Speaking at the Feast Day Celebration of the School, which had in attendance parents, teachers, students and old boys of the school, Sunday, 22 November 2020, Fr. Okafor said Obi had continued to inspire many people within and outside the country, including himself.

He stated that posterity will always treat Obi kindly for laying the foundation of educational revolution in Anambra State as the governor of State. He said Obi ended 40 years of educational decadence in the State by not only returning mission schools to churches, but revitalising schools and equipping them with necessary human and capital resources to do better.

“Obi, as the Governor of Anambra prioritised education and revolutionalised the sector. Students from Anambra State started competing favourably with and outshining their counterparts on the global stage due to the great investments Obi made in education in the State,” Fr. Okafor eulogised Obi.

Fr. Okafor said Obi not only invested in education but, through his ANIDS, developed every part of the state.

He appreciated Obi for his continual benevolence to Christ the King College, Onitsha, his alma mater.

Other notable dignitaries at the event were the Proprietor of Christ The King College and Archbishop of Onitsha Archdiocese, His Grace Valerian Okeke; the Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, among others.

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He gave the advice while celebrating “My Freedom Day”, with students of Girls Secondary School, Agulu, Anambra State, and Christ the King College, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State.

In his separate addresses to both schools, Obi ascribed anti-social and grievous ills taking place in the society today as borne out of lack of functional education that would have taught those engaging in such that it is suicidal destroying one’s society.

The former Governor called on the students to always be of good behaviour and to choose reputable men with track record of achievements and decency in both public and private lives as role models.

He also requested them to remember the abducted Chibok and Dapchi school girls in their prayers,

The high point of both visits was the presentation of 1 million Naira cheque each to the two schools to support them in their infrastructural improvement.

“My Freedom Day”, celebrated yearly on the 14th of March, is a CNN creation to sensitise students on the importance of education as a veritable vehicle to fight slavery.

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He made the call during his recent visit to Christ the King College (CKC) Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, which is the best school in the West African Examination Council (WAEC) 2017 examination.

Obi described education as a foundation and the most critical comportment of development in any society and called on government at all levels to pursue progress and development anchored on education since, according to him, the level of growth among nations is directly proportional to their investment in education. He said that one of the major problems facing Nigeria is the low level of educational penetration in some of her states.

Making a case for free basic education, Obi said: “Since Nigeria is a signatory to free Universal Basic Education, and claims that education at basic level is free, it should give support to all institutions providing basic education irrespective of ownership as is obtainable in other nations today. Since no level of government gives any form of support to these schools in the form of finances or provision of educational equipment, the least they can do is to stop bothering them with all manner of taxes and levies.”

The former Governor thanked voluntary agencies as well as private primary and school owners for their contributions to basic education in Nigeria, urging them to continue to improve on the quality of their teachings and facilities.

While thanking the students and teachers of CKC Ijebu Ode, he called on other owners of schools to emulate the proprietors of the institution by supporting their schools through the provision of first class facilities.

The highpoint of the visit was the presentation of a cheque of 1 Million Naira to the school for continued infrastructure improvement.

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A son of the departed jurist and musician, Charles Oputa (aka Charly Boy), confirmed the death of his father in a statement.

“The Family of Justice Chukwudifu Oputa wishes to announce the passing to glory of the eminent jurist and a retired Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria at the age of 96 years.

“He passed on peacefully on Sunday afternoon (May 4, 2014) after recovering from a brief illness. Funeral announcements will soon be released by the family,” Charles’ statement read.

Oputa, before his death, had been absent from public functions in recent years due to ill health.

A source said the body of the deceased had been deposited at the morgue of the National Hospital in Abuja.

Oputa was appointed to head a panel constituted to investigate rights abuses during the 15 years of military rule between 1976 and 1999 when President Olusegun Obasanjo assumed office as the elected president on May 29, 1999.

Prominent legal practitioners like Olisa Agbakoba, Mike Ozekhome, Tayo Oyetibo and Yusuf Alli among others have expressed shock and sadness over the death of the late jurist on Sunday.

A former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Agbakoba, described the deceased as one of the nation’s finest legal minds. “It’s very sad that the great jurist has passed on. Having actively appeared before him, I can confirm that he was one of our finest legal minds. My prayers are with my friend, Charly Boy, and his family,” Agbakoba said.

Ozekhome, on his part described the deceased as “a quintessential oracle of law” and noted that his death was “a monumental loss to the legal profession, the judiciary and the entire nation. “He was a legal prodigy, an iconic phenomenon, the quintessential oracle of the law and an unparallelled jurist of inestimable value.

“He shone on the legal firmament like a million stars, bestrode the Nigerian judicial space like the colossus that he was. His judgments were lucid and provocative. His thoughts fecund, his writing skillful, literary and philosophical. Oputa came, saw and conquered.”

Oyetibo, another Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who expressed shock over Oputa’s death, described the late jurist as the ‘Socrates of the Supreme Court.’ “He did not only understand the law as a Justice of the Supreme Court, he understood and applied the philosophy of law. His reasons for his judgments were often illuminating. He made law looked like Mathematics,” Oyetibo said.

Yusuf Alli (SAN) said, “Like the death of every person, the death is painful. But we thank God that he left at a very old age. His death is a loss not only to Nigeria’s jurisprudence but to the jurisprudence of the whole world. He contributed immensely to our jurisprudence from the High Court to the Supreme Court. He was a gifted orator and an engaging writer. He has left an indelible mark.”

Born in Oguta, Imo State, the deceased’s father was Oputa Izukwu while his mother was Madam Nwanetu Oputa.

Although he was said to have lost his parents early in life, he had his early education at Sacred Heart School, Oguta and Christ the King College, Onitsha, with his grandmother said to have played a major role in his upbringing.

He later attended the Yaba Higher College, “but due to the exigencies of the Second World War, was sent along with others to the famous Achimota College, Ghana, then Gold Coast, where he graduated with a B.Sc (Hon) Economics in 1945. After this, he came back to Nigeria and took up a teaching appointment with the Calabari National College.

“He later came to Lagos where he worked as an assistant district officer. It was here that Justice Oputa achieved a remarkable feat by studying at home and obtained his BA (Hon) History at home.”

The late legal giant then proceeded to London where he got his LLB degree and was called to the Bar in Gray’s Inn, London.

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