November 12, (THEWILL) – Not too long ago, the family of late Chief Anthony Anenih hosted dignitaries to their patriarch’s fifth memorial anniversary. The ceremony began with a memorial service at the St. Paul Catholic Church, Benin City, Edo State. This was followed by a memorial lecture delivered by Dr. Sam Amadi, Director of Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts and Visiting Professor at the Emerald Energy Institute, University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Popularly known as Mr Fix it, late Anenih was an embodiment of intellectualism. Anthony Anenih Jnr, eldest son of the departed politician, while eulogising his late father at the memorial said his father led a very disciplined lifestyle which endeared him to a lot of people. He described him as one who did not play ethnic and religious cards as a politician, but was able to unite all regions together and build a formidable political party in the country. Some of the dignitaries in attendance at the event included former Governor of Delta State, Chief Onanefe Ibori; Chief Tom Ikimi, Senator Monday Okpebholo, Hon. Friday Itula, Hon. Pascal Ugbomhe, Andrew Egbadon, Blessing Agbebaku, Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly, Hon. Frank Okiye, former Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly, Dr. Anthony Aziegbemi; Edo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Clifford Odia; Joe Odionwe, Prince Clem Agba and Christopher Omi Imoisili.
Anenih died in 2018 at the age of 85 in an Abuja hospital after a brief illness. Two years before then, he had survived an eight-hour heart surgery which was carried out in the United Kingdom.
The late Anenih served as an orderly to a former Governor-General and later, President of Nigeria in the First Republic, Nnamdi Azikiwe, shortly after his return from the International Police Academy in Washington DC. He was elected as civilian Governor of the old Bendel State (now Edo and Delta States). His tenure was however cut short by the military takeover of December 1983.
Anenih was Deputy National Coordinator of the Olusegun Obasanjo Campaign Organisation in the 1999 and 2003 general elections. He served as Minister of Works and Housing in 1999 and became Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the PDP. He was however involved in several controversies, part of which was the alleged N300 billion fraud in the transport sector under the Olusegun Obasanjo Administration.
