Anthony Obi Explained

Anthony Obi
Office1:Military Administrator of Osun State
Term Start1:22 August 1996
Term End1:August 1998
Predecessor1:Anthony Udofia
Successor1:Theophilus Bamigboye
Office2:Military Administrator of Abia State
Term Start2:August 1998
Term End2:29 May 1999
Predecessor2:Moses Fasanya
Successor2:Orji Uzor Kalu
Birth Date:13 January 1952
Birth Place:Nigeria

Anthony Obi (13 January 1952 – 1 January 2022) was a Nigerian Lieutenant Colonel who served as Military Administrator of Osun State from August 1996 to August 1998, during the military regime of General Sani Abacha.He then became Military Administrator of Abia State in August 1998, handing over power to the civilian governor Orji Uzor Kalu in May 1999.[1]

Life and career

Obi was born on 13 January 1952.[2] He inherited problems in Osun State with conflict between the Ife and Modakeke people, which periodically erupted into violence. A crisis was triggered when his administration decided to move the local council headquarters from one town to the other.[3] Anthony Obi set up a Royal Committee to make recommendations on resolving the crisis, and declared a seven-day fasting and prayer program in March 1998 concentrating on peace in Ile-Ife.[4]

During his administration of Osun State he commissioned a water corporation office in Ifetedo, but did not provide adequate water supplies.[5] When two factions of the union of Local Government Employees began publishing two rival newsletters, Anthony Obi banned them both.[6]

In September 1998, Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Obi told reporters that the 31 members of the Provisional Ruling Council and all 36 state military administrators would declare their assets, in line with General Abdulsalami Abubakar's intention to hand over a clean administration to civilian rulers in May 1999.[7]

As administrator of Abia State, he built Camp Neya, a government retreat and golf course in undulating country in Igbere, commissioned on his last day in power on 28 May 1999.[8]

Obi died on 1 January 2022, at the age of 69.[9]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Nigeria States . WorldStatesmen . 29 December 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20091223092037/http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Nigeria_federal_states.htm. 23 December 2009 . live.
  2. Book: Obi . Anthony . 365 Days Ago . 1997 . 14 . 4 January 2022.
  3. Web site: IRIN-West Africa Update 138, 98.02.04 . United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs . 29 December 2009.
  4. Web site: State and Ethno-Communal Violence in Nigeria: The Case of Ife-Modakeke . Oladoyin Anthony Mayowa . Africa Development, Vol XXVI, Nos 1 & 2, 2001 . 29 December 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20060927120147/http://www.codesria.org/Links/Publications/ad_articles/mayowa.pdf . 27 September 2006 .
  5. Web site: Ifetedo Residents Lament Water Problem . 15 March 2009. Osun Defender . 29 December 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100626020515/http://www.osundefender.org/?p=3576 . 26 June 2010. dead .
  6. Web site: Two Union Publications Banned In Osun State . Media Rights Monitor, April 1998. Vol. 3 No. 4 . 29 December 2009 .
  7. Web site: World News Briefs; Nigerian Leaders Ready To Declare Assets . 1 October 1998. New York Times . 29 December 2009.
  8. Web site: Fire on Kalu's mountain . https://archive.today/20080229190434/http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/columnists/pressclips/2008/pressclips-16-feb-2008.htm . dead . 29 February 2008. Daily Sun . MIKE AWOYINFA . 16 February 2008 . 29 December 2009 .
  9. https://theeagleonline.com.ng/ex-osun-military-administrator-dies-oyetola-speaker-mourn/ Ex-Osun Military Administrator dies, Oyetola, Speaker mourn