By Benard Akoma
Rotimi Amaechi, former governor of Rivers State and a former minister in president Mohammed Buhari administration described Ogbonnaya Onu as a teacher both in the classroom and even in public life.
Speaking during the night of tributes, November 4 in memory of late Ogbonnaya Onu, Amaechi noted that he had a very cordial relationship with Onu. According to him, the relationship "was neither condescending nor subservient but more respectful because he was a teacher when I was a student at the University of Port Harcourt."
Amaechi maintained that the life he lived at the University of PortHarcout was the same life he lived outside, saying, "he was quiet, friendly unassuming respectful to both young and old and committed to the nation."
"I’m sure you listen to his speech during his presidential primaries which he said there was a need to protect and defend the Igbos having not governed the country."
As minister for science and technology, Amaechi noted, "he was more interested in innovation and to see how to move the country forward with technology and he advanced huge arguments in that regards in the cabinet and have the support of the president."
"He was a professor in our midst with those who are educated and those who are not educated,
We learnt quite alot from him, having been in the field of academics and having been a governor."
Amaechi said that at the time Onu was a governor himself was still a special Adviser to his colleague, Chief Ada George.
According to him, "he was governor in 1992, and I left University in 1987 and joined politics immediately so by the time he was governor I was just special assistance to his colleagues Chief Ada George and then I looked at him at the level of a statesman to the country."
Amaechi expressed shock about Onu's death saying, "I was shocked that he died because he told me he was back from overseas, which he had gone for medical treatment and he is better now so I said to him I will come and see you."
But unfortunately, Amaechi regretted I couldn’t see him before he died.
Amaechi observed that Onu was more interested in innovation, saying, "he felt that through science and technology the country would have advanced.
He didn’t believe in all this dependency on oil, he believed that we could vie off to other forms of economic production."
"So if you met him and needed assistance in regards to science innovation and technology he was willing to give you and he advanced such course in the cabinet so that Nigeria could go ahead in that."
Amaechi maintained that the president was quite interested to give him all the necessary support that he needed but I wouldn’t know how far he went.
Describing Onu as a detribilised Nigerian Amaechi noted that same attitude Onu had in the office he occupied for minister of science technology and innovation is the same attitude he brought to politics.
As, National chairman of All peoples party (APP) then he wasn’t an Igbo man but he was patriotic and so he was a Nigeria statesman.
When Buhari was running for president, he said, his support for Buhari was not because Buhari was not an Igbo man, but he felt Buhari had all the necessary things to turn the country around and he gave full support to President Buhari and advanced the reasons why the Igbos should support Buhari.
He said that Onu was a Unifier who was patriotic, he didn’t believe in an Igbo man and Hausa man, reiterating that
tribalism wasn’t part of his thing.
Amaechi said that Onu will be remembered for the man who championed in uniting Nigeria, championed the cause for justice, who championed the need for patriotism, who championed the need for innovation and the one who governed Abia state.
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