BY JENNIFER EZIMAKOR

The pioneer Governor of Edo State, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, on Monday recounted the good old days as a civil servant while working along with late Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife in the Federal Ministry of Economic Planning in Lagos State.

Oyegun, who said the problem of power outage and poor electricity supply in Nigeria has had a long history, dating back to the sixties, recalled how he and the late Ezeife used to crawl to their office located at the 12th floor of the ministry.

Despite those challenges the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said they gave their best as civil servants, and as politicians.

The APC National leader made the remarks at the Ezeife Leadership Foundation Book presentation titled ‘Constitutional Law, Politics and Good Governance’ in honour of the late former Governor of Anambra State held  at the Shehu Musa Yar’dua Centre, Abuja on Monday.

Recounting their days as friends and associates, Oyegun said: “We were very good friends. I regret not being in attendance during his interment due to circumstances beyond my control.

“I am very honoured that this occasion was held in honour of him. I regret not being able to attend his funeral due to circumstances.

“We were very good friends. Two of us were recruited about the same time as permanent secretaries. That was Nigeria then; Those days were golden, full of ideas and excitement… There were days we slept in the office, planned together and went to Bar Beach, not the one of now … that was Nigeria.

“Those were days when the international community believed in the possibility of Nigeria, they believed in the nation that was Nigeria and … so to have lost him, the first of the three to go, and for me not to be able to go is very painful. I can admit it, amongst the three of us, he was the most intellectual,” Oyegun said.