A Tribute to Major-General Paul Omu: An Uncommon Officer and a Gentleman
By
Sheyi Oriade
Half a century ago, as a young boy newly arrived in Calabar with an obsession about the officer corps of the Nigerian army, I heard the name, Lt. Colonel Paul Ufuoma Omu, announced on Radio Nigeria, as the new military governor of the former South Eastern State of Nigeria.
I was initially apprehensive about the announcement, as the former governor, Brigadier U.J. Esuene, was a friend of my father. He happened to be out of the country during the change in military government. So, there was some concern about whether he would be allowed back into the country and to Calabar.
A few weeks after Lt. Colonel Omu had assumed duties as military governor in Calabar, Brigadier Esuene returned home to Calabar. To our amazement, he was welcomed back by Lt. Colonel Omu. Who rode with him out of the airport in his official Citroën car to Government House. Thus, saving him the ordeal of having to deal with the media at the airport. It was an incredible and humane gesture on his part, and one I have never forgotten.
Based on that episode, I came to regard Lt. Colonel Omu as a remarkable and thoroughly decent gentleman. From then on, I began to take close interest in his official activities as a military governor, by reading about him in the Nigerian Chronicle newspaper.
In 1977, I had the good fortune of being part of a Boy Scout Troop assigned to mount guard outside a Civic Hall. In which, Colonel Omu played host to Lt. General Olusegun Obasanjo. The then Head of State, who was on an official visit to Cross River State. It was the first time I got to see Colonel Omu in person. I remember being amazed at how colourful his uniform and cap were. Before then, I had only ever seen black and white pictures of him in his military attire in the Nigerian Chronicle newspaper.
In the months after that encounter, I saw him again in person on 1st of October 1977, at the Independence Day ceremonies at Calabar Stadium. I also saw him again when he took salute at our Children’s Day parade on 27th May 1978, at the same venue.
By July 1978, he was reassigned elsewhere and left Cross River State. I thought I wouldn’t see him again. However, his younger brother, Ibada Omu, joined Hope Waddell Training Institution, Calabar, where I was already enrolled as a junior boy. During our time there, Colonel Omu, visited him on a couple of occasions, so I saw him again.
Although I observed from afar, he always struck as different from other senior ranking military officers I met or observed. For despite being a soldier, he was genteel in nature and seemed approachable. I admired him book he was scholarly and well-spoken like his friend and contemporary, Major-General Ike Omar Sanda Nwachukwu. It was easy to tell, from his different postings, that these special attributes were recognised and reflected in his various appointments as: the chairman of a Special Military Tribunal as a Brigadier-General; a member of the elite Armed Forces Ruling Council; the Commandant, Command and Staff College, Jaji; and as the Director-General of the prestigious Nigerian Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies in Kuru, as a Major-General. An institution, to which, he returned and served as chairman, in retirement.
After he retired from the army, I thought I would no longer hear about him or his activities. But it turned out, not to be the case. Because to my pleasant surprise, my good friend, Abita Okutinyang, informed me that he had met and fallen in love with a lovely lady called Onome Omu. My first question to him, was ‘Is she related to Major-General Paul Omu?’ He told me that she was his daughter. I was excited for him and by the fact that I would get to hear about him again. Over the years, I have spent time reminiscing with Onome about my pleasant memories of her beloved father.
Just a week before his demise, while at dinner with Abita and Annam Okutinyang in London, I asked after General Omu’s welfare. And Abita filled me in on how he was and shared some interesting stories he had told him about his career in the Nigerian army.
As someone who observed him during periods of his public service to Nigeria, I can say confidently that he was a quintessential soldier, an exemplary officer, and a fine gentleman. Right from his tenure as military governor of Cross River State until his retirement from the Nigerian army, I have never heard a negative comment or salacious rumour said about his stewardship. The consensus of opinion is that wherever he served, he did so with dignity, diligence, devotion, and integrity.
As the Nigerian army prepare to sound the ‘Last Post’ to honour his unblemished service to Nigeria and to mark the end of his tour of duty, I, too, join them in saluting him for his meritorious service to our fatherland.
May God strengthen his beloved wife, Senator (Mrs) Stella Omu on the loss of her life-long companion. May God also comfort his daughter, Onome Okutinyang, her siblings, and the entire Omu family on the demise of their revered patriarch.
Major-General Paul Ufuoma Omu, superb military officer, affable gentleman, and my favourite retired Nigerian army general, I bid you farewell. May your gentle soul rest in perfect peace. Amen.
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