Commentary on the Exit of an Icon

SIR (DR.) GEORGE IBIENE OGAN (JP)

In his inaugural address to the American people, William Jefferson Clinton the 42^nd President of the United States said:

 “Though we march to the music of our time, our mission is timeless.”

Dr. George Ibiene Ogan, Knight of St. Christopher, sports icon, lover of music, physician and Justice of Peace, was born in July, 1937 at Ogan-Ama, Okrika, Rivers State, Nigeria and died in February, 2015.

During his life time, spanning some 78 years on earth, “his presence was an inspiration, his deeds – a motivation, his ideas – an innovation, his philosophy – worthy of emulation and his life – a fulfillment of God’s grace and glory. Though he marched to the music of his time, 1937 – 2015, his mission is timeless.”

According to a local Nigerian proverb, “the chick that will grow into a cock is known the day the egg is hatched.” Dr. Ogan’s meteoric rise to stardom started early in his life, when signs of excellence and high academic achievement began to manifest in his elementary school days at St. Barth’s Asata, Enugu, where he attained First position in the first School Leaving Certificate Examination.

Secondary and Higher school education were at the prestigious Government College, Umuahia from 1952 – 1957 and 1957 -1959, where again, he finished in flying colours. He then proceeded to the iconic University College, Ibadan where he crowned his string of academic glory with Bachelor’s degree in Medicine and Bachelor’s degree in Surgery (MBBS). Because of his excellent grades in these examinations, he went through his educational career with various scholarships.

Dr. Ogan achieved distinction not only in academics but in other spheres. In sports, his name has been engraved in letters of gold. Which Children, family or community will not be proud of his vision and legacy? At Government College Umuahia and University College, Ibadan, he won and received garlands in athletics, cricket and hockey between 1957 and 1964. In 1965, he shared the honour of Sportsman of the year in Eastern Nigeria with world famous champions in boxing, Hogan Bassey and DickTiger. In 1966, he was Victor Ludorum, Best sports man in Eastern Nigeria, comprising today’s South East and parts of South- South Geo political zones of the nation.

Dr. Ogan was a star in the athletics firmament. He dominated Nigeria’s Long Jump and triple Jump from 1960 – 1970. His national record in Long Jump set at Liberty Stadium, Ibadan in 1961 remained unbroken for ten years. As a result, he represented Nigeria at the Commonwealth Games in Kingston Jamaica, in 1966, the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan in 1964 and the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, United Kingdom in 1970 and came back with glory.

Sir (Dr.) Ogan had made legendary contributions to sports development and management in Nigeria and beyond. He was Chairman, Rivers state Sports Council from 1973 – 1979 with dignity and decorum. During his tenure he completed the famed Alfred Diete-Spiff Civic Centre, Moscow road, Port Harcourt,  moved the old Port Harcourt stadium from Isaac Boro Park to Port Harcourt club field as temporary stadium and onwards to the Liberation Stadium, Elekahia, construction of Olympia hotel (Egelege House) and the Basketball stadium, took Rivers State to the National Sports Festival in Ibadan (Oluyole’79) which became the state’s finest hour in competitive sports and as Chairman Rivers State Cricket Association – Rivers state won its first national league in any sports – producing 6 players in an 18-man national team to the cricket quadrangular in Freetown, Sierra Leone in 1978. George Ogan led the national team to Freetown as team captain and returned to Nigeria with the cup.

Similarly in 1993, he led Nigeria’s athletics team to Durban African Athletics Championship to re-introduce post apartheid South Africa to African sports, following the release of Nelson Mandela after 27 years in prison. Nigeria won the championship.

The late Dr. Ogan was Chairman, Amateur Athletics Association of Nigeria (AAAN) from 1982 – 1984. He took Nigeria to the 1982 Brisbane Commonwealth Games in Australia with the 4 X100 meters relay team alone and returned with the Gold Medal.

In 1983, he sent 5 athletes – Chidi Imo (100m), Innocent Egbunike (400m), Mr. Agbebaku (Triple jump), Yusuf Ali (Long Jump) and Henry Amike (400m) – to Nigeria’s first participation in World University Games. Each athlete returned with a gold medal.

George Ogan started the Alhaji M.K.O. Abiola sponsorship of Nigeria Junior Open Athletics Championship that produced young Nigerians, later trained in American Universities and who dominated Nigerian athletics scene for 20 years.

Similarly, He negotiated in Rabat Morocco, Nigeria’s annual sponsorship by ExxonMobil International, of the Nigeria Senior Open Athletics Championship and start of regional Junior African Championship in six athletics regions of Africa again sponsored by ExxonMobil International. This led to a start in 1986 of Junior World Athletics championship and an explosion of African women athletics medal winners in world games.

 

Dr. Ogan was a global figure in sports. At the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics in the United States, he was elected Africa’s Representative on the Women’s Committee of the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF), the world’s governing body in Athletics. He was reelected in Rome in 1987 and thus served Africa in this body from 1984 – 1991. During his tenure, the first African Women’s Gold Medal since modern Olympics started in 1896 came in 400 meters hurdle in 1984 by Morocco. In 1987, Habib Bulmerka of Algeria won the 1,500 meters race in the Rome Athletics World championship in Italy, while Matola of Mozambique dominated the 5000 meters world scene. Chioma Ajunwo of Nigeria won gold medal in Long Jump at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996, while other Nigerians such as Mary Oyali, Tombri Eisemokhumo, Falilat Ogunkoya, etc shone like stars in the athletics horizon.

 

 In his 7 years service on IAAF Women’s Committee, women’s athletics was expanded from mere 12 events and elevated to the same plane as Men’s athletics by the introduction of many events considered men’s only events. Some of these include triple jump, hammer throw, pole vault, 10km women’s track and road race, Penthalon to Hephtalon, etc. IAAF adopted 19 years and under as junior age limit for all athletes, male and female.

In 1983, as a member of the National Sports Commission and Chairman of Age Determination Committee, he introduced X-rays as age determinant in Nigerian sports to deter cheating on account of false declaration of age and in 1991, he introduced dope test to all Nigeria Senior Open Championship in Athletics at the IAAF Hans Street Headquarters in London, United Kingdom.

For his worthy contribution, he was honoured by Nigeria in 1988 with the prestigious National Sports Merit Award as a competing national athlete and in Sports Administration, while the Rivers State Government recognized him as one of the icons of Rivers State in the 2012 State calendar.

Because of his numerous achievements in Sports, the organizers of the 2004 Nigeria University Games (NUGA) hosted by the University of Port Harcourt nominated him to be the Games Touch Bearer. Even at over 70 years of age, Dr. Ogan played veteran’s tennis at the prestigious Port Harcourt club.

To cap his achievements in the field of sports, he was recognized and honoured with the life time Achievement Award in November 2004 by the Nigerian Sports Award committee. Surely this prophet of athletics may have received recognition in his own home, but he deserves more for his selfless sacrifice to the country and the world.

Apart from Sports, Dr. Ogan left indelible prints in other areas of human endeavour. He was Commissioner of Health & Social Welfare and member of the Executive Council of Old Rivers State from 1990 – 1992. UNICEF, an international agency of the United Nations, noted in its report, his remarkable improvement from 32% - 82% implementation of the expanded programme on immunization in one year, thus saving lives of many children. His tenure is also credited with establishment of health centres and mortuaries including the BMH mortuary in Port Harcourt, Rivers State and the Leprosarium at Igbogene (in present day Bayelsa State)

He also served on the Governing Council of the University of Port Harcourt from 1986 to 1992. According to the Institution’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Joseph Ajienka, the university benefitted immensely during his tenure on the Council. Some of the landmark decisions taken by the Governing Council include the amendment of the University Act, 1979, the establishment of the Consultancy, Research & Development Centre (CORDEC) and the University of Port Harcourt Press Limited.

George Ogan was a physician per excellence and co-founder of Teme Klinik Association, which in later years served as centre for handling all manner of life-threatening cases, by the world renowned Medicare givers, Doctors without borders. As a Knight, he was God’s shining armour on earth. He was also a peace worker, who strived to achieve peace and reconciliation among militant groups and warring communities. As a lover of music, he was an accomplished organist, choirmaster and contributed to the development of church music, as Director of Music in both the old Niger Delta Diocese (now the ecclesiastical province of Niger Delta) and the Diocese of Okrika. He was a chorister from cradle to the grave.

Dr. Ogan was an amazing and extra-ordinary personality. He made extra-ordinary contributions to the community in which he was born and raised. In 2012, the Ogan-Ama Community in Okrika was right, when they honoured him with the remarkable title. Ama Ibi Dokibo 1 of Ogan-Ama, meaning, one that finds or stands for the good of the community – A Pathfinder or Touch bearer of the community. Dr. Ogan’s contributions to the growth and development of both the community and her church are legendary: from infrastructure to economic empowerment and from the attraction of employment opportunities to peace efforts as basis for development. He brought sunshine and put smiles on many faces in the community. He was a “village” man despite his national and global stature, a man of the people. In the community, everyone called him doctor. He was the doctor of Ogan-Ama. Although the Ogan community boasts of doctors – academic and medical quite alright – he was the one referred by all as Dr. Ogan.

In the church, he stood in the gap for church growth and development – serving in various important committees. He was a choirmaster, organist, fund raiser, MCA member, and medical adviser. He supported the church and church workers and the less privileged in society. He was a quiet giver and indeed, a beacon in the community.  “For years, the light he leaves behind shall lie on the paths of men.”

       “Seest thou a man diligent in his business. He shall stand before kings.”
                                               -        The Bible, Prov. 22: 23  

Sir (Dr.) George Ogan did not stand before, he stood with kings. He was such a great listener, a storyteller and defender of the common good. He upheld all that was civil.

Albert Einstein, one of the greatest scientific minds of his time said:

          “Try not to be a man of success, but rather, try to be a man of value.”

Sir (Dr.) George Ibiene Ogan was a man of multiple talents. He exuded character and strength and illuminated a force that is beyond human comprehension. Not in his mammoth achievements, but in his ordinary everyday life as a friend, a lover of music, a physician,  peace maker, a humorist, chorister, a family man and village elder. By his deeds he was an inspiration and has touched lives in many more ways.

He was a man of value!

 

By; Charles D. S. OGAN (Ksc., JP)

A public affairs analyst

 

See also;
A Tribute to 'the Doctor': http://tribute2doctorogan.blogspot.co.uk/

And Watch;
The Church in Ogan-Ama: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tTCO7gGyqM