Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, popularly known as Nwakibie, occupies a distinct place in Nigeria’s public life as a man whose reputation for service, humility, integrity, and unwavering respect for law and order long predates his involvement in partisan politics.
Before venturing into politics, Chief Nnaji had established himself as a highly successful and respected businessman with diversified interests in pharmaceuticals and medical equipment supply, real estate, agriculture, and oil and gas. His private-sector achievements were anchored on discipline, foresight, and ethical business practices—values that later defined his approach to public service.
A devout Catholic, devoted husband, and father, Chief Nnaji is widely known for his quiet generosity and principled lifestyle. Long before public acclaim, he supported charitable causes and played a pivotal role in the formative years of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as a major financial contributor—without publicity, self-promotion, or personal ambition.
His humility, philanthropy, and extensive network of relationships within and beyond the business community earned him broad-based goodwill across Enugu State. This goodwill naturally translated into political support. Notably, Chief Nnaji is distinguished by his gentle disposition and deep aversion to hostility, even under provocation. While admired by friends, even adversaries acknowledge the grace of God evident in his life, as he has consistently succeeded without diminishing others.
Fondly referred to as “Original 042”, a testament to his Enugu heritage and enduring love for the state, he was encouraged by the people to contest for the office of Senator representing Enugu East Senatorial District. He emerged as the party’s flag bearer with ease and won the election convincingly.
In an unprecedented act in Nigeria’s political history, Chief Nnaji dedicated his victory to God and voluntarily relinquished his senatorial mandate to His Excellency, Chief Jim Nwobodo, former Governor of old Anambra State. Motivated by his desire to concentrate on business at the time, this decision earned him nationwide respect. He became the first Nigerian politician to demonstrate in practice that politics is neither a do-or-die venture nor a vehicle for personal enrichment.
Significantly, he never sought reimbursement for the substantial resources expended during the campaign. Instead, he publicly thanked his supporters and cited Philippians 4:5–7, reminding them that a child of God must not be desperate for anything—including political power. He affirmed that divine provision had already positioned him to serve humanity and that contentment in God’s grace supersedes political ambition.
True to this conviction, Chief Nnaji continued to reinvest profits from his businesses into scholarships, medical assistance, and the payment of hospital bills for the indigent.
Following intense political intrigues after his participation in the APC gubernatorial contest in Enugu State, he was appointed Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology. Within 24 months, Nigeria began to attract heightened interest from global investors, technology executives, scientists, and innovators in sectors such as alternative energy, agriculture, artificial intelligence, biomedical research, and space technology.
Under his leadership, previously moribund agencies within the ministry were revitalized. The long-standing disconnect between research and commercial manufacturing was decisively addressed. Flagship initiatives—including TELA maize, improved cowpea varieties, CNG adoption and conversion, solar manufacturing, space technology for agriculture, hydrogen fuel development, and bio-energy projects—moved from theory to implementation.
Enugu State recorded tangible gains with the approval and commencement of a solar panel manufacturing plant and a bioethanol production facility, signalling the return of meaningful federal presence after decades of post–civil war neglect. Predictably, these achievements provoked political resistance and coordinated attempts at character assassination, infamously described as “Operation Pull Him Down.”
Undeterred, Chief Nnaji expanded political inclusion through strategic appointments for Ndi Enugu and Ndi Igbo and attracted federal projects with real potential for industrial growth, job creation, and economic sustainability. These accomplishments, however, intensified campaigns of calumny by desperate political actors who underestimated the depth of public trust he had earned long before politics.
In what stands as another landmark in Nigeria’s democratic evolution, Chief Nnaji became the first Nigerian public office holder to voluntarily resign to protect the integrity of an investigative process. He approached the courts to compel the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, to publish his academic records—affirming that truth flourishes under transparency and due process.
The ongoing judicial proceedings have placed significant legal pressure on the respondents, including the current Vice-Chancellor, Professor Simon Ortuanya, and former Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Oguejiofor Ujam, who were joined in the suit. Beyond possible exoneration, the matter carries implications for defamation claims that could run into billions of naira.
Democracy can only endure where the rule of law is supreme.
For choosing restraint over retaliation, law over chaos, and justice over convenience, Nigeria owes Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji (Nwakibie) a debt of gratitude—for reminding the nation that while the path of justice may be slow, it remains the surest road to excellence, accountability, and national renewal.
A good name does not only belong to the one who earned such and his family as legacy but to the future generations unborn as a guiding light and call for selflessness
Mrs Julieth Okoh
Enugu
