By Zik Gbemre

Despite our advice that the Delta State Government should immortalize late Olorogun (Senator) Felix Ovuodoroye Ibru, CON, whose funeral rites started on Wednesday, July 27, 2016 and to end on Sunday, August 7, 2016, by naming the Delta State University after him, it is appalling to note that all that the Delta State Government could do was to have the Delta State Secretariat Complex in Asaba, and the Senate building of the Delta State University, Abraka, named after Felix Ibru.

Late Senator Felix Ibru.

Why name just a building in the Delta State University after Felix Ibru instead of naming the whole institution after him? For someone who had established the said University, and was also the first elected Executive Governor of Delta State, Olorogun (Senator) Felix Ovuodoroye Ibru deserves nothing less than having his name and legacy immortalised by naming the ‘entire’ Delta State University after him. If the Delta State Government can name just a building in the State University after Felix Ibru, why not name the whole school after him, especially when we consider the fact that he was the one that founded the said University in the first place.

It simply does not make sense. What does it take for the Delta State Government to do this? Practically nothing! Others like late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello, etc, have higher Institutions they founded named after them to properly immortalize their names and legacies. Why should that of Delta State late heroe be different? Why should the Delta State Government deny the people of having one of their exceptional sons, in person of late Olorogun (Senator) Felix Ovuodoroye Ibru, of having his name immortalized like others who founded higher Institutions in their States? Renaming the Delta State Secretariat and a supposed Senate building in the Delta State University does not make the expected impact, or do justice to having the name of Felix Ibru immortalized in the annals of history.

This is the same person who was also the one that designed the Master Plans of the major cities in Delta State, including the State Capital Asaba, because he was an exceptional Architect as well. He surely deserved having his name immortalized by naming the ‘entire’ Delta State University after him.

This would have been the best parting gift the Delta State Government could have given the Ibru Family and Deltans. But for not doing so, it clearly suggests that Governor Ifeanyi Okowa is a very ‘tribalistic governor’, who is not interested in doing anything that would uplift the outlook of other tribes in Delta State other than his own people. And this is rather unfortunate.

Zik Gbemre, JP.

National Coordinator

Niger Delta Peace Coalition (NDPC)