By Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze,
‘The Audacity & Inscrutability of Barr. Osima Ginah’ is a 26-chapter detailed narrative that holistically captures the life of Osima Ginah, from his humble beginning to his rise to stardom.
This thought provoking masterpiece is a must-read for everyone particularly aspiring leaders in all facets of society. It is an inspiration to those from underprivileged backgrounds; a moral booster for young people with dreams, a rallying point for good governance campaigners, and a catalyst for reforms in government. Business leaders and professionals will also find this book helpful in tackling the complexities that accompany an ever-evolving world.
The Author, Chief Eze Chulwuemeka Eze, has a background in writing on a variety of subjects. With experience that spans through decades, Eze has a history in publishing success in journals, magazines and notable tabloids. In 2024, he had to his credit over 100 key blog entries and compelling newspaper features on critical issues of national concern with a comprehensive subject coverage. He also has a number of published and unpublished books.
The sterling performance of Osima as a cabinet member of the administration of Chibuike Amaechi, where he spearheaded crucial reforms that reshaped the city of Port Harcourt, as Commissioner for Urban Development, ignited the inspiration to commence this work. His task-full engagement in the subsequent administration of Nyesom Wike, where he scored many firsts in the various ministries he headed also features prominently in the work.
Politicians, public office holders, young leaders and everyone with big aspirations should own a copy, read digest the richness of this literary piece.
ALL ABOUT THE BOOK, “THE AUDACITY & INSCRUTABILITY OF BARR. OSIMA GINAH”
Upon his appointment as pioneer Commissioner, of Ministry of Urban Development, on 4th April. 2008, by His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, CON, Governor of Rivers State, Barr. Osima Ginah assumed duty with an undisguised zeal to do things differently. His sterling performance and timely results distinguished him as a man endowed with leadership acumen in challenging times.
So, this book, THE AUDACITY & INSCRUTABILITY OF BARR. OSIMA GINAH, written in the most lucid manner, tells the life story of this man including his later engagements after his meritorious service under the administration of Amaechi, and particularly, his track record as a Commissioner under Barr. Nyesom Wike, with whom he also worked.
Succinctly, Osima Ginah, a lawyer by profession, had been a cabinet member twice. First, he served with former Governor Chibuike Amaechi in 2008 as a Commissioner in the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development. Thereafter, he returned and worked with Nyesom Ezenwo Wike in 2015 and was appointed to serve in the Rivers State Judicial Service Commission where he held sway as a Commissioner for about four years, and later the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development for 10 months. A minor cabinet reshuffle saw him moved to the Ministry of Transportation where he served for about two years. Osima, again was appointed Commissioner in the Rivers State Civil Service Commission, a position he presently occupies.
Barrister Osima Ginah in the course of his political activities also held the positions of Head of Legal Services for PDP in 2019, and Secretary, Legal Services in 2023 wherein he coordinated the party tribunal matters for the state House of Assembly, Governorship and National Assembly members from Rivers State which he successfully did, by the grace of God.
Recently, the administration of President Bola Tinubu found him worthy to serve the country as a member of the Governing Council of the Federal Polytechnic, Okana, Akwa Ibom State.
It is herein restated that the book provides insight into the public and private lives of this refined gentleman by encapsulating his perceptions, thoughts, and ideals as well as the views and opinions of those who have watched him evolve to become who he is today. Hopefully, readers would have a shop-window view into the life of this purpose-driven bulldozer, whose drive in assisting Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and Chief Nyesom Wike, former Governors of Rivers State, respectively to create a “new” Rivers State, is legendary and memorable.
It is in times like this that the comments of Prince Tonye Princewill, the Prince of Niger Delta Politics, come to mind. According to the Prince, in his Foreword to this book, Osima Ginah is a fine gentleman whose love for the emancipation of our people in Rivers State knows no bounds. He is an experiment we in the opposition politics made to showcase to the entire world what we can do if allowed to rule. So far, I must confess that from the success he has recorded thus far and the passion, precision and cohesion with which he carries out his duties, he has proved himself to be an asset. Succinctly put, the book, “THE AUDACITY & INSCRUTABILITY OF BARR OSIMA GINAH” is designed therefore to bring to the fore the role of this new revelation in the politics of Rivers State whilst x-raying his strong views on some national issues that affect the State. Deducing from the modest contributions of Barrister Ginah since his appointments and critically examining his contributions as the Legal Adviser of the Rivers State Chapter of the now defunct Action Congress, this book is to the best of my knowledge, a worthwhile effort and a compendium of exposition geared towards informing readers that with determination, we can build the type of Nigeria we all can be proud of.
This, I believe, sets the tone for this book. With the combination of wise old words from the old and the not-so-old and pictures never seen before, we bring to you a man we have come to love. We hope you read and understand why.
INTRODUCING THE BOOK FORMALLY
The book is a twenty-six-chapter literary piece that delves into the life and track records of Barr. Osima Ginah, unravelling the mystery behind his exploits in politics; ideological perspectives and beliefs. The work also makes an inroad into Osima’s hidden traits, bringing to public knowledge his cloistered part. This exposition compliments the widely-held notion that stamps Osima as a rare gem, a phenomenon and enigma of a sort whose acumen and political mooring defy the peculiarly hostile nature of players in the Rivers political playground. The book also examines the period he joined public life and the rare leadership attributes he exhibits which are in excess of his years and period of engagement in public service. Precisely, the work analyses Osima with remarkable insight.
The 26-chapter literary piece is macro-divided into 13 sections thus:
1. This section highlights the introduction, history, and culture of the Kalabari Kingdom reflected in Chapter One of the book.
2. The second section of the book as captured in chapters 2 to 4 deals with the birth, education, and family of Barr. Osima.
3. The third section exposes his foray into politics; his feat, inputs towards the development and emancipation of the Kalabari Kingdom, to exploits in the administration of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi as Governor of Rivers State as reflected in Chapters 5 to 7.
4. The fourth section of the book reflects mostly in chapter eight deals substantially on Barr. Osima and his sacrifices in the service of God.
5. The fifth section is all about Osima and the politics of Action Congress reflected in Chapter Nine.
6. This section exposes how he ventured and became one of the key actors during the administration of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi; his exploits and feat and his re-entrance into the PDP. All these are contained in Chapters 10 to 12.
7. The seventh section x-rays the subjects exploits as Commissioner for Urban Development under Amaechi. Those are in Chapters 13 and 14.
8. The eighth section deals with commentaries on Osima by some of his colleagues and associates during his time with Amaechi. This is in Chapter Fifteen.
9. The ninth section as contained in Chapter Sixteen exposes Osimas thoughts on some state and federal contemporary issues10. Chapters Seventeen to Eighteen give the reader a glimpse into Osima, his relationship with Chief Nyesom Wike; and his feat under the administration of Governor Wike.
11. This section looks at Osima as a legal icon and man of the people as highlighted by senior legal luminaries. See Chapter Nineteen.
12. Chapter Twenty deals with the twelveth section which throws light on the mission and vision of Barr. Osima, and his life trajectory.
13. This section as captured in Chapters Twenty-One to Twenty-Seven deals with Osima and his concept of life and governance; his undiluted love for Rivers State; and finally, it captures Osima on the marble of life. This section also examines the periods he joined public life and the forces behind the type of leadership attributes he has exhibited which are in excess of his years and period of political life.
With postscripts that cover most of Osimas crucial quotes, the work is concluded with a forecast of the future of Osima in public service.
The book, THE AUDACITY & INSCRUTABILITY OF BARR. OSIMA GINAH, therefore is simply an effort to provide an insight into this fine young gentleman, encapsulate his perceptions, thoughts, ideals and also the thinking of those that saw him grow to what he is today and give the reader a shop-window-view into the mind and thinking of this purpose-driven bulldozer whose drive to assist Rt. Hon. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi the Governor of Rivers State in recreating “a new” Rivers State, is legendary and joy to all and sundry.
Upon becoming the Commissioner, of Rivers State Ministry of Urban Development on 4th April 2008, Barr. Osima Ginah put so much energy and deployed lots of innovative ideas and strategies which have remained topical even after many years. So, it was upon this fact the need for a book to chronicle most of his ideals for posterity became imperative.
The book also re-examines the periods he worked with Chief Barr Nyesom Wike both as Commissioner for Urban Development and Transportation, respectively, and the effects of Barr. Wike on his political growth.
Osima’s former political leader, Prince Tonye Princewill, in his Forewor,d captured the need of this book when he observed that “Osima Ginah is a fine gentleman whose love for the emancipation of our people in Rivers State knows no bounds. He is an experiment we in the opposition politics made to showcase to the entire world what we can do if allowed to govern the State and I must confess that he is an experiment well designed which results are the success he is today. He is a sight to behold when in action. He carries his duties with passion, precision, and cohesion as if his life depended on it. Risk or danger to his life is what keeps him going. The book, ” THE AUDACITY & INSCRUTABILITY OF BARR. OSIMA GINAH” is designed therefore to bring to the fore the role of this new revelation in the politics of Rivers State and his strong views on some national issues affecting the State as a whole. Deducing from the modest contributions of Barr Ginah since his appointment and critically examining his contributions as the Legal Adviser of Rivers State AC, this book is to the best of my knowledge, a worthwhile effort and a compendium geared towards informing readers on the expectations and role that with determination we can build the type of State we all can be proud of.”
In summary, Chapter One of this book deals with the introduction, history, and culture of the Kalabari kingdom while Chapter Two is on his background, his royal birth, childhood, and adolescent years. Chapter Three states his struggles to get educated whereas Chapter Four exposes Barr. Osima as a great and loveable father; how he met his wife and his perception about her; as well as early challenges of life. The thoughts of his wife, daughter, and brother on him, conclude this chapter.
Chapter Five exposes his mission, vision, audacity, resilience & inscrutability. It is also about his mysteries encapsulating mysterious birth, escapes from life-threatening incidents and how he survived them. The phenomenon and enigma of Barr Osima complete the Chapter. Chapter six exposes Barr Osima Ginah as a legal luminary, his challenges and his exploits as a legal icon. This chapter equally captures comments on his legal prowess by his colleagues and associates in such a way you cannot get it anywhere else.
Chapter Seven deals with the threat and liberation of Rivers State and the inputs of Barr. Osima Ginah towards the idea of a Unity Government in Rivers State. Chapter Eight points at his foray into politics; his type of politics and political accomplishments and contributions towards the type of Rivers State of his dream. This chapter also showcases the struggle and battle to liberate Rivers State from the shackles of nepotism, enslavement, and the legal tussle where Barr. Osima distinguished himself as a fearless warrior. These accounts are put in such a way that you will come to understand why Barr. Osima is truly the “new bulldozer” of the “new” Rivers State politics. The report on the threat to wipe out the key officers of Prince Tonye Princewill Campaign Organisation by Col. Jumbo(ret) rounds off this chapter. Chapter Nine discusses the Ministry of Urban Development, its evolution, functions, expectations and future. This chapter also exposes the ingenuity and acumen of Barr. Osima as a reputed and seasoned administrator.
Chapter Ten is on Barr. Osiima as the demolition man, a controversial period that introduced demolition of illegal property in Rivers State which the state government argued was meant to “recreate, recover and restore Port Harcourt, the state capital, to its lost “Garden City” status. The article titled Osima: The Hurricane Bulldozer explains it better. The visit and commendation by the UN Commission on the Rivers Government Urban Renewal Initiatives and the marking for demolition of the Government House Fence and that of the Rivers State AC Leader that recommended him to be appointed into the Rivers State Government (RSG) Executive Council throws a little insight into the making of this man of steel and iron. His famous quote “Incessant Death Threats on My Life; An Unnecessary Distraction,” completes this chapter. In Chapter Eleven, Barr. Osima Ginah as a brave and bold man discusses national and controversial issues that others would gladly avoid. His stand on the Federal Government’s granting of amnesty to Niger Delta militants; and also his stand on some other issues, such as demolition, are fully analysed.
Chapter Twelve deals with his challenges of life; concept of governance; and a roll-call of the politicians and seasoned administrators he respects and cherishes.
Chapter Thirteen dwells on the stand and feeling about the activities of Barr. Osima Ginah by his peers, associates and colleagues. Chapter Fourteen deals with the issues showcasing him as a man of the people; and his peace initiatives. Here, his presentation of media items to the palace of the Amanyanabo of the Kalabari Kingdom was captured. His peace efforts and initiatives and various awards won but most importantly the honouring of Barr. Osima by the Angulama Community on 5th December, 2009, was the climax of stating the acceptance of this icon of peace and progress to his people. Chapter Fifteen dwells on his steps to re-join PDP.
Concluding Chapters Twenty-One to Twenty-Six deal with Osima and his concept of life and governance; his undiluted love for Rivers State; and finally, it captures Osima on the marble of life. This chapter also examines the periods he joined public life and what are the forces behind the type of leadership attributes he has exhibited which are in excess of his years and period of political life.
This book’s conclusion projects the future and reality of this new bulldozer of Rivers State politics and some of his crucial quotes. Despite the efforts to unravel Barr. Osima, and possibly determine his true space and mission in Rivers State politics, made in this book, it remains truly difficult to define him, as it gets better and more intriguing each passing day.
All said and done, Barr. Osima was a youth activist at the Rivers State University of Science and Technology(now Rivers State Univerity), a vocal, friendly and frank person. He is a recipient of several awards including the International Ambassador for Peace Award; Fellow, Certified Institute of Management of Nigeria Award; Nigerian Democratic Pillars Merit Award; and the Sublime Achiever Award. Barr. Ginah, who has reading, writing, dispute resolution, travelling and sports as his hobbies, also shone like the Northern Star when he was nominated in 2008 for various awards like the Meritorious Diamond Award for National Development, 50 Eminent Persons of Rivers State Award, International Role Model Leadership Gold Award, and the Diamond Merit Award for Patriotic Africans.
This I believe sets the tone for this book. With the combination of wise, old words from the old and the not-so-old and pictures never before seen, we bring to you a man we have come to love. We hope you see why. Enjoy!
