{{Short description|Nigerian politician (1952–2022)}} {{for|the rapper|Fat Tony (rapper)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Anthony Obi |image = |office1 = Military Administrator of Osun State |term_start1 = 22 August 1996 |term_end1 = August 1998 |predecessor1 = Anthony Udofia |successor1 = Theophilus Bamigboye |office2 = Military Administrator of Abia State |term_start2 = August 1998 |term_end2 = 29 May 1999 |predecessor2 = Moses Fasanya |successor2 = Orji Uzor Kalu |birth_date = {{birth date|1952|01|13|df=y}} |birth_place = Nigeria |death_date = {{death date and age|2022|01|01|1952|01|13|df=y}} |party = }}
'''Anthony Obi'''{{Audio|LL-Q33578 (ibo)-Achalugo2009-Anthony Obi.wav|Listen|help=no}} (13 January 1952 – 1 January 2022) was a Nigerian Lieutenant Colonel who served as Military Administrator of Osun State from August 1996 to 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.<ref name=wstate>{{cite web |url=http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Nigeria_federal_states.htm |title=Nigeria States |publisher=WorldStatesmen |access-date=29 December 2009| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20091223092037/http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Nigeria_federal_states.htm| archive-date= 23 December 2009 | url-status= live}}</ref>
==Life and career== Obi was born on 13 January 1952.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Obi |first1=Anthony |title=365 Days Ago |date=1997 |pages=14 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6tVRAQAAMAAJ&q=Anthony+Obi+Born+13th+January+1952 |access-date=4 January 2022}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Newsletters/irinw138.html |title=IRIN-West Africa Update 138, 98.02.04 |publisher=United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs |access-date=29 December 2009}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.codesria.org/Links/Publications/ad_articles/mayowa.pdf |title=State and Ethno-Communal Violence in Nigeria: The Case of Ife-Modakeke |author=Oladoyin Anthony Mayowa |publisher=Africa Development, Vol XXVI, Nos 1 & 2, 2001 |access-date=29 December 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060927120147/http://www.codesria.org/Links/Publications/ad_articles/mayowa.pdf |archive-date=27 September 2006 }}</ref>
During his administration of Osun State, he commissioned a water corporation office in Ifetedo, but did not provide adequate water supplies.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.osundefender.org/?p=3576 |title=Ifetedo Residents Lament Water Problem |date=15 March 2009 |publisher=Osun Defender |access-date=29 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100626020515/http://www.osundefender.org/?p=3576 |archive-date=26 June 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> When two factions of the union of Local Government Employees began publishing two rival newsletters, Anthony Obi banned them both.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mediarightsagenda.org/MRM%201998/MRM%20April%201998.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012221700/http://mediarightsagenda.org/MRM%201998/MRM%20April%201998.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=12 October 2008 |title=Two Union Publications Banned In Osun State |publisher=Media Rights Monitor, April 1998. Vol. 3 No. 4 |access-date=29 December 2009 }}</ref>
In September 1998, Lieutenant Colonel 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/10/01/world/world-news-briefs-nigerian-leaders-ready-to-declare-assets.html?pagewanted=1 |title=World News Briefs; Nigerian Leaders Ready To Declare Assets |date=1 October 1998 |work=New York Times |access-date=29 December 2009}}</ref>
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 28 May 1999.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/columnists/pressclips/2008/pressclips-16-feb-2008.htm|location=Lagos, Nigeria |archive-url=https://archive.today/20080229190434/http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/columnists/pressclips/2008/pressclips-16-feb-2008.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=29 February 2008
|title=Fire on Kalu's mountain |author=MIKE AWOYINFA |date=16 February 2008 |access-date=29 December 2009 |newspaper=The Sun}}</ref>
Obi died on 1 January 2022, at the age of 69.<ref>[https://theeagleonline.com.ng/ex-osun-military-administrator-dies-oyetola-speaker-mourn/ Ex-Osun Military Administrator dies, Oyetola, Speaker mourn]</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{OsunGovernors}} {{Nigeria Abacha Governors}} {{AbiaStateGovernors}} {{Nigeria Abubakar Governors}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Obi, Anthony}} Category:1952 births Category:2022 deaths Category:Igbo politicians Category:Nigerian Roman Catholics Category:Governors of Abia State Category:Governors of Osun State Category:Nigerian Army officers
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