By Austin Ogwuda
THE name Ifeanyi Okowa has gone down into annals of political history and therefore, doesn’t need introduction.
The Ika-born politician, after serving two terms as governor of the oil rich Delta State bowed out on the 29th of May this year, paving way for his successor, his preferred candidate, The Rt.Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori to mount the stage.
Since his exit Okowa, having lost his immunity has been pummelled left, right and centre.
The Asaba Correspondents’ chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ in Delta State fired the first salvo.
They collectively rose up in arms accusing the media handlers of Okowa of denying them the opportunity to partake in the juicy ‘parting gift’ Okowa showered at the eleventh hour before he exited.
The aggrieved journalists banned members from giving him press coverage aimed at laundering his image or furthering his political journey.
Followed by a strong worded petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC by the PANDEF leader, Elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, calling for his arrest and interrogation over alleged plundering of the State’s resources especially the humongous amount that accrued as revenue from the 13 percent Derivation fund to the State.
Not to talk about other pockets of protests, petitions, name calling and accusation of allegedly trying to run a third term by proxy.
Immediate past State Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu had continued to stand up strongly in defence of his former boss, Okowa against the heaping allegations, dismissing them one by one.
Aniagwu said that the accusing fingers were unwarranted, spurious and handiwork of those he described as ‘failed politicians’ and opposition camps.
Well, since the mandate of The Town Hall is to remain objective, apolytical this reporter is not in a position to pass judgment.
The purpose of this write up is to mirror how Okowa, who will turn 64 on Saturday this week, will celebrate it.
This is the first birthday to be celebrated since he vacated Government House Asaba.
Fire brand Media guru, Reuben Abati once told the public that immediately he stepped out of Aso Rock, his phone stopped ringing.
A clear message that life is transient, a lesson for everyone and especially power drunk politicians.
So out of office, how is Okowa celebrating the Saturday’s birthday?
If I am privileged to propose the toast that day, definitely after the hip, hip..hip hurrah, I will not off the mic as I would want to pose these questions to him publicly.
“Sir, your excellency please is it true as being speculated that you are pulling the strings behind, in your determined quest to do another term, called the third term?
And how do you feel that foundation members you joined hands with to form the ruling People’s Democratic Party have left the fold under your very watch?
It is also important to remind him that great men are wise enough to know when to quit the stage.
The great legend, Nelson Mandela from the outset was committed to serve only one term as President and did just that in 1999 when he stepped down, retired peacefully from active politics in South Africa.
One term only, he was done!
Without prejudice, I strongly recommend such a selfless commitment to his people after years of languishing in prison for the much fought liberation struggle in South Africa to others.
Can this be emulated by our politicians especially here in Nigeria, including my lovely immediate past Governor Okowa and others?
… Okowa legacy projects
To say Okowa didn’t leave footprints behind will amount to being unfair, unjust and bias.
Whilst these monies he spent on behalf of the people were not from his personal pocket and since I am not here to audit the same, it is important to point out some positive impacts registered during his tenure.
Billions of naira which the State government hitherto spent annually in renting office accommodation stopped during his time.
Kudos!
Today, civil servants operate under one roof, a modern edifice known as Prof. Chike Edozien Secretariat equipped with uninterrupted power supply in their offices through an independent power initiative.
That was indeed, jinx breaking.
Another is the free flow of traffic at the busy Koka/Ibusa Road Junction in Asaba with the construction of flyover.
Initiation of different skill acquisition/ empowerment schemes was another milestone even though they attracted media hype than the actual empowerment on the ground. It was however a plus because many down trodden were lifted to become financially independent among other infrastructural provisions.
Peace, was also recorded to an extent in the State under his watch.
…..Okowa, the man Ibori will not forget in a hurry
At 64, Okowa is still young and vibrant and can still dream bigger again.
Since he lost his ambition to become the Number 2 man in the country, no thanks to the former Rivers State Governor and his collaborators coupled with the tsunami occasioned by the ‘Obidient’ movement leading to the trouncing of PDP by the Labour Party in Delta during the presidential election, Okowa has not fully recovered.
The Town Hall gathered that after the defeat he remained incommunicado for days.
Continuing with the birthday toast, yours sincerely will again ask him another question, how does he feel that his political god father, Chief James Onanefe Ibori who appointed him Commissioner is not seated beside him, including the likes of Senator James Manager, David Edevbie, O. Macaulay, Paulinus Akpeki and several other compatriots/ big wig politicians now on the other side of the divide.
Recall that Okowa for the first time broke silence and gave reason on why he fell out with Ibori, his former ‘oga’, the ogidigboigbo shortly after he exited as governor and decided to open up.
Hear him, “we went into the primaries not agreeing on the same candidate, we talked about it but he (Ibori) did not want to shift ground on his candidate. That’s the truth and I did not agree with that candidate for basic reasons which I made clear enough to him and also to his own candidate.
“I did not hide it. David Edevbie is my friend. We were with the former governor in his tenure together as commissioners, but in 2014, when it became obvious that it was the turn of the Delta North — Delta Central and Delta South had had their turns — I heard that David was going to run and he was indicating interest.
“I went from Abuja with three of my friends to visit him in Lagos and I said ‘David, please, it’s only fair, I know that there are so many people competing but I am coming to you as a friend. It will not be fair if you run. Governor James Ibori has been there, Governor Uduaghan has been there, it is obviously the turn of the Delta
North.
“Why don’t you allow us to have our space so that we can all be said to be part of the state? Thereafter, we can all work for you to become governor’.
“And at the end, he said ‘I will not run anymore, I will support you’. I thanked him and left back to Abuja”.
Okowa’s anger understandably, was that Edevbie later reneged and continued to pursue that governorship ambition when it was really the turn of the Delta North people.
Was David Edevbie right?
Was Okowa right to continue to ask for a pound of flesh?
Can die-hard Ibori loyalists ever forgive Okowa for dismantling the Ibori dynasty to set up his own, using the power of incumbency as the magic wand to retire Ibori as political god father in Delta, a feat achieved in Edo, the neighbouring State?
While you ponder, let this Reporter be the first person to wish the ‘Ekwueme’ happy 64 cheers.