By Annabel Ogheneganre
Julius Caeser, as captured by William Shakespeare was a Roman Emperor, famous by every standard, successful in war, courageous and loved by the people. As leader of the Senate in the then Roman Empire, Ceaser was held highly among the people. But some of his fellow senators conspired against him because of a growing suspicion that Caaser intends to turn republican Rome into a monarchy under his rule. The allegation was cooked up by the conspirators in order to gain public support. In the end, Ceaser was killed in the Capitol, an equivalent of the modern day National Assembly, by the conspiring senators as they took turn to stab him. Ceaser was shocked that those with whom he has wined and dined over the years could turn against him for no just cause. The height of treachery was when his closest ally, Brutus, a man he could rate as a brother, a bosom friend and confidant, drew his sword and struck him. Ceaser cried out, Et tu Brute?, meaning, ‘’even you Brutus?’’. He fell down and died.
The question Julius Ceaser asked shortly before he died is loaded. It means, ‘’Brutus, even if every other person deserts me, would you also leave me? Brutus, can’t I find succour in your arms from these wicked and treacherous colleagues that have stabbed me? Brutus, if I must die, must you be party to my death? Brutus, I trusted you with my life, is this how you repay my love for you? Brutus, even you?’’.
The day I read the screaming headline in the Urhobo Voice Newspaper few weeks ago, ‘’OGBORU ENDORSES OKOWA FOR 2015’’, I screamed blue murder. Though Chief Julius Ogboru’s action is not fatal to Great Ogboru’s quest to be Governor of Delta State in any way, it none the less, hangs a moral question on the quality of support for the People’s General over the years from his home front. The Bible says that a man’s enemies are people of his own household. Nothing portrays the veracity of this statement than Julius Ogboru’s infamous, totally disgusting, despicably repulsive and politically prostituting misadventure.
The man, Julius Ogboru, has only reduced himself to a mere political dog, fit only for sacrifice before a malevolent deity in the political arena. No politician worth his onion can trust Julius Ogboru. The treatment he allegedly got in joining the PDP from the troubled DPP is a good reminder to all that betraying a popular course has no lasting benefit. He was, according to reliable sources, asked to go to Ethiope East, to queue behind other party men who have suffered under the DPP onslaught in the last election, instead of the envisaged royal welcome into PDP. It is a matter of choice. Julius Ogboru has chosen to despise the Change, which his blood brother, Great, represents to pitch tenth with the election –rigging gangsters and dubious PDP all for some material considerations. He would be quick to announce to those who care to listen that he has lost so much in cash and kind to the struggle. But what is Julius Ogboru’s contribution so far to the struggle compared with the huge investments of men like Emmanuel Okotete, Okiemute Oviri, Ede Dafinone, Chief Salubi of Sapele, Richard Odibo, Ned Nwoko, Otega Emerhor and a host of others too numerous to mention, who, on ground of principle, have resisted the filthy lure of patronage from the government of the day and rather remain with the people? These men, over the years, have contributed hard earned money, time and other resources to the Ogboru project without regrets. There are many others who may still be prepared to go the whole hog over and over again by entering the trenches in another push to dislodge the usurpers in government house. But here is Chief Julius Ogboru, a supposed elder brother to Great, announcing support for another aspirant because of a morsel of porridge. What manner of brother will do a thing like this to a brother before any major battle? What manner of witchcraft could be more than this? Has this man really ever supported Great Ogboru over the years from his heart or he constitutes the enemies, spiritual and physical, that have fought against the struggle? Must Julius Ogboru remain in politics even if he had issues with his brother? Even if he has differences with Great, can’t he, for the sake of what people would say out there, be a man by not running his mouth recklessly as he has done? Did he ever consider the message his misplaced, misguided and dubious statement would send across the land? Must he receive every governorship aspirant into his house for the sake of material rehabilitation? Where is his honour as an Olorogun in Urhoboland?
Recently, Barr Lovette Idisi and Chief Blessing Owhavworua have joined the fray. I am not perturbed by this development because, in 2015, Idisi will have to prove whether the people voted for Ogboru because of him or they voted for Idisi because of Ogboru. All these political statements about decampees are more of Television showmanship than reality. The crowd is still with Great Ogboru. Time will prove me right or wrong.
I detests the like of Julius Ogboru because, the message his new found love is sending out is that Great Ogboru is no longer worthy of support. People have suffered and died in the struggle to make his brother Governor. That is why I do not blame Idisi and Owhavworua. Julius showed them the way yet, if Great becomes Governor today, Julius will benefit much more than any other person you can think of. Over time, there had been cases of brothers separating on the choice of political direction to take. But it is unthinkable for such thing to happen when one of the brothers is a candidate in the election. The Ibru family has presented an example of such scenario when brothers have to pursue their dreams in different political parties. But when one of them decides to contest, it is unthinkable for one to rise up against his brother. If Julius decides to run for Governor against his brother, I will not complain. But for him to announce preference for another aspirant against his own brother is, in the African context, witchcraft of a terrible degree. No, not in this part of the world. We are not politically matured enough for that kind of thinking. What could be accepted and tolerable is when another Ogboru decides to run for the same office. As Africans, it is a clear case of wizardry (Orhan) for a brother to support another candidate against his own brother in an election. Such act is a violation of the chord that binds us together as one blood. Julius cannot give any acceptable explanation for this. He could be likened to a wizard and one of those who have fought to suppress Ogboru’s victory in the coven, and today, he has finally decided to unmask by taking his satanic attack from the precinct of spiritual manipulation into the open air arena of the physical realm.
I pity the like of Dr Ifeanyi Okowa because his likes may not understand the deception in the valueless concoction called endorsement, from a political feather weight like Julius Ogboru. If Great Ogboru is to run again, I bet it, Chief Julius Ogboru cannot give Okowa as much as 10 votes in Abraka, because even his wives and children will chase him out of Abraka on the day of election. Julius cannot convince any Urhobo man to buy into any offensive argument he may put up to vote against Great Ogboru. When the chips are down, he cannot even hold any anti-Great Ogboru meeting in Abraka. In fact, Julius Ogboru will end up being a huge liability to the Okowa project in the long run. Okowa may not believe this message because he may still be basking in the euphoria of an endorsement from the man. Julius Ogboru was only a Jonah in the ship of hope sailing to the Biblical Nineveh. He has only helped himself out of the boat into the deep sea of shame.
As we approach 2015, we shall have many cases of Jonahs being thrown out of the ship for the change project to have a smooth sail to the desired destination. Chief Julius Ogboru has told us in unmistakable terms that he was a Jonah that has being troubling the ship. Let him join the vampires to suck life out of his brother’s project. His likes will be put to shame at the end when the change finally comes to roost. I take this position because a people cannot be oppressed forever. A time is coming, and very quickly when PDP shall surrender all that they have stolen via rigging in the State. The change is coming and coming very fast.
In 2011, if TB Joshua prophesy to the likes of Governors Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, Babangida Aliyu of Niger State and even our own Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State that things can happen for them to contemplate a change of political party from the ruling PDP to another party, they will call for TB Joshua’s head. Unfolding events have however confirmed that these and many other PDP Governors across Nigeria are toying with the idea of seeking shelter in the opposition to protect their various interests in the coming dispensation. Except God intervenes, a Jonathan presidency may not favour James Ibori, the benefactor and brother of Gov Uduaghan. So, Uduaghan may be working and praying secretly for Jonathan to loss in 2015 so that his brother could be guaranteed of a reprieve sooner than later. Most of the Northern Governors are averse to a Jonathan presidency beyond 2015. The only way to achieve that dream is the opposition since Jonathan will certainly grab the PDP ticket for 2015.
These are truly interesting times in Nigeria in general and for Delta State in particular. The political tides are changing fast. What we never thought could ever happen in Nigeria is happening. While nobody is sure of anything as far as 2015 is concerned for now, Julius Ogboru is jumping recklessly from one party to the other leaving his brother to sort himself out. It is well.
Julius is going into PDP with a huge credibility account on his shoulder. He will always be treated with distrust in his new family. PDP is a home of very experienced crooks. They will know how to make Julius eat shit. He cannot jump from DPP overnight and be the leader where the likes of Adiotomre, Majemite, Oboroh, Edewor, Emeyese etc have paid their dues. He may discover too late that he will be of no use to PDP because the party has suffered from too many traitors and sycophants over time. So to assign a confirmed traitor to critical positions in the party may be a herculean task. It takes only a shameless deviant to take the road Julius has taken. The real DPP/APC members have nothing to lose. They have fought a good fight to enthrone democracy in Delta State. Those in this group can hold their heads high wherever they find themselves because they held out the torch of democratic renaissance in Nigeria. They are the new or emerging force that Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal recently referred to as hope of Nigeria in 2015.
My joy is that things are changing. Those who still delude themselves that INEC under Maurice Iwu is still the same as INEC under Jega may be in for a shock in 2015. PDP has been beaten to surrender by INEC when its report suggested that the PDP National Working Committee was improperly constituted. That was the only thing needed for Jonathan to approve the sack of some members of the NWC of the biggest party in Africa. It started like a child’s play but INEC won at the end of the day. 2015 may spring more surprises than 2011 and there lies my enthusiasm and optimism. I am so hopeful about the future. The challenges the opposition face are the tonics that would spur them to defeat the clay feet giant that PDP is in 2015. Let me reiterate what the Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih said when he declared that, PDP as it stands today is beatable.
“We must not live under the illusion that our party is invulnerable. Although, the existing opposition parties are still too small, fragile and sectional, we must not ignore the possibility that a merger of these parties may constitute a threat to our current dominance of the political terrain,” Anenih had told his party men and womenincluding Governors recently in Asaba, headquarters of Delta State. More Julius Ogborus will certainly quit the fold of the opposition. Such liabilities are not needed for the coming revolution. Great Ovedje Ogboru will be what God wants him to be in life. God will prove himself when all hope is lost so that no man will share in God’s glory. I strongly believe Ogboru will make it. Now that people are beginning to doubt his popularity rating, God will take the centre stage to glorify Himself. In my estimation, Ogboru has fought a good fight over the years. They have taken the war to his business empire, but I trust that God shall surely vindicate the righteous. However our deliverance comes, we shall get it right and sing for joy in 2015. It is possible, but let all the traitors go. We can get it right and wear the crown of glory. Yes, we can!
Miss Annabel Ogheneganre writes from Garki, Abuja. (08092569702 SMS only orananabel4christ@hotmail.com)
