Olamide Babatunde
On the occasion of his 80th birthday, Joel Nwagbara , erstwhile secretary to the United Nations , presented his autobiography Divine designs to the public. While the preoccupation of the book highlights issues on good health, inclusive governance ,social justice and the sanctity of truth, Nwagbara who is one of the first hands who worked in Nigerian National Petroleum corporation{ NNPC} also decried the poor state of the Corporation.
The octogenarian who served and retired after 37 years following the change in rule for public servants in 1997 described the Corporation as a great and successful one still struggling to attain the height of greatness. He said, “ It is a great and successful, even if an imperfect, organisation.Many giant brains have worked there from the very beginning to make NNPC great. But that true greatness will not come except and until political interference is completely taken out of NNPC affairs. The moral tone of its operating environment, Nigeria, would also have to considerably change for better”.
Ray Ekpu, Chief Executive Officer, MayFive Media – publishers of the book – in his remarks described the ceremony as a ‘double -barrelled affair’.He said the book has at its centre the story of Nigeria.“It is also the corporate story of Nigeria’s behemoth, the oil industry, which has produced wealth for some and woes for others, including what has come to be known as the ‘resource curse’ for the Niger Delta people in particular and Nigeria in general.”He also linked it to the Biafran war “seen from the eyes of the author who was in the thick of it.”
Nwagbara, has criticised on principles and character individuals and groups having bared the preoccupations of his life and times in the book stating that he holds no ill-will whatsoever to violators who are against the upliftment of humanity and a prosperous Nigeria.