Little things matter, that was what I re-learned from an interaction with the Women Wing of my political organ, Fred Edoreh Vanguard, when, above all things else, they requested me to provide them with cassava stems for planting.
What was it about cassava stems? The recent flood had forced them to harvest their crops premature and the stems from the forced harvest were not good for planting. Worse was that the flood was wide and various riverine areas suffered the same fate. Consequently, cassava stems became not only very expensive for a people just back from displacement by the flood but also very scarce to find.
I understood that if they do not get enough cassava stems to plant this season, it will be famine next season.
My initial reaction was to put some money together and provide for my women but, seeing that it was a general problem, I had to consider providing for the whole community.
Not having such resources, I cried to my friends in Delta Government and the leadership of our party, the PDP.
Somehow, my worry got to the ears of Gov Okowa and he took it not just seriously but personal. The outcome was the provision of five lorries of cassava stems for my community women.
I couldn’t believe the excitement, joy and happiness that seized Umeh when the first three lorries arrived. It was even so when the last two lorries arrived.
It’s Christmas, people in other climes are celebrating gifts of bags of rice, my community is celebrating the provision of cassava stems.
I give the glory to God and I thank Gov Okowa and our PDP family for listening, loving and caring for our farmers.
I sincerely appreciate my big brother and friend, Hon Kingsley Emu , for always being there for me; Chief Joe Arausi , my Isoko South leader, for standing gidigba by me; Bashorun Askia Ogieh , for guiding me on sourcing the stems; and the Ododo of Umeh Kingdom, Chief Afahokor Akpovienehe Duncan , for always partnering me on various causes.
I thank my friends in Umutu, Monday Ossai, alias “Ogbe ishi” (Big head) and former Chairman of the PDP in Ukwani, Drisia Peter and Brother Basil, for hosting me and taking me through remote villages to source high yield stems and also coordinating the purchase, loading and transportation.
Big kudos to the coordinator of Fred Edoreh Vanguard, Murphy Urute, for walking the distance with me.
I am happy because the women of my community are happy with cassava stems for Christmas.
Make una chop una turkey, we dey plant our cassava….
Fred Edoreh wrote from Umeh, in Isolo South of Delta State