Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, on Sunday paid special tribute to the family of former governor of the state, Dr Peter Odili, for the special role they played to nurture his political life.
Governor Wike spoke at the 70th birthday and retirement thanksgiving mass of Justice Mary Odili as Justice of the Supreme Court, that was held at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Chaplaincy, Catholic Institute of West Africa, (CIWA) in Port Harcourt.
The Rivers State governor recalled how he cried to Justice Mary Odili when he got the hint 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 in 2004.
According to Governor Wike, Justice Mary Odili listened to him and took the complain to her husband, Dr Peter Odili, who was the governor of Rivers State then.
Governor Wike explained that the manner Justice Mary Odili presented the matter got her husband acting on it immediately. He said, first, Dr Peter 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, Chief Vincent Ogbulafor.
“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). Now, 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 from the list. So, I ran down to Government House.
“She had 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 have 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 asked him to come back.”
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He added: “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.”
Going further, Governor Wike said, “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.”
In his homily, the chaplain of the Chaplaincy at CIWA, Very Rev. Monsignor Pius Kii, exhorted on the physical and eternal benefits Christians derive when they love God, one another and their enemies.
Very Rev. Monsignor Kii emphasized that living a life of love demonstrates faithful discipleship and obedience to God and secures daily victory in life’s endeavours.
Giving her speech, Justice Mary 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 her honour.
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