*DELTA SCHOOL UPGRADE: WHY DELTA IJAW INTELLIGENTSIA SUPPORT COM. CHIEF SHERRIF MULADE.*
~Barr. Afoegba Goody, PMP.
*WHY DELTANS MUST LOVE POLITICS*
Politics to men is like love to women. Human beings are created politically and born as political animals. Politics is inherently imprinted in our DNA. Nothing good or bad happen these days without political undertones. Life itself is political. And so, coping with the very harsh realities of life outside the politics of the relation between things invariably led men to believe solely in the Omnipotence of God Almighty over the affairs of men. These are the people that have lost hope in the systems of this world. These are people who lack confidence in men's ability to be politically fair and equitable. They developed apathy from the inherent disposition of man to be politically selfish in his relationship with others.
Aristotle in his various postulates intimated a truism that a man not interested in politics is worse than a criminal. To him, it is through such individuals that men unfit and unprepared for govt gets into power. I encourage all to be interested in politics and how our dear Delta State is governed for the good and benefit of all Deltans irrespective of creed, tribe and tongue.
As the determinant of "who gets what, when and how" according to Harold Laswell, govt plays a central role in the allocation of resources in trust for the people. On this premise, it becomes unpalatable when the allocation of govt resources are done to favor a section or determined by primordial sentiments.
*SILENCE IS NO LONGER GOLDEN*
I also disagree in principle with the position of my learned brother, Barr. Fred Latimore in his informed position that the purported upgrade of state owned Polytechnic and College of Education to university status is fair, equitable and in order. I don't have anything personal against him. My disagreement is in principle.
*THE INSTITUTIONS ARE* :
(1) Delta State University of Education, Agbor. The
College of Education Agbor will now become a University of Education.
(2) Delta State University of Science and Agriculture, Anwai- Asaba.
The Anwai campus of the Delta State University will now become a University of Science And Agriculture.
(3) Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro. Formerly the Delta State Polytechnic Ozoro.
Barr. Fred Latimore as the Executive Assistant, Communications To The Governor of Delta State has a very difficult job. Barr Fred's terms of reference in his official capacity is to write and share on the media embellished and nonexistent achievements of the inept and serially clueless Okowa administration. It is a very difficult job i will wish on my worst enemy. Ditto Femi Adesina and Garba Shehu.
But my case is different! I believed sincerely in Gov. Okowa because I thought I knew him well. I was misled. I was very sure the manner Gov. Okowa emerged as flag bearer of the PDP in 2015 will make him a people oriented and all inclusive Governor. When lies, propaganda and clannishness became the oxygen of the governments, upon which reward and other dividends of democracy are allocated, I shrinked.
I accused the Gov Okowa administration of 'Sloganism' in a manner never seen in Delta state.
One, "Prosperity For All Deltans"! Where will it be coming from? Where is the prosperity in any State Govt intervention in this state? Life is hard, brutish, nasty and difficult for the average working class Deltan not to talk of the millions of jobless men and women frustrated by the lack of direction of the Gov Okowa led PDP administration that has mortgaged the future of our oil rich and fertile state. Is this not the same state where cups of garri, rice and beans were allegedly shared as palliative to the masses in suspicious circumstances during Covid-19 lockdown?
Many persons were afraid to speak against the lack of human face that has become the hallmark of this govt as this govt is still the biggest employer of labor and benefactor in a State made comatose and lacking developmental direction.
recently, I tell who ever cared to listen that silence in the face of obvious Govt misgivings is no longer golden.
People like Chief(Com.) Sheriff Mulade should be shouted down because we happen to stumble on a govt appointment. Deltans should be allowed to talk and speak against the dangerous bend this govt is taking without fear of pain or favor. Many Ijaw leaders are silent because of the demands of political correctness and their selfish 2023 ambitions. But I am very sure from the look of things that my learned brother will not subscribe to such altruistic wisdom. The issues of "Amala Politics" has taken over Delta state from the administration of Chief James Ibori, elevated by Dr. E. Uduaghan and concretized by Gov. Okowa's administration. It is now accepted in the Delta State new definitions of political loyalty that only people out of govt patronage and inclusion sees clearly. Why should I bother that Barr. Latimore is defending the indefensible actions and inactions of a govt that has insulated herself from the daily pains of the all Deltan? Injury to one should be injury to all. When will the winner-takes-all politics stop in Delta State? Why should a section of the state be treated as second class citizens and others idolized?
Nothing last for ever and so are the Gov. Okowa days in Govt House Asaba. What Barr Fred Latimore should be concerned about is how history will choose to remember him. What uniting and positive role is my learned brother playing in his privileged proximity to the Corridors of Power, mouthpiece or defender of govt actions? I was a fan and ardent supporter of this govt but I want to be known to have also disagreed with misdirection of the ship of state due to primordial and clannish inclinations.
*WHY GOV.OKOWA SHOULD STOP MARGINALIZING RIVERINE COMMUNITIES*
For the records, the Delta Ijaw people though contributed massively to the expected success of this administration are at the receiving end of nepotistic, cronyism, clannishness, manipulative and tribalistic tendencies of the Okowa administration. A State owned Polytechnic was supposedly sited in Bomadi to assuage the pains of Delta Ijaws but it has not seen the light of day.
The Enekorogha Women For Okowa Campaign group 2019 in a press release begged the Governor to consider the Delta State Polytechnic Bomadi in his second tenure in appreciation of their role in his reelection. The Governor or his various mouthpiece did not dignify them even with a reply. All is not well and very so with Delta Ijaws under Gov Okowa. The Delta State School of Marine Technology (DESOMATECH) Burutu started off in the Civil Center Burutu after Ex-Gov E. Uduaghan was manipulated by Ijaw leaders to flag off the school as a campaign tactics to secure Delta Ijaw votes in his 2011 reelection campaign without structures. I was privileged to be among the pioneer students at the temporary site. Dr. E. Uduaghan left in 2015. Gov. Okowa promised heaven and earth yet the Permanent Site of the school has been taken over by bushes. DESOMATECH has been deliberately underfunded and abandoned. The activists who use to speak against the marginalization of Delta Ijaws by the Okowa administration have all been bribed with luring appointments to keep quiet. We cannot all be quiet. Another Polytechnic was purportedly setup by Dr. E. Uduaghan in Ogidigben as we now hear from the grapevine but which did not also see the light of day with the coming of Gov. Okowa.
If we are all Deltans, equity demands that all part of the State should enjoy equitable and fair distribution of projects.
Enough is enough!
*Barr. Afoegba Goody, PMP.*
**National Legal Adviser, Movement For The Survival of The Ijaw Ethnic Nationality In The Niger Delta (MOSIEND).
**Spokesman, Ijaw Peoples Network For Non-violence, Security and Development (IPENNSAD).
**Spokesman, Niger Delta Rights Watch (NDRW).
** Former Delta South Coordinator, Delta Youth Movement (DYM)
** National Convener, Youths In Politics 2019 (YIP)
Member:
* Amnesty International (AI)
*Global Youth Assembly (GYA)
* Organization of West African Youths (OWAY)
* Internet Society Nigeria (ISOC NG)
* Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS)
* ONE.org
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