MY POLITICAL CAREER :HOW JUSTICE MARY ODILI MADE ME -RIVERS STATE GOVERNOR WIKE REVEALS
The Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike on Sunday 15th of May, 2022 told the parishioners and special guests who worshipped at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Chaplaincy, Catholic Institute of West Africa CIWA Port Harcourt that he will remain grateful to Justice Mary Odili for her timely intervention saved his political career in 2004. The 2023 Peoples Democratic Party Frontline Presidential aspirant detailed how he was rescued from political quagmire having had his name removed from those who were to contest in the Local Government election in 2004.
This revelation of how his political career was saved got everyone’s attention while Justice Mary Ukaego Odili retired was having her thanksgiving service having reached the mandatory retirement age of 70-yearsday which was celebrated on 12th of May, 2022.
Recalling how he cried to Justice Mary Odili when he was reliably informed that his name was not included among those cleared to contest either as first term or second term chairmen of Local Councils Election in Rivers state that he quickly ran to Rivers state Government House Port Harcourt and he met with Justice Mary Odili who was already set to leave for an occasion instead listened to him, and took the complain to her husband, Dr Peter Odili, who was the governor of Rivers State then.
Raising his voice at the Church service, Governor explained that the manner Justice Mary Odili presented the matter got her husband acting on it immediately made the authorities at the helms of affairs of PDP then at Abuja to reinstate his name in the list of candidates for LGC election. According to him, first, Dr. Peter Odili had to invite the then Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, to confirm the observation and thereafter put a call across to the then National Secretary of the PDP, Chief Vincent Ogbulafor.
“In 2004, that time her husband was the governor, so she was going to Bori Camp for the women empowerment scheme. I was to run for a second tenure as chairman of my Local Government (Obio-Akpor). Now, they were having lunch with her husband and the former State party chairman, Prince Uche Secondus. And, I was told that my name had been removed from the list. So, I ran down to Government House.
“She has finished her own lunch, left her husband and was entering the vehicle. I said mummy I’m finished. She asked what happened, I said they’ve removed my name. She ran back straight to her husband and informed him. Her husband asked who removed his name. At that time, Secondus had left. The husband then called the security at the gate, they stopped Prince Uche Secondus and asked him to come back.” Wike revealed.
Continuing he said “That was how I went back as second term chairman. For me, I can’t talk about my growth without mentioning her. If she was not around that day, to see the governor, you know, is not an easy thing. Her being around that particular day saved my career in politics. And so that was how I grew from there to become what I am today.”
The elated Governor in his admonition to families noted a vital lesson of life he learnt from Justice Odili, which is the determination to build the capacity to be successful in one’s career while not ignoring giving requisite attention to the family. According to him, for Justice Mary Odili, there was a good balance which she maintained that made her to succeed both in her career as a legal practitioner, a mother and wife in the family. For this he said Justice Mary Odili had remained an embodiment of care and compassion because without relenting she treated everybody with dignity that they deserved.
“I have seen somebody who is very compassionate, and very caring. The moment you’re around her husband, she takes care of you. She sees you as her husband’s person and so she will always relate with you. Some of us are direct beneficiaries of the care through our relationship with the husband.” he said.
The Governor Wike commended Justice Mary Odili for the 44 years of meritorious public service, which he described as no mean feat.
On the other hand, Very Rev. Monsignor Pius Kii, the chaplain of the Chaplaincy at CIWA in his homily, spoke on the physical and eternal benefits Christians derive when they love God, one another and their enemies. Very Rev. Monsignor Kii emphasized that living a life of love demonstrates faithful discipleship, obedience to God and secures daily victory in life’s endeavours.
Giving her speech, Justice Mary Odili described the joy she felt as unspeakable and a thing of honour to have governor Wike, as a sitting governor, doing a vote of thanks in her honour.
According to her, she and her spouse, Dr. Peter Odili have lots of things to always thank God, and will remain grateful to him because he gave them countless triumphs despite the challenges that they have encountered.
“The good Lord knows that Peter and I don’t know how to properly thank God. Our journey in life has been such that the good Lord has always been there. There has been challenges no doubt, but the good Lord did not promise us that we will not have challenges, tribulations or difficulties. But the good Lord has always stood by us and made us prevail in all those trials and tribulations.”
The Odilis have two daughters who are serving as judges with Justice Chinelo Odili is employed in Rivers state Judiciary as High Court Judge while another Justice Njideka Iheme-Nwosu is a serving Judge at Federal Capital Territory Abuja Judicial Division as a High Court Judge.