By Nurat Uthman
Former Edo State governor and ex-National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has revealed that his refusal to compromise while serving as a Permanent Secretary in the Federal Civil Service during the military regime resulted in his early retirement at the age of 48.
Odigie-Oyegun made this disclosure on Saturday during the closing ceremony of the John Odigie-Oyegun Public Service Academy, an institution established by the Edo State government to commemorate his 84th birthday and 19 years of outstanding service as a federal civil servant.
According to Odigie-Oyegun, “I had the audacity to express my desires to the military as a Permanent Secretary in order to avoid getting into trouble. The Ibrahim Babangida regime then assigned me to various ministries, including the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
“The military’s first action was to send me a list of people to be retired, but I was not the one to retire them. Instead, I had to write to the Public Service Commission and provide reasons. I consulted with my commissioner, a military officer, who couldn’t explain the reasons behind the retirements but stated that the instructions came from the Supreme Headquarters.
“Under the IBB regime, three military officers were appointed to oversee the issuance of import licenses, and I was told that I would be the one to sign all the licenses. However, I politely declined because it wasn’t my responsibility, and in my hometown, such behavior is frowned upon.
“After that conversation, I knew I would be dismissed, so I reported myself to the Head of Service of the Federation at the time. I went to my office and instructed my secretary to prepare a resignation letter so that I could retire before the military sacked me. We all have choices to make, and it takes courage to take bold steps to maintain integrity and defend our principles.
“When a crisis arose in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, I was the sole signatory for Nigerian passports at the time. I fulfilled my duties with integrity. I retired at the age of 48 after 19 years of service.”
Odigie-Oyegun praised the governor for his developmental achievements in the state and the transformation of the state’s civil/public service. He urged civil servants in the state to be dedicated, committed, and upright in their service, assuring them that their efforts would be rewarded.
Odigie-Oyegun concluded, “I appreciate you, Mr. Governor Obaseki and your wife, for honouring me when I am alive. I appreciate you and today I feel very fulfilled for this. I was glad when something was named after me. Getting calls all around the world that they saw a building named after me, I told them my governor did it.’’
