lofty achievements in life, Senator Ekweremadu still identify with the common man because of his humility and selfless attitudes.
Dr. Oboh is a pharmacist based in the State of Maryland, U.S.A.