The Urhobos who are the majority tribe in Delta State can be said to be one of the most gifted people in the world. When people say Warri nor dey carry last, they are actually talking about the average Urhobo boy or girl. From actor par excellence Richard Mofe-Damijo to the godfather of Comedy Alibaba and one of the world’s most creative artists – Bruce Onobrakpeya, the Urhobos continues to be the primus inter pares in many fields of endeavor. In sports, from Africa’s fastest woman and Guinness Book of Record holder Blessing Okagbare to the most feared boxer in the world – Efe Ajagba, the Urhobos are world-class in whatever they venture into. In finance, the late Senator David Dafinone’s family are Guinness Book record holders in accountancy. In scientific achievements, Brigadier General Otuanovwe Ovadje holds some of Nigeria’s most celebrated indigenous achievements. Yet, James Ibori continues to dictate the political trajectory that has made Delta State one of the most underdeveloped states in Nigeria if you take Delta State monthly federal allocation into consideration since the legislation of the 13% derivation allocation that was ironically spearheaded by Ibori. After Ibori fed himself full to the brim, he invited his cousin to continue from where he stopped. His cousin Emmanuel Uduaghan upgraded governmental thievery to another level. Where Ibori could be credited with some projects, Emmanuel Uduaghan has nothing to show but took the loans that allegedly ended up in his accounts and that of his cronies.

The Urhobos always site their towns and villages where there is enough land for farming and water for fishing. This singular requirement has made Urhoboland to be one of the most habitable places in the past. It has also encouraged the location of key national assets in Urhoboland. Sapele and Ughelli have enough installed power generation capacities from the power generating stations in their domain to power the whole Niger Delta, yet the local government area where these infrastructures are located suffer untold hardship because of partial or total power blackout in many communities. Notwithstanding, Ibori and his boys who have been running the state for the last two decades enjoy constant power supply wherever they are located within the state. It got so bad that when Uduaghan was leaving office, the power generators powering the streetlights from the entrance of Asaba to its exit were rumored to be removed by Mrs. Uduaghan who was alleged to be the contractor responsible for powering the street lights. After Uduaghan filled himself to obesity, he handed the baton of self-enrichment to his medical colleague Ifeanyi Okowa who has not disappointed his mentors in their drive to impoverish the state with misappropriation and suffocating loans.

Electioneering has stated and one of the most useless senators in Nigeria, the 4-time senator representing Delta South senatorial districts – James Manager has visited Ibori kneeling on both knees with the kind of humility reserved for Urhobo monarchies alone. For those in doubt about the outcome of this visit thinking Ibori cannot help to crown someone like James Manager, you will be shocked. James Manager and James Ibori do not only share first names, they also share a longevity streak that is sustained by forming political alliances at the detriment of the people. Ibori is arguably second only to Bola Tinubu in getting royalties from his hand-picked successors. The spate of kidnapping and other criminality in Delta State that has worsened the relocation of businesses would not influence Ibori to help to enthrone someone with the competence to help Delta State reverse this trend which he helped to reverse in his hometown – Oghara. Ibori values his political relevance or godfather status than the overall peace and prosperity of Deltans. What happened to Olusegun Obasanjo with regards to Buhari and what is happening to Igbo political godfathers might happen to Ibori because James Manager’s humility is influenced by his gubernatorial ambition. My prayer is that something should happen that will dethrone all the evil and unreasonable men in Delta State and Nigeria that would enable Deltans and Nigerians to enjoy peace, prosperity, and progress.

Ata Ukuta, Editor – www.towncryyers.com