• Inspiring story of former street hawker who retired as senior civil servant in Ebonyi
From Wilson Okereke, Afikpo
The story of Nathaniel Chukwuma Ngwuta who recently retired from the service of Ebonyi State Government is a clear case of from grass to grace or from nothing to something.
What other story would be more inspirational than that of a man who started life with hawking “bathroom slippers” commonly called ‘Dunlop,’ then graduated to selling items with wheelbarrow in Abakpa Market, Abakaliki, before joining the public service on Grade Level 4?
Ngwuta rose through the ranks and eventually retired as a Director in the Ebonyi State Secondary Education Board (SEB), Abakaliki on September 1, 2023.
In appreciation of the grace of God upon his life during the 35 years of service, Ngwuta’s family, his friends, associates and well-wishers on Sunday, September 3, joined him for a thanksgiving at Assemblies of God Church, Ahia Ohuu in Ezza North Local Government Area, Ebonyi State.
The visibly overjoyed Ngwuta narrated how his life’s trajectory began after his secondary education in 1985.
He disclosed that he was influenced to join government service by the lifestyle of some people from Anambra and Imo States who dominated the sector then. He also acknowledged the pieces of advice from his late uncle and former vice principal in school, Daniel Igwe.
“Shortly after my secondary education, I lived at Ogidi in Anambra State and was able to discover that the people have wisdom. When I returned home, I was given an employment and even in the sector, most of the employees were Anambra and Imo people and I was encouraged by their pattern of life.
“I learnt a lot from them. I also joined the Labour Union. In fact, my parent union was the Non-Academic Staff Union and I have held positions, including in NLC Publicity Committee on May Day in 1999. I was once the Secretary, Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, Ebonyi Local Government between 1997 and 2001. The experience was a thing of joy then.
“It was the late Mr Daniel Igwe that advised me to apply for government job. He was my former vice principal who equally taught me in the same secondary school. He was my uncle. When I was trading in slippers after my secondary education, he advised that I should join public service to enable me improve my career and academics. I owe him a lot of tribute because God used him for my favour,” he narrated.
He recalled that his service years were not all rosy as he had experienced turbulent moments especially when he clocked 33 years in the service. He said that many challenging issues surfaced at the period but was thankful to God that he eventually overcame them.
Ngwuta said: “False allegations came even when I did not know what was happening. In fact, I thought it was the handwork of the devil but I thank God that at the end of the day, I had no issue again. Everything is now normal ever since the incidents. I can beat my chest and say that I retired as a public service director without blemish.”
He disclosed that he was firstly employed as a clerical officer (level 4) by the then Anambra State Education Commission on September 1, 1988 but through hard work, he attended part time programmes and obtained Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. With the degree, he was converted to Administrative Officer and kept on growing through the ranks until he became a director.
“It was a very serious issue when I was posted to Secondary Education Board because for one to get such opportunity requires connection. At times there would be monitoring and supervision by some Board members who would be there to handpick their choice of person to accomplish the duty.
“But before one could know what was happening, a lot of issues would begin to emanate. Meanwhile, I continued to tell them that I was there to work as Admin Officer by the nomenclature of where I was placed, and on that note, I was not attaching myself to any politician.
“I also observed that really, politicians were using some of the civil servants to perpetrate what I consider as unethical services. But irrespective of all the hurdles that I underwent from one person to another, one politician to another, one Admin Officer to another, one Board member to another; today, here we are,” he explained.
The retired director further said that he served as a clerical officer at Izzi High School; Ishieke Community Secondary School and back to the then Anambra State Education Commission office.
According to him, after about four years, he was posted to Urban Secondary School, Abakaliki, then to Umuoghara where he spent five years before going to Ehugbo Technical College in Afikpo and back to Government Technical College Abakaliki.
He stated that following his request in 2012, he was posted to the Secondary Education Board headquarters Abakaliki, where he served as Chief Admin Officer. He later became a Deputy Director and eventually Director in the state service.
With the benefit of hindsight, Ngwuta claimed that the civil service system in Ebonyi State was beheaded by the immediate past government, as workers’ welfare was nothing to write home about then.
He, however, applauded the bold moves of the current governor, Chief Francis Nwifuru, on issues concerning the state civil service, particularly as they concern the welfare of workers and pensioners.
“The governor has made a bold step by rolling out his policy based on what is called People’s Charter of Needs. He has discovered that something is needed and released N4 billion for pension arrears from 1996 and the decision has raised hopes so much that even those already in hardship have started recuperating.
“I know of a friend who was already going down in health but immediately the pronouncement was made by the governor, the man’s story changed. I also believe strongly that before December 2023, I will smile home with my gratuity because Chief Nwifuru is a ‘talk and do governor’ who does not say anything without doing it.”
He further recalled his exploits as a unionist, noting that he was a former state officer in Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and among the 10 unionists in 2000 that negotiated what is called Abuja design of N6,500 minimum wage approved by the federal government then. He said that during the period, he did not fiddle with the welfare of workers, rather they struggled until Governor Sam Egwu adhered to the new minimum wage in Ebonyi.
“When Governor Elechi came, he wanted to take it away but I was among the labour leaders that negotiated on behalf of the workers but all the effort we made to enjoy that monetization proved abortive because Chief Elechi thought that, if he had allowed it, he would not have the money to carry out other projects.
“At a point, we threw in the towel then. From that point, I disliked engagements with the government in order not to soil my hand.”
On his family life, Ngwuta said that he is blessed with a son who is a chartered accountant, another Law School student, an undergraduate daughter, and other children in other levels of education.
The retiree also said that he owns a standard building and is presently progressing with his farming activities.
On how he intends to spend his retirement, Ngwuta said: “By the special grace of God, as I am rushing into full time farming, I will also strive to achieve social strata through political activities because when politicians put trouble in the society, it is the political scientists that are usually called upon to remedy the situation but if I get the chance to join partisan politics, I think I will play a significant role that will create an egalitarian society where people will be free to pour out their minds on the governance and activities of the government.”
He advised people in service to start planning their retirement about five years ahead to enable them celebrate the period rather than seeing it as punishment and perhaps encounter health challenges in the process.
“I started in 2018 to plan for my retirement because when one is sworn into an office, the person knows when he will go, so the person is expected to start planning ahead by taking insurance policies,” he counselled.
Not a few poured encomiums on Ngwuta for his meritorious service to fatherland. Wife of the pastor in-charge of Assembles of God Church, Ahia Ohuu and Commissioner for Aviation and Transport Technology in Ebonyi State, Mrs. Ngozi Obichukwu, called his retirement a thing of joy because many persons did not reach their retirement age as some of them died while others were sacked before their periods.
“I thank God that Mr. Ngwuta is still strong and healthy and I am advising the civil servants that it is always tough because I have been a civil servant up to level 16, so anyone that wants to get to a good level in civil service must be dutiful, sincere and hardworking to attain where the Lord has set for him.
Everyone may not be able to reach the level of permanent secretary, so, I urge others who are still in the service to be dedicated and humble,” she advised.