Thread by @AlaigboPLAF

DR M. I ỌKPARA, THE WISE MAN FROM THE EAST

Whenever you think about men who transformed Eastern Nigeria economy, who comes to your mind?

Three people stood out tall in their time and still influence us today

Nnamdi Azikiwe,

Mazi Mbonu Ojike

Dr M.I Ọkpara

The impact led to Eastern Nigeria been named the fastest growing economy in the world at that time

Zik envisioned the plan

Mbonu Ojike,one of the most brilliant economic mind we had, drafted it very clearly

M I Okpara the best administrator we've had so far,executed the plan

I wish to take us through a very interesting piece on M. I ỌKPARA and how he was able to perform the magic

Also, let's think about how we can replicate same today

Is it possible?

Yes

But, we don't have to wait for anyone to do it

We have to think about doing it ourselves

Dr M.I. Okpara and the Economic Blitz of Eastern Nigeria

No one conversant with the history of Nigeria in the I950s and 1960’s will miss the overwhelming impact of Dr M.I. Okpara on the nation

By 1964 he was fully in charge of the fastest growing & industrialising economy in the world- the Eastern Nig economy.

Nothing illustrates the warped sense of history & the complete abandonment of the values of merit& excellence in our national affairs as this wilful omission.

The period of Okpara’s stewardship of Eastern Nigeria is truly the golden age of Nigerian development

As I pointed out in a public lecture in 1995, by 1964 - five years after Okpara’s ascendancy to the premiership -

Eastern Nigeria, as recorded by a research group in Michigan State University in the US, was the fastest growing and industrialising economy in the world – ahead of Malaysia, Korea, Taiwan and Singapore.

How did this happen?

It was the culmination of Okpara’s unique vision in which agriculture and industrial development were the twin pillars on which he built the Eastern Nigerian economy.

In agriculture his plans had a two-fold thrust -

the development of the farm settlements as the anchor for food crop (such as rice) and poultry development, as well as the establishment of estates of oil palm, cocoa, cashew etc which were processed for export

Alongside the agricultural projects, were numerous industrial projects scattered over the length and breadth of Eastern Nigeria.

In one frenetic burst of energy, a wave of maniacal and frenzied activity was on-going all over Eastern Nigeria.

As the book reminds us “ by January 25, 1963, the Michelin Factory at Port Harcourt was opened

The tyre factory was a USD 3,000,000 undertaking.

On March 22, the headquarters building of the Universal Insurance Company was opened in Enugu

On May 10 the Nigeria Gas factory was commissioned at Emene near Enugu.

On May 16, the Aluminium Factory at Port Harcourt was opened.

On August 24, the Glass factory became operative in Port Harcourt.

On October 18, the Asbestos Cement Factory was opened in Emene

On November 9, the foundation of the Central Bank was laid in Port Harcourt.

On November 30, the Golden Guinea Breweries was commissioned at Umuahia, for the production of lager beer and allied products

On December 13 Hotel Presidential was opened at a whopping cost of BPS £2,000,000.

The burning fire for industrialisation led to the establishment of the modern ceramic industry in Umuahia, textile mills at Aba and Onitsha and a shoe factory in Owerri.

There was a catalogue of numerous small industries that were also established simultaneously with the major ones during this period.

It was during this period that the first phase of the farm settlements scheme were established - Ulonna in Umuahia province,

Igbariam in Onitsha province, Boki in Ogoja province, Uzo Uwani in Enugu province, Abak in Annang province

Each was to accommodate over 5,000 farmers and what was remarkable was the scrupulous effort for even spread of d settlements throughout the length & breadth of d region

All these activities had been elaborated in his vision for the development of the region after the general elections of 1961.

As he stated…”the period immediately following the elections was a period for building the economic consciousness of the people”

It is this consciousness and burning desire to raise the standard of living of our people, d unflinching determination to assault poverty from all fronts, that has been distilled into the 1962-68 development plan

Inviting d people as citizens of a democratic region to examine,

participate by taking a fair and equitable share in our development and industrial projects…”

He elaborates on this vision when he states
“…..In encouraging and participating in the industries establ in the Region, our govt was doing so on behalf of the citizens of the Region

It was, as it were, holding its shares on trust for d people

As and when the industries have overcome their teething problems & d risk of failures minimized, govt proposes to divest itself of most of its shares& d money realized used in pioneering into new industrial projects

Thus, the visionary did not only recognise the role of the government as the steward on behalf of the people but more importantly acknowledged the government’s fiduciary responsibility.

It was an incredible display of courage in the midst of rampaging risk factors and the energy to pursue longterm goals on behalf of the people.

It was a remarkable demonstration of transparency and accountability. It was a vision that was forty years ahead of its time

These latter values were illustrated by his commitment to participatory democracy as shown in the fact that he inaugurated an annual series of leaders of thought conferences (a total of five in 1960, 1962, 1963 and 1965).

A remarkable aspect of his industrialisation plan was the collaboration and cooperation with foreign investors to undertake the large industries such as Michelin Tyre factory in Port Harcourt and the Nkalagu Cement factory in present day Ebonyi state

Indeed in Okpara’s long-term vision as he told me in a conversation in his home in Nkwoegwu in 1983 was that Port Hacourt through Aba and Umuahia going on to Enugu would have developed into a globally significant industrial megapolis and conurbation

This drove his passion for the development of the University of Nigeria for which he has not, in my view, been given adequate credit

He provided the money through his prudent management of the resources of the region

If the politics of those times had been better managed, Eastern Nigeria would have been ahead of South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore for we were indeed ahead of these success stories of the second half of the 20th century

He ceded the day-to-day running of the party to his old friend Dr L C Mbanugo, the civil service to Sam Oti, the intelligentsia to Professor Kalu Ezera and the economic domain to Odumegwu Ojukwu Snr.

These were his kitchen cabinet as it were and beyond the formal structures

of the party and the bureaucracy. Thus, he could exercise an inspiring overview to the business of governance through the formal structures of governance, even as he recognised the validity of the informal networks that are the eyes and could invigorate governance.

In the final analysis his success ultimately rested on his understanding of his people and the operative environment that had shaped him and his people.

He certainly deserves intense study if we are ever going to appreciate where the rain started to beat us, given our present circumstances.

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By Professor Anya O Anya, PhD (Cambridge) D.Sc (Hon) FAS, OFR, NNOM
Abuja 26 February, 2014