By Dakuku Peterside |
It was with great shock that I obtained the information of the passing on of Samuel Nda- Isaiah, normally regarded as Sam Nda-Isaiah. To most men and women, Nda-Isaiah was a Nigerian political columnist, pharmacist, entrepreneur and journalist, the founder and chairman of the Leadership Group Constrained. To me, he was significantly much more than that.
The lifetime and situations of my late elder brother and friend, Sam Nda- Isaiah is a lesson on its individual. Irrespective of schooling as a pharmacist, he was fantastic in the liberal arts and recognised by lots of as the conscience of the folks. His energy of concepts stood him out in each endeavour of lifetime. What he missing in staying diminutive he gained in an exceptionally endowed and hyperactive mind and a razor-sharp head.
Sam’s pen was mightier than any sword. He wrote from the heart, and in his crafting, you can see a type, light, humble, virtuous, patriotic, and imaginative thoughts. He was from a single of the country’s minority ethnic teams. Even now, by his thoughts, speeches, and actions, he was the quintessential pan-Nigerian in each and every way probable – an opponent of injustice, nepotism, and mediocrity.
I met “My Chairman” for the 1st time as a member of the Nationwide Assembly at about 2011-2012. Our first interaction was effectively above an argument about how southern Christians in Nigeria do not respect the issues faced by northern Christians. I was shocked at his in-depth knowledge of difficulties, and I could truly feel the uncooked flame of patriotism burning inside him. A friendship struck from that assembly – a friendship that would past until his very last breath on earth. In fact, a fulfilling friendship.
Sometimes, he will seem me out on Nationwide troubles and remind me how, as members of the Nationwide Assembly, my colleagues and I have been failing the Nigerian people today. I would generally attempt to put up a defence on our perceived shortcomings as legislators, but he was nonetheless speedy to level out the flaws in my excuses, which he referred to as “lame duck”. When I ran for the governorship of Rivers Point out, he showed much more than a passing fascination in my political quest and thought I ran one of the finest campaigns at any time in the region at that time. He inspired me not to give up as he assumed my time would at some point appear, a time when Nigerians would vote on the good quality of a prospect and his or her ideas and not on ethnicity, funds or regulate of the power of violence.
When Sam at some point presented himself as a candidate for the business office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria beneath the system of the All Progressives Congress (APC), I was shocked. I experienced under no circumstances acknowledged him to be a abundant gentleman who can foot the massive expenses of a presidential marketing campaign, nor did I know of a impressive bloc in the land backing his candidature. My comprehension of politics is not elementary, so when I see a probable prospect who can make an affect, I would absolutely know.
He engaged me various instances and kept on holding to the proposition that Nigeria, as a country, desires his concepts. I agreed with him about concepts but that my position was that the presidency of Nigeria was further than fantastic thoughts. The successful argument of tips may possibly come shortly but not at current.
Throughout our engagements, I noticed his deep faith in God, his perception in the power of his ideas, a courageous persona, and an simple patriotic spirit. He ran that campaign on the concept of “big ideas”. He brought a new flavour of intellectual engagement on his presidential campaign. It was clear from the way he ran his campaign that there was a thing amazing about the boldness of his suggestions and eyesight for the country that attracted youthful persons to assist him in substantial figures.
Sam was a proponent of a new social and economic buy based on awareness, meritocracy, equity, and justice. During the presidential race, his command of text, deep philosophical mien, amiable temperament, and nationwide network of pals became arsenals at his disposal points revenue simply cannot acquire. He missing the Presidential primaries of his bash but manufactured a lot of buddies in the course of action, people today who obtained captivated to his admirable persona and fantastic strategies.
He was a pharmacist, an activist at coronary heart, and a fighter for the oppressed by option. Sam was a courageous entrepreneur. To have migrated his fortunes from the far more valuable industry of pharmacy to the far more dangerous and perilous area of the media demanded large braveness. It testifies to a thoughts additional intent on bringing about social and political adjust than in a bulging lender stability. His e-book, Entire Disclosure: Chosen Writings on Governance, Democracy and Statecraft, May perhaps 1999 – March 2004 was a celebration of good views and concepts from a deep thinker and gentleman of understanding.
His writings were being a mirror graphic of who we are. Our Nation may have uncovered who we are as a result of his pen. He dared to say items the way they are. He spoke fact to electrical power no subject the implications.
Sam’s weekly column “Last Word and Earshot”, which he commenced from Daily Believe in just before he took it to Leadership Newspaper, was a celebration of intellectual sagacity, enormous articulation and unusual erudition. It was a person of the most well-known weekly columns in Nigeria. Just about every time you read through it, you occur across a little something novel, something motivating and anything inspirational.
When I had the privilege to provide as DG/ CEO of Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), he gave me a person beneficial information – “Nigerians hope you to go away above board supplied your history, antecedent and exposure, you are not able to manage to disappoint your generation”. He was constantly prepared to give me what ever assist I wanted. He thought that flashes of fantastic leaders below and there in our nation could lead to the development of a vital mass that can transform the place.
At the stop of my phrase in NIMASA, my good friends broached the concept of my executing a weekly column in a newspaper so my ideas and suggestions could impact people today at a nationwide and global degree. I wished Each day Believe in or Management for some symbolic rationale, but again my chairman was ever there to aid my dreams. He only cautioned me that performing a column could put me in hassle. I thanked him and certain him that the future of Nigeria is a additional substantial task than my ease and comfort.
Sam Nda-Isaiah experienced unique thoughts for what he named the second 50 % of his life. He shared with all who cared that he desired a country he can be proud of, a Nigeria that functions for all her people today, in which protection is unavoidable. His passion for Nigeria was equally apparent and infectious.
He was in a hurry to make Leadership Team a behemoth of a kind in the media landscape of Nigeria. He shared with me his plans to deliver in other buyers into the company and institutionalize best corporate governance techniques. My chairman was foresighted and experienced predicted that the long run is about technological know-how, and if a single does not perform in the house, a person will not be applicable. One challenge he was passionate about was how to get Management to contend at the world level.
Sam lived ahead of his time. He was much too critical about the Nigerian job that with the advantage of hindsight he must have provided himself much more humour. He was a major persona in the media organization, in politics, in Nationwide daily life but was not a fulfilled male simply because Nigeria is nevertheless to fulfil her potentials.
Legends, like Sam Nda-Isaiah, appear once in a lengthy although and pretty normally leave us when we need to have them most to tutorial us realize individuals great desires they have appear to delivery. His functions and strategies will carry on to encourage us. He has performed his component. It is still left for those people of us on this part of daily life to carry on his good is effective and make sure we bequeath a country Sam will be happy.
He will switch in his grave right until we come across an enduring answer to these things plaguing our Country for which he was anxious – worsening insecurity, widening ethnic divide and Cyclic poverty.
Sam will experience harm on the abduction of about 600 school small children from their dormitory, at the Govt Secondary School (GSSS), Kankara, Katsina Condition, by suspected bandits at about final Friday. The Katsina incident, which occurred barely 8 times right after Boko Haram slaughtered more than 100 farmers in BornoState, amid other violent incidents that have ongoing to lend credence to the worsening insecurity in the state.
He produced an tremendous contribution to society. He fought for the superior of Nigeria and Africa. He is component of that exceptional breed of excellent minds who excel in both of those scientific enquiry and liberal creative imagination. A actual gentleman of impeccable pedigree, Sam exudes fantastic intellect and self confidence to succeed exactly where a lot of unsuccessful.
Sam was not a saint even nevertheless he adorns white cloths most of the time to match his usual Nupe red cap. He, like other human beings, had his shortcomings. He was responsible of impatience. He was not tolerant of laziness, pettiness and dishonesty. He was generally in a hurry to obtain final results, leaving him with minimal time for processes. Often seeking to be sure to his good friends he can overcommit himself. He was a liberal soul, and quite normally, is at cross reasons with shrewd business owners.
However, his desire of a much better Nigeria life on. He has passed the baton to his compatriots, and we must not let him down. We have to retain the war towards underdevelopment, insecurity and audacious impunity raging right until we create a new Nigeria. A Nigeria that Sam hoped to see in his life span. A Nigeria wherever prosperity, peace and development will be the anchor. A Nigeria that will truly be the beacon of hope for Blackman and big of Africa.
With Sam’s loss of life, Nigeria has undoubtedly dropped 1 of her greats. The Nigerian media has dropped 1 of its shining lights. We have lost a detribalized Nigerian, a excellent mental, a gentleman of terrific ideas. At 58, he died far too before long, when there are continue to so significantly for him to present our expensive beleaguered country.
I will surely overlook my elder brother and good friend, Sam Nda-Isaiah. Might the almighty God grant him everlasting relaxation and give his family members the fortitude to bear the reduction of their beloved.
Adieu, My Chairman.