By Bimbola Oyesola
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, has described former secretary-general of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, as a colossus whose profound attainments and illuminating career in the global level makes him an iconic change maker.
A statement by the Minister’s Media Office, at the weekend stated that Anyaoku is an institution, whom generations of Nigerians will look back in history as an enigma in exemplary citizenship and diplomacy.
“You are a great son of Nigeria who is eminent at all counts and whose name is a foreword in the book for excellent citizenship,” Ngige has said.
He added that as a change maker, Anyaoku provides a veritable counterpoise to the socio-economic and political uncertainties that conspire against Nigeria today.
He stated, “But will Nigeria, especially our youths be patient enough to learn? Will they endure the rigors in ropes to eminence from an elder statesman, whose life will continue to figure in the pantheon of successive generations of Nigeria?
“Out-and-out, Nigeria must learn from Chief Emeka Anyaoku, a sui generis whose views and voice count in defining winning ways and whose undertakings across the decades, bear out a revolutionary example of quintessential statesmanship.”
According to Ngige, every era must grow men and woman capable of leading the way, and providing solution to the society’s ethereal and temporal challenges, noting that Anyaoku exemplifies one, “Like a burning sun that never sets, he has been lighting our ways.”
The statement added that all through Anyaoku’s career, first in the federal Civil Service from where he joined the Commonwealth Secretariat, rising to become the Deputy Secretary General and then, two term Secretary General, first black man ever to achieve such, to becoming the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Second Republic, Anyaoku “distinguished himself”.
He added, “But this great height did not become a final footnote in the long-stretched symphony, because even in retirement, he has continued to bigfoot in service to the nation in critical times, providing stability to Nigeria’s democracy and broadening public intellectualism to curb the thoughtlessness of both the leaders and led.”
Pouring further encomium on the former Commonwealth chief, Ngige said, “were Nigeria the Greek of old, Anyaoku would certainly make the list of the legendary greats and were Nigeria the Rome of the Julio-Claudian era, Anyaoku would only compete with the Great Cicero in oratory and rhetorical fecundity.”
The Minister prayed God Almighty to further bless Anyaoku with sound health to afford Nigeria dig more from his deep mine of knowledge and experience.