Date Published: 10/16/11

Rt. Hon. (Chief) Edwin Umezeoke: A Tribute by Austin Uganwa, PhD

As the body of Rt. Hon. Edwin Umezeoke was finally interred on Wednesday this week, the growing political climate of Nigeria has somewhat eclipsed with the exit of this statesman, parliamentarian par excellence, political icon and a social engineer. His sudden and regrettable death at the matured age of 76, at best fundamentally symbolizes a painful end of a political era. Chief Umezeoke was until his death one of the last vanishing old breed but principled politicians, his exit therefore is a major setback in the shadowy Nigerian politics.

For more than five decades, Chief Umezeoke was actively involved in Nigerian politics, playing central roles in the First, Second, Third and Fourth Republics’ political dispensations. As a result, he was until his death a veritable link between the fading old politicians and the new generation politicians. Consequently, he nurtured many politicians of today while he remained a role model to several others. His death has therefore created a deep vacuum in the fledgling political space of Nigeria, a gap too ample to be filled.

His long stint in politics, humanitarian disposition, fondness for consensus building and inclination towards societal development initiatives invigorated his penchant for development-led policies. This recognizable fact made him one of the major purveyors of the country’s nation-building, social integration and political development. Incontrovertibly, the list of the founding fathers and vanguards of modern Nigeria will never be complete without the name of Chief Umezeoke appropriately recorded. Posterity will certainly situate him on the positive side of history.

An accomplished apostle and loyalist of Great Zik of Africa, Chief Umezeoke drew a lot of inspiration from this political legend, benefitting immensely from his Political School of Thought. Based on Chief Umezeoke’s abiding faith in Zik’s political philosophy which he imbibed, he intrinsically led a life of; a social crusader, a political reformer, a philosopher, a bridge builder, an orator, a voice for the voiceless and a leader by example. He was one of the politicians who provided character, direction and principle in the soulless Nigerian politics by exuding moral values and high ethical standards.

An astute and extraordinary lawmaker, exemplary Presiding Officer, consummate Speaker of Speakers, a leading light of Nigerian parliament, Chief Umezeoke would be greatly remembered for the visionary manner he led the Second Republic House of Representatives between 1979- 1983 as Speaker. He was reputed to have put in place far-reaching reforms that shaped the nascent Nigerian Federal Legislature.

Some of his achievements as Speaker included; pursuit and promotion of policies and laws in the House that were inherently people-oriented. His ability to run a cohesive, stable, harmonious, consensus-building and accountable House eloquently underpinned his political maturity and sagacity at that time. This was in spite of the fact that he belonged to a minority party, Nigerian People’s Party (NPP) but thrown up as Speaker on account of an accord entered into between his party and the ruling party, National Party of Nigeria (NPN).

Acknowledged as one of the humblest Speakers the country has ever produced, Chief Umezeoke instituted a prudent, modest House and evidently distanced himself from corruption that somewhat pervaded governance at the time. Chief Umezeoke graphically captured the modesty and prudence that characterized Second Republic House Leadership during the commemoration of the tenth anniversary of democracy in Nigeria organized by the House in June, 2009. He stated that as Speaker he had no convoy of vehicles and used taxi to move from Enugu Airport to his home town Amichi, Nnewi, Anambra State each time he was returning home from his base in Lagos.

It is on record that Chief Umezeoke was one of the few top political office holders who was neither accused of corrupt practices nor arrested by Gen. Mohammed Buhari-led Military Administration that truncated the Second Republic Democratic Government and clamped many of the political actors into jail over allegations of corruption. Chief Umezeoke was re-elected as Speaker 0n October 1, 1983, three months before the intervention of the Military establishment on December 31 st 1983.

During the dark years of Military interregnum in the country, Chief Umezeoke maintained his dignity. His response to the dictatorial governance was largely studied silence and philosophical calm. A pragmatic politician, Chief Umezeoke returned to active politics during the Fourth Republic. He was one of the key politicians that formed and consolidated the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). He became a member of the party’s Board of Trustees.

He later protested what he perceived as high-handedness in PDP. He demonstrated his disillusionment by shifting to the opposition party, All Nigerian People’s Party (ANPP). He was to emerge as the National Chairman of the party and later Vice Presidential Candidate. He was running mate to Gen. Mohammed Buhari in the 2007 Presidential Election at a time most of his contemporaries had retired from active politics.

As National Chairman of ANPP he bought into President Musa Yar’Adua’s Government of National Unity project and pursued it with vigour and intensity. This development pitched him against some of the leaders of the party who felt that he had compromised the party. But Chief Umezeoke explained on different occasions that he was misunderstood. He noted that he was propelled to buy into Yar’Adua’s project based on his long standing principle of consensus-building, harmony and accord which he said made it possible for him to emerge as Speaker 32 years ago from an opposition party.

A devout Christian of Catholic faith, Chief Umezeoke donated the only property he had in Abuja to the Church and rented an apartment to live. He contributed immensely to the development of the Church in Abuja and his hometown, Amichi in Nnewi, Anambra State.

Nigerians and Nigerian political environment will surely miss this great statesman and an accomplished parliamentarian, nationalist who for many decades bestrode the political space like a colossus. Our democracy and politics will for a long time bleed and groan for his absence.

May his gentle soul rests in perfect peace. Adieu! Rt. Hon. (Chief) Edwin Umezeoke; Good Night, Mr. Speaker; Good Bye, Mr. Consensus!!!

Dr Austin Uganwa, wrote in from Abuja