By Eddie Onuzuruike
The Greek mythology and Igbo cosmology share common features. They believe that there is magic in the name. Senator Theodore Ahamefule Orji was so named on Nov. 9, 1950 when he was born as his father knew what he wanted from God. Theodore in Greek means gift of God. It is a classic name with rich history often associated with strength and wisdom.
Ahamefule in Igbo proclaims: let my name not be lost! There are other dialectal variables like Obi m Echila, Amaechila and Nkemdirim. All these are pleas for success and continuity. Ironically, Ahamefule Orji was born a lone child of the mother, Daa Ifeoma of blessed memory. His lone child status seemed like a single tree which according to a popular saying cannot make a forest. This connotes great impossibility but iconic Nelson Mandela once observed that it seems impossible until it is done.
Life experiences and some bible stories have semblance of multiple stories of impossibilities that later became possible through faith, ultimate believe in God and determination. We can remember the case of David and Goliath, wars and battles of Alexander the great, scintillating escapades of Joan of Arc, the scientific discoveries and inventions of Albert Einstein that changed the world yet his teacher in his early years wrote off as a dull child. Others are Thomas Edison and Moses of the bible who lead Israel off captivity.
Senator T A Orji is one such personification of a tree that made a forest and a great lesson where a father’s wish prodded his son to great heights.
Chief Tom Ikoro Orji, a notable Warrant Chief of the colonial era, the first to own a story building among his peers fancied the impeccable lifestyle of the colonial officer popularly known as D O, short for District Officer. He thought aloud and wished young Theodore to be like the D O and Senator Orji then promised himself to make the dream come true. It wasn’t easy all the way as at some point in the developmental stages, he trekked for some hours from Amokwe Ugba Ibeku to Sancta Crux College Olokoro, a snaky road crossing rivers and rivulets of Ndume, Agbama and Olokoro on daily basis during his secondary school era.
It should be noted that it was only duly determined children who persevered as many at some point became truants and only appeared at home during mealtimes. Undeterred, young Ahamefule strode gallantly to Holy Ghost College Owerri for his higher school and capped his education with a university degree at the prestigious University of Ibadan strictly on merit.
After his NYSC in present day Sokoto State, he joined the Imo State civil service as an Administrative officer, working diligently as if supervised by God, spending extra hours in the Cabinet Office and Govt House Owerri, serving a succession of military officers like Sunday Adenihu, Ike Nwachukwu, Ikwuechegh and others before the creation of Abia State when he came back continuing his dedicated service to the young state.
Before he became an Excellency, excellent services trailed his career as he was never queried, indicted, surcharged or suspended only that his annual leaves were serially interrupted. His habitual excellent services threw him up for secondment to a federal agency, the NECON that metamorphosed into INEC of today. This historic secondment wasn’t on a platter of gold as it was hotly contested in an exam with his peer and soul mate of blessed memory, Chief Halley Onuoha.
His return from secondment as a Principal Secretary and later Permanent Secretary metamorphosed into the political appointment as the Chief of Staff to the Governor of Abia State in 1999, a position he occupied for 8 years when Abia witnessed a quick succession of deputy Governors.
His name, Ahamefule and Chi guided him as he was sworn in as the 3rd democratically elected Gov of Abia on May 29, 2007 but not without scruples as he made history when he was elected while in the hot enclosures of illegal detention.
His governorship for 8 years on a paltry monthly allocation which dangled precariously from 3 to 3.5 billion that scarcely paid salaries yet witnessed innovations in policy and infrastructures, economic growth, education, healthcare delivery and core leadership. A few examples will suffice.
The health sector was revolutionized, with Abia Diagnostic Centers equipped with dialysis machines hitherto unknown in Abia, 100 bed hospitals in many LGAs, ambulances and all resulting in Prof Chukwu, The Minister of Health visiting Abia to commission very important projects. The Civil Servants for the first time had a sweet story to tell as they were massively promoted to the next level and housing them in a specially built secretariat rather than operate from rented flats in different locations. Added to these were a well structured Government House and the International Conference Center that a visiting minister Mr Labran Maku acknowledged can rub shoulders with the ones in Pretoria South Africa. The reinvigoration of Abia Scholarship Board which saw pilots and aeronautic engineers trained abroad, the handing over of Mission Schools, 40 years after the Civil War and other scientific pursuits remain highlights of The T.A.’s Administration. Lest we forget, the mass transit initiative with free buses for secondary schools in Aba and Umuahia, tricycle and car gifts as empowerment components had impact on youths as many are still using theirs till this day. In like manner, rural electrification was massively embarked upon with transformers of immense capacities donated. We may not forget in a hurry how kidnapping bayed the state like a monster and how commercial motorcycle accidents congested the accident wards of the FMC and Aba General Hospital to which kidnapping became a capital offence now replicated in other states and the total ban of commercial motorcycles giving rise to influx of Keke tricycles. It should be noted too that for the 8 years of his administration, there were no strikes or industrial actions and Abia paid higher than the official National Minimum Wage. His insistence on entrenching equity that brought an Ngwa to the governorship was historic and highly celebrated.
At the Senate of the National Assembly in 2015, he didn’t relent in delivery as he won an award as one of the most productive senators in his first year in a poll by the Daily Trust Newspapers. He was equally not lagging in the legislative process of sponsoring bills in high numbers, a few potent ones out of the lot are The AIB, The Accident Investigation Bureau amendment Bill of 2016 which has today enhanced investigation of air accidents, saving lives and improving international cooperation. In 2018 his bill on establishing the center for disease control popularly known as NCDC bill came alive in COVID 19, drawing accolades from far and near and equally boosted his image and that of Abia in the fight against the pandemic that locked up the world.
In all, the magic in the name which is a potent factor in Igbo cosmology came to the fore again as his name Ahamefule resounded. Through his leadership, the name of Ndi Igbo was not lost. His father’s name Ikoro is an anagram of Iroko the Orji tree, phenomenal and epitomizes strength, beauty and elegance coupled with the Ochendo title that symbolizes shelter, protection, a resting place for the thirsty and greatly famished, all worked miraculously to give Abia a positive result. This achievement-oriented service are evident in his 24 years of uninterrupted public service as Chief of Staff, Executive Governor and Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Like Alexander the great who never lost any war, he didn’t lose any election or lose any court case. He is 75 today and we say, “To God be the Glory!”