Read Shehu Mustapha Chaji

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He plays with English words. When he starts playing with them, he is a good copy for any journalist. Reason: he makes his points without a blink of the eyelids and he makes them very convincingly.Problem is, you must be alert all the time to stop Okadigbo before he forgets he is not in a lecture room but fielding questions with a journalist..."
Comfort Obi, The Sunday magazine, Feb. 13, 1994.

The youths of Africa and Nigeria should be happy. The declaration of Buhari as presidential aspirant has made me believe there is more hope in Nigeria. Buhari becoming president in 2003 will not only make Nigeria proud of their country, but it will also awaken their patriotism, dedication and loyalty to our fatherland. I feel and believe that Buhari is a leader that will lead us to prosperity. To our general, more grease to your elbows.
Sagir on 17.11.2002 at 16.11

... He is that kind of person: no airs, no hang ups, simply free.But Dr. Okadigbo has all those intimidating credentials ...chains of degrees from places as varied as East Germany where he attended Karl Marx University, Leipzig to the United States of America, where he attended the CatholicUniversity of America...Dr. Okadigbo discusses politics like a tested general discussing tactics of war...a philosopher, academician, politician, author, publisher... Peter Ishaka, African Vision, Nov. 6, 1995.The Messiah we are looking for has finally arrived. We implore Nigerians not to miss the rare opportunity we have at hand so that equity, justice and discipline can be restored to our battered nation by voting General Buhari into office come 2003.
Usman Bashir, 22.11.2002 at 15.18

..As an intellectual, he lifts the issues beyond the mundane, coming in cadence and leading the audience into the dawn yet unknown. As a politician, he posits the pursuits of power the way it is not mistaken as mere spontaneous action - to build, not to destroy. As a strategist, he delivers the measures of the plan the way it disarms the not-so-prepared. When it is said that Dr. Chuba Okadigbo is a formidablestriker, it is meant to begin to look at the many dimensions of the man..."-Igbonegwu Ogazimorah, the Post Express, Jan.27 1997

First and foremost, I am grateful to God for giving me the opportunity to communicate with my leader whom I highly respect and even ready to vote for as my President come 2003.I came to realize that Buhari is a strong alternative to the present administration because he has done it to the common masses of this great country called Nigeria. My reason is that if Buhari would be allowed to at least spend 4 years in the governance of Nigeria, the country will be better than it is presently. His record as a Head of State include the following:
Accountability in governance was restored.Instilling discipline in the affairs of all the citizens.He fought corruption to the core and there were no sacred cows in his administrationBelieving in Nigeria's professionals and utilizing them, as he did in PTFPutting much priority in Agriculture, to encourage people to return to farming, with all inputs and resources available.Education and health sector were adequately taken care of during his regime and PTF era.Finally, Buhari is a God-fearing leader with a good intention to carry all people along irrespective of their differences. He will also never succumb to any blackmail.Mustapha Ahmad, Dutsin Ma.
... That Chuba Okadigbo is an enigmatic personality is not in doubt. But not a few people believe that he can be unpredictable, that perhaps explains why..he has chased the office of Nigeria's Senate President. Until he got it....Okadigbo is without doubt, a man of deep intellect and a consummate politicianwho knows when to advance and when to retreat. but he is going to be a hard nut to crack for the Executive arm of Government, if there is any conscious attempt to undermine the powers of the Legislature..."
-Eniola Bello, Amanze Obi and Folabi Lawal, ThisDay, Dec. 19, 1999.

Never in the history of our nation, other than during the tenure of this administration, have we witnessed an administration that is against its citizens; an administration that is so weak to protect the lives and properties of its subjects; riots prevailed from Shagamu to Lagos, Odi, Kaduna, Kano, Jos, Zaki Biam, Niger Delta, Abia, Taraba, Tafawa Balewa, etc, leaving thousands dead and properties worth billions of Naira lost; an administration that has institutionalised corruption and top it with an international medal as the second most corrupt nation on earth. Total abuse and violation of constitutional provisions; resort to tribalism, nepotism and excessive strikes, including that carried out by the Nigerian Police; collapse and breakdown of social infrastructures; an administration that can only boast of GSM as its achievement in about four years.Hope seem to diminish as Ali Baba and his gang took over and hold us to ransom. They have planned to pass over batons to every member of their gang to continue the unprecedented corruption in the world. That the nation should be destroyed is none of their business as they have amassed billion of dollars which is our own money to foreign accounts and for their own children to take over from where they have stopped.Suddenly, light appeared as General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) joined politics not only to participate but also to contest for the presidency. Sir, with your appearance the game started to change and the cowards are withdrawing into their shells and once again the masses saw hope and a leader they could rally upon to lead them salvage Nigeria together. Sir, my advise to you are, firstly, you should know that the Nigerian elite especially those from your region which is the North are against your aspiration. We understand that it is not you they are against but your principles; we understand that they are against us the poor masses, the oppressed and downtrodden. They want us to continue to live in abject poverty and illiteracy to enable them continue their kleptocracy and their children take over from them. They have killed the education system while their children study abroad or in the most expensive private schools here in Nigeria. He who denied you education have completely destroyed you and will continue to dominate you forever.Sir, on the other hand, we the poor masses, the oppressed and downtrodden are with you, ready to cast our votes for you not because we felt that you took our concern as your concern, our plight as your plight. We also felt that you have the potential to lead us to freedom, abundant food, security, employment, equity and justice.Sir, God willing, if you occupy Aso Rock, maintain justice in the administration and impose it on your own self and seek the consent of the people. It is the common man who is the strength of the state. It is he who fights the enemy. So live in close contact with the masses and be mindful of their welfare. Unclose the tangle of mutual hatred between the public and the administration and remove all those causes, which may give rise to strained relations between them.Therefore, the foremost concern of your administration should centre on WELFARE. This welfare include enough food for all. Millions of Nigerians today cannot afford three meals per day. Million are hungry resulting in prostitution, stealing, etc Other issues are all secondary; agriculture should be your priority.Other parts of this welfare should include enough salary to let civil servants, police, army, etc, enough to keeping them above temptation. This will drastically reduce the rate of corruption. Sir, please ask any salary earner to inform you about his condition.Sir, create employment for your youths and unemployed. In all six geographical zones of this great nation able-bodied young men and women cannot source for a living, they become available tools for armed robbery, fraud, political thuggery, prostitution, drug related cases and upon all engage in riots to kill, loot and destroy property.Sir, we the masses of this great nation don't ask for too much. We are only asking for food, shelter, employment, security of our lives and our little belongings, education, functional medical centres, good roads and efficient transportation system to enable us conduct our legitimate social, religious and economic responsibilities.Lastly, sir, the Most High is with you for the good intention you have for this great nation and its people. And we the poor masses, the oppressed and downtrodden, the youths the old, the civil servants, the army, the police, the Yoruba, the Igbo, the Hausa-Fulani, the Idoma, the Efik, the Igala, etc and all patriotic citizens of our great nation are with you. We will continue to pray for your eventual success at ANPP convention and final occupation of Aso Rock in 2003, God willing. And never again would we fold our arms to watch traitors embezzle and cause great harm to our dear nation. Surely as you have once said, "We have no any other country than Nigeria; we should stay and salvage it together."
Shehu Mustapha Chaji, Former Secretary-General, Students Union Government, Bayero University, Kano.

...At close quarters, the specks of grey become more permanent. His head. His chin. Even slightly, his brow. all of these complement his legendary distinguished looks...Okadigbo is a Roman Catholic...The new generation churches probably wouldn't mind having Chuba Okadigbo, 59, exudes such an overwhelming charisma that would leave many Pentecostal pastors panting. The type that keeps the congregationglued to the pulpit....Another fire anyone would have expected to fizzle out is his passion for the Senate-the house that caved in under him.But he only referred to a portion of the poem, titled IF, by a British deep thinker, Rudyard Kipling. "If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster and treat those two impostors as just the same. If you can fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds oflong-distance run, yours is the earth and everything that's in it." That of course is vintage Chuba Okadigbo".-Mobola Lanre-Badmus, Hallmark, Jun.13 13-19.

I share the BUHARI aspiration the goals ideals of the General to transform the Nigeria society from it present state of monumental decade cant to a greater country like in the good old days.We shall set to serious work but before then let me congratulate the GENERAL in advance by God's will as the next President come 2003. I have been looking for this very chance and a great one indeed. I want to play an active role a real active role in your team, any role of any size. AREMU must go by God's will come 2003.

Momoh J. Bello, Dept of Biological Sciences ABU Zaria.
..Former Senate President, the Rt. Hon. Dr. Williams Wilberforce Chuba Okadigbo is a highly engaging personality. He is cerebral and fecund.He is flamboyant and stylish... To him, knowledge is power and as a philosopher king, he believes firmly in the competence of logic...It was a case of the deep calling unto the deep wherever he was presiding. A master of bombast, Okadigbo, well at home with high fallutin language...who is now chairman of the Senate Committee on Riots, Crises and conflicts, has found some defining roles for himself especially as champion of demarginalisation of the Igbo.On December 17, 2001, on his 60th Birthday, he addressed a press conference on the state of the nation. The pertinent issues that he dwelled on,included the Biafran debate, Electoral Act, De-marginalisation, etc. He began with a departure and ended with an arrival. It was a vintage Okadigbo..."-Sufuyan Ojeifo, Sunday Vanguard, Dec. 30, 2001.

..Solid intellectual and President of the Senate, Dr. Chuba Okadigbo was the chairman of the occasion on the Awolowo Foundation Annual Lecture and 91st Posthumous Birthday of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo. Typical, he arrived the show as the master and was to take over the show but for somedisplay of humility. Okadigbo is known across the land as one of the most solid intellectuals in the country. His presence brought a colour of theefficiency and eloquence of the old order, but he carried with him a resounding power of balanced attribution for a resurgent Nigeria..."-The Post Express, Mar. 7, 2000.

..Dr. Okadigbo has a bent for political concerns...Though quite chatty and sociable, he was a canny political bruiser..Chuba could read their [political, opponents] minds with the discriminating passion which some men reserve for women and horses and the Hausa-Fulani for kola nuts.."-Alh. Shehu Shagari, President of Nigeria 1979-1983 in his book, BECKONED TO SERVE, 2001.

..I had heard of Dr. Chuba Okadigbo but had never had the opportunity of meeting him. I was aware that he had taken it upon himself to spearhead theissue of my return home. I had followed from a distance his initially single-handed efforts to sow the seeds of discussion.I had become aware of his courageous and single-minded mobilisation of opinion both within his party and without- amongst the Igbos and their friends.I was aware, for sometime, that for sometime this brilliant political tactician had raised the issue of my continued exile from the status of the unmentionable to a subject of open national debate. ...I got home from work to be informed that a certain Dr. Okadigbo had arrived from Lagos, was at Hotel Ivoireand was anxious to meet with me... I turned right back and drove past my office once more, into the Hotel Ivoire...The first meeting was polite and very restrained and not until two hours later in my sitting room in Bingerville did the atmosphere relax. The drive home had been full of platitudes and probing questions. He divulged his mission over lunch and by the time coffee was served, Chuba and I had become as childhood friends.. We spoke with joy and without inhibitions. On that inauspicious, yet memorable day, I learnt for the first time that the President [Shehu Shagari] of my country had decided to put an end to the agony of my exile. When Chuba left many hours later- for we talked into the night- I decided to become once again a practising Christian... ...I tried to imagine what kind of reception I would get in Lagos....What my eyes saw as we taxied into the Ikeja Airport surpassed my wildest dream. It was an ocean of faces for as far as the eye could see... There was a bang around me..., I stepped on a TV camera; I stepped on abandoned shoes, hand bags, hats, human feet. I was flustered. Some people, including a painting, bearded man clad in red cap and flowing white agbada and some security men were pulling at me. That man was Chuba Okadigbo..."Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu in his book, BECAUSE I AM INVOLVED, 1989.
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