ChIEF Godwin Obla
By steve anyebe.
History was made on the 21st day of December 2022 at the premises of the Otukpo High Court when two edifices were handed over to the Benue State Judiciary by the Chief Godwin Obla Foundation.
One of the buildings was the *CHIEF MORGAN OGBOLE BAR CENTER* in honor of the late celebrated first Idoma Lawyer and first graduate of Law from Benue State. The second was the High Court building which was completely dismembered and totally exquisitely renovated.
Both edifices, now making the other buildings in the judicial compound look like bad dreams, are the handwork of Chief Godwin Odumu Obla, the first Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) of Idoma extraction. OBLA–G, as he is popularly called, is a man who believes in giving back to society, a conviction he is amply demonstrating in various sectors of our societal life, ranging from education to health.
The handing over ceremony was as colorful as it could be in terms of the program itself, as well as the quality of attendees. Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) branches from Makurdi, Gboko, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were present in full force, ably hosted by the Otukpo home branch. Benue South Senior Advocates of Nigeria came in their numbers, just like the whole of the Benue Judiciary led by the State Chief Judge, Justice Kakaan. Of special interest to most onlookers were the inseparable duo of Justices Ejembi Eko and Adam Onum, both retired but highly revered legal brains. This was one occasion that witnessed the best of the best of the Benue Bar and Bench.
Perhaps it was the speech by His Excellency Deputy Governor Benson Ocholuje Abounu, Ogbobuluwa of Idomaland, that put the icing on the cake. Though he has never been found wanting in the deliverance of public speeches, this one was rather special as it seemed that His Excellency was visited by the spirit of Mark Anthony (in Shakespeare’s Julius Ceasar) on his way to the event venue.
Starting on a rather discouraging tone by once again expressing his disgust for the ever overburdening Nigerian protocols, Deputy Governor Benson Abounu delved into a confession of what had cast a black dot on his mind for years each time he passed by the Court in Otukpo and glanced at the decrepit judicial building facing the Otukpo-Oju highway. He ended his confession by pledging to emulate Chief Godwin Obla, by “doing something” about that eyesore of a judicial house after discussing with his wife. In his elation with the pacesetting move by Chief Obla, Engr Benson Abounu challenged everyone present to imbibe the spirit of giving back to society.
Then in heightened spirits, unusual of a hard core scientist not given to frivolities, the Deputy Governor informed his audience that he was not just an Otukpicho man, but a very proud one at that. Asking a rehtorical question if anyone knew the source of his pride, he went on to inform everyone that the man who was being celebrated, the legendary Chief Morgan Ogbole, the Abo of Idomaland, was also from Otukpicho. The deafening applause from the crowd caused a momentary smile across His Excellency’s lips. He waited for the ovation to subside before dropping his next line: late Chief Elagbaje Obla, the father of Chief Godwin Obla, who was a very close friend of Chief Morgan Ogbole, was also an Otukpicho man. It was now becoming clear where His Excellency was headed. He was indeed in very high spirits, and his audience was gripped by his sequential oratory. Again, glancing round as if in search of a special soul, and eventually locating him, the Deputy Governor paid glowing tributes to His Royal Highness, the Och’Otukpo Odu, Paramount Ruler of the Otukpo Nation, Chief Dr John Onuminya Eimonye, OON, and stressed that the Veterinary Doctor turned beaded Chief, is in addition, an Otukpicho person. To this, the audience both clapped loudly and bowed as the Och’Otukpo gleefully waved.
Lastly, lastly, Chief Engr Benson Ocholuje Abounu, the Deputy Governor of Benue State, eulogized, praised, and patted Chief Godwin Odumu Obla,SAN, for doing what no Idoma person had ever done. The Ogbobuluwa (Pacesetter) of Idomaland capped his greatly humorous rendition by informing all present that he would humbly contemplate surrendering his title to Chief Obla for uniquely setting the pace for the rest to follow. Especially, most especially, that the first SAN from Benue South Senatorial District is afterall from Otukpicho too.
It was simply a glorious day. *PROUDLY OTUKPICHO!*