By  Michael Tidi

The public jubilation that greeted the appointment of Sir Patrick Oyambevwe Origho as the Head of the Civil Service in Delta State re-enforces the high fidelity and depth of the Uduaghan vision in a revolutionary process never before witnessed in the annals of the state that prides itself as the finger of God.

Origho, an undisputed credit to good governance and accomplished administrator, is no stranger to potholes and smooth paths in the interplay of forces underpinning social engineering. Untirelessly vigorous in his approach to issues and scrupulous in the performance of duties assigned to him, he has actually come a long way to prove that hard work and loyalty can never go unearned.

The singular revelation that runs through the many tributes that had been paid to him since his appointment is clear: robust and inspiring manifestation of the high esteem he is held in the state.

There is no doubt that Delta, today, is passing through a revolutionary process. It is not a bloody revolution. The revolutionary ferment in Delta today is multi-dimensional. It is a revolution in the art of governance; a revolution in public attitudes and a revolution in the choice and selection of hands and brains manning departments and governments.

The articulator and champion of this new ideological wave and social order is the highly energetic Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, who, despite dwindling oil fortunes has injected vibrancy and life into a state that hitherto depended solely on oil revenue.

The performing Governor knows that for him to succeed in his quest of diversifying the state economy; he would need to surround himself with ‘men that are fat’. What the writer meant by men that are fat, are men who understand Uduaghan’s vision of Delta beyond Oil, and are ready and have the verve to be part of it. Men, whose loyalty and commitment to his vision cannot be doubted. And of course, they must be men of courage, boldness, intellectual depth, honesty, managerial capability and experience.

Indeed, it is upon that inspiration that history stands to applaud Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan for appointing Origho as the new Head of the Delta State Civil Service.

Origho’s years in service have heartened him with edifying and enriching experience. They have brought him many wonderful acquaintances and deep understanding of power scenarios, which are now among his cherished possessions.Having served the state in various capacities where he left behind indelible footprints, there is no doubt that his present appointment to a higher phase of service will be effectively deployed in the overriding interest of the public good.

Origho hails from Usiefun in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State. He was born on June 13, 1956 to the family of late Chief and Mrs. Pius N. Origho. His mother was late Mrs. Lydia Origho (nee Siakpere) both of Ughelli South Local Government Area of the State. In his quest for higher academic laurel, he proceeded to Nigeria’s premier University of Ibadan, where he bagged a B.sc (Hons) Political Science in 1979. He also holds a Post-Graduate Diploma in Public Administration from the University of Benin in 1984.

In his insatiable appetite for academic excellence and knowledge, he enrolled as a pioneer Law Student at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).

In the course of his career, he held various managerial positions, served in key committees in the state and was engaged in the services of some professional bodies. Origho is a Fellow of Nigerian Institute of Management and also a Paul Harris Fellow.

From the foregoing, one could state with near certainty that, Origho has a clear vision of the role the Civil Service is expected to play in the Uduaghan – led administration. Perhaps, of all his attributes and character traits as a career civil servant, one that towers above all others is his integrity, not to mention his well-known detribalized and objective posture in handling matters of public policy. His sagacity, maturity and capacity to manage people are second to none. I am convinced; he will advance the achievement of his predecessor. I wish our new Head of Service the very best in his new assignment.

• Tidi, a principal investigator in political fact-finding forum, lives in Warri.