On Friday, 27th March, 2020, the old stage will close and a door for new beginning will be widely opened to Christopher Perediseghabofa Odi, Director Information, Bayelsa State Ministry of Information and Orientation, as he proceeds on statutory retirement after 32 years and four months of distinguished and meritorious public service and on clocking 60 years of age.
Born into the humble family of Mr. Martins Odi, a sailor and Mrs. Pounere Odi (nee Ikenga), a petty trader, on Sunday 27th March, 1960, little Christopher Perediseghabofa Odi, was educated at Baptist Primary School, Apapa, Lagos State, between 1966 and 1972. He attended the prestigious Lagos City College, Yaba, Lagos State, where he was appointed a school prefect in recognition of his exceptional brilliance and sterling leadership qualities.
Beneath the veneer of an easy-going and fun-to-be-with young boy was a firm, serious, studious and enterprising personality who had from a tender age understood the value of hard-work and commitment to any goal one might set for himself. His sing song in those days was “time and tides wait for no man”.
By his first year at Lagos City College, Yaba, Lagos, he had become very popular because of his uncanny ability to crack jokes. If it were today, many would have forecast a career in standup comedy for him.
The records of his academic performance however showed he was inclined to Arts subjects. Why he was not particularly kin in the Sciences and struggled to do well in Mathematics, he was always on top of his games in arts subjects. He was a member of a number of extra curriculum art subject groups including English Language and Literature in English.
Chris, as he was fondly called by peers and friends, was the overall best in English Language and Literature in English both in forms three and four. He emerged best essayist in the Essay Competition commemorating the Lagos City College Silver Jubilee in 1978, earning him a cash prize of one hundred naira. Small amount you might say, but that amount was far more than what five students required to register for West Africa School Certificate Examinations in those days.
His outstanding performance in West Africa School Certificate Examinations was good news foretold with his previous records of exceptional performance. It was therefore no surprise that he cleared his papers with distinction at one sitting in 1978.
Immediately after secondary school, he worked as a Clerk at Barclay’s Bank (now Union Bank). While he worked at the bank, he never forgot his long-time plotted graph of career choice to either be a teacher in the Education Corps of the Army, Navy or Air Force, a lawyer or a journalist.
Chris was however conscious that his career choice would require proper education. In 1980, he left is then well-paying banking job in preparation for his chosen career path by accepting admission at the University of Port Harcourt where he read Languages (English option) and graduated in 1984.
On completion of the one year mandatory National Service at Pankshin in Plateau State where he taught English Language and Literature in English, he commenced the race at fulfilling his self imposed job choice.
Chris Odi’s efforts to join the military failed, so he zeroed in on becoming a journalist. He then decided to arm himself with more education. He enrolled at the Times Journalism Institute, Iganmu, Lagos, where again he distinguished himself, emerging as the overall third best graduating student in a class that had George Mba, one of the editors of The News. He completed the one year Journalism programme in December, 1986.
In spite of his high qualification, his search for a job in any of the print media houses in Lagos did not yield the desired result. After a year of searching and waiting for an elusive journalism job, in is characteristic manner of adjusting his expectations to reality, he reluctantly joined the Rivers State Post-Primary Schools Board as a classroom teacher on 21st of December, 1987.
His initial reluctance to accept the teaching job however did not change his shared view that “whatever is worth doing is worth doing well”. For eleven years, he taught English Language & Literature in English at Government Comprehensive Secondary School, Tungbo in Sagbama Local Government Area, throwing everything he had at it to ensure that young people under his care received the best instruction. Several of those students, who are now in good stations of life, will readily attest to it that Chris Odi’s influence in their lives contributed immensely to fulfilling their destinies.
Though, he buried his heart and mind in teaching, he never forgot his preference for journalism. When the opportunity presented itself in 1998, he applied and his service was converted and transferred to the main stream of the Bayelsa State Civil Service, as an Information Officer.
As an Information Officer, he was on many beats; excelled and soon became a reference point with many young officers finding in him a role model, particularly with his erudite performance as a compere at serious government events in a voice that did not divulge his mother tongue.
His first port of assignment was the then Community Relations Committee (CRC), an agency of government that related with oil companies operating in the state. The CRC metamorphosed into the Petroleum & Pollution Bureau, where again he was the pioneer Information Officer.
When the Alamieyeseigha Administration established the Ministry of Environment, he was also the pioneer Information Officer at the Ministry. In 2001, he was posted to the Press Corps of Government House, Yenagoa.
Impressed by his performance on that beat, the then Governor, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, appointed him Special Assistant on State Events, on the 1st of November, 2006.
In 2014, he was redeployed back to the Ministry of Information. He rose to become the Director of Information. As director, he combined the crucial duty of providing leadership for officers of that crucial department and grooming subordinates for better performance.
However, unlike many people who have held that office, he became a leader rather than a boss due to his urbane approach. He is a team player who understands the rules and would insist everyone abide by the rules by being the first to comply. Rather than dishing out instruction, he demonstrated compliance by example. He was always at his desk and would readily suffer discomfort in the advancement of the good order of the service.
Many have found fault in his taciturn when conflicting views are at war. For those who know Chris Odi well, he is not a man of war. He is indeed a man of peace who believes in finding peaceful means of promoting whatever position one may hold. No matter how disagreeable you may be, Chris will still find space in his elastic and patient heart to accommodate you. He likes a middle course of action and would encourage moderation. If that is fault of character, he is not ashamed of being patient, kind and considerate in all his actions; whether a foe or friend, Chris is even handed and equitable.
As the clock ticks away today, it will soon be 4 p.m. and at the dot of that time, Christopher Perediseghabofa Odi, a rare breed of a gentleman, a diligent public servant, a consummate journalist, a comrade per excellence, a proud father of two children and a loving husband, will bid the Service, he loves so much, farewell to join the league of elder statesmen.
Even though, we will miss him sourly in the office, the service will miss his competence even more but at his new age of 60, he deserves his rest.
From all of us at the Ministry of Information and Orientation, we wish to thank Chris Odi for making our work-life much easier and funny. Our best wishes as he bows out from the Bayelsa State Service a very happy and fulfilled man. May every moment of his life be more fulfilling and full of joy.
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