By Austin Ogwuda
IT all started like a child’s play before coming to a boiling point.
A pressure which styled itself as ‘Ozoro Positive Voice’ led by Dr. Enahoro Michael, addressed a press conference a week ago raising the first alarm, followed by the Former Chairman, Isoko North PDP Elders Council, Hon. P. O. Oju who claimed that he narrowly lost his life during the last governorship election as he was soliciting for votes for governor Sheriff Oborevwori.
Then came a one time Chairman of the Delta State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists NUJ and former Secretary to the Delta State Government SSG under Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan’s era, Comrade Ovuozourie Macaulay.
All of them singing the same song – leave our University alone.
Macaulay’s song, maybe with his pedigree as a unionist and a journalist was more frontal, combative you can add aggressive.
Hear him: “Signing out the Administration and Management Faculties from the University and moved to Orerokpe, to be known as Delta State University of Science and Technology, Orerokpe Campus is an invitation to ethnic crisis.
“The decision to dismember our Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro is an assault on our common sensibilities. This will adversely affect and have incalculable damage on students of the university.
“If you want to destroy a nation, you don’t need bayonet, bombs or nuclear warheads. All you need is to destroy the education of the nation. This act is capable of destroying the education of the students of the university. No one should play politics with the future of our children with this act of favouritism.
“It will be better to reverse the institution back to it original status as a polytechnic than turning it into a glorified University that will not provide the expected benefits to the people”, he thundered.
While the media went to town with the raging controversy, neither the State Commissioner for Information, Dr Ifeanyi Osuoza nor the governor’s Chief Press Secretary CPS, Sir Festus Ahon uttered a word, unknown to The Townhall that brainstorming on how to counter the alarm/misgiving/apprehension was at the board room level.
Then came the shocker convincing enough to calm frayed nerves as suddenly, a group of traditional rulers and leaders from Isoko led by Professor Chris Akpotu, who is the President of Isoko Development Union, IDU, considered it the ‘right time’ to pay the governor solidarity visit at Government House Asaba despite the cacophony from Macaulay and co.
Having sold the dummy that there was no cause for alarm, their host, the executive Governor of Delta State, Rt. Hon Sheriff Oborevwori told them that the National Universities Commission, (NUC) has approved the establishment of three more Faculties for the University.
He was however silent over the planned relocation of some Faculties of the University to Orerokpe.
According to him, “I appreciate this visit because it is long overdue. I know the support that you people gave to me and I made some promises that I am still keeping till today. The Chief of Staff was the first person I appointed from Isoko nation. I have given key appointments to the Isoko nation.
“I am happy that you have come to congratulate me on our victory at the Supreme Court. You have also come with some requests. I have taken note of all the requests you made. Like I promised, I am going to be Governor for all Deltans and I am doing just that.
“We are doing our best. If you drive through the Oleh Roundabout, you will smile because it has changed. We need unity and peace in Delta State”, while assuring that he would not do anything to undermine the Isoko people, especially in the area of education.
He said the three new Faculties approved by the NUC for the University reflected his desire to ensure that Isoko nation continued to enjoy a pride of place in the delivery of his administration’s MORE Agenda.
But ironically, barely few hours, after that Asaba delegation returned to base, protest spontaneously erupted in Isoko.
That was when the Information Commissioner released his arsenal on the matter.
The press statement personal signed by him was direct message, a clear response to the discordant tunes over the University relocation palaver, especially coming from Macaulay who alluded to the fact that it was an invitation to ethnic crisis.
Strong words from Macaulay, strong words from Information Commissioner too.
His words: “It has come to the attention of His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Sheriff F. O. Oborevwori, and the Delta State Government that a protest, purportedly sponsored and coordinated by certain anti-progressive elements, was organized in Isokoland ostensibly to express discontent over the erroneous narrative that the Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro, was going to be relocated elsewhere.
“This narrative is not only dangerously misleading, it is also deviously manipulated misinformation and negative propaganda, fueled by known political detractors to achieve selfish political gains.
“The Delta State Government is deeply saddened and disappointed that such a display of public discontent was allowed to take place, even after a very fruitful, cordial, and hugely successful meeting with His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori and the leaders of the recognized umbrella body of Isoko nation, the Isoko Development Union, IDU, led by its President, Professor Chris Akpotu, where they were informed of the very positive initiatives and progressive strides towards strengthening and consolidating the academic and educational standard of the Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro.
“The sponsored protest is uncalled for after the successful meeting with His Excellency, the Governor.
“For the avoidance of doubts and to set the records straight, the Delta State University of Science and Technology is NOT being relocated and HAS NOT BEEN RELOCATED.
“Again, the State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, confirmed to the delegation of leaders and traditional rulers from Isoko nation, that the National Universities Commission (NUC), has approved the establishment of the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Pharmacy and Health Sciences for the Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro.
“This is indeed a tremendous academic achievement and masterstroke of immense proportion, for a specialized Institution of Higher learning like the Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro which is wholly conceived, designed, and structured specifically to train and produce graduate students in the area of Science and Technology.
“We want to assure the good people of Isoko nation that His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Sheriff F.O Oborevwori would not do anything directly or remotely and for very obvious and personal reasons, to undermine the Isoko people, especially in the area of education.
“Deltans are therefore called upon to be wary of elements who don’t mean well but hell-bent on spinning half-truths and deceptive information just to cause confusion and disaffection against the administration of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and his well-laid-out MORE Agenda”.
In the local parlance can this be said to be fire for fire?
While pondering, this Isoko University matter can’t be forgotten in a hurry as the first litmus for Osuoza since he came into the saddle as the Information Commissioner.
