Christopher Unuigbe As Dr. Peter Odili, a former Governor of Rivers State, marks his 78th birthday today, his family, friends and associates are celebrating what some of them have described as “a special icon with a golden heart.” Born August 15, 1948, to the family of Chief Philip Celestine and Princess Janet Okwei, in Ndoni, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of the state, Odili has, for decades, distinguished himself as a man with deep passion for the well-being of others, a well-respected family man, and a man that is making great impact within and outside his country, Nigeria, especially in the areas of medicine and politics where he is widely acknowledged today as a leader. A highly experienced physician, Odili has invested quality years in medical practice and has crowned his impact in this special field by founding PAMO University of Medical Sciences, a unique private facility and institution that is quietly setting great standards in Nigeria and Africa in areas of specialized medical training and research. As a politician, he is a household name both in Rivers State and in the other parts of the country. According to his community members and his close associates, it is one of Odili’s rare qualities that his enviable public achievements and top position in the society did not stop him from remaining humble and focused to his deepest passion, which may be described simply as interest to serve humanity and to offer knowledge and skills that will save lives and improve the people’s wellbeing. A celebrity, but he tries hard to remain calm, may be unnoticed. In fact, one thing his relatives and close associates, who know the elder statesman very well always talk about is how he has succeeded in shielding his home from the usual endless conviviality that normally define the homes of political leaders of his pedigree in Nigeria. For a man like him, who is also married to a prominent legal officer, now a retired Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Mary Peter Odili, JSC – a union that produced a brilliant renowned medical guru, teaching hospital administator and eminent justices, it is to his credit that he is a man of silent achievements. A Nigerian political leader with a great difference, Peter Odili, though a distinguished godfather whose name and influence have opened doors and offered great opportunities to his people and to his followers, has refrained from self-adulation and has remained unwilling to brag over his achievements. He has also refused to engage some of his political children, who, after benefitting immensely from his generous patronage, turn around to bite the hand that fed them. When he emerged the Executive Governor of Rivers State for two terms, from May 29, 1999, to May 29, 2007, on the platform of the then ruling PDP, he assumed the position with so much experience in political leadership, unlike some other elected governors of his time who assumed leadership of their states without adequate experience. Before he was elected governor, he served as an elected Deputy Governor from 1992-1993 during the short-lived Third Republic. The impact of his experience could be seen in the way he handled the affairs of the state from day one when he served as governor. Already grounded as a grassroots political leader, Odili was elected to the National Constitutional Conference, where he served as the Chairman of the Conference Committee on State Creation. As the Deputy Governor of Rivers State in 1992, it was reported that “he laid the groundwork for a transformative era in the state’s history.” He helped to lay the foundation for the Fourth Republic. The former governor first served as National Vice Chairman (South-south) Democratic Party of Nigeria (DPN), and later as National Secretary. He was the Founder and Leader of Rivers Platform in 1998. The elder statesman was the founder and leader of what was described as “The Restoration Team”, as well as the State Leader of the PDP. Odili was also the National Chairman, PDP Fund Raising Committee (2000); and Chairman, Presidential Committee on Housing and Urban Renewal (2001) at various times. Commenting on why Odili should be celebrated in his State and across Nigeria today, Elder Israel Nwonu, a political analyst in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, described Peter Odili with these glowing words: “He is a visionary physician, politician, statesman, and nation-builder whose life embodies selfless service, transformative leadership, and enduring commitment to humanity.” “His patriotism, religious tolerance and fear of God distinguish him as a great man for all times. So, to rightly celebrate Dr. Odili as he marked 78 years here on earth, we must not only celebrate a rare political leader who helped greatly to build the Rivers State we know today; we should also ce
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