Ijaw Agenda 2023: A Display of Same Old Foxy Egocentrism-By Hon. Austin Edumogiren
The Article was:
* Originally written on December 18, 2020, and was edited to include some recent happenings.
It is:
* Historical;
* Educative;
* Intriguing;
* Thought provoking;
* Explosive;
* Intended to correct the wrongs and bring about unity and harmonious relationship amongst the Ijaws with a view to fighting our battles in a common front;
* Divided into nine parts;
* A must read.
PART 1:
PREAMBLE - THE ROSY GOING.
Power rotation is not enshrined in any of Nigeria's Statute Books; however, based on mutual understanding of the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to bring about equity and fairness in the polity, like it is obtained at the Federal Level wherein power is rotated between the South and North, Delta State has rotated power amongst the three senatorial districts since the advent of the forth republic in 1999. Though, this envious feat achieved by the PDP has not been without some dissenting voices from across the three Senatorial Districts, particularly the Urhobos of Delta Central, who have been disregarding and contesting every Gubernatorial Elections against the unwritten but largely accepted rotational arrangement of the party and lost. Annoyingly, nobody, including James Onanefe Ibori, the self-styled political architect and widely accepted godfather of Delta State Politics in this forth republic has openly condemned or tried to stop his kinsmen from contesting.
There is no doubt that 2023 is a bit far, some political gladiators have since thrown their hat into the Governorship Ring, and others have been busy consulting, holding clandestine meetings and their foot-soldiers propagating their political ideals mostly in the social media without recourse to considering the rotational policy they have been supporting and encouraging or have not openly spoken against abinitio - an act that has favoured, thus benefited them in no small measure.
I had on March 28, 2019, written an Article captioned Delta State and the 2023 Governorship Question, and posted it in social media, particularly Facebook. In the said publication I did not hid my ill-feelings about the senatorial district based rotational policy that favours the Urhobo Ethnic Group more than other ethnic nations in the State. However, having studied Delta State and the politrickish acts of the leading politicians critically, it is my considered opinion that, in the interim, there is no better alternative to the present rotational arrangement.
From 1999 to date, a troika I called the Political Musketeers of Delta State, from Oghara, Ogriagbene and Mosogar as kingpin and foot soldiers respectively, have been allegedly collaborating to dictate where and who the state's political power pendulum swings to. As painful as this short-changing of the vast majority of Deltans have been, the triumvirate you may wish to call the three wise men of Delta State Politics, and indeed alleged ultimate beneficiaries of the state's power game don't give a hoot to the feelings and pains of the people. Therefore, the political equation of the trio, which I called the ROSY GOING for all jostling for the Governorship Seat; they, having benefited from it immensely, MUST not be altered at this point in time.
PART 2:
THE GREAT BETRAYAL AND SELLOUT.
To those preaching "Ijaw Agenda 2023", it is very surprising and vexatious that your understanding of "Ijaw Agenda" is a synonym for promoting a leading politician's political ambition. That, whenever the said politician is contesting any election, it is "Ijaw Agenda"; whereas, when other Ijaws aspire to any elective or appointive office, it is to your tents, Oh Ijaw People - Did the reservation of comment(s) by James Ebiowou Manager during the screening of his kinsman, Godsday Peter Orubebe for Ministerial Position in 2012, even though he was specifically called by the then Senate President, David Mark, to support and comment on Orubebe's nomination in the Red Chambers of the National Assembly readily come to your mind?
Where were the Ijaws and indeed the exponents, preachers, foot-soldiers and those hidding under the banner of their fake and self-centered "Ijaw Agenda", clamouring for Governor of Ijaw extraction while crucifying those opposed to their agenda, when the Ijaw Political Leadership, who belonged to the ruling caucus of Delta State that call the shots asserted that the Governorship of the State is based on senatorial rotational arrangement, which though was vehemently opposed by a vast majority of the Ijaws; but having control of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Structures, had their way by using the instrumentality of the party to disqualify Late P. Z. Aginighan (may his gentle Soul continue to rest in peace) and Anthony Ebikeme in the run up to the primaries, and voted in favour of Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan of the Itsekiri Ethnic Nation in the 2007 Gubernatorial Primary Election of the party? This was done even though their acclaimed zoning arrangement was on course, and it was the turn of Delta South, where the Ijaws are geographically and politically placed, and in majority numerically.
Under same zoning arrangement that was still the turn of Delta South, same feat happened, if not deliberate display of unbridled hatred for brotherhood and arrogant show of power that they set and dictate the political pace, why was it repeated by the Ijaw Political Leadership when another of their own, Braduce Amakazi Angozi aspired to the Governorship Seat in 2011, wherein the Ijaw Delegates led by same Political Leadership massively voted same Uduaghan? How unthinkable, unpatriotic, absurd and sad of a people who cry day and night of being marginalized and underdeveloped because they have not been opportune to get executive power(s) to develop their people and land!
May it interest the Ijaw Nation to remember that in 2015, Ijaw Traditional Rulers, Political Leaders, Community Leaders, Opinion Leaders, Professionals, Women Organizations, Youth Organizations, to mention but a few, gathered at Bomadi to adopt Godsday Peter Orubebe for Governor of Delta State, but THE PRINCIPAL(S) AND DRIVERS OF "IJAW AGENDA 2023" WERE THE SAME PEOPLE THAT BETRAYED ORUBEBE, AND BY EXTENSION, THE IJAW COURSE THEN, using the instrumentality of their privileged positions, wealth and connections against Orubebe's bid to write Ijaw name in the Book of Governors of Delta State and hoist Ijaw Picture in Osadebay House, Asaba.
Going down memory lane further to corroborate the foregoing, it will interest you to hear that, on March, 2015, about two days to the PDP Governorship Primary Election in Delta State, James Manager convened an All Ijaw Political Leadership Meeting to his residence in Asaba. Amongst the lot that were invited and attended the meeting are P. Y. Biakpara, Nicolas Mutu, Pius Sinebe, Braduce Amakazi Angozi, Government Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo, J.T. Government, etcetera, but Godsday Orubebe was intentionally uninvited.
Sensing the direction of the meeting to be gearing towards upholding the senatorial district based power rotation policy, which was Anti-Ijaw Candidate(s), even though it was known by all Deltans and beyond that Orubebe was contesting the Governorship Elections, Biakpara phoned Orubebe to ask if he was not invited to the meeting? Responding negatively, Biakpara requested him to come attend the meeting, which Orubebe did, arriving the venue of the meeting with the speed of light.
As the meeting lasted, it was resolved that THE SENATORIAL DISTRICT BASED POWER ROTATION ARRANGEMENT SHOULD NOT BE JETTISONED, EVEN THOUGH AN IJAW SON WAS CONTESTING THE ELECTIONS.
That, the Ijaws should take Deputy Governorship position; wherein Godsday Orubebe asked the gathering: "Why do the Ijaws always prefer being backbenchers in the midst of other ethnic nations politically, than taking leadership that is at their disposal now"? A question everyone but Biakpara shied away from, considering his earlier supportive act and indeed staunch support for Orubebe till he lost in the primary election!
Continuing, Orubebe told them that, "as contained in the country's statute books, even an Executive Chairman of a Local Government Council is better than a Deputy Governor, as the former is the all powerful head of his government with unprecedented roles to play, unlike the later that has no spelt out role(s) to play in government, unless and otherwise directed to perform one by the Governor".
Laying credence to Orubebe's comments, vis-a-vis when Angozi contested the Governorship Elections in 2011, IT IS TRUE THAT THEN (2011 and 2015), THE POLITICAL TERRAIN WAS MOST FAVOURABLE FOR "IJAW AGENDA" THAN NOW ON THE GROUNDS THAT THE PRESIDENT WAS OURS - IJAW AND OF THE THEN RULING PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY (PDP). Yet, these characters preferred to play second fiddle by agreeing on what I called THE GREAT BETRAYAL AND SELLOUT OF THEIR KINSMAN AND BY EXTENSION THE IJAW NATION in that Anti-Ijaw Meeting of unpatriotic absurdity and selfishness. Then, what a double standard playing out in the unfolding political scenario?!
Against all the setbacks the Ijaw Political Leaders deliberately created and set traps against Orubebe, probably with a view to forcing him to withdraw from the race, he was neither perturbed nor discouraged by their open display of envy and terrible decisions against him, and went ahead with his campaigns.
PART 3:
ALLEGED THIEVING AND DECEITFUL LEADERS.
Apart from campaign expenses which included but not limited to hiring of campaign offices, furnishing of the offices, employment of administrative and political staff, purchase of campaign vehicles, cash gifts on the range of N1 Million to N5 Million his Campaign Organization gave to some leading Ijaw Politicians I know very well and others that gulped Billions of Naira; by way of lobbying, providing transportation, feeding and comfort for the Delegates that voted in the Governorship Primary Election, the least amount I learnt that The Campaign Organization gave each Delegate (Ijaw Delegates inclusive) was $3,000 (Three Thousand Dollars), an equivalent of about N700,000 (Seven Hundred Thousand Naira) then.
Note here that almost all, if not all the Ijaw Leaders, by virtue of their privileged positions in and out of government, and indeed their very loyal, if not subjugated followers/supporters formed the bulk of Ijaw Delegates to the State Congress in the Governorship Primary Election.
In the midst of the aforementioned mouthwatering gifts/benefits the Ijaw Political Leaders and Delegates received from the Orubebe Campaign Organization, it was most heartbroken and saddening to hear as a matter of fact at the end of the election that almost all the Ijaw Delegates voted against Orubebe.
From the foregoing, vis-a-vis the ongoing campaigns in the social media promoting James Manager and Braduce Angozi for Governor in 2023, and indeed Manager's rumoured ambition for Governor in 2023 allegedly and tactically tied to "Ijaw Agenda", as well as the charade Elder Statesman Alaowei Broderick Bozimo organized in his B.B. Hotel, Warri, on Saturday, May 22, 2021, on their plan to have a Governor of Ijaw extraction in Delta State from 2023, without recourse to first reconciling and possibly recompense the Ijaws that have been denied same opportunity; is it not crystal clear and understandable to even the blind, deaf and dumb that "Ijaw Agenda" is for a select Ijaw or some select Ijaws, than "Ijaw Agenda" as it is being preached now?
It may surprise you to hear that same Bozimo it was who allegedly refused coming down from his bedroom upstairs to see Orubebe who was seated in his parlour downstairs for over three hours when the later called on him in his palatial compound during his consultations/campaigns for Governor in 2015, prompting him to leave in very painful disappointment. Now, do you still imagine why people call his involvement in the frontline in "Ijaw Agenda 2023", "a sickening double-standard of an octogenarian father of many and a leader in this nation - Nigeria, poised to divide and bring about disunity in Ijaw Ethnic Nation"?
Well, it is alleged that his divisive action of the Ijaw Nation by denying one or maybe some of his children in the past only to identify with one or others now is "borne out of suspicious watering of his already softened palms by one that has fought all other Ijaws that have earlier aspired to the Governorship Seat to submission"; how true could this be?!
The above and a lot of other unpleasant acts displayed by the Ijaw Political Leadership are the undercurrents working against the sincerity of the clamour for a Governor of Ijaw extraction in Delta State come 2023.
Fellow Ijaws, it is said that "those who fetch ants infested firewood home, should not be surprised at the visitation of lizards"! Truth be told, you can't place hopes on a faulty foundation and expect the best of results. Credibility begets credibility, it is said!
In this wise, would I be wrong to canvass that the absurdity of the narrative of the ALLEGED THIEVING AND DECEITFUL LEADERS THAT, "THE IJAWS SHOULD TAKE DEPUTY GOVERNORSHIP POSITION" be upheld till 2031, when the senatorial district based power rotation arrangement returns to Delta South?!
PART 4:
THE GOODNESS OF POLITICAL POWER.
It is pertinent to note that THE GOODNESS OF POLITICAL POWER, particularly in Nigeria, cannot be overemphasized. It brings every other opportunity, including massive human-capital and infrastructural development cum socioeconomic power to the people holding it.
Under the first tenure of the Ibori Administration, the Urhobos attracted numerous gigantic developmental (roads, bridges and stadia inclusive) and socioeconomic projects, lots of juicy offices, including five Commissionership Slots, in addition to Secretary to the State Government to their land.
On the education front, they attracted Faculty of Medicine, Delta State University, a Polytechnic and College of Physical Education to their land at Oghara and Mosogar.
Besides the above, the former sleepy and unattractive rural setting of Oghara was transformed to a near Dubai of some sort by political power; now a city where professionals, skilled and unskilled labour abound.
On their part, in addition to countless roads and other developmental projects, the Aniomas and Isokos attracted a Polytechnic each to their land in Ogwashi-Uku and Ozoro respectively; the former has since been upgraded to University by our workaholic Governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa.
Sadly, the Ijaw Leadership which cuts across three distinct Ijaw Local Government Areas of Bomadi, Burutu (doubles as a Federal Constituency) and Patani, and those of the three Warri Local Government Areas they share with their Itsekiri and Urhobo Brothers, only attracted the State Party Chairman in the person of Pius Isaac Sinebe, one Commissionership Slot in the person of James Manager (even though every other local government area aside the Ijaw local government areas got a Commissioner each) and Bomadi Bridge as a major project that took the two tenures of the Ibori Administration to complete. Fellow Ijaw compatriots, is it not obvious that your assessment of the performances of our Representatives and the Representatives of other ethnic nations on comparative basis in the past twenty-two years of the country's democratic governance in this fourth republic could undoubtedly be likened to mine - woeful failure borne out of selfishness and incompetence?!
PART 5:
SELFISH, NEPOTISTIC AND WICKED CHARACTER OF DOOM.
All well-meaning and rational Ijaws will agree with me that all the Ijaws jostling for the Governorship Seat of our State are people we have entrusted leadership onto or represented the Ijaws in one office or the other in the past two decades. Rather than serve the interest of the people with sincerity of purpose, they have been rumoured or allegedly busy building economic and political empires for themselves and their immediate and extended families - allegedly diverting most of the incommensurate share of the dividends of democracy they attracted in the name of the Ijaws, and the spoils of their offices, to their selfish pockets.
The continuous recycling of their younger ones, children and cronies against the will of the vast majority of the people, and indeed in the midst of more eminently qualified persons, as House of Assembly Members, Commissioners, Chairman of Local Government Councils, heads of lucrative government parastatals, etcetera, from 1999 to date is highly disgusting and politically very offensive to behold.
Infact, to say the selfishness and nepotism being displayed by these people have destroyed the future of the Ijaws by five decades ahead is an understatement!
To expect that a Leopard will change its spots to something different, stop feeding on raw flesh and be friendly to its prey is to believe that Satan has repented. These political merchants will remain who they are! Like ultraviolet (UV) exposes fake currency, the offices we have voted them into over the decades have since revealed their true character as people that are only concerned about themselves and their immediate and extended families.
Therefore, even if they become Governor from 2023, like the Leopard cannot change its spots, be friendly to its prey and stop eating raw flesh, they cannot change from their SELFISH, NEPOTISTIC AND WICKED CHARACTER OF DOOM. That, the Governorship Seat is not a character changer cannot be overemphasized!
PART 6:
CAPITAL INTENSIVE GAME WITH POLITICAL MERCHANTS ON THE PROWL.
Meanwhile, there is no doubt that seeking to actualize the Governorship Seat of Delta State is not a tea party but an herculean task that is very CAPITAL INTENSIVE AND MUST INVOLVE THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE NEGLECTED IN OUR MIDST. Like the eyes can see the nose faintly, I have the feeling that some of those jostling for the Governorship Seat are having the financial muzzle (having been rumoured and alleged to have diverted the peoples commonwealth to their private pockets over the years) to wrestle the Seat with any non Ijaw Aspirant/Candidate and win.
Conversely, it can be observed, if not known outrightly that others are POLITICAL MERCHANTS, WHOSE POCKETS ARE NOT DEEP ENOUGH TO FIGHT FOR THE GOVERNORSHIP SEAT, but merely deceiving and leading the foolish and gullible, and at best, just massaging their egos to get recognition and thus achieve their egoistic heart-desires through horse-trading at the appropriate time. These ones are like Ijaw Masquerades that come from the forest in the morning and afternoon with no unique dance steps; they don't last till evening when Masquerading is most interesting with different acrobatic display and dance-steps of unique dexterity!
PART 7:
MORAL LESSONS TO LEARN.
Life is all about one's contributions to make people happy and not about one's possessions at the detriment of others.
Apart from the fact that these political gladiators are not true but accidental leaders, they are morally bankrupt with no fear of God. No wonder they have not created any leader across board but their family members and cronies only!
Fellow Ijaws, LEADERSHIP WITHOUT MORALS IS LIKE A SHIP WITHOUT COMPASS, MERELY LEADING THE PEOPLE TO NOWHERE!
This reminds me of a portion in my yet to be completed book, Betrayal Of A Generation, which states that: "When the leadership of a geometrically progressing people is bestowed on a dull, primitive, uncivilized, egocentric and dweeb opportunist(s), whose lifestyle is wayward or headstrong and does not understand and respect the culture of his people, and their yearnings and aspirations, such leadership is bound to fail and the people suffer severe retrogression; culminating in adverse untold hardship and system collapse".
The time has come for the opportunistic political merchants to seek and use you as ladder to climb again even though they rejected and denied you of opportunities you are qualified for, after using you to climb to attain their present status. Would you still be available for them to use? I am afraid if God created you as slaves to perpetually serve the interest of these self-seeking, self-professed and wicked leaders, but in his own image and likeness. Like them and every other human being, you have a worth too; assess yourself critically now, you will know the much of your worth, else you will remain in the vicious circle of abuse till you are no longer useful to them or age tells on you!
Believing in the adage "once beaten, twice shy", you need to be very sceptical of the antics of any person who never cared about you over the years than suddenly becoming very friendly with phantom promise(s) to bring Heaven on Earth for you while seeking your help to attain greater height(s). Infact, you should be very watchful, observant and careful this time before you are used and dumped again. Like Stars that twinkle very bright in the pitch dark of the night to your likeness, as soon as it is dawn, you will not see them again!
Truth is bitterer than Bitter Melon, and even denatonium benzoate, that kings, societal lords and even gluttons detest and frown at the mention of it, not to talk of tasting it; however, if one dares to taste it, it is tasty or becomes tasty at the end. In other words, truth is like a good surgical work; it hurts in the process of surgery but heals at the end!
Contrarily, lie is like a painkiller that gives instant relief only for the pain to come again after the efficacy of the painkiller is no more.
There is no doubt that the truth I speak today will hurt a lot of people, and they will constitute themselves into my enemies; unknowing to them that, telling them the truth to hurt them is beneficially golden and everlasting, than telling them lies to comfort them temporarily!
PART 8:
IJAW AGENDA, A GOOD ONE TO BEHOLD, BUT...!
Meanwhile, having known the developmental, politiical, socioeconomic and other mouthwatering benefits that come with political power, "IJAW AGENDA" IS A GOOD ONE TO BEHOLD, BUT...!
AS GOOD AND LOFTY AS MAKING THE GOVERNORSHIP ASPIRATIONS OF THE IJAWS "IJAW AGENDA" MAY BE, I AM AFRAID VENTURING INTO THE RACE UNDER THE BANNER OF "IJAW AGENDA" IN AN ATMOSPHERE OF ACRIMONY AND SUSPICION REMINISCENT OF PRONOUNCED EGOCENTRISM BEING DISPLAYED BY SOME PERSONS, CULMINATING IN A SHARPLY DIVIDED PEOPLE WITHOUT GENUINE RECONCILIATION, AND POSSIBLY RECOMPENSE THE AGGRIEVED, WILL FLY OUR HIGHLY TOUTED "IJAW GOVERNOR 2023 AGENDA". TO SAY, "IJAW AGENDA 2023" IS A MERE DISPLAY OF THE SAME OLD FOXY EGOCENTRISM IS LIKE CRACKING A JOKE!
Be that as it may and without undermining any political pact our leaders may have entered into on our behalf before now, "Ijaw Agenda" should be above primordial political sentiments to stand tall, bold and firm for a matured, calm, disciplined, dynamic and politically time-tested man with proven leadership qualities. One that is generously endowed with charisma, honesty, candour, vision, creativity, understanding of the political template of the state and indeed competent.
A God-fearing person we have known for long to defend our collective interests and fighting for folks who need a fair share of the dividends of democracy. A person that will lead us out of the woods, especially in this hardest times we find ourselves now. Hence, we should be only thrilled, embrace and give our all to ensure victory for such person!
Therefore, I submit that there is no better time than now for the Ijaw Nation in Delta State to organize what I call All Ijaw Political Summit to come up with resolutions geared towards true reconciliation and possibly recompense the aggrieved politicians, particularly those who have earlier ventured into the Governorship Race but were denied by same Ijaws even after taking their money, before others venture into the murky and turbulent waters of Delta State Governorship Race again.
PART 9:
THE INTEREST OF OUR INCUMBENT GOVERNOR/CONCLUSION:
The question is: Will "Ijaw Agenda" succeed in its plans to install any Ijaw Man as Governor to succeed Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa?
Ideally, Delta State does not need ETHNIC JINGOISTS AS GOVERNOR. Simply put, Delta does not need Ijaw or Urhobo or Anioma Governor, but GOVERNOR OF DELTA STATE. Governor(s) that will be cosmopolitan and build a Delta State with the Ijaws, Urhobos, Ikas, Ukwuanis, Isokos, Itsekiris and Oshimilis into one politiical family and community in unity, equal opportunities, development and justice with love.
Those clamouring for Ethnic Governor should go fight for creation of their Ethnic States like Urhobo State or Ijaw State or Anioma State in the ongoing Constitution Amendment, to enable them have their Ethnic Governors there.
In the words of our amiable Governor, "Only God knows the next Governor of Delta State, come 2023, not any mortal, and nobody can claim to be God and all knowing; Never"!
From the forgoing statement of His Excellency, there is no gain saying that I am FIRMLY STANDING WITH OKOWA ON WHOEVER HE SUPPORTS, because his is divine, for bringing in GOD!
Fellow Ijaws, remember the Biblical quote of Jeremiah 17:9 which states that "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" Trust only in GOD and GOD alone and not man; after all, your destiny helper can come from anywhere!
Best wishes, Ijaw Nation!
Best wishes, Delta State!
Hon. Prince Edumogiren Augustine.
December 18, 2020.
