Tony Obuh can be spotted
easily in a sea of heads. His chocolate complexion and trademark smile ensures
that. But it is not the colour of his skin or his friendly mien that has made
him unique. The peculiarity of his personality as embedded in his strength of
character, legacy of achievements and vision in public office is what has set
him apart. He has etched indelible footprints on the sands of time in every
endeavour he has ventured into and since emerging on the political scene has
brought a refreshing touch to the game. This is a statement of fact. Yes
verifiable facts as different from opinion or mere posturing.
But where is Tony Obuh’s
strength of character? Before I address this question let me put the question
broadly: wherein is the politician’s strength of character in a country where
the political stage is seen to be fouled by the antics of the players
themselves? So if the broad perception of the average Nigerian politician by
the general public is swathed in mud and dubious accolades at best, where then
is the strength of character being attributed to Tony Obuh who is by every
means a politician? Except it is accepted that there are exceptions to the
rule, this line of reasoning is permissible within the prism of the fallacy of
generalization and the reflex mentality of the mob.
History has a rich
number of tecnocrats and professionals who brought their experience and honesty
to bear. There are also politicians who have stood out from the crowd. And it
is not because they were devoid of foibles nor had careers lacking in setbacks.
This is not an attempt to canonize Tony Obuh. No, never. Rather, it is an
effort to open our eyes to the rising star that the former Permanent Secretary
is and strengthen the optimism that because of politicians like him, the
political space can be perceived in a positive light.
Leadership is not a tea
party. For one to get into the annals of good leadership, one must have
something to offer. It may not always be praise and halleluiah songs.
Sometimes, the situation is grim and solemn, but a good leader makes the best
of all situations whether good or bad. According to Nelson Mandela, ‘There are
times when a leader must move out ahead of the flocks, confident that he is leading
his people the right way. In the Bible, Moses, a crisis leader of the
Israelites made a choice whether to live in comfort while his people suffered,
but he rejected princely and urbane comfort to suffering as to liberate his
people.
Democracy is a difficult
kind of government, and requires important qualities of self discipline and
restraint, a willingness to make commitment and sacrifices for the general
interest, and also it requires knowledge. Tony Obuh has offered himself to
serve. He has left the safe terrain of the civil service to the risky and near
lawless and conscienceless terrain of politics. Here the rules and practices
are different. He has stood still like the sun under the command of Joshua. He
has remained unwavered in the midst of hot blackmail and mudslinging.
How has Tony Obuh been
able to cope when it is widely believed he is not a politician? Tony Obuh
through the years has interacted with the political class. As their engine room,
he has been in touch with the political class. It is significant to note that Tony
Obuh maximized the opportunity of working closely with the who is who in the
political circle while serving as Director and Permanent Secretary to this
class of persons. That is why till date, he continues to retain the confidence
and trust of these men who wield enormous powers and influence at one time or
the other. While building enormous State-wide political contacts during this
period, he also sufficiently learnt the ropes in public service on how to make
it beneficial to the electorate such that when he arrives the scene on his own
right, he will not have to grope in the dark.
Tony Obuh has a great
personality. He is sympathetic, empathetic, steady, kind, assertive, integrous,
proficient, efficient, competent, aggressive, experienced, intelligent, mature,
humble, attentive, generous, God fearing, broken, educated, honest, trust
worthy, loyal, not greedy, and modernized. These are attributes of a great
leader.
Tony Obuh’s life and
achievements have laid down the blue print or the foundation of what is to come
for the people of Delta State in the near future, but one that without a doubt,
will drum Delta State’s industrialization and massive development scheme on the
center stage of global industrialization.
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