By Sunday Apah
In a grand and emotionally charged ceremony, Delta State Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, unleashed a barrage of high praise for the retiring Functioning Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information, Mr. Harold Ojji.
Describing Ojji as an extraordinary titan of professionalism, unwavering loyalty, and unmatched competence, Aniagwu declared his career a beacon of selfless public service and unassailable integrity.
Speaking before a packed audience gathered to honour the distinguished civil servant, Aniagwu recounted a professional alliance predating his own government tenure—an alliance that took root during the administration of former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan when Aniagwu served as a media consultant.
He termed their initial meeting as nothing short of ‘divine orchestration,’ a fateful convergence that forged a lasting partnership.
Their collaboration intensified in 2015 when Aniagwu joined Delta State Government and encountered Ojji in his role as Public Relations Officer at Government House.
The Commissioner emphasized the seamless, synergistic working relationship that blossomed, cementing mutual respect and strategic trust.
Aniagwu revealed his groundbreaking reforms as Commissioner for Information, particularly the controversial redeployment of senior officers at Grade Level 16 back to the ministry to leverage their vast experience in strategic policymaking.
It was within this bold restructuring that Mr. Ojji was elevated to director—a move met initially with resistance and petitions, but staunchly defended by Aniagwu as grounded in civil service protocols and driven by Ojji’s rarefied qualities.
“I was unequivocally certain that Harold Ojji embodies unparalleled wisdom, patience, emotional intelligence, and an extraordinary capacity for teamwork—qualities indispensable to our ministry and the wider civil service,” Aniagwu affirmed.
He painted Ojji as the quintessential embodiment of sagacity: a consummate listener, a resolute administrator, and an unshakeable stabilizing influence within the information architecture of Delta State.
Aniagwu insisted that although Ojji’s official tenure has ended, his invaluable expertise and insight remain an irreplaceable asset.
“Retirement does not erode his significance. His vast reservoir of knowledge must continue to serve as a beacon for mentoring younger officers,” the Commissioner asserted.
Aniagwu further urged public servants to embrace redeployment and career transitions not as punitive but as strategic steps towards mounting higher professional summits, stressing that true growth demands venturing beyond familiar boundaries.
Chief Godspower Asiuwhu, Chairman of the Delta State Taskforce on Environment and the event’s chairman, lauded Ojji as a consummate professional and compassionate mentor whose life’s work stands as a towering testament to duty and humanitarian service.
Other eminent voices, including retired Permanent Secretaries Dr. Andrew Akanigha and Sir Austin Mowah, Mr. Austin Igbine of Pointer Newspapers, and Permanent Secretary Mrs. Stella Macaulay, unanimously eulogized Ojji’s fairness, discipline, and profound conception of public service as a sacred trust.
They framed the occasion not as a mere farewell but a jubilant celebration of a lifetime devoted to selfless, principled service—acknowledging his critical role in stabilizing the ministry amid turbulent times and elevating ethical communication standards statewide.
In his gracious response, Mr. Harold Ojji expressed heartfelt gratitude to the commissioner, management, and ministry staff for their unwavering support throughout his 33-year tenure.
He pledged to remain a steadfast mentor and advisor to his successors, vowing that retirement would not sever his lifelong dedication to the ministry’s mission.
The ceremony’s poignant crescendo came with the presentation of commemorative gifts to Mr. Ojji, marking the culmination of an illustrious career.
Among the distinguished attendees were Executive Assistants to the Governor on Media, Mr. Felix Ofou and Dr. Nelson Egware; Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Sir Fidelis Egugbo; Permanent Secretary, Establishment, Mr. Kingsley Olomukoro; General Managers of Delta Broadcasting Service, Mrs. Kristine Emetulu and Mr. Malcolm Oteri; General Manager of Pointer Newspaper, Mrs. Rosemary Nwaebuni; various directors within the ministry; and a host of other stalwart public officials and stakeholders.
