PROLOGUE "Dr. Michael Okpara's tenure as premier of Eastern Nigeria is widely acclaimed to have been the golden age of that region. In just six years, from January 1960 to January 14 1966, Dr. Okpara had inspired a revolution that transformed the east from being probably the poorest of the regions, to the most vibrant and buoyant and most peaceful in the federation, and arguable one of the fastest growing sub-territories of the world at the time in every sphere of development and infrastructural development. Eastern Nigeria under him seemed to be in competition with itself, as communities joined enthusiastically in the race for transformation".1 By instinct and commitment, I am persuasively convinced that Rt. Hon. Dr. Michael Iheonukara Okpara GCON is without doubt the greatest of all leaders that have emerged under different hues, colour, stature and circumstance in Eastern part of Nigeria with primordial consideration and attention to the Igbo ethnic nationality, hence the urgent need for this mental voyage and thought provoking odyssey. The needs for a comprehensive and in-depth work on this great leader is becoming so precise and pronounce even to the point of indictment to all men of conscience. This work is not a mere display of effusive impulse but a concrete responds to acknowledging derring-do, Calvinism, humanism, altruism, patriotism, diligence, dedication, commitment, courage, gallantry and service. Indeed it is an output from effervescence sustained by the glaring and empirically agreed exclusivity of Rt. Hon. Dr. Michael Iheonukara Okpara in social economic engineering and management, political leadership, governance, administration and community development. By dependable data and record the government of Eastern Nigeria under the superintendence of Dr. Okpara witnessed phenomenal developmental strides in all facets viz education, industry, Agriculture and infrastructure. Take for instance; his legendary sense of urgency in Agricultural revolution could be appreciated through the committed effort of his developmental catalyst- Eastern Nigeria development corporation: ".........in the Bendeghe - Ayuk, the ENDC has planted, 1,044 acres out of the total acreage of 2,606 acquired. In Abia the ENDC has planted 2,477 acres of the 4056 acres acquired. In ikom, the ENDC has planted 3,029 acres out of the total of 4,707 acres acquired. When you hear these acreages of planted areas of ENDC Estates quoted, you, I believe, find it difficult to appreciate the scope of the work which has been done by the ENDC. I intend, therefore to help you in this talk to have an idea of what is involved when you hear it announced that the ENDC has planted a number of acres of Cocoa. One acre of land takes 400 trees of Cocoa, each planted 10ft. from the other. This means that in 1,000 acres of Cocoa plantation there will be found 400,000 Cocoa trees. At this rate therefore, the ENDC has now so far planted 417, 600 cocoa trees in Bendeghe-Ayuk; 990,000 cocoa trees in Abia; and 1,211,600 cocoa trees in Ikom. These add up to the fact that in Ikom Division, the ENDC has so far planted a total of 2,619,200 cocoa trees. Another fact which I am sure will interest you is that the ENDC expects a yield of 200 tons of Cocoa from the mature and yielding portion of Ikom Cocoa Estate alone, this end of 1963. Cocoa now sells about £200 per ton overseas, and the cash value of this estimated yield could amount to £40,000. The yield is 35 tons of Cocoa from every 40 acres of Amazon Cocoa, So that if you cultivate just 40 acres of Cocoa you can be sure of a gross income of £7,000 per annum. Can any civil servant beat this? In this fact lies the sanity of the premier, Dr. M.I. Okpara's agitation for back to the land for you and me.
About the Author: Mr.Christian Igodo is the founder of Center of General African Development and Studies based in Abuja, Nigeria. He studied philosophy at the University of Calabar. He has numerous publications and research papers to his credit. He is the project director and initiator of African Women Development Bank Project