By Ena OFUGARA
John 11:35 Jesus Wept
James was running for Governor. The elites, including the Edewors, Ibrus, et al had chosen Engineer Kragha, a known institutionalist. My family is close to the Ofotokuns, a ruliing family of Oghara, resident in Sapele. The day James Ibori came to see Gabriel Ofortokun, (something they may deny) Gabriel looked out his window and said he was not home.
And that was how James Ibori decided to go with the STREETS over the elites. It was BRUTE FORCE over the panache and sophistication of the elites. And with that, the elites were pushed from power and the STREETS came to occupy OFFICES.
And Ibori, unlike Tinubu, decided to throw his weight behind …….. While Tinubu allows the MC Oluomos to have a role in politics but not in offices, Ibori brought KAKISTOCRACY (government of the worst) to Delta State. Those we used to FEAR growing up became the new elites. And 13 percent derivation and loans now found their way to the pockets of these individuals. And so the PROLETARIAT became the bourgeoisie and vice versa. Houses owned by these moderate middle-class families have been bought and bulldozed to make room for hotel and hotels and hotels.
Now, these elites may not have been themselves educated. Chief Oghene, the Eni of Okpe was not educated. But he valued education and refinement. He called my father as a young principal who had returned his suitcase to him as he forgot it at Sapele Athletic Club, and told him “You are a honest young man. School principal? Do you have your own house? I have this land. Bring so and so money and take it. Build your house.”. This Chief Oghene built Okpe Grammar school that has produced many many great men.
Chief Okotie Eboh… his gift to Nnamdi Azikiwe was a school called Zik Grammar school. He built Academicals now called Okotie Eboh Grammar School. Primary schools too were built by him. There is an Itsekiri community near Ogorode. They have had constant light for over forty years, no power failure. IT IS A VILLAGE. Okotie Eboh amd Rewane did not take all of the moneys from these companies or frighten them away. Even when Okotie Eboh built a CHURCH, he donated it to Baptist church. It had and still has one of the most beautiful PIPE ORGANS in Africa.
Today, the set of millionaires and politicians built and empowered by Ibori are taking schools from the community. While Okotie Eboh will have made over 1000 men whose intellect as doctors, lawyers, engineers etc are foundation for society’s development and saviours of pregnant women (Dr Henry Cummings Dr Bemigho Ayo Odonmeta, Dr Bamidele Betiku and Dr Godswill Ofualagba are just a few of the 1992 and 1993 set of Okotie Grammar school that a chief of THE OLD ERA’s investment and RESPONSIBILITY has produced. @Bemigho Ayo is among those keeping my father alive
Again, today’s politicians buy up schools donated to government by COMMUNITIES OF OLD and flog students out of class, maybe to build A HOTEL. The rubber factories and industries are gone. Okotie Eboh established a company that made army boots and shoes to rival Bata and Leventis. The IBORI BILLIONAIRES buy up houses and make them HOTELS
“EGBE WEDGERS” that used to back intellectuals to offices, now intellectuals back Egbe Wedgers to office”
“Street credibility” that was left in the street is now going to the Senate and to Asaba.
Tinubu, Adedibu, Obasanjo and other godfathers throw up the creme de la creme and have EGBE WEDGERS back them up. Kabasa abi Iskabar is not running for governor of Edo state. Obaseki is governor, and will hand over to another person of culture and refinement and morally proveable education credentials.
And Ibori then, maybe repentant, brings forward a refined David Edevbie. A man whose antecedents is not “money lender” and brute force collector. And the STREET Ibori has empowered SWALLOWED UP his candidate.
And Okowa is accomplice. Look who he…..
How can we tell our younger ones that EDUCATION NO BE SCAM ? Why will they go to school when they can be MUSCLE IN THE STREETS and later, while now wealthy, “attend” Abraka and Ekpoma and become Senator and Governor after being SPEAKER?
Ask the last speakers of Delta state house of Assembly to come and SPEAK freely for ten minutes. Try it if you will not weep for the STATE of our STATE.
As easily as Okotie Eboh and Chief Oghene’s investment in education and industry has produced great people, so will what Ibori has done bear “FRUIT” seventy years from now.
I have called zero names, but Deltans, let your consciences judge you. Let it judge you as you VOTE AGAINST YOUR CHILDREN AND THEIR EDUCATION AND BETTERMENt.
Name the schools and hospitals and industries built by Ibori’s billionaires. Those who even bully and extort companies that try to come here to Delta are the ones we are handing the state to.
I have called no names. But I know the scriptue which says….
John 11:35 Jesus Wept