GOVERNOR OKOWA SERIOUSLY GOOFED WITH HIS PRAISES ON BABANGIDA FOR THE CREATION OF DELTA STATE

By Zik Gbemre

With regard to recent report that Delta Governor, Sen. (Dr.) Ifeanyi Okowa, has congratulated former Military Dictator, General Ibrahim Babangida, as he clocks 78 years on Aug. 17, and his praise-singing of Babangida for supposedly being an elder statesman who, according to Okowa, contributed to “nation-building, particularly for the creation of our dear state, Delta,” we strongly believe Governor Okowa seriously seriously goofed by first, describing the ex-military Dictator like a hero of the country, and for acknowledging the blunder Babangida made years ago when he created Delta State, and forcefully took the State capital to Asaba to satisfy his in laws and selfish needs.

How can a sitting Governor be praising a former military Dictator who used his military might to create Delta State, and forcefully took the capital to Asaba, just to please his in-laws, instead of creating a true Delta State that ought to have been created without the Anioma areas since they were not part of the old Warri Province, which was later known as Delta Province? Why praise a military ruler who used his military might to steal a State capital from Warri to Asaba? Was Babangida’s act not wickedness and sheer oppression?

Governor Okowa, without any iota of shame, even described Babangida as a supposed “distinguished patriot and leader, who served the nation diligently in his quest to keep the unity and diversity of our beloved country”. What is all of that? Was Okowa describing the same Babangida (we all know), whose economic policies, like SAP (Structural Adjustments Programme), actions and inactions while as a military ruler; left severe wounds and scars the Nigerian entity is still trying to recover from in the last three decades or so. Was Okowa describing the same man whose action while in government was nothing short of serving the selfish interests of himself, family and close allies in Nigeria and abroad.

It is evident that Governor Okowa, like most Nigerian Governors, is using the said 78th Birthday of Babangida to score political points, gain favours in high places, and have his name in print and electronic media through such unpopular and unreasonable public statement. Otherwise, why would anyone be praising a man whose history and track records only remind us of old wounds and past tears? That shows how insensitive and out of touch our so called political leaders in Delta State, can be most of the time.

Okowa seriously goofed for praising a military dictator who did what he did in 1991, for the interest of a few privileged persons, and not the overall interests of Deltans. The military Dictator, Babangida, only created a ‘problematic situation’ in the State, which many stakeholders like us, have been urging that it be corrected for posterity sake. Governor Okowa seriously erred, with such a public statement. He would have just wished Babangida a Happy Birthday, and that is it. Instead of all that talk that: Babangida, “as a national icon and statesman, he occupies a special place in the hearts of the government and people of Delta, because without his benevolent act, perhaps Deltans would have still been agitating for their own state.”

Firstly, Babangida does not occupy any space, not to talk of a special space in the hearts of Deltans. Maybe, in Okowa’s heart, but definitely not in the hearts of Deltans. Secondly, Delta State would have been created by another person other than Babangida because the process for the agitation of a Delta State had already gone far before he came into the picture. And when he came, he committed a serious blunder by forcefully taking the State Capital to Asaba instead of Warri, which was the best city that ought to occupy that position.

It is this same blunder which Babangida caused, that we have been calling on the Delta South and Delta Central people to continue to demand for it to be corrected, and that is the relocation of Delta State Capital from Asaba to Warri.

Delta South and Delta Central politicians and elites should not be comfortable with Asaba as the capital city of Delta State because in actual fact, the State capital ought to be the city of Warri, based on historical grounds.

Let it be reiterated here again that Warri, which was the Colonial Capital of the then Warri Province, remains the most appropriate and most suitable city-area for the Capital of Delta State. We cannot hide or deny the truth permanently. The Truth, no matter how long it will take, will eventually come out. But as for Governor Okowa, he should not be making such public statements concerning someone whose memory, in the minds of Nigerians, only brings pain and misery.

Zik Gbemre,

August 17, 2019.

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