A director in Enugu state public service, Mr. Onadu Ogbodo, who was
elevated to the post of permanent secretary yesterday by Governor
Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi after stagnating on one grade level for 12 years
could not hold back his tears while thanking the governor for changing
his life after such a long painful journey in the service of the
state.

The new permanent secretary was stunned the more by the fact that he
never knew he had been appointed to the new plum position until he was
ushered into the chambers of the State Executive Council where he was
sworn in the presence of the governor who watched along with some
members of the council as the state solicitor-general administered the
oath of office on him and another nominee, Mrs. Christiana Ekwe

 Before emotion took the better of him, Ogbodo who spoke impeccable
English, had  attributed their appointments to providence and pledged
that they will carry out the responsibilities of their office to the
best of their abilities and with the fear of God, thanking the
governor for finding them worthy to serve the state in that capacity.

 It was at the point of telling the governor that it has been a long
and agonising journey stagnating on one grade level for 12 years that
he burst into tears and took his seat prematurely eventually.

 The incident quite visibly  touched Governor Ugwuanyi and the other
top government functionaries present during the brief ceremony but it
was a solemn situation that was a credit to the administration of the
governor for elevating those who would not have influential persons to
speak for them.