Chuba Okadigbo

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Chuba Okadigbo
Anambra North
In office
3 June 1999 – 3 June 2003
Preceded byHimself (1993)
Succeeded byEmmanuel Anosike
In office
5 December 1992 – 17 November 1993
Succeeded byHimself (1999)
Personal details
Born(1941-12-17)17 December 1941
FCT
, Nigeria
Political party
SpouseMargery Ebo
Alma materKarl Marx University
Occupation
  • Politician
  • philosopher
  • academic
  • writer
  • political scientist

Chuba Wilberforce Okadigbo (

president of the Nigerian Senate[1] from 1999 to 2000. Sometimes referred to as Oyi of Oyi in reference to his local government council area (Oyi), he held numerous political positions in the Nigeria government and was known to have opposed the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party, which was led by President Olusegun Obasanjo
.

Birth and life in Academia

Born in

Political Science in Washington, D.C. Chuba Okadigbo became Assistant professor, later adjunct associate professor of philosophy University of the District of Columbia, adjunct assistant professor of politics the Catholic University of America, and adjunct assistant professor of politics Howard University
. He accomplished all these by the age of 34 and in such a short time from 1973 to 1975.

Between 1975 and 1978, he became director-general Center for Interdisciplinary and Political Studies, and a lecturer in philosophy

University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He also became a professor of philosophy Bigard Memorial Senior Seminary [Roman Catholic Mission] in Enugu State
.

Politics

From 1977 to 1978, Chuba Okadigbo was a member of the Constituent Assembly that ushered in the

National Assembly (Anambra North) and was favorite to be the Senate President at the commencement of the democratic government in the Fourth Republic. However, due to Chuba's disharmony with the executive arm, Evan Enwerem was voted in by the senate with the support of the executive arm. However, he inevitably became President of the Nigerian Senate, after the impeachment of Evan Enwerem due to corrupt practices.[3] On Friday 2 June 2000 the Police lay siege to his official residence in an operation to seize the Senate Mace from him but failed.[4] Later on in 2000, he was falsely charged for corruption and impeached, officially demoting him from Senate President to a senator.[5][6]

In 2002 Okadigbo decamped to the All Nigeria Peoples Party to become Muhammadu Buhari's running mate in the 2003 Presidential elections,[7][8] but lost to the People's Democratic Party's candidate, Olusẹgun Ọbasanjọ and his running mate, Atiku Abubakar by a landslide victory. Because of possible mass rigging, his party later took the matter to the supreme court that year.

Controversy (involving Nnamdi Azikiwe)

As the political adviser to the Shagari's government, Okadigbo once dismissed Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe's criticism of the administration, deeming it "rantings of an ant". In return,

Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe responded to Okadigbo that he will die unsung for the futility of abusing old age. Okadigbo was amongst the selected members of a burial committee to oversee Azikiwe's burial, when the news of his death broke in 1989. The news later turned out to be false.[9]

Personal life

Okadigbo was first married to Miriam Ikejiani-Clark, and they had four children before divorcing.Then, he was married to Juliet Nwokoye, a Pediatrician, with whom he had two children before they divorced.[10] He later married Margery Okadigbo who also became a senator in 2015, elected into the 8th National Assembly representing Anambra North,[11] which makes Chuba and Margery the only married couple to have achieved this feat.[12]

Death

A day after campaigning in Kano State, he died in Abuja due to breathing problems; on 25 September 2003.[13][14] Though, some people around Nigeria questioned whether or not the tear gas used during the rally was poisonous.[15]

References

  1. ^ a b "Chuba Okadigbo: Professor of Nigeria's Politics". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. 17 December 2018. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  2. ^ "OKADIGBO, Sen. (Dr) Chuba (Late) – Biographical Legacy and Research Foundation" https://blerf.org/index.php/biography/okadigbo-chuba/
  3. ^ "BBC News | AFRICA | Senate leader's dismissal 'a good omen'". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  4. ^ "BBC News | AFRICA | Presidents row in Nigeria". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  5. ^ "BBC News | AFRICA | Nigeria's senate president impeached". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  6. ^ "CNN.com - Nigerian senate president impeached after corruption inquiry - August 9, 2000". edition.cnn.com. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  7. ^ "Nigeria: Opposition party picks former military ruler as candidate - Nigeria". ReliefWeb. 8 January 2003. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  8. ISSN 0140-0460
    . Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  9. ^ Adebanwi, Wale (2021). "Burying "Zik of Africa": The politics of death and cultural crisis". Cambridge University Press. Comparative Studies in Society and History, 63(1), 41-71.: 60.
  10. ^ Soyooye, Adesina (24 May 2021). "Again, Tragedy Hits The Chuba Okadigbo Family". The Source. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  11. ^ "BREAKING: APC Clears Late Chuba Okadigbo's Wife To Contest For Senate". Sahara Reporters. 3 October 2018. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  12. ^ Onje-James, Ojochenemi (4 February 2022). "#OutsideTheParliament: 10 Things we know about Margery Chuba-Okadigbo". ORDER PAPER. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
  13. ^ "- OnlineNigeria.com". onlinenigeria.com. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  14. ^ "Nigeriaworld Feature Article - Chuba Okadigbo's death: The bitter truth". nigeriaworld.com. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  15. ^ "Nigeria: Who Killed Former Senate President Okadigbo?".
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