By DADA AYOKHAI
The ancient city of Benin recently went agog as colleagues, friends, well-wishers, and associates gathered in their numbers to honour Dr. Ernest Afolabi Umakhihe
It was, indeed, a gathering of the high society across all walks of life .
The gathering of who-is-who in the society to honour a single individual shows the larger-than-life image of Dr. Umakhihe.
A former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Solomon Arase chaired the retirement party organized in the honour of Dr. Umakhihe who was pulling out of the federal civil service after 35 years of meritorious service to the country where he rose to the enviable rank of a Permanent Secretary (PS)
Other guests included old acquaintances of Dr. Umakhihe, including the old boys of his alma mater, the Edo College, Benin.
The members of the All Farmers Association and the representatives of various professional bodies to which he belongs such as the ICAN were also present.
In all, the turnout clearly reflected the abundance of love and affection enjoyed by the celebrant as well as his reach.
Afolabi was born in Otuo, Owan East Local Government, Edo State, on April 5, 1964. He attended Edo College, Benin City before heading on to University of Benin for his Bachelors Degree in Accounting. He also got his MBA from University of Benin in 1997. He got a doctorate degree in Security and Strategic Studies from Nasarawa State
IGP Arase (retd) extolled the virtues of Dr. Umakhihe, saying not many people are lucky to retire after 35 years with their reputation intact. He further described him as a “man of absolute wisdom, compassion, and genuine love for the people”
Responding to the deluge of encomiums poured on him by various speakers, Dr. Umakhihe who shared the podium with his beautiful wife by his side said, “I am a retired PS. I have done my bit, a lot of good work, but my people yearn for more. I really do want to work more. Please give me more work. I believe I can contribute more at a higher pedestal, that is, as the governor of Edo State or even something greater than it”.
Speculations are rife about plans to draft Dr. Umakhihe into the governorship race. The APC is being heavily mentioned as a possible destination
Friends and associates have continued to pile pressure on him to join the race.
In recent days, Dr. Umakhihe has made veiled references to his guber ambition as well as his choice of the APC as the special purpose vehicle to actualize his ambition
