By Nathaniel Ikyur
Dateline: October 21, 1977. The atmosphere at the colonial administrative building of old Gboko local government was a bit chaotic. Local government staff moved hastily to their respective offices. New students admitted into Form One of various post primary schools also moved with their parents/guardians. They were all busy, moving from one office to another to obtain Certificate of State Origin for their wards.
For those of us admitted at Government Secondary School, Gboko, our resumption date was three days away. That’s October 24, 1977.
I was with my late elder brother, Christopher Akor Ikyur. Christopher was admitted at Mkar Teachers College. Christopher was much older than me. Ordinarily, he would have since graduated from secondary school. But Circumstances forced him to become my classmate.
In the modest office of the Executive Chairman, Pa Joseph Iorshe Orngudwem, was busy attending to top management staff, Councillors and other personalities who tropped in and out of his office intermittently clutching one document or file. All of us who were for the State of Origin Certificate were asked to collect the forms, fill and submit to a Clerk who was in an office next to that of the Chairman. Nobody was treated as a special person. All forms were treated equally.
From time to time, the Chairman will step out to ask the senior official to ensure that the students were speedily treated to enable them resume in their various schools. That was my second time in a government office away from my village. The first was when I went for the post common entrance interview into secondary school.
Not long after we had collected our Certificates and about to leave, Late Zaki Ayemekpe Yenge who was the elected Councilor representing Mbakor District and Councilor for Finance walked out of the Chairman’s office with the Chairman in tow. Zaki Yenge who would later become the District Head of Mbajir/Mbajirakaa knew my elder brother quite closely. They exchanged pleasantries and then introduced us to the former Chairman.
Elder Orngudwem looked at us and I think other new students who crowded his office and referred to me as, “Zege Or ne.” I can’t remember exactly all he said thereafter but I know he encouraged us to study hard to become leaders in future.
I left his office happy that I was called ‘Zege Or.’ From that brief exchange, it was recorded in my subconscious that I shall one day be what he had called me. Although I never had time to meet him personally to express my deepest appreciations, I followed his political trajectory from afar. I saw in him, a man of principles. He never wavered from one political platform to another as it has been the hallmark of this generation of political leaders. If im correct, from 1999 before his passing, he has remained consistent to the leadership of Senator George Akume. First in the PDP and later in ACN and now APC.
Around the circle of his time as Council Chairman, there was dignity and decorum. There was decency in leadership at the third tier of government. There was some greater level of independence. And late Joseph Iorshe Orngudwem exemplified such trait of principled stand on politics and leadership.
From this my first encounter with him on October 21, 1977 when he signed my Certificate of State of Origin, (see attached) he left that indelible mark in me. As he is buried tomorrow in his hometown, I pray that those who have worked with him closely, may they imbibe his politics of fairness, stability and decency. May they be known for the truth, always. That way, we’ll begin to enthrone dignity and fairness in all we do for our communities, state and the nation.
Ikyur is a journalist and PDP House of Representatives Candidate for Gboko/Tarka Federal Constituency.
