A gentleman by each commonplace, Senator Udoma typically comes throughout as an Englishman with a darkish pores and skin. From the calm method he speaks, to the emphatic however mild method he responds to controversial points, he hardly rocks the boat. Nonetheless, don’t ever dare him; as a result of such individuals are harmful when pushed to the wall.
It was a scrumptious shock after I wakened lately to find that Senator Udoma Udo Udoma had turned a princely 70 years. The query got here unplanned: How did he get there; so quick; unannounced? Effectively, not so shortly. He has been round for a short time.
The reality, nonetheless, is that folks sculptured within the mould of Udoma hardly develop outdated within the creativeness of their admirers. They merely exist, make marks for themselves and their surroundings and refuse to age, bodily or reputation-wise.
Because the son of Sir Egbert Udo Udoma, the late former Justice of Nigeria’s Supreme Court docket, it was fairly tough for Senator Udoma to emerge from the shadows of his father and create a separate identification for himself. I assume he succeeded moderately when he received election to the Senate in 1999.
A gentleman by each commonplace, Senator Udoma typically comes throughout as an Englishman with a darkish pores and skin. From the calm method he speaks, to the emphatic however mild method he responds to controversial points, he hardly rocks the boat. Nonetheless, don’t ever dare him; as a result of such individuals are harmful when pushed to the wall.
When you doubt me, ask former President Olusegun Obasanjo. In 1999 after Udoma’s unchallenged victory on the polls, Obasanjo determined to nominate him a minister. Udoma was momentarily confused on what to do.
It began after Obasanjo emerged as president-elect and determined to nominate somebody from the South-South geopolitical zone as Secretary to Authorities of the Federation (SGF). As anticipated, lots of people began lobbying for the place.
Three folks from Akwa Ibom State: Obong Victor Attah who was the governor-elect, the late Main Common Edet Akpan and Udoma visited Obasanjo in his farm in Otta to foyer for the late Obong Ufot Ekaete to be thought of as SGF.
Throughout that go to and because the dialog progressed, Obasanjo knowledgeable the delegation that he would really like Udoma to serve in his cupboard. Shocked, everybody turned to Udoma, who selected to take care of a straight look located someplace between a smile and a frown.
He sought election to the Senate with clear-cut targets. As Obasanjo stated these phrases, Udoma began questioning whether or not he may obtain these targets from the workplace of a minister. The following query that got here thoughts was what portfolio Obasanjo would supply him.
From that time onward, pushed on by just a few of his buddies, he tried to seek out out from Obasanjo which ministry he would doubtless serve in. The president, even after taking workplace, stay slippery in his reply or the shortage of it. One way or the other, Udoma bought to know that he could be made a minister of state in command of surroundings.
A excessive drama later unfolded when Obasanjo inaugurated his cupboard. The Senate was already in session when Senator Udoma walked in, a sign that he had turned down the ministerial supply. Senators rose in applause. Immediately, a pressure was positioned on his relationship with Obasanjo.
Categorised by buddies and associates as extremely principled, Udoma because the chief whip of the Senate was the primary and solely PDP principal officer to publicly reject the try by Obasanjo to alter the 1999 Structure and provides himself tenure elongation in 2007.
He famous in a public assertion that his cause for opposing the tenure elongation proposal was as a result of he felt that “at this stage in our political growth, incumbents holding government workplace have unfair benefits over these difficult them, together with unique entry to state sources.”
He continued that time period limits had been subsequently the one method to make sure that Nigeria didn’t have leaders for all times who would entrench themselves, such that they may not be eliminated by the poll field.
In his opinion, as soon as so entrenched, the opposition is perhaps pressured to resort to extra-constitutional means to take away them from workplace, thus resulting in political instability.
Udoma later disclosed that the 1999 ministerial supply offered him with one of the vital tough selections of his life. He nearly repeated the identical act when Muhammadu Buhari appointed him a minister in 2015, by rejecting the supply once more.
When he was earlier contacted, he was stated to have been promised appointment as a minister with duties overlaying overseas funding and financial actions.
Nonetheless, issues modified on the day he was sworn-in to workplace. He realised, after taking the oath, that he was going to be in command of Finances and Nationwide Planning; which was not fairly a wierd surroundings to him.
As he contemplated what to do, it occurred to him that the applause he ignited in 1999 after turning down the appointment by Obasanjo had since died.
Buhari was reported to have reminded Udoma that as senator, he was at completely different instances in command of committees on appropriation and nationwide planning. Reluctantly he obliged.
A proud and well-cherished son of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Udoma was stated to have unambiguously knowledgeable Buhari that he wouldn’t settle for re-appointment as minister; and he was the primary amongst colleagues to clear his desk as quickly Buhari’s first time period got here to a detailed.
An alumnus of Kings School, Lagos, Udoma educated as a lawyer at Oxford College, specialising in industrial regulation. The Oxford custom appears to run in his household. His father had earlier studied regulation there. I’m conscious that at the very least one in all Udoma’s kids beat the daddy’s report in Oxford.
Whereas lots of people could consider that Udoma’s admission to Oxford and his phenomenal skilled progress within the authorized observe had the affect of his father by way of opening doorways, the reverse was really the case. That may be a story for one more day.
I’m tempted at this level to disclose, most likely to Senator Udoma’s discomfort, that 1999 was not the one time he turned down a suggestion from a sitting president. The primary was most likely unknown as a result of it occurred beneath the army. Let’s equally depart that for one more day.
Whereas serving within the Senate, Udoma nearly created an avoidable scene sooner or later when he challenged the late Senator Arthur Nzeribe to say the names of these concerned in a bribe scandal which Nzeribe celebrated within the media and through plenary periods of the Senate.
The senator from Imo State was keen on boasting about giving a three-million naira bribe to particular person senators in order that they received’t assist the Home of Representatives within the bid to question Obasanjo in 2003.
Throughout one of many plenary periods, Udoma raised a Level of Order. When given the ground, he demanded that Nzeribe ought to cease rubbishing the integrity of each senator seated within the hallowed chamber.
He demanded that names of these he supplied the cash to be talked about, so that folks like him wouldn’t be counted amongst those that took the bribe.
At this level, the complete plenary session of the Senate went quiet. Nearly reluctantly and towards the unexpressed want of the bulk, the Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim, yielded the ground to Nzeribe.
Rising with a mischievous smile, Nzeribe, with all eyes and a focus — from the gallery to the ground — feasted on him, lower quick the stress by declaring that it might be close to insanity for any particular person to aim to bribe Udoma.
He acknowledged categorically that Udoma was not amongst these he even thought of providing the orchestrated bribe as a result of it might be too dangerous to take action. Cleared, Udoma smiled and sat again. Nobody ever raised the difficulty once more, not even Nzeribe.
Referred to as to the bar in 1978, Udoma practiced with senior attorneys for 5 years earlier than establishing a private regulation agency in 1983. That agency is immediately referred to as Udo Udoma and Belo-Osagie. It stays one of many largest industrial regulation companies in Nigeria. He would have missed all of this if he didn’t take heed to his father.
Starting in 1991, Udoma spent two years as a part-time guide with a US regulation agency referred to as Shearman and Sterling. He served of their Paris workplace, whereas nonetheless working his regulation observe in Lagos. He did this by alternating months in Paris and Lagos.
On the finish, he was supplied the chance to grow to be a associate and transfer to the agency’s head workplace in New York. Excited, he went to inform his father.
The outdated man listened in silence as Udoma described the chance as golden, with an enormous remuneration and an opportunity to rub shoulders with among the greatest authorized minds on the planet.
Justice Udoma congratulated his son, however suggested him to show down the supply, keep in Nigeria and contribute to constructing a society that might present all of the services that attracted him to america; as a result of that society was constructed by folks like him.
He informed the younger lawyer to construct up a regulation agency that might, in future, rival Shearman and Sterling. It was a vote of confidence that challenged Senator Udoma to construct among the best industrial regulation companies in Africa.
Udoma as soon as informed me, “We’re those that may make Nigeria higher. So, I want to say to younger folks, please get entangled. You probably have any alternative to get entangled, please get entangled. Will it’s straightforward? No.
“Constructing a greater society shouldn’t be straightforward work, however you’ll be able to solely make a distinction if you’re concerned; if you happen to take part. The extra now we have top quality folks concerned in politics, the higher for the nation.
“Nonetheless, getting concerned doesn’t imply mixing in and accepting all of the unhealthy practices. Don’t be afraid to say no, when you’re requested to do one thing mistaken. All the time be able to stroll away. To have the ability to do that, you could have another supply of livelihood.”
The late Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu, as soon as informed me a narrative about how, at first of Udoma’s second time period within the Senate, he had the chance to function Chairman of the extremely prestigious and most essential Standing Committee of any Senate, the Appropriations Committee.
In the course of the first time period, he had headed the identical Committee for 2 years. He was conscious of the large energy of that workplace. Nonetheless, Udoma opted for the a lot much less fascinating place of Chairman of the Nationwide Planning and Poverty Alleviation Committee.
His cause was to be centered on guaranteeing that the Invoice to take away the on-shore/off-shore oil dichotomy was once more handed into regulation, and, having studied, in some element, the duties of every of the Committees, he realised that that was the Committee that may doubtless deal with the difficulty.
By opting to function chairman of that Committee, he was merely elevating the curiosity of his state above a private need. He gave up the potential for enhancing his affect within the Senate and upgrading his political visibility for the sake of his folks. That’s who Senator Udoma is.
Distinguished, I merely wished to say, comfortable birthday. As an alternative, I’ve ended up an extended story. Even now, I’m struggling to finish this narrative. Don’t overlook, the world is anticipating that ebook – your biography. Glad birthday, Sir.
Sam Akpe writes from Abuja.
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