Odimegwu’s NPC controversial exit

When Mr. Eze Festus Odimegwu was appointed in June last year as the Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), it was received in several quarters with mixed feelings.

Those who knew him as a first class brain and system reformer applauded President Goodluck Jonathan’s choice, saying for once Nigeria was going to get it right in ensuring a credible demographic database for planning and development.

Odimegwu’s tenure at the Nigerian Breweries PLC saw a speedy turnaround of a legacy factory that was almost on its knees when he was appointed.

But at the same time, the master brewer allowed his dizzying success to become his undoing, as he exhibits a lot of indiscretion and lack of self-restraint. It was with this trait that he plunged into the murky world of politics and was forced to leave his coveted position at the NB PLC.

No sooner had he taken over the mantle of leadership at the NPC than he made a costly public statement condemning the population census of 2006, saying Nigeria has never had any credible census. He made other allegations that required more matured handling. As population and census matters carry a heavy political capital in Nigeria, it was easy for Northern politicians to read meanings into his utterances and go on a warpath with the Federal Government.

In fact, Governor of Kano State, Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso, visited the President and demanded the sack of Odimegwu. The Presidency was forced to issue the NPC Chairman a humiliating query. It did not come as a surprise when on October 16th the Federal Government announced the resignation of Odimegwu and its acceptance by the Presidency.

Odimegwu ought to have known that census, particularly the episode of 1962/63, was a precursor of the political crises that led to the military coups and the Biafra-Nigerian war. It is an extremely sensitive matter, which is why traditionally, heads of the Population Commission were rarely heard or seen and often only spoke to the public with prepared speeches.

Odimegwu could have corrected what he saw as the flaws of the system without raising the dust that led to his downfall. It was not as if Nigerians did not know that something was wrong with our census or that Odimegwu lied.

To a wise person there are many things better left unsaid, at least publicly, and census matters in Nigeria fall into this category.

We urge the Presidency to ensure that Odimegwu’s successor is a person with the iron will to correct the wrongs of the system and the patriotism to give Nigeria in 2016 a census that will help us to plan for the progress and development of our nation.