Pius OKIGBO

It was. however, in America - the world's largest capitalist economy that Pius Okigbo fell in love with free market economics,a romance that was later to have an enduring influence on him. While in these great schools. Dr. Pius Okigbo displayed an unusual talent that distinguished him from his peers. This probably accounted for his being offered employment as a lecturer in economics at North western University, between 1955 and 1957, and later as a research associate at the University of Winnipeg in 1957. He returned home a year later, and was given the responsibility to undertake the survey of the Nigerian national income. This he did between 1958 and 1959. The successful execution of that job earned him the position of the first chairman of the Joint Planning Committee of the Nigerian Federation and later Nigeria's first ambassador to the European Economic Countries (EEC) in 1963. Before this time. Dr. Okigbo had worked as the first economic adviser to the defunct Eastern Nigeria Government between 1960 and 1962. He later graduated to become Nigeria's first economic adviser from 1962 to 1967. Dr.Okigbo's loyalty to the Nigerian federation naturally switched to the Biafran side during the Civil War. He acted as economic adviser to the Biafran state. Incidentally, during this period, Okigbo also held international appointments,such as chairman, Advisory Committee on Commodities of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) between 1964 and 1966. In 1987, Okigbo became a member of the world's 101-Nation Non-Aligned South Commission. Two years later, he was appointed a member of the group designated to undertake a comprehensive re view of the tax systems in Third World countries. Following his impeccable track record, Okigbo was appointed to head the probe panel that investigated the 1991 Gulf War oil windfall. Okigbo was unsparing in his report, which indicted the former military president. General Ibrahim Babangida for the regime's inability to account for the $12 billion oil money realized during the Gulf War crisis.Although the recommendations made in the report were never implemented, the way he handled the assignment was highly commended. A man of few words, Dr. Okigbo rarely grants press interviews,neither does he offer his opinion on political issues. Rather, he uses the many opportunities offered by his countless lectures to harp on the need for systematic planning as a requisite for national development. As an economist, Okigbo is in favour of liberal economic policies that are driven by private initiative, with government only providing the enabling environment. In his opinion, government has no place in serious economic management, especially in this part of the world where government has a tradition of pulling down social and economic infrastructures. Okigbo would never work in an environment or establishment where government interferes unnecessarily. That perhaps, explains his resignation from the board of the Nigerian Liquefied National Gas (NLNG), over what he called undue government interference. Interestingly, Okigbo's viewpoint traverses all other spheres of human existence. As a scholar, Dr. Okigbo holds education in very high esteem and his belief is that without education a nation can never develop. He believes that the endemic problem of Nigerian universities is not lack of funds as being canvassed, but lack of motivation. For Nigeria to remain relevant in the new millennium, Okigbo is of the view that the country should embrace technology and science. Failure to do this, he says, spells doom. Dr. Pius Nwabufo Charles Okigbo has put in over three decades of real service to Nigeria, Africa and indeed, the whole world. This strong advocate of fiscal discipline and probity, reputed for his deep analytical perception, especially on development economics has, however received a good measure of recognition. Apart from the responsibilities bestowed on him, both at home and abroad, Dr. Okigbo has received several national and international honours. He is a Commander of the Order of Nigeria (CON); a Nigeria National Merit Award (NNMA) winner; a honorary Doctor of Law of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka; and a member ofthe International Order of Merit (IOM), among others. Dr. Okigbo is a prolific writer with 10 publications and over 80 published articles in Nigerian and international journals, thereby ensuring that his intellectual assets are available to succeeding generations. By whatever standard, Okigbo deserves more than a place as one of Nigeria's people of the last millennium. In fact, his achievements in development economics are undoubtedly without parallel in the last millennium. He is married to Florence Nankwe Okigbo and they are blessed with five children. Source Publication: People in The News (1900 - 1999)