Anthony Obi

Anthony Obi
Military Administrator of Osun State
In office
22 August 1996 – August 1998
Preceded by Anthony Udofia
Succeeded by Theophilus Bamigboye
Military Administrator of Abia State
In office
August 1998 – 29 May 1999
Preceded by Moses Fasanya
Succeeded by Orji Uzor Kalu

Anthony Obi was a Nigerian Lt. Colonel who served as Military Administrator of Osun State (August 1996 - August 1998) during the military regime of General Sani Abacha. He then became Military Administrator of Abia State in August 1998, handing over power to the civilian governor Orji Uzor Kalu in May 1999.[1]

He inherited problems in Osun State with conflict between the Ife and Modakeke people, which periodically erupted into violence. A crisis was triggered when his administration decided to move the local council headquarters from one town to the other.[2] Anthony Obi set up a Royal Committee to make recommendations on resolving the crisis, and declared a seven-day fasting and prayer program in March 1998 concentrating on peace in Ile-Ife.[3]

During his administration of Osun State he commissioned a water corporation office in Ifetedo, but did not provide adequate water supplies.[4] When two factions of the union of Local Government Employees began publishing two rival newsletters, Anthony Obi banned them both.[5]

In September 1998, Lieut. Col. Anthony Obi told reporters that the 31 members of the Provisional Ruling Council and all 36 state military administrators would declare their assets, in line with General Abdulsalami Abubakar's intention to hand over a clean administration to civilian rulers in May 1999.[6] As administrator of Abia State, he built Camp Neya, a government retreat and golf course in undulating country in Igbere, commissioned on his last day in power on May 28, 1999.[7]

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