Read All You Should Know About WADO City, The New Urhobo ldentity_By Don Majemite

Read All You Should Know About WADO City, The New Urhobo ldentity_By Don Majemite

..... What is WADO City?

Wado City is the new name adopted by Urhobo people in Warri to identify Urhobo lands in what was then known generally as Warri. 

Urhobos in Warri have clashed with the Itsekiris over land ownership and tribal identity. It was believed that the name Warri belongs to the Itsekiris as it was a derivative from an Itsekiri word ‘Iwere’. With the Itsekiris claiming the name Warri, a name that has a cover over many tribes, the fear is that it may subjugate other tribes under the Itsekiris, hence the need to rename lands and tribes in accordance with their identity rather than bearing a name that subjugate a tribe under another. 

The renaming did not take a crisis tone since it a an awakening in the consciousness of a people who saw the need to take their pride of place in the scheme of things. Why WADO City? The Need for the Wado City was as a result of unending cold war between tribes in Warri, majorly Itsekiris, Orhobo and Ijaws. To understand why WADO City was established, let us go back to the root cause of the WARRI crisis whch is till date, a major reason for division.. 

The Warri crises started as far back as the Awolowo administration under the Acton Group Crisis when the Itsekiri voted massively for the administration, whereas, the Urhobos did not. This made them get Awolowo’s attention to approve the name the Olu of Warri. This sparked the first Warri crises. 

Google Officially Rename Parts of Warri to WADO City As Urhobo Sons And Daughters Push Harder.

The second crises started when the then government relocated the Ijaw local government from Ogbe-Ijoh to Ogidigben. The Ijaws wanted to prove to the world that they also have a stake in Warri, fought hard for and by 1996 succeeded in having a local government council created called Warri South west local Government, with the headquarters in an Ijaw enclave called Ogbe-Ijoh. You Are Reading What Is Wado City This angered the Itsekiris, because they felt such a move was a stint on their Overlordship over the name and area called Warri. So once again, they manipulated the Govt, and within 2 weeks the Govt, relocated the new headquarters from Ogbe-Ijoh to Ogidigben an itsekiri enclave.

This move angered the Ijaws to their soul and declared War on the Itsekiri people. They killed, burnt and annihilated many itsekiri villages using Guerrilla tactics. This was the origin of the Second Warri Crisis. Since the Itsekiris have continued to exercise overlordship over the Warri, a name that covers both Urhobos and Ijaws, the Urhobo have decided to rename their territories to reflect their identities.   

Root Cause of the Warri Crisis By: Dr. Ejiro Imuere 1) Before 1952, Warri city had no history of any crisis, this was because, it was a heterogeneous city built by the British with no Overlord….3 tribes were living together Peacefully, each of them knew their defined borders and territory…. There was no Olu, no Orosuen, no Pere and no Ovie. Trending Now 48 Powerful Prayer Points for Breakthrough With Scriptures 2) The Original Place called Warri by the Europeans was Ode itsekiri, ..The itsekiris never called it Warri,….it was the Europeans that gave it that name,….Just like the Yorubas called their city Eko,but the Europeans called it Lagos. You Are Reading What Is Wado City 3) Now these European established a Govt, in Ode itsekiri in 1891, and called it Warri Govt, and from there they started their Colony,…. So why Lagos became a British Govt in 1861, Warri (Ode itsekiri) became a British Colony in 1891.   ” alt=”” aria-hidden=”true” /> Trending Now Breaking : President Buhari Makes Fresh Appointment ( See List ) Wado City 4) But by 1905, the British realized that Ode itsekiri (Warri was too small a town to be the Capital of the area they intend to Govern, so they needed to move that capital to the hinterland. 5) So by 1908, they engaged Chief Dore to go to Agbassa Urhobo lands in the Present GRA of Warri city to Lease lands to built a New Warri city as a Capital city for this new Govt. 6) So they moved the Warri Govt from Ode itsekiri to Agbassa and environs, now instead of naming the New Capital Agbassa, they retained their name for Ode itsekiri (Warri ) for Agbassa lands. 

This was because their Chief Political agent Chief Dore Numa had told them that Agbassa, Igbudu, Okere, Sapele, Oghara, were all Olu land before the interregnum of the Ode itsekiri dynasty of 1848. You Are Reading What Is Wado City 7) But by 1936, the British had understood the terrain very well,so when they crowned the Only again after 88 years, they refused to crown him as Olu of Warri, but they crowned him as Olu of Itsekiri and in Ode itsekiri. 8) But the Olu wants to move his capital to the new Warri city, then change his title to the Olu of Warri and so be the Overlord of this new heterogeneous City. 9)The British who clearly understood  the complexity of the situation refused his incessant requests. 10) But following the Richards Constitution, in the Mid 40’s Power was handed over to the regional Government and the Warri Province fell under the Western region 11) The itsekiris voted Massively for the Action group of Awolowo which headed the Govt of Western region…. 

The urhobos voted against. You Are Reading What Is Wado City 15) And with our kind of vengeance Politics which Persist till today, the Itsekiris were handsomely rewarded, by moving the Olu from Ode Itsekiri to the New Warri city. 16) This sparked off the first Warri Crisis that affected many parts of the Warri Province and many Itsekiris were expelled from Urhobo lands. 17) From then on the Olu and the Itsekiris have been trying hard to assert their Authority and Overlordship over Warri city, while the Urhobos and the Ijaws have been fighting hard to resist it. 18) The itsekiris made a strategic move by defining the term Warri to be synonymous with their own tribe itsekiri…. So the word Warri means Iwere or Itsekiri….. Yet they do not even want to hear the Title “Olu of Iwere or Olu of Itsekiri”….. They Prefer the Foreign based one Olu of Warri. 19) But this calculated move is destroying the identities of the other 2 tribes the Urhobos and Ijaws also found in Warri. You Are Reading What Is Wado City 20) The Ijaws, fought hard and got approval to set up their own kings in their areas, that were added to the name Warri….These kings are known as Pere. E.g The Pere of Gbaramatu Warri kingdom. 21) The Ijaws wanted to prove to the world that they also have a stake in Warri, fought hard for and by 1996 succeeded in having a local government council created called Warri South west local Government, with the headquarters in an Ijaw enclave called Ogbe-Ijoh. 22) This angered the Itsekiris, because they felt such a move was a stint on their Overlordship over the name and area called Warri. 23) So once again, they manipulated the Govt, and within 2 weeks the Govt, relocated the new headquarters from Ogbe-Ijoh to Ogidigben an itsekiri enclave. 24) This move angered the Ijaws to their soul and declared War on the Itsekiri people. They killed, burnt and annihilated many itsekiri villages using Guerrilla tactics. This was the origin of the Second Warri Crisis. 

You Are Reading What Is Wado City 25) Not being able to wreak a recompense vengeance on the Ijaws, because they were a Guerrilla warriors, the Itsekiris directed their frustrations on the Okere Urhobos, who had earlier defeated the itsekiris in court and removed their lands from the Overlord of the Olu…..Many Okere Urhobo Houses were destroyed. 26) The Ijaws continued to attack the Itsekiris until 1999, when James Ibori from Urhobo father and itsekiri mother, became Governor and fearing that more will be killed moved the capital of that Local council back to Ogbe-ijoh. And once that Injustice became corrected, Peace was restored. 27) And now an Urhobo son from the Okumagba family of Warri city has been appointed MD of the NDDC, the Itsekiris once again have been crying foul play, threatening war, because once the name Warri was mentioned, the appointment ought to be for the itsekiri. 28) So we now understand that the tendency for a particular tribe to Lord it over others in a Particular territory in an attempt to take all over Government allocation and resources is the root cause of the Warri crisis. Where Does the Itsekiri of Warri Originated From? The Itsekiris are not aboriginal to the western Niger Delta. This is according to none other than the foremost Itsekiri historian, William Moore, in his book, History of the Itsekiri. According to Moore, the Itsekiri Nation evolved from transient Yoruba-speaking fishing communities who were allegedly consolidated into a distinct nationality by a fugitive Bini Prince, Iginuwa. Whereas the pre-histories of the Ijaw, Isoko, Urhobo, Ukwuani and Aboh can be said to be immemorial, events of Itsekiri history are largely memorial.

Further credence is given this by Moore on page 13 of his book, You Are Reading What Is Wado City “That prior to the advent of the Bini Prince Ginuwa, the territory now known as the Kingdom of Itsekiri or Iwere, was inhabited by three tribes, namely Ijaws, Sobos, and the Mahins. They [Sobos] occupied the hinterland, while the Ijaw occupied the coastline, and the Mahin squatted on the sea-shore near the Benin River.” A most instructive insight into the indigenous people of the western Niger Delta is that offered by a Portuguese traveller, Duarte Pacheco Pereira. By Pereira’s account written between 1502-1505 after his exploration of the West African Coast, in 1502: If the Urhobo were already in ground before the advent of Ginuwa then it is illogical that they will have to seek permission from his successors to dwell on their lands.

BRITISH RULE IN THE WESTERN NIGER DELTA The British government (under the auspices of the Niger Coast Protectorate) assumed control of the trading areas of the Royal Niger Company in 1891 through which various indigenous African communities were made to sign treaties of protection with the British either willingly or by coercion. Before this date, there was no town known as ‘WARRI’ located in the present Warri City. The present location of Warri City was largely inhabited by the Urhobo clans of Agbarha, Edjeba, Ogunu, Igbudu, etc whilst the riverine side was occupied by the Ogbe-Ijohs (Ijaw). These were the people the British met on ground and signed treaties of protection with. There was no town called Warri as we have today. The Itsekiri on the other hand, were largely in and around the Benin River and Ode-Itsekiri (their ancestral capital). The British met the three ethnic groups separate and independent of each other with well demarcated boundaries with none under the other’s subjugation.

Thus they signed separate treaties of protection with each group. You Are Reading What Is Wado City Consul Hewett, in his treaty signing trip across the Western Niger Delta, in late 1880s and early 1890s, secured many treaties of protection, including four from various Urhobo communities in Warri and two from the Itsekiri. The treaties clearly recognized the ownership rights of land occupied by the Urhobo communities whose leaders entered into agreement with the British. The treaties also established that the British had consistently identified the Itsekiri geographically as people of Benin River, in much the same way as Nana Olomu and his predecessors in office, were known as Governors of Benin River. Perhaps, it is worthwhile to indicate the locations where the various treaties were signed. 

The treaties with Itsekiri (which was earlier in time) were signed in two places, the first on board H.B.M.S. ‘Flirt’ anchored in Benin River on July 16, 1884, and the other at ‘Benin’ on August 2, 1894 on board HM ‘Alecto’. You Are Reading What Is Wado City The treaties with the various Urhobo communities, namely: Treaty with Edjeba, March 7, 1893 Treaty with Agbassa (Agbarha), March 14, 1893 Treaty with Ogunu, March 30, 1893 were signed in the present location of Warri City. Armed with these treaties and those negotiated by the Royal Niger Company, Britain continued with its international bargaining that was taking place in Europe after 1884 for trading rights in Africa. The treaties provided the basis for the British claim that the Niger Delta area lay within her sphere of influence. They also enabled the British to proclaim after the Berlin Conference, that it had established what it called the Oil Rivers Protectorate. Against the back drop of the said treaty with Agbarha Chiefs, on 16 April, 1894 a civil servant Custom Officer under the British administration, Saturino Perigrino Wilkey leased land in an area to be known after 1908 as Alders Town or Daudu or Wilkie Town, from Chief Igbi of Agbarha). 

The Agreement was witnessed by Lionel Holt for Acting Vice Consul and R. A. Alder. In 1905 Wilkey registered his title 12 years after when the Warri Land Registry was established as “No. 25 of 1905 and is engrossed on page 240 and 241 Register of Deeds Volume 3″ by J. C. During, Registrar of Deeds. One of the witnesses of the Deed was “R. A. Alders, Interpreter to Her Britannic Majesty’s Vice Consulate, Warri”. You Are Reading What Is Wado City One interesting aspect of the treaties with the Itsekiri is the omission of the word King which presupposes that the King of Itsekiri has no legal standing in these treaties. This is not a matter of a careless omission. On the contrary, in the 1884 Treaty the word “King” was deliberately deleted from the printed form of the Treaty. This was so because in 1884, kingship was dead among the Itsekiri. It was a matter whose discussion was forbidden among the members of the Itsekiri merchant aristocracy who usurped royal powers. 

The 1894 version of the Treaty was handwritten and it updated the 1884 Treaty. In this latter edition of the Treaty, the King of Itsekiri was totally omitted. Second, the 1884 Treaty specified the territories of the Itsekiri. What was specified originally when the Treaty was signed on July 16, 1884, was “River Benin.” But there was an addendum dated August 6, 1884, that extended the authority of the Treaty to “the people and country of both banks of the Escravos River, the Chiefs of which have …acknowledged themselves and their country to be under Jakri jurisdiction and authority.” 

You Are Reading What Is Wado City In other words, the British signatories verified with the Chiefs of Ugborodo and other communities in Escravos River that they accepted the terms of the Treaty as applying to them as part of Itsekiri people and lands. This verification took twenty-one days to accomplish. This goes to show that there was a deliberate verification of Itsekiri territories before the treaty was signed and this did not include Warri City. The Itsekiri aristocracy would not have omitted the inclusion of Warri lands if same were part of Itsekiri possession at the time the said treaties were signed. Who Owns Warri Lands? There’s this back and forth between the Urhobo and Itsekiri in regards to the “ownership” of Warri. It may surprise many to know that Itsekiri’s claim actually extends beyond Warri or Sapele. Actually the Itsekiri’s overlordship claim is over the whole of Urhobolands. 

They claim that the Urhobo don’t exist as their boundary is with Benin or alternatively, that the Urhobo are Itsekiri slaves who live within Itsekiriland and so cannot own land. You Are Reading What Is Wado City The Itsekiri actually caused a publication to this effect in a national daily in 1934. In arguing for the revival of Itsekiri kingship, which had been defunct since 1848, the Itsekiri made a publication in the Daily Times of 13th June 1934 where they employed the use of a defamatory epithet on the Urhobo. The article contained a number of statements which the Urhobo regarded as objectionable and defamatory. 

For example, the article referred to Chief Dogho (Dore Numa) as ‘the recognized Ruler of the Itsekiris and Sobos’. It further stated that within the borders of Itsekiriland ‘lived the Sobos, a hardy people, who served for several years in the capacity of slaves to their Itsekiri and Benin Masters’. ‘Within a comparatively few years of their emancipation,’ the article went on, the Urhobo had made outstanding progress in the affairs of Native Administration, so much so that the Itsekiri had been forced by that fact to seek the installation of an Olu so that they too could have a properly organized Native Administration.

You Are Reading What Is Wado City The British authorities were of course displeased with this publication and put pressure on the Itsekiri Native Authority which duly entered a disclaimer with an apology to the Urhobo people for the wanton unprovoked attack from the Itsekiri. Of course the apology is nothing other than just deferring to the British authority as the Itsekiri holds on tenaciously to the belief that they are a superior people and were civilized by contact with Europeans long before their “backward” neighbours of the hinterlands. Under this notion, the Itsekiri feel entitled to be the overlords of not only the Urhobo but the Ijaw, Isoko, Kwale and Aboh who were all under the old colonial Warri Province. 

You Are Reading What Is Wado City In other words, it’s not like the Europeans arrived to meet a thriving Itsekiri Kingdom or Empire subjugating its neighbours and dominating them rather it is a claim based on a notion of superiority anchored on British colonial rule which by purely accidental circumstances an Itsekiri man, Dore Numa, rose to prominence and enjoyed some privileges on being appointed a political agent as reward for his role in betraying Nana Olomu and helping in facilitating the sacking of Oba Ovoranmwen of Benin. With this mindset, peace will continue to elude Warri and it’s environs for long to come.

THE CHANGE OF THE TITLE “OLU ITSEKIRI” TO “OLU OF WARRI” By T. E. A SALUBI Quite recently, without consulting their neighbouring tribes, the mixed community of Warri Township, the Itsekiri people, with the approval of the present government of the Western Region have changed the title of their ruling head from the Olu Itsekiri to the Olu of Warri. 

The announcement of the change was made through the local radio service in Warri Township and since then, the Urhobo people have strongly protested against the change to the government through the Resident of the Province. You Are Reading What Is Wado City It would appear from all events that the present Olu, Erejuwa II, is out to break historical records and to create new ones. In spite of the fact that Ode Itsekiri had been the revered seat, and therefore, the headquarters of all the seventeen Olus that reigned before him, Erejuwa II, moved his seat to a small village called Ekurode a few miles from Warri Township by Okere.

There he must build a palace. Now he has thrown overboard the time-honoured title of his fathers. In a way, we are in a great sympathy with the Olu. Left alone, he would no doubt prefer to maintain the honorary traditions of his royal ancestors, but being what he is in the hands of certain Itsekiri young men, he must dance to their tune instead of the other way round. All this, of course, is the business of the Itsekiri people, and it must remain so except where any change affects directly or indirectly the interest of other tribal groups in Warri Province.

The Urhobo people say and maintain without prevarication that the change of the Olu’s title is inimical to them; they have therefore protested and will ever protest against it. You Are Reading What Is Wado City We own the onus to adduce reasons for our protest but before doing so however, we consider it necessary to say a few words, perhaps in an historical way, about the Olu, Itsekiri people and their original home.

In the course of this we shall also touch on their commercial activities with early European traders, and how from that source the British government extended its administration to Urhobo land. Finally, we shall conclude with an attempt to give our readers the true perspective, politically, of the position of the Itsekiris vis-à-vis their Urhobo neighbours.

And we hope that by the time we finish, our reasons for the objection will be so clear as not to require further elucidation. THE TITLE OLU ITSEKIRI According to some historians and writers, the Itsekiri Kingdom was founded by Iginua, the son of Olua, an Oba of Benin who reigned from about 1473 to 1480. Olua invested Iginua with the title ODIHI-NA-ME (meaning the depth of water) but the Itsekiri cailed him “OLU ITSEKIRI”.

That has in fact been the title from the beginning of the Kingdom up till the time of Olu Akengbuwa who died on the 14th of June, 1848. Akengbuwa’s death was however followed by a great lasting confusion in Itsekiri-land. His son who should succeed him on the throne died suddenly miraculously on the 18th of June, 1848, four days after the father’s, and the next son also died in quick succession thereafter.

A riot ensued and no Olu was installed until February, 1936, when Giriuwa II ascended the Itsekiri throne. Thus there was an interregnum of some 88 years. Ginuwa II died on the 8th of January, 1949, and was succeeded in March, 1951, by the present Olu, Erejuwa II. THE ITSEKIRI PEOPLE According to William Moore, an Itsekiri man, the Olu called Ijijen drifted to a town the inhabitants of which were called “ITSEKIRI”.

The people had been variously referred to by Europeans from the early days of coastal trade as SHAKRI, ZAKRI, ZEKRI, DZEKRI, IZEKRI, ISHEKIRI, TCHEKRE, JAKRY, JAKRI, JEKERI and JEKRI, the last four being the most recently anglicised forms. You Are Reading What Is Wado City The people’s true origin appears to be uncertain, but according to popular legends, they came from the Yoruba country. Talbot believed that they were Ekiti Yorubas who came there through Benin. Others thought that they were coastal Ijebus or Mahins who travelled the coast farther down south for habitation.

In any case, the relevant point here is that a people known as Itsekiri accepted an Oba who found his way to them as their Olu, hence the title OLU ITSEKIRI. ODE ITSEKIRI (WARRI) The town in which the Olu found the people had been known as “ODE ITSEKIRI” (capital of Itsekiri) and it had until the reign of the present Olu been the seat of the Olus. This town had long been associated with a name similar to the present anglicised name “WARRI”. 

 “IWERRE” or “IWERRI” was the name by which the Binins called the Itsekiri people. The name had been spelt and pronounced variously by different early European missionaries, explorers and traders who came in contact with the town from as far back as the 16th century. Between 1651 and about 1668, according to URBANUS CERRI, the town was referred to as “ANWERRE” and according to Roth it was “AUWERRE”. Dr. Dapper called it “OWWERRE”, while in about 1682, Father Jerome Merolla da Sorrento writing about two Catholic Priests who went there in 1682 referred to it as the Kingdom of “OUUERRI”. David Van Nyendael, a Dutchman, writing from on board the Yacht “JOHANNA MARIA” on 1st September, 1702, called it “AWERRI” while John Barbot called it variously indiscriminately as “DOWERE”, “AWERRI”, “OUWERRI”, “OVEIRO” and “FORCADOS”. It has variously been referred to also as OWERE, OWIHERE, AWERRE, WARRE, and QUARRE. From about 1789 to 1857, others like Adams, Boteler, John Beecroft, Commander Tudor of H.B.M.St.Vepel “FIREFLY” and Consul Campbell of Lagos, all referred to Ode Itsekiri as “WARRE” or “WARREE” and as comparatively recently as 1934, Mr. Jacob Egharevba of Benin in his book referred to it as “OWHERE”. 

Apparently the present anglicised form “WARRI” was coined from WARRE or WARREE. You Are Reading What Is Wado City Ode Itsekiri was probably a town of some respectable size. In about 1668 according to Roth, the inhabitants were about 3,000 but in about 1789, Dr. Dapper estimated them to be about 5,000. By the standard of those days that population may be regarded as large.

However with the death of Olu Akengbuwa and the unfortunate incidents that followed, a great exodus ensued and the town started to fall into ruins. The position deteriorated progressively until the town lost whatever greatness it had. The following account of Commander R.G. Craigie, then the Senior Naval Officer of the Admiralty in the Bights of Benin and Biafra, who visited the town in August 1884 with Consul Hewett, Chief Nana and Chief Chanomi confirmed this. Commander Craigie observed 

“The town of Warri is a mere shadow of its former greatness, the broad streets being overgrown with lime trees and bush, and many of the clay houses in ruins;  formerly five English firms had factories there, but all removed to Benin River in 1873”. To most Itsekiris, the town is a sacred place for the burial of their dead and the offer to ancestral spirits of annual sacrifices. In 1890, Sir Alfred Moloney, one of the earliest Governors of Lagos, made the following observation: “Jakry men have a great veneration for Warre. The corpses of ‘big men’ are taken there for burial after death; while in the case of ‘small men‘ only the hair and toe and finger nails are taken there”.

Just-ln: President Buhari writes Senate, seeks to amend Petroleum Industry Act

Just-ln: President Buhari writes Senate, seeks to amend Petroleum Industry Act

President Muhammadu Buhari has written to the Senate, seeking an amendment to the recently signed Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

In the letter, President Buhari wants an amendment to the new Act to allow for the removal of the Ministers of Petroleum and Finance from the board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), saying that they can continue to perform their functions without necessarily being members of the board.

In the letter read on Tuesday during plenary by the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, President Buhari is also seeking for the amendment to allow the Non-Executive Members to be increased from two to six in the interest of our national petroleum.

Featured Article: That Failed Broderick Bozimo And The Great Thinkers-By Ekanpou Enewaridideke

Featured Article: That Failed Broderick Bozimo And The Great Thinkers-By Ekanpou Enewaridideke

I have been somewhere held captive by a soothing sleep but just awakened by heavy raindrops upon my roof 'dribbling and falling like orange or mango fruits showered forth in the wind...' It rained like that 'JP-CLARKED' 'Night Rain' forcing mother to 'deploy' 'wooden bowls' and 'earthenware' about the 'roomlet' and 'floor' as a timely barricade against any possession dance the raindrops may be tempted to stage on the floor. This torrential rain is a creation of anonymous thinkers who style themselves great thinkers. 

To these anonymous  great thinkers, the collective move to produce Ijaw governor in 2023 in Delta State spearheaded by Chief Broderick Bozimo is a failed voyage because they have reasoned so in public language, which by their wont, they rarely do. Conceding here like Wole Soyinka in his 'Telephone Conversation', let us not only admit they are great thinkers, they are also great rain-makers whose raindrops weirdly kill soothing sleep and verdant vegetation.

The universal admission known to every man is that this wide world is the product of a thinking process. Thinking detects void; thinking also strategises and dismantles the void detected. Thinking precedes this world, and the world dies without thinking. For a world conscious of losing its sanity, thinking is a priceless commodity because when thinking gets stuck in a whirlpool, a characteristically calm river wears garment of turbulence to the discomfort of travellers. 

That thinking is a challenging engagement had long been philosophically affirmed by the philosopher King Robert Ebizimor when he says 'thinking is harder and more challenging, taxing, than toiling in the forest'. It was Mr. Tolu of Tuomo town who philosophically built this into the mind of King Ebizimor. Yet we will have to crave our necks, listen and consume when great thinkers hold the most logical position that Chief Broderick Bozimo and his dedicated volunteer team are on a failed journey in their bid to drum across Delta State that it is justly the turn of Ijaw person to become the governor of Delta State in 2023. No view can be more striking, logical and acceptable than this critical look timely cast at Chief Broderick Bozimo, the former Minister of Police Affairs, and his team in this world where great thinkers who think flawlessly are now thin on the ground.

We must respect, dignify, deify and kowtow to the inspiring position of these great Ijaw thinkers whose greatness lies in building into readable tapestry words rebellious to one another in their logical and structural permutation and journey across the world. As a product of their flawless THINKING DISTILLERY they strenuously couple mutinous words whose ideal communicative purpose or channel is at variance with the communicative register of their own THINKING DISTILLERY from which the words are forcefully CORRALLED and generated. Are these great thinkers kidnappers of English words? 

It would be very reasonable to concede that when the ideational products of the anonymous great thinkers do not  reflect the communicative register of their own THINKING FACTORY/DISTILLERY, their characterisation of Chief Broderick Bozimo and the ongoing struggle for Ijaw governor in 2023 as a failed venture must be applauded. In this applause Chief Bozimo and his working team must see an incentive to accelerate the velocity of their journey to dimensions or altitude the great thinkers would be left floundering like a loaded canoe about to be drawn 'fiyuu' into the fatal Egbo whirlpool in Ayakoromo River so that they will perpetually hug the air and nothingness in their romantic critical infatuation whenever they try to couple rebellious words and rebellious thought-forms to malign, disparage and soil Chief Broderick's immaculate white raiment and torpedo the Ijaw Delta Governorship boat already on sail across the state. 

Sincerity illuminates and tells a believable story and so it must be cultivated always.If we are sincerely ready to yield to history its dignified seat as a cub would to the father leopard, it must be admitted that it was King Alfred Izonebi the  proprietor of the famous King Robert Ebizimor Memorial Music Studio, Yenagoa, that exceptionally gifted, multi-instrumentalist, revivalist musician who blazed a trail of pro-Delta-Ijaw governorship movement in Delta State. Rather philosophically, King Izonebi awakens the Ijaws to the desirability of having Ijaw man as governor in 2023. This message musically anchored and drummed everywhere resonated with everybody and the resonance is still in  every available space of human habitation. No anonymous great thinkers of Ijaw extraction came out to fault King Izonebi's lone struggle/agitation for Delta Ijaw governorship and term it as a failed venture. Is the present sensitization journey of Chief Broderick Bozimo different from King Izonebi's pro-Delta-Ijaw governorship movement? Could it be said that this volte-face is a pathological product churned out by the THINKING DISTILLERY/FACTORY of the anonymous great thinkers?

It is clearly situated that through King Izonebi's musically anchored platform the unannounced governorship ambitions of Barrister Kingsley Burutu Otuaro, Senator James Manager and Chief Hon. Braduce Angozi have been admirably foregrounded in a preparatory language signalling the materialization of the Delta Ijaw governorship dream/vision. Like the biblical John the baptist, King Izonebi has musically ploughed the ground with mechanised farming implements for any of these three personalities to plant crops as the cosmically decreed governor of Delta State in 2023 - His Excellency Otuaro, Senator Manager or Chief Hon. Angozi.

Chief Broderick Bozimo is an exposed and experienced person who had held many key appointive positions both at the Federal and State levels. He is a man of impeccable records in all his appointive engagements. He inherited the good reputation of his late father Chief Jonah Oyadongha Bozimo of Ezebiri town in Bomadi Council - a good reputation he had never soiled right from the cradle of his existence. It is therefore fitting that it is that Chief Broderick Bozimo who has become the anchor of the sensitization campaign for Ijaw governor in 2023 - a personality whose numerous achievements have become the vaccine against any virus of corruptibility and undue influence conceptualized to move him away from the 2023 Ijaw agenda. 

Names do vibrate and create their own world of magnetism after years of interaction with the world.The vibratory frequencies of some names are intriguingly higher than others as it is with Chief Broderick Bozimo.Chief Broderick radiantly carries all the vibrations needed to anchor and lead the 2023 Delta agenda because at his age of 83 he has no new vision to pursue  to be bartered with the Ijaw collective agenda for selfish reasons and self-aggrandisement. As Bestman Doupere would say philosophically, in terms of achievements, Chief Broderick Bozimo has 'Brisibe-awusad' like Brisibe Awusa of Ojobo town who had achieved so much in material and intellectual terms that he had no further vision to pursue at the time the great philosopher Bestman Doupere sang about him in a song entitled 'Brisibe of Ojobo'. Chief Broderick Bozimo is the contextual equivalent of late Brisibe Awusa of Ojobo who has no further individual vision to pursue beyond the collective vision of Ijaw people.

Because anonymous great thinkers are at work, they spot compromise even where compromise does not exist. It must be their characteristic optical illusion and delusional thinking when they hold the position that Chief Broderick Bozimo had been compromised and so can no longer anchor the 2023 Ijaw Delta agenda because his own son Isaiah Bozimo was recently made an Attorney-General/Commissioner for Justice in Delta State. Chief Bozimo was already on the 2023 Delta Ijaw agenda before the appointment of his son as commissioner by Governor Okowa. Even with the appointment Chief Bozimo has become more dedicated to the Ijaw agenda. Where does the compromise lie here?

Governor Okowa values competence and excellence in everything he does; he appoints people who possess the capacity to drive his development agenda and pave the way for him to finish strong. He sees competence in Chief Broderick Bozimo's son and gets him appointed as a commissioner. Governor Okowa who does not arrogate to himself the power to choose his successor has often maintained that his government is fixated on finishing strong, not 'shopping' for a successor because it is God's duty to choose a governor. Governor Okowa can never be a party to any pretentious creation to deploy appointment as an appeasement tool to compromise somebody to walk on his envisioned 2023 governorship path. God's authoritative voice and the engagement of stakeholders constitute the only path to the emergence of a governor and not through a supposedly compromised political appointment only anonymous great thinkers pathologically spot and overdramatise as their flawless creation distilled by their THINKING DISTILLERY/FACTORY. 

Feebly, rather feebly, the anonymous great thinkers posit that Karma will journey and strike Chief Broderick Bozimo because his own son had been made a commissioner and he is still the anchor of the 2023 Ijaw agenda. If the appointment were compromised, he would not anchor the 2023 Delta agenda again. Because there is no compromise here, the man is still very much in charge with double dedication. Where is this baseless invocation of 'karma' coming from? Have the great thinkers no accurate knowledge of karma and how it works in mysticism or martinism? Is the word karma invoked to confuse and disorientate the benighted in furtherance of their insidious campaign of calumny against Chief Broderick Bozimo and the collective Ijaw agenda team in 2023?

Karma-invocation here is a meaningless journey though it weirdly excites the great thinkers.However, if karma must be invoked, it must be invoked doubly upon the anonymous great thinkers whose activities are antagonistic and antithetical to the collective vision of the Ijaws in 2023. To enlighten the great thinkers further, karma does not work by invocation anchored by a clique of great thinkers. Karma works naturally without being barricaded. Let the karma that works naturally work for all, including the anonymous great thinkers for their glorious sense of devotion displayed in their dance of calumny. 

The position that the 2023 Delta Ijaw agenda is purposely built around one individual or candidate is most inspiringly inventive/innovative. The anonymous great thinkers deserve commendation for this innovation. Even if an agenda is conceptually built around one million people, in its clear cosmic format or outline futurologically accessible to the initiate or the psychically privileged, the agenda is actually  built around one person because the whole struggle will eventuate in one individual becoming the governor of the state. Where is therefore the logical room to quarter the command-like exhortation or pretentious position that the governorship must be weaned off pathological tendencies to be built around one candidate? Could this pattern of thought be an emanation from growing awareness/fear of political evanescence, political paranoia and siege mentality - which are indeed vagabond thoughts too prohibitive to be unveiled where pro-Delta-Ijaw movement towards the production of a governor is at work? 

Visibly dedicated to the task of engagement patriotically assigned to them, Chief Broderick Bozimo and his dedicated volunteer team have beaten drums across Delta State that it is time for Ijaw to occupy the office of a governor of Delta State. Would he have been able to engage this task if he had been compromised through his son's commissionership appointment as unhealthily dished out by the great thinkers? A compromised activist or campaigner beats an amazing retreat but Chief Bozimo only increases his velocity and altitude in the 2023 Delta Ijaw agenda - which should communicate something to the anonymous great thinkers.

One would have thought that Delta South Senatorial District with a population of 1,304,747, voting strength of 1,236,000, Delta Central District with a projected population of 1,560,858, voting strength of 827,338 and Delta North Senatorial District with a population of 1,236,840 and a voting strength of 641,125, as projected by the Independent National Electoral Commission before the 2015 general elections, it is the apogee of logicality for the Ijaws to labour to produce the 2023 governor of Delta State through productive engagement with the people in all the three senatorial districts of Delta State just as Chief Broderick Bozimo and his dedicated volunteer team are doing devotedly now. Chief Bozimo should be relentless in his inspiring sensitization journey across the state however the anonymous critical distractions from non-navigable brooks because the original great thinkers know that it is only anonymous benighted great thinkers who can be smugly content with the characterization of 2023 Ijaw Delta agenda as a failed venture.

Nothing matters to the Ijaws as long as firmness has not abandoned them in the pursuit of the Delta Ijaw vision. Chief Broderick Bozimo and his 2023 Ijaw Delta agenda are firmly on a commendable path because it is the collective vision of the Delta Ijaws that Barrister Kingsley Burutu Otuaro, Senator J.E. Manager and Chief Hon. Braduce Angozi should be drummed up across the State as likely Ijaw governorship candidates from among whom the cosmically anointed and decreed one will emerge as the democratically elected governor of Delta State in 2023. This means that when the anonymous great thinkers use 'failed' and 'compromised' in the characterisation and portrait of Chief Broderick Bozimo and his dedicated volunteer team, it must have been born out of  benightedness and lexical confusion of the great thinkers who lead a perpetual masked life or existence because their trade of organised calumny thrives best in anonymity.

It STINGS one like a swarm of wasp upon a crowd of bush mango-hunting foresters in Akparemobou Forest that the so-called anonymous great thinkers do not even know the man Chief Barrister Broderick Bozimo in depths. Chief Broderick Bozimo, the eponymous representational character within whom are subsumed all the formidable Ijaw personalities sympathetic to the 2023 Ijaw Delta vision, whose bank overflows with credibility and intellectual power, who carries in all radiance the characterisations of a deeply rooted force behind whom all other forces can queue in 'collapsible elasticity' to aggregate resources to actualise the dream of an Ijaw governor in 2023 in Delta State is the accredited sensitisation lodestar for the 2023 Delta Ijaw vision capacitated to journey without the distractions that marked the fall of dog in the Longevity Race competition between dog and toad in which toad won, as declared by God Amighty the judge, because dog was distracted by palm oil poured on the road.

That Chief  Bozimo is positioned as the time-teller OTITI bird to awaken all the Ijaws to the desirability of democratically enthroning Ijaw man as Delta State governor is a code deployed to facilitate dream-realization  - the contextual equivalent of the THE DA VINCI CODE which only the 'Izonbai Izonbai' Ijaws can penetrate and connect with for result-production. Alas, the anonymous great thinkers may not fall into the category of 'Izonbai Izonbai' Ijaws -  which is why they choose verbal violence over integration into the mainstream of the Ijaw collective umbrella constantly unfurled as the place of refuge and resource-replenishment in the move to occupy the GOVERNORSHIP seat in 2023. 

Much as it is known to Timiebi Maika, the great philosopher always visibly situated for her flawless philosophical positions on any issue, the night is bound to break into day even if the cocks do not crow. Timiebi Maika the philosopher also knows that the great thinkers would not have gone downwards ideationally the way they are when they cavil at the 2023 Delta Ijaw Vision and how it has been progressively eponymised by Chief Broderick Bozimo based on its conceptualization process and public perception if they are actually great thinkers. 

Surely, the anonymous great thinkers would not have  deposited their venomous energies on disparaging characterisation of the 2023 Delta Ijaw agenda if they had read his Excellency Otuaro's article, 'YOUTHS AND POTENTIALS' published in the Vanguard of 6 September 2021 - a great article that sensitises the youths on how to discover, develop and commercialise their talents and potentials for economically sustainable living. Vapour is their benightedness, their thoughts, talents and potentials streamlined and repositioned to face and conquer challenges of existence if the anonymous great thinkers actually familiarise themselves with Barrister Otuaro's piece 'YOUTHS AND POTENTIALS'. They are likely to be transformed by Otuaro's 'economies of commercialized talents and potentials' archived in his seminal article.

It is now LOUDLY clear from the journey above that for legendary great thinkers like the referenced thinkers here, one would have thought that their lips would be full of laudatory words for the fact that the 2023 Ijaw Delta Vision is daily eponymised by Chief Broderick Bozimo.It should not be a rocket science for great thinkers to know that the 2023 Delta Ijaw Vision can only  be eponymised for progressive reasons by Chief Broderick Bozimo.If what they parade here as albatross is that of understanding deficit, these great thinkers are indeed not thinking legends legend for flawless thoughts and ideas though we naively thought they were thinking legends from whom generations born and unborn could draw the raw material for projection into any tomorrow birthed.May His Excellency Otuaro's piece, 'Youths and Potentials', therefore awaken the anonymous great thinkers away from this repellent ideational rubbish!

BY EKANPOU ENEWARIDIDEKE

Writes from Akparemogbene, Delta State

Delta School of Nursing Honours Otuaro with Award of Excellence for Humanitarian Services

Delta School of Nursing Honours Otuaro with Award of Excellence for Humanitarian Services 

Warri_____ Students of the Delta State School of Nursing, Warri have honoured the Delta State Deputy Governor, His Excellency, Barrister Dcn. Kinsley Burutu Otuaro, with an Award of Excellence for his serial humanitarian endeavours, especially his great love and support for students/education and peace-building.

Dcn Otuaro was given the honour at a Dinner/Award Nite organized by the Students Union Government (SUG) of the institution to mark their Students Week. They described the Deputy Governor as selfless Deltan whose humanitarian endeavours transcend ethnic, political or religious divides especially in supporting the less privilege. They applauded the Deputy Governor passion for education and students. The body further attested to the fact of the immense support they had received from the Deputy Governor for the past years in addition to specialized supports to several categories of students.

The Deputy Governor who was represented by his Special Assistant on Special Duties, Mr Louis Otuisi, expressed his profound appreciation to the body for the honour bestowed on him. In his words, “I consider the support to students and education as a generational support and this is the reason it has been one priority areas in giving a helping hand.”

The Deputy Governor further encouraged the students to put in their best seeing the crucial role of their profession in the society upon graduation. He admonished the students especially those graduating to key into the achievements made by the Okowa administration in the health sector taking advantage of the strengthened primary healthcare system to improve the healthcare system of the State.

In addition, he also enjoined them not to relent in their professional development and that the Okowa administration is committed to the future of the youth; a testament is the recent creation of three universities across the three senatorial districts to serve the varied educational and professional development quest of students.

Sen. George Akume Applauds Angele on Executing peoples oriented projects in Burutu

Sen. George Akume Applauds Angele on Executing peoples oriented projects in Burutu

Francis Tayor

Warri______ Former Governor of Benue State and the honourable minister on Special Duties/Inter-Governmental Affairs in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, distinguished Senator George Akume, has applauded the Executive Chairman of Burutu Local government Area of Delta State, Rt Hon. Godknows Angele, on his peoples oriented projects executed in the council, noting that his legacy projects will stand the test of time as far as good governance is concerned.

Senator Akume who was represented by Engr. Adebayo Kayode, made the remark on Friday in the Council Secretariat Burutu lsland, during the ministry's on the spot project inspection/documentation tour across the 25 LGAs in Delta State, stated that  Hon. Angele is a God fearing politician who  have the masses at heart based on his unprecedented projects littered across the LGA. He noted that the people of Burutu are lucky to have a honest Chairman like Angele when compared to other Council Chairmen whose performance's are below the expectations of the people.

Speaking further, Engr. Adebayo, said the purpose of the visit was to ensure the local government system is working, and that if the need arises, it shall be strengthened with more funds for effective service delivery to the grassroots. In addition, the visit was also to ensure on the spot assessment of the performance of your administration as well as to nominate you for honour in the forthcoming National Award in Abuja. This can be made possible if only your projects have direct positive impact on the people, the quality of projects as well as your new policy on improving the internally generated revenue aside from the federal government monthly allocation.

He reiterated that if the Burutu Council Chairman is lucky to be selected among the 1st, 2nd and 3rd position best performing Chairmen across the federation, three of his principal officers would be sponsored for international retreat after the award ceremony in Abuja, Engr. Adebayo stated.

In his response, the Executive Chairman Burutu LGA, Rt. Hon. Godknows Angele appreciated the honourable Minister and his entourage for the on the spot inspection/documentation of project visit to Burutu.

Angele said Burutu LGA is a peculiar local government whereby the cost of projects is higher than the monthly statutory allocation. " My administration has embarked on 58 projects and among them 85% is completed for commissioning. Also, it will interest you to know that I was recently honoured as the best LGA Chairman in the South South Nigeria. I am using this medium appeal for increase of the monthly statutory federal government allocation so that it will enable me to execute more people oriented projects for my people. We lack power and electricity, l want the honourable minister to use his influence connect Burutu LGA to National grid.

Burutu is the most peaceful Local Government Council in Delta State as l speak.  The council monthly security vote is two million naira and above. We have a local security network called Burutu Security Outfit that is working in hand with government security agencies to curbed sea piracy and other criminal elements off the riverine area.

Why l succeeded in the security of the local government is because l live and dine with the people at the grassroots, empower and give them what they want. In doing that, there is no room for them to do otherwise than to join me maintain peace and order in the council.

In the area of power, l spent millions of naira monthly on diesel to provide alternative electricity for the masses through generator plant to power their businesses. With steady electricity supply, the people where able to venture into small medium enterprise businesses in order to sustain their families", Angele stated.

However, some of the projects been executed by Rt. Hon. Angele administration include; Head of Personnel Management (HPM), TLG official residents, five blocks one story legislative quarters buildings for (20) serving councillors representing the various wards in the LGA.

Others include; Burutu Area Command Divisional Headquarters building/Area Commander official resident, LGA Library, Vice Chairman official resident, Council Pavilion, Provision of Health Care facilities among others executed across the various wards in the LGA. 

So far so good, in terms of human capital infrastructure, Hon. Angele led administration has meaningfully engaged over four hundred women as cleaners under ministry of environment, ten  thousand youths and caring for over one thousand aged men and women in the villages across the LGA.

Onduku writes a glowing Tribute in honour of late. Evang Dr. Samuel Elaweremi

Onduku writes a glowing Tribute in honour of late. Evang Dr. Samuel Elaweremi

Death Why Evang Dr. Samuel Audu Elaweremi At This Time ?

Dear Evang. Dr. Samuel Audu Elaweremi, I received the sad news of your sudden death in the early hours of this day 15th September, 2021 with a devastating rude shock from Apostle Ken Owei, the presiding pastor of Altar of Fire lnt'l Church, Ovwian Branch, Udu LGA, Delta State.

Since your return from kidnappers den on the 8th of August, 2020 in Yenagoa, you had been undergoing from one surgical operation to the other in Port Harcourt due to the bad experience you had in the hands of your abductors.

You served God and humanity with what you have faithfully over the past six decades. As an astute professional accountant, you rose to the peak of your profession. You served and contributed your quota immensely to the development of Rivers and Bayelsa States.

You retired from the Civil Service job as a Director of Finance, Ministry of Works, Bayelsa State in 2020. And the Bayelsa State government deem it fit to reward you on your retirement with a magnificent edifice whose building project is still ongoing at the State Capital Yenagoa, before your sudden passing away.

As a well fulfilled man who God has richly blessed with wealth, you came back to your father's home Ayakoromo to mount a magnificent edifice to open up the community in accommodation infrastructure wise, whose structure is yet to beat in the community. And you do the same to your maternal home Peretoru community in Ekeremor LGA, Bayelsa State.

In the Christendom race, you preach and teach the Gospel according to God's instruction to the creeks of Ayakoromo, Peretoru, Ovwian and Yenagoa and abroad. You converted many souls for Christ and that is the greatest fulfilment of life after dead.

Adieeuuu Evang Dr. Sam the Gospel preacher, the Accountant General, the great Philanthropist, a Peace Maker and otherwise. Altar of Fire lnt'l Church Headquarters Yenagoa, Ayakoromo, Peretoru and Ovwian branches will greatly missed you. The Yede (Abiri) Family of Peretoru and Elaweremi family of Ayakoromo will miss you. May Your Gentle Soul Continue to Rest ln Peace in the Bosom of our Lord, Amen. Goodnight the great G.O.

Tribute By: 

Comrade Oyinbi Onduku, CEO/Publisher Niger Delta Mirror News Online.

Amnesty: Col. Dikio has done well, let's give him another chance, Comm. Biggy appeals to FG, Niger Delta leaders

Amnesty: Col. Dikio has done well, let's give him another chance, Comm. Biggy appeals to FG, Niger Delta leaders

Francis Tayor

Yenagoa_____ A foremost Ex-Niger Delta agitator cum philanthropist, Double Chief. Ebi Pinapinawei Wilson, popularly known as Commander Biggy, has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government of Nigeria, the leadership of National Assembly, Sen. Ahmed Lawan, (Senate President), Rt Hon. Femi Gbazabiamila, (Speaker House of Reps), the National Security Adviser (NSA) to the President, Alhaji Babagana Mugouno, Ijaw National leader, Pa. E.K. Clark, INC leader, Prof. Benjamin Okaba, IYC leadership and the powerful former Niger Delta war lords, Tompolo, Boyloaf, King Tom Ateke, Shoot at sight, Elder. Pastor Wilson, Kingsley Muturu, King Seleke aka Young Shall Grow among others to please support and give the lnterim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Col. Miland Dikio another opportunity to serve the ex-Niger Delta agitators in the Amnesty Office, stressing that the man has performed creditably well in the past one year in office.

Commander Biggy made the appeal on Thursday in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State Capital while addressing the press noted that since Col. Dikio take over the Amnesty office, the ex-agitators monthly allowances are promptly paid in every 25th of the month without delay. 

He reiterated that Dikio had being faithfully paying Amnesty Contractors promptly to execute their projects as well as empowering the ex-agitators since he assumed office.

According to Biggy, said: " Though as a human being, he is not 100% perfect. The area l discovered Dikio did not do well is the training aspect of the programme. Even at that, he has performed brilliantly beyond the expectation of over 90% of the ex-Niger Delta agitators within his short period in office when compared to the past administrators.

My reasons for the appeal was that, since Col. Dikio is on the right direction, let us support and recommend him back to continue his good works. Any area he didn't do well, we can call him to order and not the other way round to call for his removal. We should equally know that majority of the ex-agitators depends on the monthly stipend of sixty five thousand naira (N65, 000) to feed their families, hence the prompt payment of that allowance alone makes Dikio outstanding to head the Amnesty office, Biggy stated."

Meanwhile, Commander Biggy has maintained that unnecessary change of leadership is not doing the Amnesty office any good, rather it draw back the programme to an unknown destination. He equally urged Col. Dikio to award more contracts, train more of the ex-agitators on skills as well as extend the duration of training from 6month to 9months, noting that is the only way they can be well abreast in their field of specialization when given another opportunity to serve.

However, Commander Biggy use this medium to call on our senior brother, High Chief, Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo, our father the Elder Statesman, Chief. Pa. Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, the ljaw National leader, the warlord of the federation, Dr. Victor Ben Ebikabowei aka Boyloaf, the Field Marshal, His Royal Majesty, King Tom Ateke, the winchy winchy, Cheif. Bibopere Ajube aka Shoot At Sight, the new elected royal highness, Seleke young Shall grow, the akpa, the Galalagololo, Elder, Gen. Pst, C. wilson, the most humbled leader, Hon. Kingsley Muturu, the IYC Worldwide, INC President, Prof. Okaba Benjamin among others to support and give Col. Miland Dikio another chance to serve the over all interest of the ex-agitators of Niger Delta, the statement adds.

Opinion: Achieving Success Is Not As Difficult As Sustaining The Success-G.A. Okorobia

Opinion: Achieving Success Is Not As Difficult As Sustaining The Success-G.A. Okorobia

Success is not a unidirectional concept. It is multi-faceted. It has different denotative and connotative conceptualizations and implications for different people. Depending on your worldview and what you consider the PURPOSE OF EXISTENCE.

Sustaining your current sociological relevancy and reputation among men requires a great deal of disciplinary efforts. Because there are AVOIDABLE DISTRACTIONS that seems to be ever present as part of our very existential architecture. These ranges from lack of hygienic personal character to interpersonal relationships; value infractions and moral corruption, inter alia.

Your present position in any sphere of human concerns is transient and ephemeral and inconsequential as far as TIME and EVENTS remains the greatest determinants of human affairs. It is just an opportunity to advance useful service to humanity.

SHAME AND DISGRACE are the karmic recourse for any one who lives in reckless abandonment to positive human ideals and values in relation to self and others. Beyond the unquestionable instinct for personal achievement, WE ARE IN A WORLD WITH OTHERS

To this end, the biblical aphorism, "how are the mighty fallen..." is very instructive and germane to contemporary thinking.

History is flooded with those who once rose to stardom and greatness but presently cannot find themselves among the comity of relevant people.

© G.A OKOROBIA

Mulade Mourns Death of Chief S.Y. Mamamu, Calls him a glittery diamond that cannot fade

Mulade Mourns Death of Chief S.Y. Mamamu, Calls him a glittery diamond that cannot fade

A traditional high Chief in Gbaramatu Kingdom of Warri South West LGA of Delta State, Chief Sheriff Mulade has joined the list of eminent persons mourning the death of Chief S. Y Mamamu, the Torudiwei of Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom who died in the early hours of Friday, September 10, 2021.

While condoling the family over the great loss, Chief Sheriff Mulade, the Ibe-Seremowei of Gbaramatu Kingdom, said Chief Mamamu was a glittery diamond that cannot fade judging from his pedigree and tract records.

The Delta State Governorship hopeful 2023, said the outstanding roles of the iconic S. Y. Mamamu in Ijaw nation, especially in Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom, Warri South West LGA, Delta State and Nigeria in general, are unparalleled.

He said, Chief S. Y Mamamu was a onetime Chairman, Ijaw National Congress (INC) Western Zone; President, Odidi Federated Communities Elders Council; and also National Leader, OML 42 Host Communities, and described his leadership qualities as worthy of emulation. 

Chief Mulade who has added his strong voice to the clarion calls for Deltans to kindly considered and support an Ijaw Governor in 2023, prayed God to guide and protect the Mamamu family, and grant the members the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

Chief S. Y Mamamu was the founder and general overseer of God’s Ministry (C.G.S) Int. Inc, Salvation City, New Ogbe-Ijoh in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State. He will be greatly missed for his fearless, boldness, generosity, warmness and friendliness to all.

Delta 2023: IYC Zadobiri Clan Salutes Owotorufa on new assignment to serve ljaw Nation

Delta 2023: IYC Zadobiri Clan Salutes Owotorufa on new assignment to serve ljaw Nation

Elagha Isaac

The Honorable Chairman of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Zadobiri Clan, distinguished Senior Comrade Sunday Opede, has sent a well done message to one of the outstanding ijaw leaders, Barrister Fredrick Endorokeme Owotorufa, for leading the front in the ijaw reconciliation movement for ijaw agenda come 2023 and turning bad elements to good in the region.

Barrister Fredrick Endorokeme Owotorufa was the Second runner up of the last ijaw National Congress, INC election where Prof. Okaba Benjamin was declared winner after scoring the maximum votes in the poll.

He's a benevolent and kind-hearted leader of ljaw Nation who is currently the chairman of Ijaw reconciliation team for Ijaw agenda Delta 2023, a worthy son of Zadobiri Kingdom in Burutu Delta State.

The said Publication was made viral by the IYC Zadobiri Clan Chairman, Comr. Sunday Opede in his personal Facebook handle.

The news read part as follows:

"Ijaw youth council zadobiri clan celebrate their own, the APALAGIA 1 CHIEF BARR. FRED OWOTORUFA for chairing and championing the ongoing reconciliation move to deliver the revered ijaw governorship agenda come 2023. We pray that may God almighty continue to give you the required enablement to perform adquately in this ijaw national adhoc assignment. "

Album Launch: King Anderson Appeciates Pst Joshua, Ebimotu, Onduku, Etukuyei, others for gracing the occasion

Album Launch: King Anderson Appeciates Pst Joshua, Ebimotu, Onduku, Etukuyei, others for gracing the occasion 

Francis Tayor

A renowned Oboro born Burutu and Bomadi based ljaw Christian Gospel music star, King Perezide Anderson, has successfully launched his scintillating third latest music album, giving thanks to God as  well as appreciating family members, friends and well wishers for supporting and gracing the occasion.

The historic event took place on Sunday at the Redeemers Global Revival Mission lnt'l Church, Oboro Town in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, attracted numerous illustrious sons and daughters of ljaw Nation, far and near from all walks of life to donate and encourage the multi-talented gospel artist financially and otherwise.

The three tracks album is titled: " PUT MY ENEMY TO SHAME", emphasized on the Supreme Power of God, the Power in the name of Jesus and God the Miracle Father (worker) precisely.

The songs has a blend of ljaw, lbo and English language with danceable background sound beats  of high life, reggae among other captivating tunes. It was disclosed that with the launching of this making the third musical album released so far by the multifacet talented artist, King Perezide Anderson, popularly addressed as Master by his church brethren.

In his remark, King Anderson thanked God Almighty for the grace and talent bestowed on him to sing in praises of His holy name. He specially appreciated his spiritual daddy in the Lord, Snr. Pst. Joshua Johnny, who is the presiding pastor of the 'Redeemers Global Revival Mission Int'l Church', in Oboro Community, Burutu LGA, of the state.

He went further to appreciate Mr. Ebimotu Odayibo, a Rtd. Master Warrant Officer (MWO), Nigerian Army, Comrade Oyinbi Onduku, CEO/Publisher Niger Delta Mirror News online, Mr/Mrs. Dorcas Etukuyei Gbenekepreye, Money Money Chairman, John Gbenekepreye, Mr/Mrs. Dr. Boyoyo, Snr. Pst. Moon Koka, Pst. Laban, Pst. Philip, Happy Godday, Very Goodman Anderson, Tarela Joseph,  Agboke family and the entire members of Redeemers Global Revival Mission Int'l Church, Oboro for their unprecedented donations towards his music career, praying God to richly bless them.

Meanwhile, in the first track of the newly launched album, the artist charged Christians to be wise and pray to God for guidance/protection because the life we are living is a battle front. As child of God, you don't know your enemies. Hence, he pray God to reveal our enemies and put them to shame. 

" Don't allow my enemies to kill me, he prayed to God in the song,".

In the second track, the artist made Christians to understand that there is power in the name of Jesus. He therefore, admonished them on how to apply the name of Jesus to conquer life challenges. 

" The mention of the name of Jesus, every kneels must bow and tongues confess. There is a strong tower in the name of Jesus. Therefore, mention the name for whatever you wishes, be it protection, prosperity, good health, long life etc, and it shall come to pass, he noted."

In the track three, he said God is a Miracle Father. He made the blind to see, deaf to hear, heal the sick, turn water into wine, turn the burning fire of Shadrack, Mashack and Abednego to an air condition room and many more wonderful things our Lord did. He said God Almighty is the greatest, Alpha and Omega, the creator of heaven and earth, the beginning and the end.

He however, called on christians to come to God and see wonders for themselves, adding that there is no power that can compare to God in the whole universe, he stated.

However, the general public, especially lovers of gospel music are advised to go to any record store available at Bomadi, Oboro, Yenagoa and others to grab a copy of the album at the cost of N200, stressing that the three tracks are composed for the building of the Christians Faith, the statement added.

Contact the following numbers to order for your copies.

09061792313

08066687736

Ijaw Agenda 2023: A Display of Same Old Foxy Egocentrism-By Hon. Austin Edumogiren

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.

Wike lambast Umahi, says God won’t give Nigeria another President like Buhari

Wike Lambast Umahi, says God won’t give Nigeria another President like Buhari

The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has hit out at his Ebonyi State counterpart, Dave Umahi, who said God will give Nigeria a president “who has a good heart like President Muhammadu Buhari” in 2023.

Umahi had made the remarks while addressing State House correspondents on Monday, after meeting with Buhari at Aso Villa in Abuja.

But Wike, in a veiled reference to Umahi, said that his colleague had lied.

Wike claimed that even Buhari himself knows that God won’t give the country another president like him in 2023.

The governor stated this during a stakeholders’ meeting in Port Harcourt, the state capital, while addressing business owners.

Wike said: “That was how a governor was saying that he prays that Nigeria gets another President like Buhari.

“I said what has gone wrong with him? You mean there shouldn’t be (a) psychiatric check on the governor? Sycophancy.

“And you know that the President knows that you are telling lies to him. He (Buhari) knows.

“It is unfortunate. May God help us", Wike stated.

Timipre Congratulates Odisi on appointment as Commandant NESO, Bayelsa State

Timipre Congratulates Odisi on appointment as Commandant NESO, Bayelsa State

..... Described the promotion as well deserved

It is a great pleasure to express my profound gratitude and congratulatory message to the appointment of the Corps Commandant, Comr. ODISI IZONEBI FRANCIS as the new COMMANDANT of the Neighborhood Enlightenment and Safety Organization (NESO) Bayelsa State Command. It is indeed a great development to our command and Bayelsa State at large.

Your appointment as the State Commandant of (NESO) Bayelsa State Command by the Corps Commandant General, Comr. Sani Aliyu, is as result of your commitment of service because your work ability as the Deputy Corps Commandant Administration at then in the Bayelsa State Command (NESO) under the leadership of the Former Corps Commandant, Comr. Epigha Clark speaks volume for you. 

It's only when you know your duties at any given time that'll enable you to merit such promotion. I therefore, describe your announcement as the Corps Commandant of (NESO) Bayelsa State Command through the office of the Corps Commandant General, Comr Sani Aliyu as a welcomed development of the command.

Moreso, on behalf of the Neighborhood Enlightenment and Safety Organization (NESO) anti insurgency and anti terrorism Bayelsa State Command, I joyfully celebrate and congratulates CC Odisi Francis on his merited appointment as the Corps Commandant of (NESO) Bayelsa State Command. indeed he's tested and trust worthy leader. Once again, congratulations and best wishes to your new mantle of leadership.

Signed:

CCS TIMIPRE ND

BECAUSE YOU WERE TOLD ? By Asiayei Enaibo

In the journey of life, some fall, some rise, some move and made head ways from the unexpected root  to goal getters, some are being pillared by others to stand, some create their own forest overcoming the dangers of life to become successful Oak tree that shade others, and those whom the benevolent spirit crack their palm kernels should not mock the misfortunes of others. Such is the life story of Everyman. 

Love is a very strong force in the mind of men, it is one of the pillars in the pyramidal triangle of creations as the last elements, starting from Light, Life and love. 

Yes, love is a bond to  humanity, according to John Donne, a seventeenth century poet who once said "man's death diminishes me, why because I am involved in mankind"  but some find pleasure to set a pit dug to kill the aspirations of people who try to strive, today hatred has been overtaken by love. Some are linked, born out of mutual connection of people they so much believe, they think that they have infallible ideas, whatever they said seem to be correct without finding out, they are always on the yes sir nods of head of confirmation. From the head to the workers who probably do not know what lead to hatred continue in their own manner. Unknowing to them,  hatred connected through people is dangerous because no one stays in one particular place forever. 

Life is a circle, as we move, we move in one enclave of life in a destination that is not certain today. The boy you hate without reasons today because you were told, can be your saviour tomorrow, who have vital information to share with you, and because your friends want to maintain to eat from you, they feed you with what you always want to hear. 

How will you probably hold grudges against someone through hearsays, it is a sign that the one listener is in a big trouble to free himself, either he is hypothesized,  because those informant will continue to deprive the persons in question for them not to come in contact with you, as they too are not on the know of what transpired. But to the great mind he will quickly call for an audience of the perceived opinion, to clear doubt in the direction of reason, for such are the great philosophers and leaders of vast knowledge, can you say this when Mr. B is here? Look him in the eye then the story will change. Most businessmen and politicians can't pinpoint their enemies, rather their friends create more enemies for them to hold grudges, and they too are too busy to hear from both party, they end up being one sided. Could this be a spell? 

According to Ekanpou Enewaredideke, "everything has a cosmically fixed retirement age" 

No one can vindictively block your progress when the time comes, God will clear the stone unknowingly to the creator of the stone.Three world exist, yesterday, today and tomorrow, they are not responsible to man but to God. 

There are leaders we have now, they have a scheme where they pay informants in a community where they came from, questioning, "who is opposing me? Record of them to connect their Network of hatred.

Yes instead of building capacity in the communities, they are buying data for their phones, feed them fat to manage their poverty upon graduation from University, such are the new Activist we see in our communities, whoever that stand for the collective benefits of our communities is an enemy, his reign as chairman or any position will not be successful, as he stands for truth, so that they can serve them and their children all their lives. While their children are leaving big, in overseas, work in ministries, wives head of departments, while some youths  become Akpasibewei 1 of Niger Delta and a perceived political enemies to people you bearly know nothing about, yes! some, instead of using their potentials for productive ventures, we are using them for praise singing. Being over loyal, neck bend towards poverty of the survival of yes throughout. When youths are making head  ways to succeed, instead of you to try to encourage them, you never responded to them, because you were told of one fairy tale about them but once it is for outsiders, you want to make name outside as a philanthropist. My brother, Charity begins at home. If you do not build from within, you will soon see the return of The Wives' Revolt, this time in a more aggressive one to change the narrative. 

Bank of Ogiren, once you have unproductive people around you, what you get is unproductive ideas, they only talk about people not what value that could improve your career but their interest is to form stone on the path of others, unknowingly, it is a temporary practice that won't last forever.

Because "you were told" is a dual phenomenon, it can create prospect of Grace and hatred. Love head the prospect, hatred tailed the second aspect which is very common.

When you hear something, look for a second source, and find out directly. Not all followers are good followers and not all preconceived enemies are actually your problem but they are created by your own doing with a close mind of hearsays. Just Because "YOU WERE TOLD". 

Asiayei Enaibo

The Talking Drum

Writes from Bilazigha community, Obotebe Kingdom, Delta State