Olorogun Daniel Ighedo is a prominent chief in Uvwie kingdom, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State. In this interview with Francis Sadhere, he speaks on burning issues concerning the kingdom, how Governor Ifeany Okowa was able to restore peace to the area, youth restiveness and other issues. Excerpts:
Please tell us your name sir.
My name is Olorogun Daniel Ighedo, the Ugherughen of Urhobo land. I am an industrialist and I have worked in various oil firms. During those times that I worked as an industrialist, I have been able to bring different empowerment Programmes into Uvwie Council Area.
So far, how will you assess the administration of governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State?
I really do not know what to say because from what I have seen so far, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa is like a God-sent to Delta State. For the first time in the history of this state, we are seeing the handiwork of government. Despite the recession being faced in the country, Governor Okowa has been able to manage the little resources coming to the state. You can see the sign of government in the various youth empowerment programmes all over the state. You can also see a lot of roads being rehabilitated even during the raining season. Take for example, in my local council area, there were some very bad roads that made life very difficult for motorists. Take a look at the road leading to Niger Cat Company for instance. That road was very bad before, but today that road has been constructed with concrete. Some few months ago, people who lived in that area were cut off from other communities because of the nature of the road. On security I will say Governor Okowa has done extremely well. In those days, you know how hot Uvwie used to be. People cannot go about their normal businesses without been molested and harassed by youths. You will hear gun fire every day. Youths used to kill themselves on daily bases. There are people who used to parade hooliganism in the name of community leadership. Previous governments used to protect these people, but today Governor Okowa has come to put an end to all these unnecessary killings. Governor Okowa refused to play politics with the lives of the people in this state. He gave the security agents free hands to go about bringing these hoodlums to justice. Before now somebody will just be walking on the streets and before you know it, he has been shot dead. Different kind of killings were going on in Uvwie before. But today Governor Okowa has restored peace to Uvwie Local Government Area. You need to come here and see things for yourself. Right now the people in the council area are very happy for the peace that the governor has brought to the area. They are also very happy for the way Governor Okowa has been able to sustain the peace since he became the governor of the state.
What is your message to the people of Uvwie Local Government Area now that peace has been restored?
My appeal to my Uvwie people is that they should continue to support the administration of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa because he is the deliverer that God has brought to us. They should not be deceived about what other people are saying outside. The change we have been looking for so many years is finally here with us. In those days Uvwie Local Government Council Area was synonymous with crime. But today the reverse is the case as peace has finally returned to the area, all thanks to Governor Okowa. Today all the youths in Uvwie are becoming responsible people and if we can build on this present peace we will be better for it. So I want to appeal to all Uvwie people to support Governor Okowa because if we do, we will benefit a lot from his administration.
How do you think governor Okowa was able to achieve this peace that you are talking about?
The governor was able to achieve this much because he selected credible hands from the community to be in his cabinet. Criminals in the community are now facing the full wrath of the law and the leaders have been able to prove that the best way to live is to live a life free of crime. They youths are now emulating the peaceful dispositions of their leaders. Take the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Bright Edejewhro Onajefe-gift for example. He is a perfect gentleman who does not look at criminality lightly. . Even when he was the caretaker committee chairman of Uvwie Local Government Council Area, he worked tirelessly to ensure that peace reigns in the community and the people know this fact that was why when he left they took advantage of it and started perpetrating criminal acts. I believe that with people like him and people like us in the council area, we will be able to reorient the minds of our youths to positive things. The youths have to change their lifestyle if we must succeed.
How will you react to accusation in some quarters that the governor has thrown some prominent chiefs of Uvwie into jail?
Sometimes when I hear all these things I just laugh. They are just trying to blackmail the governor. He is a man who believed in the rule of law. He is not the one persecuting the chief they are talked about. The chief was charged to court for his involvement in certain criminal matters. The governor is being dragged into this matter because he has refused to use his office to pervert justice just like what previous administrations used to do for them. The governor is a man of honour who does not want to play politics with the lives of people. They should go to the police and find out what is happening. If the police have evidence to prosecute an alleged criminal, why are they bringing the name of the governor into it? They should go to court and defend themselves. I am very sure that the governor has made up his mind not to use his power to pervert justice.
If you have opportunity to talk to Governor Okowa right now, what will you tell him?
I will thank him for bringing peace to our community. Peace is what all the people want from a government. The people are very happy that there is now peace in Uvwie. You need to see what was going on in that place before now. The people were living in bondage before and unable to come out of their houses. Today there is wild jubilation in the community and when some of us say these things people will think that we are exaggerating.
Now that peace has come to Uvwie, how do you intend to sustain the peace?
We will be able to sustain the peace by training our youths in skill acquisitions where we will reorient them on the need to change their mindsets and embrace peace. We are going to create programmes where will we talk to some of our youths whose minds have already been polluted. Some of these youths still believe in the old order of making money. Most of them still do not want to go to school or learn a trade. In those days youths will come to us and ask us to help them secure jobs. Today those guys are very rich and are living comfortable lives.
What will you say about the activities of some youths who go about harassing motorists at Jakpa junction?
What they are doing is very bad and this is what we are talking about. We have to change the orientation of these youths. And secondly, the council will have to ensure that their staff are drafted to raid anyone who is not their sstaff. I am using this medium to appeal to parents to take the education of their children very seriously because education is the key to a successful life. Parents should do all that they can to ensure that they send their children to school. I am a good example of what education can do in the life of a man. My father retired a long time ago and things were very hard but in spite of all the challenges I was able to pull through and achieve a university education. We all know that it is not everyone that can go to school. Those who cannot go to school should learn a vocational trade. At a point in my life I had to learn welding to survive. After that I also know the importance of education and I went back to school. We must try to make sure that our children go to school and have a very sound education. You need to carry yourself with pride and not carry guns to guard somebody.
On the activities of youths collecting development illegal levies.
From the body language of Governor Okowa, I think youth restiveness will be resolved. The reason why investors were running away from Uvwie was because of the incessant youth restiveness that was going on in this place. The truth of the matter is that some of those things that were going on in the community were because previous government was allowing them. But with the body language of the present administration I am sure that all these youth restiveness will be a thing of the past. In those day people dont like to work because they know that when they misbehave some people will support them. But today when you know that when I foment trouble you will be put in jail, you have no option than to protect your job. I want to appeal to all the investors that have ran away to come back to Uvwie because there is now peace in this area. I am appealing to the present government to keep up the good work and sustain the peace we are now enjoying. And I also want to assure the governor that the people of Uvwie kingdom are solidly behind him.
Thank you.
