A director in Enugu state public service, Mr. Onadu Ogbodo, who was elevated to the post of permanent secretary yesterday by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi after stagnating on one grade level for 12 years could not hold back his tears while thanking the governor for changing his life after such a long painful journey in the service of the state.
The new permanent secretary was stunned the more by the fact that he never knew he had been appointed to the new plum position until he was ushered into the chambers of the State Executive Council where he was sworn in in the presence of the governor who watched along with some members of the council as the state solicitor-general administered the oath of office on him and another nominee, Mrs. Christiana Ekwe.
Before emotions took the better of him, Ogbodo who spoke impeccable English, had attributed their appointments to providence and pledged that they will carry out the responsibilities of their office to the best of their abilities and with the fear of God, thanking the governor for finding them worthy to serve the state in that capacity.
It was at the point of telling the governor that it has been a long and agonising journey stagnating on one grade level for 12 years that he burst into tears and took his seat prematurely eventually.
The incident quite visibly touched Governor Ugwuanyi and the other top government functionaries present during the brief ceremony but it was a solemn situation that was a credit to the administration of the governor for elevating those who would not have influential persons to speak for them.
