Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, says he will remain grateful to Justice Mary Odili for her timely intervention that saved his political career in 2004.
Governor Wike said this at the 70th birthday and retirement thanksgiving mass of Justice Odili as held at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Chaplaincy, Catholic Institute of West African (CIWA) in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital on Sunday.
Speaking at the event, the governor said he cried to Justice Odili when he was hinted that his name was not included among those cleared to contest either as first term or second term chairmen of local councils in the state.
He stated that Justice Odili listened and took him to her husband, Dr Peter Odili, who was at that time the governor of Rivers State.
Governor Wike added that the manner Justice Odili presented the matter got her husband acting on it immediately.
He said: “In 2004, that time her 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).
“They were having lunch with her husband and the former State party chairman then, Prince Uche Secondus. And, I was told that my name had been removed in the list. So, I ran down to Government House.
“She has finished her own 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 his name. At that time, Secondus had left. The husband then called the security at the gate, they stopped Secondus and ask him to come back.
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“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 is not an easy thing. Her being around that particular day saved my career in politics. And so that was how I grew from there to become what I am today,” the governor stated.
He noted a vital lesson of life he learnt from Justice Odili was the determination to build the capacity to be successful in one’s career while not ignoring giving requisite attention to the family.
Governor Wike said Justice Odili had remained an embodiment of care and compassion because without preventing, she treated everybody with dignity they deserved.
He further commended Odili for the 44 years of meritorious public service, which he described as “no mean feat”.
In her remarks, Justice Odili described the joy she felt as “unspeakable and a thing of honour to have Governor Wike, as a sitting governor, doing a vote of thanks in my honour”.
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