Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress ( APC) and former presidential candidate in 2019, Mr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim has said that with the death of Alhaji Ahmed Joda, Nigeria has lost a super technocrat and exceptional statesman.
In a condolence message he issued in Abuja, yesterday, Olawepo-Hashim described late Joda as a great patriot who had contributed immensely to the growth and development of Nigeria from independence in 1960 till his death last Friday.
According to him, “late Ahmed Joda was a super technocrat ,fondly remembered as one of “Super Permanent Secretaries” during the military era, was chairman and board member of many ministries and parastatals and was part of history as head of the transition committee that led to the peaceful transition of power from Jonathan to Buhari.”
In his message entitled ‘Adieu Super Ahmed Joda’ ,the businessman and politician noted that
“last weekend, Nigeria lost one of her most versatile bureaucrat, elder statesman Alhaji Ahmed Joda,one of the well trained bureaucrats who held forte in the early seventies.
“Alongside his colleagues of that era including Chief Philip Asiodu , Alison Ayida; Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji , Alhaji Damcida etc, they were called Super Perm Secs because of their enormous influence on government.
“These tribe of civil servants relatively had higher integrity and understood what it meant not to be self-conflicted , they kept a safe distance from being business men while in service. Nigeria got value for her infrastructural investment and oil revenue was comparatively better managed that the country was able to lend the IMF some money in 1974 according to Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji who was Permsec in 1974.”
“Alhaji Joda served as chairman, sub committee on Poverty Alleviation of the TY Danjuma Policy Advisory committee(The transition committee of President Elect in 1999).
“I had the privilege of serving as Secretary of Youth and Women Development Subcommittee headed by Hajia Laila Dogonyaro.
“At the outset of the Obasanjo Administration, Alhaji Joda was appointed chairman of the National Communication Commission and Alex Ndukwe Executive Vice chairman. To the duo’s leadership, Nigeria owes its telecommunication revolution that moved Nigeria away from a country of just 400,000 telephone lines mostly fixed lines as at 1999.
Alhaji Joda was not just an administrator but a mentor of many business men after leaving service.”
Olawepo-Hashim, condoled with President Muhammadu Buhari, the government and people of Adamawa State , Joda’s family, friends and associates.