Mr. Peter Obi, the Governor of Anambra State at the time, paid a visit to Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu and myself in Dallas, Texas, sometime in 2009. He was scheduled to attend a black tie function at the Dallas Marriott to give a get-well message from Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.
He landed into Dallas airport with only one small carry-on bag, which he insisted on wheeling himself around, and when he arrived at our house, he demanded to clean up.
When the Ikemba and I asked if he was expecting another piece of luggage, he said no. His carry-on was full of files and paperwork, as well as a few toiletries and an extra shirt.
'Then, what are you going to wear to the event tonight?' we asked. It occurred to him at that point that he couldn't attend such a ceremony in his slacks.
I insisted on taking him to Nieman Marcus's premium men's store to get a sharp black suit. He was busy making Dollar to Naira money conversions when we arrived. A smart Tom Ford suit with a price tag of 3,985 dollars plus tax was the right fit for him.
'Do you know how many students this amount of money can train in Nigeria?' he asked after doing the math.
I told him that he was both the governor and the VIP guest, and that he needed to look his best for the type of people expecting at that evening's event, which included the mayor, senators, and conglomerate leaders, among others.
To make a long tale short, he declined to pay "that absurd price" for the Tom Ford suit, which led us to Steinmart, where he agreed to pay a more reasonable price of $220 (tax included) for a basic men's suit that he was glad to wear to that evening's event.
What surprised me was that, when we drove to the airport to see him off for his return flight to Nigeria, he dug into his pocket and pulled out an envelope of crisp $100 dollars. The total sum in the envelope was $3,800.
'Anyanwu, this is the balance of the money I would have spent on the 'Ford' outfit,' he explained. If the outfit was labelled 'Peter Obi,' I'm not sure anyone in America would pay that much for it.
I've subtracted the cost of the suit we eventually purchased. Please utilise this balance to aid individuals who are truly in need through your charitable foundation. I have faith in your ability to do so.' We all burst out laughing. Peter Obi in his prime!
Madam Theresa Agbo, a yam seller who became penniless and displaced after her yam shed was gutted by fire, Callistus Egbe, who was bedridden due to illness and needed assistance with his young children's school fees, and the Mgbemena family of six, who were evicted from their one-room accommodation (which we later doubled to two rooms) because their breadwinner fell on hard times and could no longer afford the rent.
In life, you either live according to your beliefs or you violate the mould that the Almighty put you in. Any progressive country evaluates a person based on his values rather than his wealth.
If Peter Obi dismisses this manner of life as "stinginess," then we must all follow suit in order to create a more sustainable and kinder environment.