Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has declared he would remain grateful to Mary Odili for her timely intervention that saved his political career in 2004.
He spoke of this aspect of his political experience at the 70th birthday and retirement thanksgiving mass of Odili, as justice of the Supreme Court, at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Chaplaincy, Catholic Institute of West Africa (CIWA) in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
The governor recalled how he cried to Odili when he got hint that his name was not included among those cleared to contest either as first term or second term chairmen of local governments in the state
According to Wike, Odili listened to him, and took the complain to her husband, Peter Odili, who was the governor of Rivers State then.
He explained that the manner Justice Odili presented the matter got her husband acting on it immediately.
He said, first, former governor Odili invited the then Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman, Uche Secondus, to confirm the observation and, thereafter, put a call across to the then national secretary of the PDP, Vincent Ogbulafor.
“In 2004, that time, the husband was the governor. So, she was going to Bori Camp for women empowerment scheme. I was to run for second tenure as chairman of my local government (Obio-Akpor).
“Now, they were having lunch with her husband and Secondus. And, I was told my name had been removed in the list. So, I ran down to Government House.
“She has finished her lunch, left her husband and was entering the vehicle. I said mummy, I’m finished. She asked what happened, I said they’ve removed my name.
“She ran back straight to her husband and informed him. Her husband asked who removed my name. At that time, Secondus had left. The husband then called the security at the gate, they stopped Secondus and asked him to come back. That was how I went back as second term chairman. For me, I can’t talk about my growth without mentioning her. If she was not around that day to see the governor, you know it’s not an easy thing. Her being around that particular day saved my career in politics. That was how I grew from there to become what I am today.”
Governor Wike noted a vital lesson of life he learnt from Justice Odili, which is the determination to build the capacity to be successful in one’s career while not ignoring giving requisite attention to the family. He said there was a good balance she maintained that made her succeed both in her career as a legal practitioner, a mother and wife in the family.
He said Justice Odili had remained an embodiment of care and compassion because without relenting, she treated everybody with dignity that they deserved.
“I have seen somebody who is very compassionate, and very caring. The moment you’re around her husband, she takes care of you. She sees you as her husband’s person and so she will always relate with you. Some of us are direct beneficiaries of the care through our relationship with the husband.”
Governor Wike commended Justice Odili for the 44 years of meritorious public service, which he described as no mean feat.
In his Homily, the chaplain of the Chaplaincy at CIWA, Monsignor Pius Kii, exhorted on the physical and eternal benefits Christians derive when they love God, one another and their enemies.
He emphasised that living a life of love demonstrates faithful discipleship, obedience to God and secures daily victory in life’s endeavours.
Justice Odili described the joy she felt as unspeakable and a thing of honour to have Governor Wike, a sitting governor, doing a vote of thanks in her honour.
(Sun)