[dropcap]O[/dropcap]gbuefi Ben Egwuatu has shown better skills in defending the good people of Delta North with his pen and within the last six years he has demonstrated clearly that he is a man with a vision and the “Standout Man” in Anioma Nation. In politically challenging times, there is always a standout man, a person who is diligent in his work, a man who subsequently stands before Kings, having made several sacrifices for his nation. In most cases, many do not agree with him. He is seen and described as ambitious,a tool in the hand of the usurpers or an instrument for a hatchet job.
However, in most cases such men endure the trying times, the name calling and insults to become a national symbol of peace and unity.This appears the path that Ogbuefi Ben Egwuatu, has placed or rather found himself in recent years of serving his people.
As it is known, politic is considered by many a dirty game. However, one fact remains that the player determines how dirty it can be, how dirty he is ready to go for the sake of his people, his brothers, sisters, the masses and even the electorates.This apparently is the case of Ogbuefi Ben Egwuatu,as Many will recall the politics that played out since 2019 because he is a core member of Senator Peter Onyelukachukwu Nwaoboshi (SPON) media,the senator representing Delta North at the National Assembly and a member of opposition All Progressive Congress (APC) in Delta State, the ruling government in Delta State is after his life for standing for the truth and speaking for the opposition in the state. He bares his mind on the the threats to his life because of dirty politics played in Delta State and what to expect in DELTA2023.
Good Morning Sir. Please tell us who you and your early life.
I am Ogbuefi Ben Egwuatu,a writer,artist, and public affairs commentator was until 2019, Am from Ukala Kingdom in Oshimili North, LGA, Delta State, the President General of Ukala Communities Development Union, in Oshimili North Local Government Area, Delta State. A member of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and also a member of the SPON Media Team.. I am the 5th child of a family of 7 – 4 males and 3 females. My father was a Headmaster, while my mother was a trader. I can tell you that I have a privileged background. Growing up then as the son of a school teacher was an uncommon thing and we were seen as privileged. I tell people that I am a village boy because I went to my village public primary school, but of course because of the nature of my father’s job, we were always on the move on transfers. So early life was easy and normal, aside the fact that we lived under very strict rules.
You flaunt a multi-discipline Resume. How has it been as a practitioner in those fields?
I have over 30 years of experience in visual communications, advertising, newspapering and print production and I can tell you, it was a swell time and the best of exposure working in that industry. I am first a Fine Artist. I hold a 1985 Higher National Diploma in Fine Art (Painting) from Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi, however, I have since moved on to exploring other interests including marketing communications, corporate charisma, perception management and Newspapering. I am a registered practitioner of advertising and an alumnus of the American Press Institute, Reston, Virginia, USA. Since graduation, I have worked in various capacities in the print journalism industry including as Senior Illustrator/Designer in the defunct Financial Post and also Banking and Finance Digest. In 1995, I joined The Corporate & Financial Communications Ltd. (a PR Company) as Head of Creative and Production Services where I first began to investigate images of organizations and how big brands evolve. I would rise to become Group Head, Creative Services when I moved to PMIDIRECT (a marketing communications company) in 2000. By 2002, I ventured into private practice with the setting up of Advertising Design Consultancy Limited (a concept agency). In 2006 I returned to paid employment and I joined Folio Communications and consequently was seconded to The Daily Times of Nigeria Plc. In Daily Times, I held various positions including Production Manager, Head of Operations, Group Head Creative Services, Group Head Corporate Communications and Group Chief Marketing Officer. Between 2012 and 2014, I served as Senior Technical Assistant (Publications) in the Office of the Special Adviser to the President (Goodluck Jonathan) on Performance Monitoring and Evaluation. Since then I have been in private practice in addition to my writings as a public affairs commentator and social critic.
You just talked about your writings. Some people think your writings are politically motivated and that you are being sponsored to attack the government in power in Delta State.
If the question is whether my writings are politically motivated, Why not? Look, I was a card carrying member of the PDP for about 10 years. So, why not? What is new is that we are tired of the deceitful dictates of a self-branded messiah and we are saying no, we are saying that the entire electorate voted you to office so, let the dividends of democracy flow evenly throughout the state. What is new is that our Emperor Governor wants to be the maximum leader, with the rest trotting behind him. And our principal,the Distinguished Senator Peter Nwaoboshi is saying no. He is saying no because it is a partnership. He is saying that we all are stakeholders with equal stakes in the enterprise that is Delta State. That you are the arrowhead does not reduce the relevance of others. So yes, I have been writing and I am expressing my views – my opinion on happenings in our polity. Of course you know that I left the PDP to join the APC. Yes, we left in solidarity with our leader Senator Barr. Nwaoboshi and the leadership of the PDP is not happy with our camp. That also has elicited a lot of concerns and attacks, but we are steadfast in our beliefs. We are not at all worried. For instance, during the last local government elections, they invaded my Ward and installed their cronies in the Ward EXCO, against the wishes of the leadership and the people. That is oppression and persecution. So what did we do? We left the party for them. I have written in defence of what I believe and have been receiving threats from those who are not comfortable with our position, but it won’t deter us.
Recently you raised an alert about threats to your life and obvious persecution. Tell us about it?
You know that I belong to the SPON Media Team and we have been very combatant with our writings. We followed them, every step, every path and we flattened them. I have personally made comments and shared specific opinion on activities of some individuals in leadership and that has infuriated a few powerful persons. For me, the question is: the issues that we are raising, are they true? Are we now in a dictatorship that we cannot speak freely? Well, I have been advised to go underground and to be careful.
In a few words, how would you describe the political situation in Delta state? What are the chances of the APC winning Osadebe House in 2023 gubernatorial election?
What is obvious is that the PDP is losing grounds in Delta State. In the past few weeks, we have witnessed an avalanche of defections from PDP to APC. What it tells you is that everything is not well with the PDP in our State. If Senator Barr. Nwaoboshi, a founding member of the party in Delta State would leave the party, then there is trouble. There is so much injustice. There is neglect and high-handedness. People are not happy with the leadership. The people you see still hanging there are those that receive some form of payment and they are waiting to at least earn that money till the end of this tenure. Before now there was no serious opposition but don’t forget that the people whom have been winning elections for the PDP are the ones that are leaving, The APC no doubt is working very hard and I can tell you that the party will secure enough vote to oust PDP in Delta State.
What is your advice to Deltans?
No form of persecution should make us faint, rather let’s work together to chase those peddlers out of Osadebe House.