The POLITICIAN 1000

The great people of Anambra state in the South-
Eastern geopolitical zone of the Federal Republic
of Nigeria have produced many outstanding public
servants who have done them and the entire nation
of Nigeria extremely proud. They produced the first
ever President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His
Excellency Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe (RIP), Professor Chinua
Achebe (arguably one of the finest writers of his
generation), Alex Ekwueme (Former Vice President of
Nigeria), Charles Chukwuma Soludo (Former Governor
of the Central bank of Nigeria), Emeka Anyaoku
(the first black secretary general of the commonwealth),
Dora Akunyili ( the former head of NAFDAC
whose tireless efforts to fight the importation of fake
medicines into Nigeria saved the Nigerian healthcare
system), Nwafor Orizu (the first ever senate president
of the Federal republic of Nigeria) and Chinyelu Onwarah
a British politician and first ever female member
of the British Parliament of African descent.
Once again Anambra state has produced another
outstanding public servant, a woman who is on a
mission to reclaim Nigeria’s aviation glory. Stella
Oduah- Ogiemwonyi comes from a prestigious royal
family. She is the daughter of Igwe D.O Oduah of
Akili-Ozizor in the Ogbaru Local Government area
of Anambra state. As a child Princess Stella excelled
academically, and her desire for learning was what
propelled her to the United States of America where
she acquired a Bachelors degree in Accounting and
a Masters in Business administration (MBA) respectively.
It is indeed an open secret that Nigeria almost be-
63
BY PAUL OKADE Jr
came the laughing stock of Africa because of the poor
state of the nations Aviation sector. Nigerians both at
home and in the Diaspora were becoming so ashamed
of the state of their airports, coupled with the fact that
we no longer had a national airline. All indications
suggested that as far as air travel was concerned, Nigeria
was a failed state. From decaying airports right
through to a non-existent national airline, it is fair to
say that for a Nation which is reputed to be the biggest
producer of crude oil in Africa and certainly it’s most
populated, we had a lot to live up to.
It is also projected that by 2015 Nigeria will overtake
South Africa as the Continent’s largest economy. We
are indeed a mighty nation, and to think that without
a steady supply of electricity and almost 20 years of
military miss rule, we have managed to become the
African economic super power. What then will we
achieve as a nation when the foundational necessities
of industrialization such as steady electricity, a national
rail system, a robust healthcare system, a reformed
academic system and major investments in Agriculture
(at least 20% of GDP) are fully in place? We will
become the envy of the world.
However, such great fete’s can only be accomplished
when competent public servants are installed
in their rightful positions. On the 2nd of July 2011 His
Excellency President Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan,
having looked at the poor and rapidly decaying
state of the Nigerian aviation industry made a decision
that will forever transform that industry. He installed
Her Excellency Stella Oduah Ogiemwoni as the Nigerian
Minister of Aviation.