Ezekwesili, the husband of former Minister of Education, Dr
Oby Ezekwesili, spoke at a symposium themed, ‘Purposeful Men’ organised to mark
his 70th birthday in Abuja on Friday.
The cleric dreams of being alive to see Nigeria become the
nation God designed it to be and to see the glory of God over the nation.
“Nigeria is like a troubled house, I wish we can uproot and
start afresh. A house with a faulty foundation can only be fixed by uprooting
the foundation and creating a new structure. Nigeria, the way it is, cannot
survive. There is need to restructure this nation. Unless we come together and
decide to move forward, we cannot move forward,” he said.
According to him, it will take leaders, not rulers, to take
Nigeria to the right destination.
Praying for Nigeria never to experience war again, the
cleric urged the younger generation to seek peace and not war, which would only
bring hunger, pain, suffering, underdevelopment, death among other unpleasant
situations.
Serving Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church,
Pastor Tunde Bakare, said the story of Oby Ezekwesili could not be told without
the giant shoulders of the celebrator, the model of a supportive husband.
“The real man, with his spirit, soul and body well-ordered,
is the quintessence of character, competence and capacity, triune qualities,
which the Ezekwesilis have been known to champion. The real man possesses such
unassailable virtues as love expressed in joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. He operates in wisdom,
knowledge and understanding, and has the capacity to make a difference in a
chaotic world,” he said.
Bakare said the celebrator had, over the years, stood by his
wife, Oby, from her days as a member of the Concerned Professionals, when she
stood up to the oppressive military regime at the risk of her life, to her time
as an agent of disruptive change in government – first as “Madam Due Process”
and then as two-time minister.
He said the celebrator also stood solidly behind his wife
when she was Vice President of World Bank to the era she rallied the world
round the #BringBackOurGirls movement, to the period she stepped into the
terrain to contest highest public office in Nigeria, to building the capacity
of the next generation of political leaders.
“It takes a man of such strength of purpose and
extraordinary character to be husband to such a powerful and purpose-driven
woman, as my dear sister, Oby,” Bakare said.
Former Minister of Information, Frank Nweke Jr, described
Ezekwesili as a good man, a patriot, a philosopher that inspires mentors,
teaches everyone and a real father with uncommon wisdom.
The former minister described the cleric as extremely
generous, as he often speaks truth to power.
Nweke said Mr Ezekwesili “has a dedicated team that prays
daily for Nigeria” because he believes in the country and wants it to turn
around for good.
Wife of the celebrator described him as a super purposeful
man to be emulated by the younger generation. She said every second of her
husband was always meaningful and purposeful.
The founder of #FixPolitics Initiative asserted that lack of
understanding of purpose leads to abuse, whether in the family or public life.
She added, “When you see abuse of opportunity to be a
leader, it is lack of understanding of purpose. When you see abuse of family
relationship, it is because there is no understanding of purpose. The topic is,
you get us as a society to think of purpose. What is the purpose of Nigeria?
Many societies asked that question, and it enabled them to have the right
conversation. There are many questions to be asked and when we begin to find
answers, we begin to find our way out of the precipice,” she stated.
On behalf of the family, she appreciated the participants at
the symposium and those who contributed to the success of the event.
Highpoint of the event was special tributes by the
celebrator’s sons, as well as special song rendition by Joan Ogohi and
saxophone performances by Temilayo Aboderin among others.