By Grade-One Clark
The 8 years Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa saddled the affairs of Delta State were hell in the midst of plenty in the life of the people. Everything he did was self serving, plunging the state into huge debts. He reduced the people to mere zombies, even those serving in his government were not spared, yet sycophants sang his praise. Okowa has no scruples, he is in the commanding heights, and Delta is his foot stool. He had no reason to aspire for governor than to enrich himself and dominate the life and resources of the people. Even at the point of departure, he has it in mind to strengthen his hold on power, through imposing his minion, Sheriff Oborevwori, on the state. An unimaginable audacity, I may say.
Dr. Okowa has no shame, on national TV, he told Nigerians the presidential poll of last Saturday was rigged in favour of the APC. But he forgot how he sat in his office in Asaba to write local government election results, enabling his lackeys and thugs a reign of terror and impudence at the 3rd tier of government. Those who bite opponents during a fight are usually very afraid of being bitten. He had his rendezvous with destiny last Saturday, the 25th of February, 2023, and lost his polling unit and the two Ika LGAs, to the youths of Obidient. Thumb printed ballots his thugs snatched to reduce Obi’s votes were found near a farm close to his house in the village. The defeat took the wind off his sails, causing him serious worries and depression.
Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori mustn’t develop hypertension over the probable outcome of the governorship poll of 11th March, he should have by now figured out he will lose woefully. People close to Sheriff, say, he is a nice guy, but I don’t know him that much, except for a one chance meeting in 1996. Evil communications, they say, corrupt good manners. Sheriff has been a close associate of Okowa, and this must have rubbed off on him, tainting whatever shred of goodness he had left. Stories from the two communities Sheriff had lived before venturing into politics and moved to Asaba are not pleasant. They are tales of arm twisting, violence, thuggery and extortion of hapless citizens. Why he thinks those he punished and ripped off will suddenly forget the past and vote for him to become governor beats the imagination.
It is said of him, that he took lands belonging to weak families in Osubi forcefully, and sold them for his luxury living. In Effurun where he was born and raised, he was a known racketeer. It was him that introduced the obnoxious dèvè culture, a mechanism for the extortion of innocent citizens. Sheriff horned his street toughness and machiavellianism to perfection before chancing upon Ifeanyi Okowa. He is in love men with such traits, he needed them to help him strengthen his hold on power. It is incredible that this roughneck wants to be our state governor. Have we so degenerated to reduced our values and worth to endorse a thug for governor? No!
The background of Okowa as a medical doctor made us lower our guards, and trust him in 2015. He turned out to be a vicious hypocrite, a very greedy fellow. The pains he made us go through were unexpected. He wanted to be the Deltan lord of the manor, a medieval portentate of the dark ages. If a man so well imbibed in medical ethics could take us through this tortuous path, what do we then expect of a street thug? Your guess is as good as mine. Hell will be a cooler place. People reform and become decent, but I doubt this of Sheriff. You can’t dine with the devil everyday and remain virtuous. Sheriff has been around Okowa too long to be entrusted with our patrimony.
He will appropriate them and gladly share with his mentor, Gov. Okowa, and dare the rest of us to do our worse. The leopard never changes its spots, neither is it easy to learn to become left handed in old age. Sheriff is already set in his ways. Nothing can change him. Even at that, if he by chance becomes governor, how will he cope with the task of sieving through documents? He is hardly schooled enough to run a state. Maybe he could be tried with a local government. He knows he is not sufficiently prepared for the job he soughts. His limitations are very glaring, both in speech and composure.
Gov. Okowa only wants him for two reasons. Firstly, to keep his plunder of state resources away from public scrutiny, so that he may not be prosecuted. Secondly, so that Sheriff takes the monthly state balance sheet to him to dip his fingers into, and take what he deems okay. Deltans must ensure this must not happen. Okowa’s ghost must not be allowed to hover over the affairs of Delta State after his departure, it must be laid to rest once and for all, by the rejection of Sheriff Oborevwori, at the polls of Saturday 11th March, 2023.
The Obarisi of Urhobo Land, and now Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo Agege, remains the only credible choice. His achievements in so short a time in the red chamber are testimonial of his competence and ability to do the job. Deltans should exercise their franchise for the Obarisi and the goodness of our state.
Grade one Clark
Wrote from Kiagbodo
03/03/2023