Chief Samuel Sunday Obaro who died on March 11, 2021 was born on November 6, 1938 in Igarra, present day Edo state. He was the fourth surviving son of the Eshinavaka Royal Family. It was about the time of his birth that Apostle Joseph Balalola, the founder of Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), visited Igarra for evangelism. His father and mother were converted to Christianity, subsequently baptized and became founding members of CAC in Igarra. Late Pa Samuel attended the church with his parents from a tender age and remained a devout member till his death.
He attended the Apostolic Primary School Igarra from 1944 to 52 and proceeded to Holy Trinity Grammar School, Sabongida Ora, Owan in 1952 and obtained his WASC in 1958. He studied Government and Law at the Exeter University England from 1961 to 1964 and called to the English Bar on February 9, 1965. He was the first lawyer to be produced by Akoko-Edo local government area.
In 1956 when he was still in class 4 at the Holy Trinity Grammar School Sabongida Ora, the Anglican Church authorities who were the proprietors of the school decided to establish another Grammar School in Igarra which is today, St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School, Igarra. Reverend Edeki who was then one of his teachers at Holy Trinity Grammar School was appointed as principal-designate of the proposed Grammar School at Igarra.
Rev Edeki took him along to Igarra to conduct the entrance examination and selection interview for the first set of students to be admitted to the new school at Igarra.
Rev Edeki was very impressed with his performance when they conducted the entrance examination and interview of the first set of students in 1956 and when in December 1958, the result of his West African School certificate examination was released and he made a Grade 1, Rev. Edeki without any hesitation offered him a teaching appointment in the same school.
His journey to higher education started one day in February 1960 when while he was teaching. A fairly elderly man came to the school on a bicycle and someone came into the class to whisper to him that the man wanted to see him outside. He came out to see the person and the man asked him if he recognised him. Young Samuel answered in the negative. Then the man introduced himself as Chief Okuo Luse who later ascended the throne of Igarra. Chief Okuo excitedly asked him if he was the Igarra boy that obtained Grade I in the West African School Certificate. Subsequently, the man informed him that the Akoko-Edo local council had passed a resolution to award scholarships to three Akoko students for higher education studies and that with his outstanding secondary school result, he was qualified for the award of a scholarship. The young Samuel rushed to the secretariat the next day to complete the application.
This singular incident accounted for his close relationship to His Royal Highness, Okuo Luse II from the time he ascended the throne in 1971 as Otaru of Igarra.
In 1960, he was subsequently interviewed for the scholarship by the Western Region Ministry of Education where he and another candidate were successful. Consequently, he was informed that he was to proceed to a polytechnic in the United Kingdom for a diploma certificate in Public Administration. The polytechnic identified for him was Balham and Tooting College, London. The ministry processed all his travel documents including his British passport and he departed for London on August 25, 1960 in the company of about 90 other scholarship students.
Soon after settling down at Balham and Tooting Polytechnic, he was disappointed in the course content that he made up his mind not spend two years pursuing a diploma certificate there. He therefore decided to register at the Rapid Results College (a correspondence college) to prepare for his Advanced Level Examinations in three subjects. He also went ahead to enroll for the advanced level examinations. Thus, he never attended the polytechnic lectures but settled down to prepare for the examinations relying entirely on correspondence lessons received from Rapid Results College.
He sat for the Advanced Level Examination in November that same year, passed in flying colours and was consequently admitted into Exeter University to resume there in October 1961 and for a Bachelor of Arts combined Honours (Government and law). While waiting to resume at the university, he enrolled at Lincolns Inn court at the Council of Legal Education London. Thus, he commenced his professional law studies.
After three years at the Exeter University, he came out in June 1964 with a B.A. (combine honours Government and law). By 1965, he had also satisfied all the conditions for call to the English Bar which he pursued concurrently with his university degree. On February 9 1965, he was called to the English Bar and awarded the Barrister-at-law certificate. He returned to Nigeria in 1965 and enrolled at the Law School, Lagos. At that time, Law School lasted for only three months and was called to Nigerian Bar and enrolled as legal practitioner in the Supreme Court on July 31, 1965.
As an undergraduate, he participated actively in student’s politics and in 1962/63 session was elected as the only African member of the Student Executive Council of the university. Before his return to Nigeria after obtaining his degree in 1964, he applied to United Africa Company (UAC) for employment. The late Chief Abebe who was then the personnel director of UAC Nigeria Limited came to the United Kingdom to interview him and other applicants at the Unilever House in London. After the interview, the position of an assistant manager in their subsidiary company called the Northern Assurance Insurance Company was given to him. Prior to his return, he had also undergone a three-month manager-in-training course at the Northern Assurance Company headquarters in London. He resumed at the Northern Assurance Company headquarters at Marina in Lagos, but was there for only three months before he resigned to pursue his career in law that spanned over 50 years. He started legal practice in the chamber of Giwa and Atilade Legal Practitioners at 11 Martins Street in Lagos in 1965. After about five years, he left to establish his own at 45 Martin Street, Lagos.
Chief Samuel was appointed commissioner in October 1975 in the Mid-West Executive Council (later Bendel State) from which he resigned in 1978 to participate in active politics when Obasanjo as military head of state allowed politics to commence that year. In his entire professional and political career, Chief Samuel Obaro was never involved in any improper or unprofessional conduct. He was highly regarded and respected by colleagues and general public. He served his community, the state and federal governments and the private sector in various capacities.
Chief Samuel was appointed commissioner in October 1975 in the Mid-West Executive Council (later Bendel State) from which he resigned in 1978 to participate in active politics when Obasanjo as military head of state allowed politics to commence that year. In his entire professional and political career, Chief Samuel Obaro was never involved in any improper or unprofessional conduct. He was highly regarded and respected by colleagues and general public. He served his community, the state and federal governments and the private sector in various capacities. As a Commissioner, he was always conscious of his responsibility to the Akoko-Edo local government council. With his assistance, four secondary schools were approved for Okpe, Uneme-Osu, Ikpeshi and Igarra Girls Grammar School. Igarra Technical College and the Local Government Training School Bekuma were also established by the state government during his time. In the Health Sector, the Ibillo General Hospital was also built. This also applies to the Okpe/Idogun road that was constructed during his time.
As an active and senior official of defunct NPN, Chief Obaro was able to influence the take-over of the Rural Electrification of Akoko-Edo by the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA). How also facilitated the introduction of telephone service (NITEL) in Igarra and South Ibie (Etsako West LGA) and the construction of a post office in Igarra.
On the home front, he contributed in no small measure to attracting respect and honour to the traditional institutions when he was the commissioner for chieftaincy affairs and culture between 1975-77.He was for a long time the chairman, building committee of CAC Igarra and greatly devoted his time and resources in supporting the activities of the church.
Idachaba writes from Abuja
