A Tribute to Lady Adanma Okpara

Eddie Mbadiwe

The demise of Ezinne Adanma Okpara at the age of 99 (she would be 97 in December) calls for celebration and reflection. It is the closure of an era when people got into politics to serve their fellow citizens. She was a very gentle soft spoken woman of few words who preferred the background rather than the razz mataz of kleg lights. One of her relations Cecilia was a classmate in Higher School at Methodist College Uzuakoli and on the few occasions when she visited the school, her stately carriage, dignity and poise endeared her to all she came in contact with.

Her husband Dr. Michael Iheonukara Okpara succeeded Rt. Hon. Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe as Premier of Eastern Nigeria. Dr. Okpara was firebrand, fiery and turbulent and was always in his elements when people cheered “M.I Power.” In 1964 when he was fully in charge, Eastern Nigeria was regarded as the fastest growing and industrializing region in the world in what was regarded as the economic blitz of Eastern Nigeria. Pius Okigbo who was economic adviser to the Federal Government recorded that, in an address in Madras India, Dr. Okpara jolted the world with his programme of industrial and agricultural revolutions anchored in the innovative farm settlement scheme.

Adanma, like the good wife she was, supported her husband and ensured he kept a cool head and did not steal from the public till. When Dr. Okpara left office, the only landed property he owned was one uncompleted building at Ogui Road in Enugu. There was no house in his home town Ohuhu in Abia State.

Some of his later successors supposedly better educated assigned to themselves large chunks of Independence layout which hopefully EFCC will recover and restore to the people. The bond between Adanma and Dr. Okpara was a master class level 101 marriage and the only other political marriage that can be compared to that was the one between Chief Dideolu and Chief Obafemi Awolowo. Those marriages were role models for our current politicians.

On one occasion, my wife and I were privileged to sit next to Adanma and her husband at a wedding at Hotel Presidential in Enugu. It was an afternoon we will always cherish. Dr. Okpara narrated how the entire complex, including buildings, grounds, swimming pool, tennis courts up to crockery and cutlery was completed at a cost less than 500, 000 pounds. Now we will be budgeting billions. In the spirit of the time, he also built a replica in Port-Harcourt. That is functional up till today.

I recollect with nostalgia that as a member of the House of Representatives, I was invited as part of the Presidential Team to a conference in Paris to brain storm on problems confronting Nigeria. In one of the round table discussions, I asked the Minister of Agriculture then why they had not tapped into the agricultural revolution of Dr. Okpara anchored on farm settlements scheme. That programme would have led to full scale employment. He moped at me until the Chairperson, Baroness Lynda Chalker prompted him respond. He had no answer.
The nation remembers and mourns Adanma and our sincere commiserations and condolences go to the Okpara family. One hopes Uzodinma and his siblings most of whom live in diaspora will step forward and fit into the rich and enviable legacy built for them by their parents. Rest in peace Lady Chief Ezinne Adanma Okpara.

• Rt. Hon. Dr. Eddie Mbadiwe writes from Abuja.