Sir: Similar to the recent news report that the late Julius Kambarage Nyerere, first president of the new state of Tanzania, whose canonization plan for sainthood by the catholic community in Tanzania, is currently in top gear, comparable media reports on Friday, 15th December, 2023, indicates that the Association of Resident Doctors, University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) chapter, Benin City, bestowed a posthumous award on the late Prof. John C. Ebie, pioneer Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital UBTH, who passed on to eternal glory many years ago.
Like Nyerere, Prof. Ebie, who is the father of Barrister Chiedu Ebie, incumbent chairman of the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), was honoured for his sterling public leadership attributes showcased as head of the heath institution established in May 1973.
Essentially, while the award ceremony which was received by Chiedu on behalf of the family and accompanying celebrations may have come and gone, but not without leaving behind some ingrained lessons. One of such big lessons is that as humans, we must live with the consciousness that every good effort and sincere contribution towards the development of mankind must not go unrewarded.
As the pioneer Chief Medical Director of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital who navigated the health institution to an enviable world-class health provider, it is obvious that he must have creatively brought together within the same organisation different people with different experiences, assumptions, values, belief and habits to their work. And provided direction, protection, orientation, managed conflicts, shaped norms and laced with emotional capacity to tolerate uncertainty, frustrations and pains and raised tough questions without getting anxious himself.
Undoubtedly, what the above award tells current public office holders in the country is that they are watched closely, that people are noting every move they make, that their followers are learning a great deal about them and what they really believe in as opposed to what they say. What the award explains is that people’s support is the greatest asset public office holders and civil servants enjoy. Most unique revelation by the award is that what binds every follower to their leaders is unwavering fate built on trust.
Aside from living a life of integrity and simplicity, shunning the selfishness that marred much of such positions, the latest testament by the Association of Resident Doctors, University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) Chapter, coupled with the great institution he left behind, further supports the global argument ‘that we need good people to have good government, for however good the system of government maybe, bad leaders will bring harm to their people.’
For me, the award more than anything else tells us that Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), should expect from Chiedu Ebie, an authentic leadership provision.
As succulently captured by a commentator, Chiedu Ebie had an uncle, Mr. Fortune Ebie who was one of the founding architects of modern Nigeria, literally speaking. Mr. Fortune Ebie was the director of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) who planned and executed the building of what still today is the biggest Housing Estate in Nigeria, the FESTAC Housing Estate in Lagos.
Fortune Ebie was the head of the FHA with Brigadier Olu Obasanjo as minister of Works and Housing and delivered a housing estate that remains even after a half century, the pride of the black man. It was showcased during the First World and African Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC) in 1977and it brought admiration to Nigeria from the rest of the world.
• Jerome Mario Utomi is the programme cordinator (Media and Public Policy), Social and Economic Justice Advocacy (SEJA), Lagos.
