There are men whose lives announce themselves loudly with titles and prefixes, and there are rarer men whose lives speak so powerfully that titles become unnecessary. Chief Felix Obuah—fondly and universally known as Goround—belongs to the latter and nobler class. Though a distinguished son of Rivers State, a man adorned with over a hundred chieftaincy titles (including one proudly bestowed by my own community of Yenebebeli in Yenagoa), a scholar with several academic degrees—honorary and earned—and a boardroom leader across universities and public companies, he prefers the simplicity of being called “Bro Felix.” In this humility lies the first revelation of his greatness.
Goround is sui generis—one of one. His life radiates dignity without arrogance, influence without intimidation, and wealth without ostentation. His greatest attribute is not merely what he has achieved, but how he has achieved it: with humility, generosity of spirit, and an open heart. He is happiest when he is sharing—be it a full meal, a biscuit, or even a piece of tom-tom sweet. He smiles when he invites you to eat with him. I have personally witnessed, countless times, his instinctive kindness and natural inclination to give.
Goround can invite a hundred people to lunch with the same ease that he can invite a hundred people to accompany him to a friend’s father’s burial or wedding. His largeness of heart is uncommon in this generation. He is Christ-like in conduct, a living sermon on compassion, and his life reminds me of another dear friend, Dr. Ifie Sekibo—men who have consciously chosen to carry the burden of their generation. They live the timeless injunctions of Christ: “Love thy neighbour” and “Be your brother’s keeper.” Through men like these, we glimpse the Nigeria we hope to become—bonum commune, the common good made flesh.
The contribution of Chief Felix Obuah to the development of Omoku is profound and incontestable. From what was once a village status, Omoku has risen into an emerging city under the quiet but determined vision of Goround. He has established a secondary school, built hotels, estates, and a stadium, and is now in the process of building a university—all in Omoku. Even the Oba of Ogbaland has fittingly described him as “Ogba’s most illustrious son.” Such recognition is not flattery; it is fact.
His service to Rivers State further marks him as a man of destiny. He has served with distinction as Local Government Chairman; Chairman of the Rivers State Sanitation Authority; Chairman of the Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party; and currently as Chairman of the Institute of Business and Management Studies, University of Port Harcourt—an office he supports with an annual endowment of ten million naira for as long as he lives. Ad infinitum, his commitment to education endures.
Education, indeed, is one of Goround’s greatest legacies. He has trained more than five thousand students through secondary school, supported about two thousand through universities, and is currently sponsoring over five hundred students across tertiary institutions. These extraordinary endeavours are sustained by his private business empire spanning hospitality, oil and gas, and trading. Felix Obuah is not merely a benefactor; he is an institution—institutio viva. He is an enigma whose generosity defies conventional explanation.
Our conversations are always about people—how to bring happiness to the many, how to lift the burden of the needy. At times, Goround invites five hundred widows and provides them with money and food. On other occasions, he announces that he wants to see one thousand elderly citizens aged seventy and above, simply to care for their immediate needs. Faced with such boundless compassion, one searches for words and finds them inadequate. Yet my joy is deep, knowing that this tribute is written while he lives—to read, to feel, and perhaps to be moved to tears of joy.
Goround’s loyalty to family and friends is immeasurable. He travels thousands of kilometres to help a friend bring home a wife’s corpse for burial. He journeys hundreds of kilometres to attend a friend’s mother’s funeral. He does these things not out of obligation, but out of love—ex animo, from the heart—with astonishing energy and grace. Truly, qualis vir, talis vita—as the man is, so is his life.
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The Holy Scriptures capture him perfectly:
“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink… Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:35–40)
And again, on generosity, the Bible affirms the path he has chosen:
“God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7)
In all humility and responsibility, I affirm that Chief Felix Obuah is a man of service to his community, his state, and his nation. He is a patriotic Nigerian and a true statesman whose life underscores the eternal truth that service on earth is the rent we pay for our stay. He has touched my life personally and profoundly, and I remain deeply grateful for his generosity, love, and unwavering support.
I thank him for an exemplary life defined by kindness, empathy, compassion, grace, gratitude, generosity, integrity, wisdom, and an abiding love for God and humanity. His life inspires all who know him. Rivers State, and indeed Nigeria, owe him a debt of gratitude for his statesmanship and sacrificial service.
I wish my dear brother and friend many more years of good health, purposeful service, and God’s continuing grace. Happy Birthday, Goround—a living legend, a builder of tomorrow, vir bonus et fidelis, a good and faithful man, in whom I am well pleased.