Duty Call as Anambra Governor, Willie Obiano a.k.a. Akpokuedike

A review by Bayo Ogunmupe It is a biographical tribute to the outgoing fourth elected governor of Anambra State Willie Obiano. To be launched soon, the book has 15 chapters, a concluding essay, 192 pages, and a bibliography of eight pages. Written by Ike Chioke, a close confidant of Obiano, who wrote the manifesto of the governor as an aspirant. Chioke’s appointment as the chairman of the Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency (ANSIPPA) gave him the insight into the workings of the Obiano Administration. His close observation of Obiano’s leadership style and his accomplishments inspired him to write this panegyric. This book covers Obiano’s two terms as governor of Anambra, the remarkable public service legacy of the visionary leader. During the author’s research of the biography, it became clear he had to delve into the personal history of the man. This enables me to break the book to four sections. The first four chapters encompasses Willie’s pedigree, Biafra, From CKC to Unilag and from First Bank to Fidelity Bank. The author met Akpokuedike during Chukwuma Soludo’s recapitalization drive as central bank Governor. Soludo had announced the Nigerian banking sector’s recapitalization policy requiring all banks to raise their capital to a minimum of N25 billion by December 2005. Obiano who was an Executive Director at Fidelity, was responsible for managing due diligence exercise Fidelity conducted on FSB bank. Their relationship began from that transaction, maturing into true friendship, loyalty and mutual respect. After Peter Obi adopted Obiano as his gubernatorial candidate in 2013, Chioke was tapped to develop the first of many economic blueprints for Anambra State. Obiano is from Aguleri, a rural community in the Anambra river valley. It is the largest town in the area and the headquarters of the Anambra East Local Government Council Area. Both his mother, Christiana, his father, Philip are Catholics and are from the same town. Philip, a catechist, was a teacher, and he taught school all over Igboland. His loyal wife, Christie went with him wherever he went selling fish. Of the six Philip children, two died with Willie becoming the eldest of the Obiano dynasty. Anambra state is 98 percent Igbo and two percent Igala. Following Nigeria’s military coup in 1966, many Igbo families lost their loved ones in pogrom in Northern Nigeria. Amidst the uncertainties, the July countercoup occurred and 11-year old Willie and his siblings returned to their classroom, with ill omen muffling family conversations in homes. In May 1967, Lt. Col. Emeka Ojukwu as Military Governor of Eastern Region declared the region the independent state of Biafra. The declaration changed the history of the region and the Nigeria nation. The federal troops attacked Onitsha in October 1967; with the Obiano family deciding it was time to move to safer territory. They left their rented apartment on Ajassa Street, Onitsha; journeying to Amanze, Aguleri their homestead. During the war years 1967-1969, Willie and siblings were out of school. Graciously, the war ended in January 1970 and Willie returned to school at the Christ the King’s College, Onitsha. At CKC, Willie stood out confident and self assured. His devotion to his studies was unmatched. His intellectual hunger and inquisitiveness are his defining characteristics. As the President of CKC’s debating society, Willie won many laurels including the coveted John F. Kennedy Essay Prize dedicated to the late US President by the American Embassy. He easily made Grade 1in his West African School Certificate examinations and his Higher School Certificate course two years later. That carried him to a direct entry admission to read Accounting at the University of Lagos. At Unilag, Willie learned to be responsible, making minimum demands on his parents and never travelling home to Onitsha very often. At the start of his final year in the university, tragedy struck, his father died at the age of 57. Widowhood was an agonizing plight for his mother the fish merchant. Happily, Willie stepped up to takeover as head of the Obiano dynasty. For a 23 year old undergraduate, it was no easy position. “Without their breadwinner’s regular income, life grew tougher for the Obiano family. But Christie was not daunted. She worked hard, traded merrily and was able to complete the training of all the children. Rosary in hand, she prayed as she worked. Her cheerfulness, good humour and joie de vivre earned her many customers.” For Obiano’s 1979/1980 Youth Service, he worked as an accountant at the Benue State Hotel, Makurdi. Consequent upon his outstanding performance in his national service, he was made a Fellow, now a Patron, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN); the President of the Advanced Management Program of Lagos Business School since 2008; and a 2006 Building New Ventures class member of Harvard Business School. Willie’s impressive academic records and leadership skills landed him a job at the oldest bank in Nigeria, older than Nigeria itself as an auditor at First Bank of Nigeria. Eighteen months later, he made a strategic move into the oil industry by joining Texaco Nigeria Plc. He was adjudged one of Texaco’s best dressed gentlemen. In 1991, Willie left Texaco to become the Deputy Manager and Head of Audit at Fidelity Bank. Within months, he was promoted Manager at the Bank. Willie’s meteoric rise to stardom at Fidelity never actually surprised anyone who knew Willie well. The pleasure of working with him readily attests to his uncommon drive, principled objectivity and supreme confidence. “Alhaji Abdulrahman Esene was an Executive Director at Fidelity Bank until 2012 when he retired. Esene remembers Willie’s tenure as Executive Director (Business Banking). Wille led core banking business, deploying his entrepreneurial mind to attract quality risk assets to the bank. He brokered paradigm- changing equity arrangements that firmly placed Fidelity on the global financial map.” In 2012, after 31 years of meritorious service in the banking industry, Willie aged 57, retired from Fidelity Bank and moved to the United States. Section two covers Willie and Ebele, From Candidate to governor, Philanthropy, Mentoring and Governance, and Securing Anambra Lives and Property. Here, we’re engaged with Willie’s marriage and public life. Like her husband, Ebele is a fashionista. She dresses excellently and admires those who dress well. The two lovers met on their way to work. Willie was at Texaco then while Ebele was working at Ikeja Hotels at a Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) facility at Falomo, Lagos. While commuting to office in their Texaco branded bus Willie was waiting to catch the bus while Ebele was at the same bus stop on the way to her office. Willie chatted her up: in a platonic affair for two years before making up their minds to get married. His gentility and her Catholicism glued them together. On October 29, 1988 Ebele wedded Willie at St Anthony’s Catholic Church, Gbaja, Surulere, Lagos. They were blessed with three sons and two daughters. Their eldest child a girl, graduated a medical doctor in May 2017. From candidate to governor is a most interesting chapter. Willie’s CKC confraternity worked for his gubernatorial election campaign causing the current commissioner for Local Government Dubem Obaze to lead his campaign. Willie won and was sworn in as Anambra governor the following year, March 17, 2014. Solo, his CKC classmate was his Secretary to the State Government. His accomplishments are to be consolidated by his successor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo.