By Austin Ogwuda
OVER three decades ago, precisely August 1991, Delta State was among the States created by the then Military Government of General Ibrahim Babangida.
The oil rich Delta State was carved out of the defunct Bendel State made up of Edo and Delta. Ever since the creation with the siting of the Capital at Asaba, arose frayed nerves in some quarters challenging the rationale behind Asaba chosen as the Capital city. It raised a lot of dust but with time eased off.
Then came on Wednesday this week when the Asaba community decided to accord one of their illustrious daughters an honour late Maryam Babangida, wife of General Ibrahim Babangida (IBB) by commemorating her 76th birth anniversary post-humously.
The Commemoration Committee was chaired by the Member representing Oshimili South Constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Bridget Anyafulu.
As part of the activities lined up for a week-long event was a media parley.At that parley came the stirring up of the hornet nest as the former Head of Service in the defunct Bendel State who is the Iyase of Ahaba (Prime Minister) spoke thus: “When we were agitating for the creation of Delta state, we could not agree on the location of the state capital.
We decided to leave it for the then Military President. A delegation was sent to Abuja to meet Babangida.
We also decided to meet our daughter and talked to her about making Asaba the capital of the new State. We begged her that one of her great achievements should be to make Asaba the capital of Delta State. She smiled and we left.
After a while Babangida announced Asaba as the State capital. We believed it was our daughter’s influence that decision. Some said it was the handiwork of God but we believed it was our daughter that caused it to happen. We pray history will be kind to her”, stated Onyeobi, who represented the Asagba of Asaba, Obi Prof Chike Edozien.
Since the above revelation was published and went viral, The Town Hall Media has been inundated with several reactions, some said “it was an inlaw gift” and so many postulations.
For want of space and in line with the avowed principle of The Town Hall Media to hear all sides of the divide, here are some of the reactions, hereby reproduced verbatim.
*First to react was a former member of the Delta State House of Assembly Hon. Dr. Barrister (Alaowei) Ayibatonye Timi.
Hear him: “Asaba has come to stay as the capital of Delta. If the question was if Asaba is central enough to host the headquarters? The answer is No. Has Asaba been accepted as the headquarters? What other choices are available?
Member of the Federal House of Representatives, representing Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency, Rt. Hon Ngozi Okolie reacts:
“When Asaba was the Headquarters of Niger Royal Company (the company that established Nigeria) was it also an in-law’s gift?
Asaba is a blessed land and will always attract favour and blessings. Just go around and count how many people Asaba has blessed financially and politically since 1999. You will agree the town is truly blessed.
That our sister and daughter was married to the then Head of State was enough pride for us. Any other thing added was just what we call in local parlance “JARA”.
Maryam Babangida assisted a lot of others to get her husband’s attention to their plight. She was just a very nice and humane person. May the ALMIGHTY find a very perfect place for her rest”.
*Barrister Ikimi Oghenejabor, Centre for the Vulnerable and the Underprivileged (CENTREP) has this to say:
“The Midwest Region was made up of the old Benin province and the old Delta province. Asaba was under the old Benin province. So when Asaba was made the capital of Delta State those of us in former Delta province were annoyed.
When the Presidency then was accused of gifting his inlaws with Asaba capital same was denied vehemently by the military junta.
Despite the denial there was bad blood all over the State. Thank God we have overcome that prejudice. All that is now in the past. Asaba has come to stay. It’s good to have good inlaws. That’s the lesson to be learnt here. May Maryam Babangida continue to rest in peace. Amen”.
