Opinion
EDUMOGREN CRITICIZES IJAW POLITICAL LEADERSHIP AS ANIAGWU SHOWCASES OBOREVWORI’S 19-MONTH ACHIEVEMENTS
Oborevwori Has Validated My Stance – Edumogren
Prominent Delta State good governance advocate, Austin Edumogren, has openly criticized the Ijaw political elite, accusing them of neglecting the interests of their people. This reaction follows a press briefing by Delta State’s Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu, who detailed the accomplishments of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s administration over the past 19 months.
In a fiery statement, Edumogren expressed frustration, saying:
“Hahahahaha 😂🤣😂😭😭😭, no single mention of continuation of any abandoned project, not to talk of new ones initiated and being executed in Ijaw Land, the second most populated tribe in the State, and decider of all PDP Governorship victories in the State since 1999.
“Shame, big shame on Ijaw Leaders, particularly those politicians that have been elected or appointed to different high offices, and indeed those that are still in government.
“You know yourselves, and all well-meaning Ijaw People know you to your dirty pants!
“When I said Ijaw Political Leaders from 1999 to date are not people having the Ijaw Nation at heart, but political merchants, moral bankrupts, and a people suffering intellectual poverty on their praise singing homage to Governor Sheriff Francis Oborevwori, the young and small minds they have recruited to follow their treacherous parts, have been calling to blame me for speaking the obvious truth, how sad!
“With the press briefing by the Acting Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu, on the achievements of the Governor in the past nineteen months into his four years tenure, which though has proved me right, I challenge those e-rats to Ijaw Political Merchants cum moral bankrupts to come out to defend their leaders in the public space, countering my submissions with facts and proof or perpetually hide their dirty faces in shame,” Edumogren declared.
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ANIAGWU: OBOREVWORI WILL ADDRESS CRITICS WITH PROJECTS
During the same press briefing in Asaba, Commissioner Aniagwu reiterated Governor Oborevwori’s commitment to governance, emphasizing that he would not be drawn into political disputes but would continue to silence critics through project delivery.
Aniagwu, who now oversees the State Information Ministry, stated:
“Governor Oborevwori has chosen to respond to critics by delivering impactful projects. His focus remains governance, not politics.
“We have seen a whole lot of publications in different places, including those that are insinuating that he is leaving the PDP.
“Oborevwori is a very proud member of the Peoples Democratic Party. Today, Oborevwori is a clear leader amongst leaders of the party in Nigeria, and he is not in any way hungry to abandon the Peoples Democratic Party.”
Continuing and Initiating Projects
Aniagwu outlined a range of completed, ongoing, and newly initiated projects, such as the Okpanam-Ibusa bypass, the Beneku Bridge, and various sections of the Asaba-Ughelli dual carriageway. He highlighted the transformation of the Warri-Effurun corridor with three flyovers and road expansions handled by Julius Berger.
He further noted, “Other roads have been completed within Asaba and the capital territory, while in Delta South, a lot of roads in Warri, Isoko North, and Isoko South have also been completed, while new ones have also been initiated.”
In Delta North, roads such as the Eweshi-Utagba-Uno, Ndemili-Utagba-Uno, Akumazi-Umuocha, and Owere-Olubor roads have either been completed or are ongoing, alongside the Issele-Azagba-Otulu road.
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Focus on Education, Health, and Housing
Aniagwu highlighted achievements in education, including establishing a campus of Southern Delta State University at Orerokpe and introducing a College of Health Sciences at the Ozoro campus. He also mentioned significant upgrades to healthcare facilities, including over 150 primary health centers, general hospitals, and various health colleges.
Regarding housing, he shared details of a pilot project involving 50 housing units across Ozoro, Kwale, and Owa-Oyibu, as well as the construction of eight duplexes for commissioners.
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Economic Diversification and Financial Management
Aniagwu announced a partnership with UTM LNG to utilize the state’s natural gas reserves as part of economic diversification efforts. Additionally, he disclosed that over ₦200 billion had been paid to reduce the state’s debt, with contractors mobilized and outstanding certificates promptly addressed.
The Commissioner concluded, “Governor Oborevwori is committed to revitalizing state-owned broadcast stations in Asaba and Warri. He has directed a comprehensive review of the stations, with a report due within three weeks.”
Aniagwu reaffirmed the governor’s resolve:
“His business, at the moment, is governance, and he is not going to lose sight of it. Every Deltan deserves the dividend of democracy, and that is what he has concerned himself all about.”
* Mulade Calls for Developmental Bonds Amongst Ijaw & Itsekiri Nationalities
By Divine Perezide
A renowned peace and development advocate in the Niger Delta region, Comrade Mulade Sheriff, Ph.D has urged the Ijaw and the Itsekiri ethnic nationalities of Delta State to foster bonds of unity and friendship so as to attract investors to their areas for positive development and growth.
Comrade Mulade, who is the Ibe Serimowei of the ancient Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South-West council area of the State, made the call while speaking to some leaders from the Ijaw and Itsekiri ethnic groups in Warri
The United Nations peace ambassador appealed to the leaders from both ethnic nationalities to embrace peace, to unite, and to let love lead in their collective pursuit for sustainable development, devoid of bias and ethnic supremacy, which he said “is the only way that we can grow and development our areas.”
Speaking further, he sad, “Frankly, we are disgracing ourselves, and it is highly disappointing that many of us are beating the drum of ethnic war for personal interest and recognition.
“Please, we don’t need division, but progressive ties that will attract investors and development to our communities,” he pleaded.
Comrade Mulade further argued that the Ijaws and the Itsekiris contribute so much to the revenues of both the state and the nation, but are not recognised in terms of infrastructure, worsened by the continued state of acrimony.
“It is imperative to state that the Ijaw and Itsekiri areas in Delta State contribute the highest quota in the oil and gas industry as well as the blue economy, but we are deliberately deprived, neglected and shortchanged from development because of ethnic division and hatred amongst ourselves, which has eluded us”, he posited.
“I want to strongly appeal to our revered traditional rulers, political leaders, and stakeholders to allow peace and development thrive”
“We are victims of underdevelopment because of our individual and ethnic pride that is affecting our growth and development. Today, all development efforts are concentrated in the uplands while neglecting the sources of the resources,” he lamented.
By: Prof. Benedict Binebai
One must aver that concerning the Niger Delta, that most vital and economically pulsating hub of Nigeria, the paramount endeavour ought to be the fortification of hope amongst its denizens and the edification of its citizenry. In this vein, the Federal Government has demonstrated sagacity in instituting the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), a most commendable initiative. Moreover, the appointment of a true scion of the region’s struggle, Chief Dr. Dennis Burutu Otuaro, as the administrator of the PAP, bespeaks a discerning choice.
Albeit tumultuous times erstwhile beset the region, there now prevails a relative tranquillity, and the narratives of vision pertaining to the management of funds have resonated with striking efficacy in the ears of the region’s inhabitants. Chief Dr. Dennis Burutu Otuaro, the eminent PAP boss, merits approbation for his stewardship. In a span of less than two years, the felicitous outcomes of the programme, as interpreted and operated by this distinguished gentleman, have been manifestly evident. His tenure has been characterised by an assiduous dedication to fostering peace, stability, and a renaissance of hope in the Niger Delta. The beauty of the programme, as conveyed through his adept administration, has captured the imagination of the region’s populace, engendering a sense of optimism touching upon the prospects for sustainable development and harmonious coexistence.
By: Prof. Benedict Binebai
The Tompolo Model of the Revolution of the Mind is a pivotal framework for empowering the Ijaw nation through a profound and transformative shift in collective consciousness, perception, and thinking. This model, spearheaded by Tompolo, a former militant commander of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), emphasises the empowerment of the Ijaw people to reclaim their identity, challenge oppressive systems, and drive progress through cultural empowerment, self-determination, and adaptive strategies. It involves breaking free from mental constraints imposed by external forces, embracing one’s heritage, and fostering a renewed sense of agency to address challenges and seize opportunities.
The Tompolo Model ignites a revolution of the mind for the Ijaw nation, implying a significant metamorphosis in cognition, perception, and approach to challenges and opportunities amongst the Ijaw people, who predominantly reside in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. With a population of around 15 million, the Ijaw have a distinct culture that includes traditions like returning deceased women to their natal homes for burial and celebrations honouring water spirits. Historically strong in fishing, trading, and water transport within their mangrove forests and creeks, the Ijaw face challenges like environmental degradation from oil spills. The Tompolo Model could catalyse advances in cultural preservation and empowerment, emboldening the Ijaw to embrace their legacy whilst navigating modern exigencies. It could leverage historical strengths in fishing and trading for economic progress in the Niger Delta. It might also nurture efficacious, inclusive governance in the Ijaw’s clan-based polity, where chiefs and elders entwine tradition with democratic tenets. Potential outcomes include enhancement of identity and pride amongst the Ijaw through fortified cultural essence, inciting innovation to surmount challenges like poverty, and espousing sustainable stewardship of the Niger Delta’s natural resources.
Tompolo, through his leadership in the struggle for his people’s emancipation amidst environmental degradation and exploitation by oil companies, has been instrumental in galvanising efforts towards emancipation, cultural empowerment, and sustainable development.
Through cultural risorgimento, political activism, spiritual authenticity, pragmatism, economic empowerment, educational support, historical restoration, and geographical restoration, the Ijaw nation could experience significant progress via the Tompolo Model.
Building bridges across tribe and geography in the Niger Delta could foster inter-tribal cooperation, enhance connectivity within the complex waterways, and promote cultural exchanges for peaceful coexistence and development in the region.
The Tompolo Model of a mind revolution for the Ijaw nation resonates with Frantz Fanon’s concepts of mental decolonisation and liberation through awakened consciousness. Fanon, in his work “The Wretched of the Earth”, emphasised the necessity for colonised peoples to break free from imposed mental frameworks and reclaim their essence, culture, and volition. Similarly, Tompolo’s leadership in advocating for the Niger Delta’s emancipation amidst environmental onslaughts echoes Fanon’s call for a revolution in consciousness to defy oppressive systems. Both visions underscore the importance of reclaiming cultural identity, challenging external domination, and nurturing empowerment through transformed mindset to drive progress and liberation.
Additionally, the theory of *Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed* supports Tompolo’s revolution of the mind. Freire’s work emphasises the importance of critical consciousness and empowerment of marginalised communities through education and collective action. Like Fanon, Freire advocates for breaking free from oppressive structures and fostering a sense of agency among oppressed peoples to drive change. Tompolo’s efforts in empowering the Ijaw people amidst environmental and economic challenges in the Niger Delta align with Freire’s principles of promoting critical awareness, empowerment, and liberation of marginalised communities.
The revolution of the mind is one of the greatest weapons of progress and decolonisation. By transforming collective consciousness and breaking free from mental constraints imposed by external forces, communities like the Ijaw can reclaim their identity, drive self-determined progress, and challenge systems of oppression. This revolution empowers marginalised peoples to assert their agency, nurture cultural pride, and seek sustainable development pathways that align with their values and heritage. In the context of the Tompolo Model, the revolution of the mind stands as a powerful tool for the Ijaw nation to navigate the complexities of modern challenges while staying rooted in their cultural essence.
In conclusion, the Tompolo Model emerges as a potent catalyst for progress, empowerment, and the reclaiming of identity in the Niger Delta. Tompolo’s vision aligns with principles of liberation and self-determination, echoing the transformative ideas of Frantz Fanon and resonating with Paulo Freire’s pedagogy of empowerment. By championing the cause of the Ijaw people and navigating the complexities of tradition and modernity, the Tompolo Model for a mind revolution stands as a powerful framework for transformative change when driven by a commitment to cultural integrity, environmental stewardship, and the empowerment of marginalised communities.