The Sacking of Delta State Commissioner For Works (URBAN & RURAL): It’s incomplete
By Joseph Esivwenughwu
It is on record that the “show of shame” at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) Conference Centre in Effurun, Delta State, allegedly resulting in a violent clash that broke out during a Delta Central All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders’ meeting, is still trending, like the harmattan fire outbreak did not come to me as a surprise. This is so in the sense that, for those who know the poor character and behaviour of most of these Sheriff Oborevwori appointees will support my position, especially those who have tasted their bitter pills. If you meet some of them in functions, filling stations, clubs, churches, market squares, and other public places, you will engage in this dastardly act if you forgot your character at home. The manner they rudely talked to you will leave you wondering if this is the first time Delta State government is appointing people into offices and to worsen the situation, most of them, the appointees causing these troubles and wahala did not work for the candidates that appointed them while those who genuinely sleep outside working day and night for the victory are forgotten in the darkness giving these appointees the fake belief that they can do and undo, no matter what happen, heaven will not fall. I have said it several times that this is the worst set of appointees ever appointed by the state since we brought in the Peoples Democratic Party in 1999.
In functions, once you are offered a seat by your host, if any of them come, the first thing that attracts them is your own seat. A man was telling me a story one day at a party he attended in Ughelli in Delta State. As he was sitting on a chair offered to him by his host, a young man walked to him and ordered him to vacate his seat for him. When he asked why, the young man responded, I am a Special Assistant to the Governor of Delta State.
A few people who came with him were about to push the man from his chair when an elderly man cautioned them to stop the rubbish, but they ignored him.
The man, being a visitor, vacated the seat, and immediately his host saw him standing; he was mad because his friend had travelled all the way from Lagos to attend the party. When the man briefed him on what happened, the host got angry, invited the security men and threw the self-painted-ego appointee out of the hall and warned him to stay away from the ceremony because he was not invited in the first place. For some time now, some of us have refused to attend parties because of these Oborevwori appointees. It is better to stay safe than to go there only to be humiliated, and the outcome of one’s reaction will be too expensive.
Someone wrote, “Your mind is not a dustbin for anger, hatred, and jealousy. It is a treasury designed to store love, joy, peace, and beautiful memories. Guard it carefully, fill it intentionally, and never allow negative emotions to occupy the sacred space meant for your strength, growth, and happiness. Empty the poison, fill it with purpose, love and gratitude”. Now that the matter is in court, I will not speak on it, and it is only the court that can determine what actually happened and who is right or wrong. I recall vividly when the former governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, came to commission the Okuetolor Community Road project, which he awarded and constructed in Okpe Local Government Area of Delta State on 17th October 2017.
There were legions of his appointees on the ground on this day, but if you are not told, you will not know because of their humility and respect for all manner of persons they came across. I am no longer the chairman, having completed my tenure, but on this day, it was an Okowa appointee who called me former Chairman, led the opening prayer and if it were these present appointees, heads and blood would probably have flowed. If such a dastardly act of bloodshed can happen in party gatherings, then something is wrong. There was even an allegation that the supremacy battle between these two men started from their constituency in Ughelli, only to be thrown into the public domain. Is a government appointee a certificate for murder and bloodshed? Go and ask Senator Francis Fadahunsi of APC representing Osun East in the Senate.
About a year ago, I was almost humiliated in Oghara Town along Sapele Road. On this very day, I arrived in Benin City in a passenger seat, heading to Delta State. On getting to the Benin-Sapele Bypass in the evening, I saw two women with heavy loads waiting for a vehicle to Oghara. As the car stopped, I boarded, and one of them begged the driver and promised to pay a higher fare to Oghara, but the driver refused. I pleaded with him, and he told me that Oghara Agberoes would arrest him. I told him to trust me. On reaching Oghara, before the driver could stop a private car from the park, the Agberos blocked us, and the women started begging and crying to no avail. I am an Executive Assistant to the governor was a statement from one of them. I need to be educated on this by Delta State appointees, especially the Personal Assistants, Executive Assistants, Commotion Assistants, Purely Assistants and whatever title they carry on their head that adds no value to the state. It was when I threatened that I would call the Ovie of Oghara that they ran away. I am of the view that Mr Reuben Izeze and Temple Mudi be suspended by the state government pending prosecution by the court. An independent body of enquiry devoid of civil servants and appointees be put in place to investigate, and their recommendations implemented. While this is ongoing, both allowances and other benefits should be cancelled with immediate effect to serve as a deterrent to others still acting thuggery, because thuggery is a character and no matter what happens, it can never wear out for life. I rest my case.
Joseph Esivwenughwu is the former Chairman of Okuetolor Community, Okpe Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria.
