By Tony Eluemunor

Some special people live a fairy-tale life, achieving in a life-time what the ordinary John and Jane can’t accomplish in three life-times. Yes, Dr (Chief) Austin Noyelim Izagbo, the Ide of Ibusa, who turned 70 years old on Thursday April 14, is truly special. 

Sometimes, he appears to have a benevolent spirit behind him. He is gifted with a disarmingly handsome face, a charming smile, a well-sculptured frame of exquisite manliness that stands over six feet tall; a body early Greek or renaissance Italian sculptors would have used as a model fo6r their gods.

As an icing on the cake, this notable orator is warm-hearted, soft-spoken and possesses a rich sense of humour. “Thanks” and “sorry” come easily to his lips—even in discussions with those who work under him. Yes, and this is important; Chief Izagbo is among the most generous persons God ever created. I should know about this because since 1972 he and I have had a give and take relationship; he has been doing the giving and I, the taking. Then two years ago, just before the Covid-19 lockdown, Dr. Izagbo and I were at Ibusa attending the funeral ceremony of his former classmate and 1971 St. Anthony’s College, Ubulu-Uku, football team mate, alias Takpo Rascal (real name forgotten).

Izagbo was school goal keeper that year. Then, a lady dragged her husband to Izagbo shouting Hide quoted text animatedly “this is the man that helped me,” and tears flowed freely down her cheeks. Taken aback, Izagbo asked her what was the matter.

She replied: “Are you not Chief Izagbo? I will never forget you. Don’t you remember when I couldn’t pay my school fees after my father died and just when all hope was lost, I met you, told you of my predicament, and you paid my school fees? That was how I was able to graduate from a higher institution. Thank you, Sir.”

Chief Izagbo kept telling her dry her tears and to stop her profuse thanks while the rest ex-students who had gathered around Izagbo, the woman and her husband, to know what was going on, just oohed and oohed in admiration of such large generosity of heart towards a totalstranger.Actually, things weren’t always rosy for Izagbo. When his father was killed in the North during the crises that snowballed into the Nigerian Civil War, his secondary school education was endangered owing to his lack of school fees. The then Principal of St. Anthony’s College, Chief P.A. Dunkwu came to the rescue, dreaming up a solution that helped the boy in Izagbo to achieve manhood quickly; he was allowed to remain in school on loan, but to repay the loan after his secondary education.

Immediately after his fifth form, he began working in the school as a deputy bursar, and the moment he paid off the loan, he gained admission into the University of Ife (renamed Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile Ife and was goalkeeper for the university football team..As a student at Ife, he founded the Scala Club (with the likes of Mike Ozekhome (SAN)) which organized the first Miss Acada Beauty Competition in Nigeria.

The late founder of The PUNCH newspapers, Chief Olu Aboderin, a patron of Scala Club, impressed with Izagbo’s organistional ability, head-hunted him to be Managing Director of Skylark Records—Izagbo’s first job —and I think that was also during his NYSC year.Izagbo, a Commissioner for Sports and Social Development in the late Ibrahim Kefas administration of Delta state in the mid-1990s, superintended the construction of the Asaba land mark, Asaba Arcade, the Ibusa land mark Ibrahim Kefas Centre just as he constructed the top-class Hockey Pitch inside the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba. Oh, he was once President, Nigerian Hockey Federation (NHF).

Izagbo stamped his giant footprints in the political terrain long ago; he contested for the post of Chairman, Liberal Convention party in the late 1980s, losing to Tom Ikimi, and became Chairman of National Republican Convention, Delta state chapter by the early 1990s. He contested the election that kicked in the Fourth Republic as Deputy Governorship candidate in league with Dr. Kraggar under the All Peoples Party (APP) but the team lost to the Chief James Ibori and Benjamin Elue Peoples Democratic Party joint-ticket.

Izagbo, who holds a PhD degree in Public Leadership and Governance, has served his Ibusa hometown in various capacities, is now President-General, Ibusa Community Development Union (ICDU) worldwide.

It is Izagbo the businessman that should be applauded by the entire nation for his large social conscience and uncommon example. In 2015, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, over-paid him by N75 million (and that is no mis-print).

Izagbo the exemplary Nigerian returned the amount immediately. For this, he deserves not just a national applause but a national award. He has proved that he is of a special breed.

Vanguard News Nigeria