From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
Nigerians from different walks of life converged in Abuja, Sunday night, to honour former presidential aspirant, Chief Joseph Nwodo, at a night of tributes.
The event was attended by the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Prof. George Obiozor; Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu and his counterpart in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige.
Also in attendance were National Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Uche Secondus; former governors of Anambra State, Chukwuemeka Ezeife and Peter Obi; former national chairman, defunct National Republican Convention(NRC), Chief Tom Ikimi, among others.
Obiozor, in his tribute, described the late Nwodo as a great man who made friendship across board.
“His life was charity to all, enemy to none. He was a great academic and a genius, he was a great soul. Today the country is in crisis, we are even afraid if we can get home, but I believe that the spirit of Joe Nwodo will intervene. We missed a talented icon, both in leadership and in law.”
Secondus expressed dismay that the late Nwodo lost the opportunity to contest the 1993 presidential poll as candidate of the defunct NRC, noting that he could have won the polls.
“Joe’s rhetoric was next to none, he can convince everyone in one minute. His speech was spellbinding and all of us were convinced that he was the next president of this country. Joe was a manager of people per excellence. He knows the right word to put across at every moment and he will catch your attention. He was a great manager of human beings.”
Ikimi, who spoke on behalf of members of the defunct NRC, explained that the late Nwodo narrowly lost the NRC presidential ticket to Alhaji Bashir Tofa, in 1993.
“Joe Nwodo was an epitome of excellence, during the presidential convention in Port Harcourt, they muddled up the microphone so that people will not hear what he was saying. If he had been allowed to marshal his points, he would have won that Presidential primary.”