By Harry Dafikpaku
In 1996, I was rounding up my Junior Secondary School when I began hearing about the fame of Sir Fidelis Tilije Okenmor (JP). When I resumed SS class, one day, Oseji Solomon told me that Sir Tilije was in town and that anytime he comes people turn his compound at Umusume into a point for carnival or pilgrimage.
Curious in my young age, I decided to follow Solomon to see the man called Tilije, and as I arrived his place, filled with anxiety and fear, I stopped on the way after being shown his house and decided to go back home so my parents won’t punish me for returning late from school.
It is worthy of note that his entry into politics howbeit his personal decision has exposed him to unfair assessment by the upcoming generation.
I reckon that at 30, Sir Tilije was already renown for his uncommon bravery, courage and excellence, having graduated from UNILAG with First Class grade.
Within one decade of service in his banking career, in his 40s, he rose fast in rank as industry leader transiting from one bank to another as his rank grew breaking the cycle of poverty in families by offering employment to many.
At Fortune Bank, he ended his career at the apex rank a banker can attain in any commercial bank; Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. What could possibly make such a man poor again in his lifetime? Even if he were jobless after retirement, goodwill from industry mentees should sustain him well through!
How his source of wealth is becoming a subject of public concern because he gave generous donations in a community fund raising and to his political party is bizarre and I have lost touch with possible rationale for anyone to question his source of wealth.
Sir Tilije is a former Bank MD, who provides asset financing advisory to Oil and Gas, Telecom, Insurance and other firms, at least for one decade he served as Financial Consulting Advisor after retirement as MD.
More so, how a 10 year term serving Commissioner, serving for 6yrs so far in the Finance portfolio should be poor is questionable. Do we imply that a man who provides intellectual based services for 10yrs should have no reward of wealth for his intellectual services?
Intellectual properties and the services and value propositions they offer are priceless. Sir Fidelis Tilije Okenmor is wealthy in his right and this isn’t so because he is Commissioner for Finance, he rose in financial ranks being distinguished in his banking career!
Politics, particularly public service opens the gateway to critics to spew what they like, but certain boundaries ought not be crossed – According to a popular saying in Ukwuani; “Onye ni mali Obi of Aboh, iyana kpoa Mazi, obune, efa we tue bu ‘Obu Enwe'”!
