Next Wednesday, November 7th,2018, the former Minister of Environment, Chief John Ogar Odey who died in in the early hours of Sunday, September, 6, 2018 in a Dubai hospital where he was receiving treatment on a cancer related illness, will be buried in his hometown, Ochubi-Olachor, Okpoma, Yala Local Government Area of Cross River State.
Odey was a former Minister of Information and a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as well as a one-time Cross River State Commissioner for Agriculture and former State Treasurer of the PDP.
One of his acolytes and Senior Special Assistant to Governor Ben Ayade on Youth and Branding, Dr. Dornclaimz Enamhe, pens this touching tribute to the late Minister…
“Most people will not know the relationship I share with this great son of Africa. Most of you won’t know I learnt how to be loyal from him. In the history of Cross Rive State no one, I mean no one prepared for greater heights like him.
When convocations were convocations, and the whole village and community will come to celebrate their own son. John Odey stood out and bowed down to loyalty. (He rather choose to attend a reception in honor of his boss) in Okpoma than to be in Calabar for his convocation.
He is a friend’s person, he kept friendship and maintained it (maintaining friendship is very rare when you rise to the top).
He will drive round Calabar and Ogoja as Minister of the Federal Republic to say hello to his friends from Mary Knoll and Unical and if they are not around he will visit their families (he knew all our parents and all our children) unlike big men of present day.
If you visit him, he will call his children out and say to them, “Have you met this uncle” and then make two of you develop a conversation (very rare and uncommon).
He had a chance to run for office of Governor and had the backing of the leadership as at then from the Presidency, but trust him and loyalty he conceded to the then incumbent (a decision only a few can take).
He also was very well positioned to run for Senate, he didn’t being a party man and team player he let go (all this without being properly appreciated)
As MC of his Ministerial reception party and also MC of his late mother’s funeral, I was always amazed at his network of friends across the country. He could trust anyone. I mean anyone, with any responsibility. He could be simple to a fault
When I consulted him on my last HOR bid he said to me let me “feel the pulse of the Governor and get back to you” He was in the 33rd regular course (Air Force) of the NDA (where he willingly refused to continue)
A 1977 Graduating Class Member of Mary Knoll College Ogoja (where he was a prefect a rare fit then)
A 1986 Management Science Graduate of Unical
He started as a younger friend of Mark Ukpo.
Then Senator Paul Ukpo took him over because of his unimaginable sincerity to issues and when General Ukpo took over as Military Governor of Rivers he used his military might to seize him.
Same thing in Politics; Hon Mark Ukpo discovered him
Governor Duke kept him close and made him Commissioner for Agric and later sent him to Abuja.
Governor Imoke met him at the transition and sent him to the Federal Executive Council where he ran two unique ministries successfully employing many Cross Rivereans including my humble self.
He kept his friendship with all them Marc, Duke, Imoke, General Ukpo and Gov Ayade without blemish.
The only Man who could Manage Governors
One of the reasons Governor Ukpo insisted he needed this honest young Ogoja boy with him as Governor of Rivers State cannot be overemphasized (finding an honest young man then was difficult and now it’s almost impossible)
Also the same reason I think the people of Nigeria believed in the message he gave at the NORTH FIRST last year when he raised the motion for the adoption of Governor Ayade.
He always knew when to come in to assist his friends.
And for me one day, my phone rang and he said “DC take your CV to Dr (Mrs Benebo) DG NESREA she is expecting you for documentation Congratulations“
Wow just like that and that was how I stopped being so desperate in politics because he gave me a permanent fall back (a federal civil service job)
Now you can imagine why John is irreplaceable in my life (he took away my shame, while my friends are restless, I’m not).
Chief Hon Sir John Ogar Odey KSJ did it for me and many others
Chief Sir John Odey KSJ thank you for your life .
Thank you for your simplicity.
Thank you for your courage.
Listening to Rev Fr Dr Jayke Otonko preach in your house, I just smiled with tears in my eyes
Chief John Odey has done it again!
Go with the Lord.
RIP Boss!
