The first Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) to emerge from the very rugged socio-political horizon of Benue South Senatorial District or Idomaland, Chief Barrister Godwin Odumu Obla (aka OBLA–G), is a man of many firsts. He has now, through his Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), the Godwin Obla Foundation, started a big show of giving back to society by embarking on life turning projects in various sectors ranging from the Judiciary, Health, to Education, etc. In an era that the haves seem to find it difficult to lend a hand to the needy, Barr Godwin Obla is setting a new tone that should be used as a yardstick for measuring humaneness.
A visit to the St Francis College, Otukpo, at night would show a brightness reminiscent of a stadium, courtesy of solar lighting of hostels, streets and all classrooms. In addition to this light project, St Francis College is to have its Physics, Biology, and Chemistry laboratories fully renovated and equipped to modern standards with the ultimate aim of putting in place scientific pedestals with potentials to churn out breakthroughs. Furthermore, the Director General of Godwin Obla Foundation, Senior Citizen Uba Obande, JP, has indicated that the Foundation is also about to start the construction of a block of ten UNICEF recommended modern toilets for St Francis students. The College will also receive a brand new Marching Band, while the Lawn Tennis, Basketball, Handball courts, and Staff Room are all to be adequately renovated. In addition to all these, the Foundation has instituted a Five Million naira Scholarship Scheme for indigent students of St Francis.
If the numerous projects at St Francis College are understandable, being Barr Obla’s alma mater, then the model hostel being sponsored by his Foundation in Wesley High School, Otukpo must be seen purely as an expression of love on behalf of his immediate elder brother, Mr Emma Obla, an Old Student of Wesley. In the same vein, Igumale High School, in Ado LGA, is earmarked for some largesse in honour of late Chief Sam Ode Obla, another elder brother, and one of the brightest brains ever to come out of Igumale High School.
According to DG Uba Obande, the famous St Andrew’s Primary School, where Barr Godwin Obla completed his primary education, will also be massively renovated by the Foundation.
The Judiciary, which is the immediate constituency of the Senior Advocate of Nigeria, has already started feeling his benevolence as he has constructed an edifice in the High Court premises to be donated to the Benue State Judiciary. It is named “The Morgan Ogbole Memorial Bar Center”, in honor of the foremost and legendary Lawyer to emerge from Idomaland. The Bar Center, which will be for the use of the Bar and Bench, has a Multipurpose Hall for various uses; meeting rooms; conference room; coffee/tea stand; library equipped with Law Reports; two sets of computers with Law Pavilion electronic library to be fully subscribed; toilets; and changing room. The whole building is to be fully and tastefully furnished and air-conditioned.
In addition to The Morgan Ogbole Memorial Bar Center, the old, dilapidated building housing High Court 1 Otukpo, has been stripped and is presently being comprehensively refurbished free by the Chief Godwin Obla Foundation. The end product will be a new building fully fitted with modern furniture and air-conditioning system.
The two Judiciary projects are scheduled to be completed and officially handed over by middle of December this year, 2022.
Perhaps about the most outstanding of Barr Godwin Obla’s giving back projects is the Dialysis Center which his Foundation is donating to the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo (FUHSO).
The Center is in memory of Mrs Judith Obla, who passed on earlier this year in faraway United States of America due to kidney failure arising from Diabetes complications. According to Barr Obla himself, the Dialysis Center will be the most modern in terms of equipment, while arrangements are being put in place to send Specialists for advanced training. Apart from providing the poor with access to needed quality health care, the Judith Obla Dialysis Center will also assist in the training of medical personnel as it will have up to six dialysis machines, two Intensive Care Units (ICU), a modern laboratory, as well as other support facilities.
The Dialysis Center is expected to be delivered on the first anniversary of the passing to eternal glory of Judith Obla.
Apart from donating the Dialysis Center, the Senior Advocate is also announcing three Endowments at FUHSO worth Thirty Million naira for students’ outstanding performances:
- The JUDITH OGWA OBLA prize of One Million naira annually to be won by the best student in Nephrology.
- JOSEPH ELAGBAJE OBLA prize of One Million naira annually for the best student in Internal Medicine.
- GODWIN ODUMU OBLA prize of One Million naira every year for the best student in Urology.
The Thirty Million naira constituting the three Endowments would be presented to the University by mid December 2022, to be held in trust and profitably invested, awaiting maturity whenever graduates of the three courses start emerging. The annual accruing interests on investment would be servicing these Endowments continuously.
My idea Is to give back as much as I Can to the Institutions that have enabled me to reach where i am now from my humble beginning. — Goddy Obla.
Idomaland is no doubt in need of many more of Chief Godwin Obla, SAN.