By Justice Iyasere
When death struck on Sunday June 30, 2013 taking away our amiable and most distinguished Senator Akpor Pius Ewherido, we thought the pains and tears will go after a few months. But Ewherido’s death has continued to break hearts to shreds, ravage homes and make more people cry. The other day, I got a call from one of the beneficiaries of Ewherido’s scholarship programme. My caller was obviously in tears, deploring her miserable destiny in having to lose her pillar of support when things could have been more bearable were the senator to be alive. One year after he passed on, many people still have cause to say ‘’How I wish Ewherido were around’’. Considering his amiable, warm and lively personality, one can immagine what the immediate family particularly his adorable young wife, Doye may have passed through in the past 12 months. The children are still very young, the youngest even too young to come to term with what has hit them. His aged mother, Paulina would have wished to go in place of her beloved son if it were possible. One year is gone by and it seems as fresh as yesterday.
If tears could raise the dead, Ewherido would have been alive today. Some people, we learnt died of broken heartedness because Pius was simply too nice to go just the way he left. He left without saying good bye. His was one death that shook the nation to its roots. My colleagues in the senate press corps described Ewherido’s death as the most shocking of death since after the death of Senator Chuba Okadigbo. The tributes that poured in during the burial said it all. Urhobo lost a great star, a rare gem indeed.
Because of Pius Ewherido’s death, many people have decided to quit politics. He was the icing in their political journey. He gave hope to the hopeless and matched his promises with actions to instil confidence in followers. Some people said he over worked himself to serve and please the people who voted him. But something must be understood, Pius Ewherido’s election was one election that could not be attributed to the magic wand of some political heavyweights or godfathers. His was one of the most popular mandates ever in the history of Delta state. No directive from anywhere gave him edge over his opponents. He derived his mandate completely from the people. So in order to appreciate the people who stood firmly against political lions in the field, Ewherido opened his doors wide for all to access him. He gave 20 hours a day in the service of the people. There was no man or woman who wanted to see Ewherido that he did not have time for. Like I wrote during his burial in July last year: Where and when do we find another Pius Ewherido?
This is the question that has continued to burst open my tears bud, forcing me to think and ponder on the state of the Urhobo nation. Here was a man who instituted the annual Urhobo language Competition to encourage the spoken and written language. The competition was to hold in October last year. That project is no more. Where do we find another Pius Ewherido? He assured the Department of Languages at DELSU Abraka of his commitment towards the project of listing Urhobo language as a subject In WASC examination. His death must have constituted a huge set-back to this project. Where do we find another Ewherido? Why is death so cruel and heartless? His political family is now in disarray without a clear leader on the way forward. As I write, I can feel the pains in the heart of our leaders like Olorogun Adelabu Bodjor, Dr Lucky Otegheri, Chief Henry Olori and a host of others who worked so hard to build the family. They gave their all to the struggle and here they are, fighting hard today to start afresh. Ewherido’s death took the process of restoring genuine democracy in Delta State many years backward. A deep hole is in the heart of many. The wound has refused to heal and may not be healed for many years to come.
God who allowed this to happen to Urhobo at this critical moment is not ignorant of our pains. We prayed, we fasted, many people held all-night prayer sessions for God to intervene to no avail. Life is so very unfair, so unfair. Ewherido is gone, and gone with him are his lofty ideas and plans to move Delta State forward. He came, he toiled, he made good use of his time and resources, he gave a good account of himself and left a good name behind that will continue to open doors for his family in Nigeria. He was a good man, nice to all, a cheerful leader in a class of his own, always seeking the good of his people, a true voice of the Urhobo nation, a strong advocate of the interests of the Urhobo nation, an irrepressible defender of Urhobo in the senate, a lone voice that shone brighter than a thousand legislative lights, his name was Akpor Pius Ewherido. He was senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at the young age of 48. He was going places, bound for the top, aiming at the cherished prize of Urhobo political honour, Oh Ewherido! He died! The man died! Oh, What a loss! Where do we find another Ewherido! He gave fresh meaning to the concept of representative governance, making people to understand that a senator can still empower all because he wanted to spread the joy of political dividend to as many as possible. Where do we find another Ewherido?
As we remember this political icon and leader of men, permit me to refresh our memories about his favourite traditional gospel song. He was always singing this popular and favourite gospel tune which when played put many minds at rest that he was leading according to divine mandate to the desired destination. The song is:
Jesu ye Olori r’Oko
We j’Udu r’ovwan vwan to to.
Osua Avwanre te Unu’erhuru
We j’Udu r’ovwan vwan to to.
Ovwan br’Udu-u, Ovwan vwan ghogho
Fiki ri Jesu oyo lori r’oko
Osua avwanre te unu erhuru
We j’Udu rovwa vwan to to.
This is translated to mean:
Jesus is the pilot of the boat
Let not your heart be troubled
He will lead us to the desired shore
Let not your hearts be troubled.
Do not be afraid, but rejoice.
Because, Jesus is the pilot of the boat
Let not your heart be troubled.
This certainly is not the destination my late boss envisaged when he gave us this song. He had very noble ideas and dreams for the future. All that have been cut short. But will his many dreams die with him? Who will come to re-echo the wonders of the Ewherido’s magic in the senate? Who will come to re-enact the Okadigbo’s charm as a senator which Ewherido demonstrated in his political performance on the floor of the senate?
One thing I pray every day is for someone to rise to endow the Senator Pius Ewherido Memorial Urhobo Language Competition in memory of this amiable senator. This was a project that was so dear to Ewherido. This dream should not die. Many others of his political visions should be promoted in his memory. One of his bills, Corporate Manslaughter Bill, which scales second reading on the floor of the senate in February last year is almost being forgotten. This bill should not die. The man had four bills standing to his credit as at when he died last year while there are senators who have spent 8 years in the senate without sponsoring one bill. In just two years, he made an impact. He was gold to his colleagues. I pray that those who loved and still love Ewherido will one day raise fund to endow a fund in his memory. Let those politicians he helped to rise in life think in this direction. Ewherido may be dead. But his visions and dreams for Urhobo should not die with him. Adieu, Pius Ewherido! Adieu, my boss!! Adieu Gogorogo!!!
Mr Justice Irikefe Iyasere was Media Assistant to the Late Senator Pius Ewherido.
