Sunday Okobi

A civil society group, Coalition for The Immortalisation of A True Nigerian Hero and Legend, yesterday expressed sadness that the late former Chairman of the National Electoral Commission (NEC), Professor Humphrey Nwosu, who was reputed to have conducted the freest and fairest election in the history of Nigeria in 1993, has not been deservedly immortalised by the past and present leaders of the country.

The group at a world press conference yesterday in Lagos stated that Nwosu, who sadly passed away in October 2024, at the age of 83, and described as “man of his untainted eminence, fearless courage and unmatched performance in the unbeaten national assignment he did for this country,” deserves a solemn re-tell of his immense delicate sacrifices, toils and labour towards making Nigeria better, through transparent and credible elections.

The group, led by Mr. Collins Steve Ugwu, and other leaders, including Mazi Chris O Maduka and Chief Everest Ozonweke stated that: “He had the most profound integrity mark, never doubted in general acceptability, and never surpassed till date.

“For a summary recap, Prof. Humphrey Nwosu was the NEC chairman who superintended the complex and endless political transitions from military to civilian administration, under the then Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, who ruled this country from August 1985 and stepped aside in August 1993. That election was the best elections the military ever conducted in this country by every standards, local and international, with a unanimity of public and citizenship acceptance unrivaled till date.

“He came to the difficult challenge very prepared, possibly underestimated, but succeeded hugely to post a near miracle results of competence, strategy and innovation that has since become our elections management watershed.”

The coalition therefore, called on President Bola Tinubu and his home state (Anambra) Governor, Prof Charles Soludo, to give a deserved honour to the late political scientist and the architect of Option A4 for his marks made in the Nigerian political history.

According to Ugwu, “We therefore, most respectfully call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to boldly reward the delicate and elaborate selflessness of Prof Nwosu by firstly, specially giving him a deserving national awards of Grand Commander of the Order of Niger (GCON) or Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR). We trust the president to rise up to this overdue responsibility, remarkably endorsed by the providence of his position today, as the democratic President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The president should also initiate and cause a national monument to be named after him, for example the Independent NEC headquarters in Abuja, to truly show that, there was once a great Nigerian that served independently there, with exemplary courage, purpose and fortitude. Nigerians agree and know who that person is, and now was.

“To  name a prominent road or National Freedom Park after him in the Federal Capital City.

“To intentionally and deliberately associate his name and essence with the national celebrations of June 12 as Democracy Day in this country, in order to effectively cement it as a wholesome and inclusive act of value and cohesion. If you continue to cut and celebrate a special cake of history, without a proper mention of the designer, it will continue to be a celebration denied a soul and purity. Nigeria under this president should lift her gaze beyond this depressive anomaly, and cast a better net of elegance on June 12. We earnestly thank the president in advance for this correction and sensitivity, because only he can confidently heal this sore outrage.”

In their message to Governor Soludo, the group said: “On the state level of Anambra, where Prof Nwosu was native to, we are expectant that the governor, a confessed and popular solution driver, a colleague professor of repute, and cerebral social scientist of same faculty in the same University of Nigeria, Nsukka, will act as deserved for a kinsman of such status and identity as Prof. Humphrey Nwosu.

“We actually do not need to preach to him, as we believe in him, but urge him to act his conviction on this matter like a professor and his governor. Already, the Governor of Enugu State, Mr. Peter Mbah, is set to host a high level National Colloquium in his honour, which will take place on March 21, 2025, on the Enugu Campus of University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

“So in conclusion, we restate that Prof Humphrey Nwosu, as that wine of candour from a deep wine press, deserve preservation and honour. He represented the bold spectrum of what a credible electoral umpire was and should aspire to be. He humanized our election experience in a way no one has gotten close, by stamping an authority of simplicity, transparency and integrity on NEC, derived from citizens’ inspirations and stellar application.”

He added that the late NEC chairman was very different from the “graphic epicentre of fraud and mercantile manipulations that the body has continuously degraded into.

Please, let us put virtue back to the violence INEC has become since his exit, by returning honour to a man that deposited and warehoused chastity in that house. We can, and should no longer be ease as violators devour and ravage a sacred institutional democratic heritage that NEC was under Prof Humphrey Nwosu.”

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