14:I[76937,["9344","static/chunks/9081a741-c61dd986cfa0c828.js","6408","static/chunks/00cbbcb7-c04264a14f470d4a.js","8173","static/chunks/8173-fc6c345d757cc6f6.js","7970","static/chunks/7970-6e0129b3de8ddbd6.js","3539","static/chunks/3539-02bf90933f94c836.js","6937","static/chunks/6937-3bd12da95143b93b.js","8827","static/chunks/app/(dashboard)/account/news/%5Bid%5D/edit/page-ce509fe7e2acda80.js"],"UpdateNewsForm"] 15:T727,

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, yesterday defected from the PDP to the APC. I have been on net for a long time trying to gauge people’s reactions about that defection, but it has remained generally dull. Everybody is busy minding his business as if the defection was a non-issue.

I tried to juxtapose it with the torrent of reactions that followed the joining of the PDP by the former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi. What did I – and what did you – make out of this?

I think the reaction has finally settled his place among Igbos in Nigeria. The reactions have made me to realise that Obi is so important that everybody take interest in what he does or refuses to do according to our fancy. Even those opposing him are telling how important the man is to be ignored.

Obi stands out as a man different from the rest, absorbed conscientiously in the enterprise of the Igbos and of Nigeria without recourse to personal gains. He is the symbol of Igbos to Nigerians and a symbol of Nigeria to the Igbos and to people in other parts of the world. I think he took over from our legend, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu. He has a deep love for the Igbos and great confidence in himself.

Certainly, very few Nigerians have been famous in quite as many ways as him: gentlemanly but firm. Calm in crisis with tremendous reserves of physical and nervous energy, he is the apotheosis of leadership.

If we judge greatness by influence, which is the least subjective test that we can use, we may rank Obi as one of the greats

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