Answer: A. The connotation suggests that Obie has earned the respect of those around him.
Explanation:
A Statesman is used to describe political figures or leaders who are quite skilled and experienced in the profession and as a result have gained the respect of others.
In saying that he was a true statesmen, a genuine statesmen, the author describes a man who has lived up to the expectations required of a statesman such that he has earned the respect of those around him.