ThisDay’s Prophecy on Ebie

By Jerome-Mario Utomi

This piece stemmed from a publication titled “The Rising Profile of Chiedu Ebie” by ThisDay Newspaper nearly six years ago, precisely on Sunday, September 8, 2019 – long before Chiedu Ebie became Chairman of the Governing Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC). At the time of the publication, he was newly appointed Secretary to the Delta State Government (SSG).

The publication highlighted the sterling public leadership qualities of Mr. Ebie, a technocrat and reformer. Before becoming SSG, he had held office as Delta State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education.

What, however, makes this six-year-old publication fresh, newsy, and current today is that, like a prophecy, the kind words in the piece mirrored the Ebie persona as of now. The words have remained not only validly true but made flesh and dwell among us as Mr. Ebie’s leadership skill has spread its wings not just in Delta state but the entire Niger Delta region, leading to his appointment as the Chairman, Governing Board of the NDDC by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in November 2023.

But before getting down to the nitty-gritty of this piece, it would be pertinent to thoroughly study the ThisDay publication’s x-ray of Mr. Ebie.
According to the publication, “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a political appointment in Nigeria to proceed without rancour or protests in some quarters. Yet, Chiedu Ebie, the new SSG received unanimous, state-wide acceptance and endorsement when his name was announced. In a state notorious for throwing up contrarian agitations at the slightest provocation, Ebie’s emergence was met with unanimous approval.

“Get nearer to the dude who hails from Ika South Local Government in Delta North Senatorial District and it becomes easier to understand his popularity. As the commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education in Okowa’s first term, Ebie’s input and unrelenting push led to the series of infrastructural upgrades in public primary and secondary schools in the state. On his watch, many of the state-owned schools were transformed from eyesores and causes of collective shame to beautiful institutions well-equipped to cater to the children of the 21st century.

“Before he was appointed a Commissioner in 2015, Chiedu Ebie was the Managing Director/CEO of Millennium Oil & Gas Company Limited (MOGCL), where he led a wholly domestically owned company operating under the umbrella of Nigeria’s indigenization programme in exploring and producing hydrocarbon resources. Before that, he held sway as a partner at the law firm of Okonjo, Odiawa & Ebie, handling numerous cases with aplomb and lending a hand in the establishment of some companies including ThisDay Newspapers, through his brilliant legal expertise.

“Little wonder Okowa neither slept nor rested until he was able to capture Ebie from the private sector to come and contribute his quota to the development of the oil-rich state. Given the speed with which the governor hurried to announce him to the world as the new SSG, it is fair to say Ebie had repaid the governor’s faith”

Of course, ThisDay was right in its analysis, particularly, going by Mr. Ebie’s pedigree, amiable and genial attributes, his traits of transparency and rock-solid integrity, as well as his goal-orientated nature.

For example, as Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education from 2015-2019, Ebie achieved unprecedented set goals, which included the massive renovation and rehabilitation of schools and the revamping of grassroots sports through the Zenith Bank Delta Principal’s and Headmaster’s Cup.

In 2019, he achieved a record-breaking and, of course, the transparent recruitment of 1,000 teachers, posted across secondary schools in the state. This merit-based and high-level transparency recruitment exercise made it possible for most of the beneficiaries to scale through without knowing anyone in the ministry or government.

Says a Delta state-based public affairs commentator: ‘Like an emerging market, Mr. Ebie has finally emerged a world-class leader who seamlessly fits into the new first Eleven of public leaders in the Niger Delta region. Before he emerged as the Chairman, Governing Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), it had not been easy for the Niger Delta Region and its people. It has been a tough and tumble ride for the region. But in just one year as NDDC Board Chairman, the Board under his leadership has turned not just the Commission around for the better but also the entire Niger Delta region through purposeful and result-orientated superintendence”

Finally, I and other farsighted Niger Deltans, men and women of goodwill from the region are witnesses to Mr. Ebie’s good leadership service delivery. And we are happy. We support him. We applaud him!

Utomi, a Media Specialist writes from Lagos, Nigeria. He could be reached via Jeromeutomi@yahoo.com/08032725374