[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa’s political empire in Delta North senatorial district is crumbling right before our eyes and there’s quite little he or anybody else can do to rebuild it before the 2023 election. He put so much money to rebuild PDP in his name and image but the effort has crumbled the entire party in Delta state.

He worked hard at building his personal dynasty into PDP in our new found democracy. And this has not worked, in spite of the huge public money thrown into the project.

He later conciliated to allow a few ward executives to be nominated by some bigwigs but made sure that all the Local Government party chairmen in Delta State and all the delegates to primaries were his personal nominees and owed allegiance to him.

The same thing happened again during the Local Government Council elections. Every Local Government Chairman and most councilors in Delta State presently are not elected but appointees of Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa.

The result is that Ifeanyi Okowa through abuse of power and desperation for political control, appointed all PDP party chairmen and all Local Government Chairmen in Delta state. He went further to nominate all ad hoc delegates to all the primaries. These mischievous undertakings guaranteed him invincibility in all contested primaries in the state.

There was no political dexterity to his actions. It was all abuse of power which his opponents could have challenged in court but did not. He became too successful in mischief for his own good. And this is the reason Okowa is on the verge of losing Delta state, particularly Delta North.

What did he end up doing with all that power so viciously abused? He purchased the nomination of a man at the PDP primaries who has no basic qualification to contest for the governorship of the state and is now forced to wasting public money to buy the courts to legitimize the brazen illegality in false belief that Delta state is so minded to vote for PDP no matter who is on the ballot.

After the council elections, many leaders and big supporters of PDP in Delta North withdrew their support for Okowa and his government and abandoned PDP for Okowa. Some, for fear of losing patronage, swallowed the insults and pain, bidding their time and waiting for a chance to pay back in kind.

We know that the nominated PDP senatorial candidate for Delta North, Nedum Nwoko had a major quarrel with Okowa over Okowa’s betrayal of his nominee to the Council from his ward in Aniocha North. Okowa also had a major spat with a major petroleum dealer in the same Aniocha North for treachery on the commitment made to cede the ward councilor to him. All these bigwigs were not on talking terms with Okowa until very close to the primaries.

Long before these, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, representing Delta North in the current senate and first General Secretary of PDP in Delta State, from Igbuzor in Oshimili North, had a crunching and unending quarrel with Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, resulting in his defection to the rival party APC. It must however be said that Senator Nwaoboshi was also seeking protection from the law by joining APC.

Okowa dissolved the state Cabinet to spite his Chief of Staff, David Edevbie and the Secretary to State Government, Chiedu Ebie and their throng of supporters to undercut and subvert David Edevbie’s bid for the governorship of Delta State. He followed up by sacking Mr. Fred Ofume, an SSA to his government from Ika South, Mr. John Alleh, another SSA, (one of his oldest political allies), from Ika Northeast, for their support of David Edevbie’s governorship bid.

Tony Nwaka, one time Commissioner and Local Government Council Chairman of Aniocha South LGA was axed by Okowa for working for David Edevbie and further suspended from the PDP. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa believes that as governor, anybody who does not support his political choices must be removed from the PDP in Delta state and stopped from enjoying any benefits from government.

Even in his home community Owa, there’s a groundswell of opposition to Okowa’s rule. While the entire world accuses him of clannishness, Okowa has further planted division in his own clan of Owa, leading to the build up of opposition and a burgeoning growth of the opposition party APC and now an irreversibly strong “Obidient” movement of the Labour Party. The formally US based politician Dada Ijeh has been the spearhead of opposition to Okowa’s brand of politics and the APC group has grown to be formidable.

Ika South has been the playground of Ifeanyi Okowa’s wrecking ball and the target of planned underdevelopment. As was said, he sacked his Senior Special Assistant from Ika South, Mr. Fred Ofume who was the erstwhile Chairman of the Local Government, just because he was offering service and his support to the governorship aspirations of David Edevbie against his own interest of making Sherriff Oborevwori governor of the state, even without basic qualifying documents.

In the same Ika South Local Government, he sacked Mr. Chuks Okoh, ex-officio executive officer of ward six, Mrs. Patience Obuseh, Woman Leader of ward six, Mrs. Patience Ezeh, ex-officio executive officer of ward five, Mr. James Okoro, Secretary of Ward five and Mrs. Philomena Agholor, Woman Leader of Ward five.

Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa’s wrecking ball has moved down to Delta Central. It has targeted the once stabilizing personality in his government, Professor Patrick Muoboghare and removed him as Commissioner for higher education.

Anyone who has read the story of Shaka the Zulu king or even of the recent Donald Trump, should know that when a leader goes berserk, he begins head hunting his own people and sees witches and snakes everywhere, he is no longer worthy to be trusted with leadership. When leadership becomes insecure and losing, it lashes out at everyone and destroys the polity.

The result of all the treachery and betrayal of members high and low is that the PDP is hollowed out in Delta North and is now without mutual trust and cohesion even as it boasts a presidential running mate.

Delta North voters waits impatiently for a better organized and focused political party infused with a vision to serve God and the people, not man and mammon. Delta North waits for a viable political party with a resonating story and a creative vision for progress.

[dropcap]W[/dropcap]hen William Shakespeare pontificated many years ago that some people are born great, others achieve greatness, while others have greatness thrust upon them, he had the likes of Sir (Dr) Chuks Okonji (Omelora) at heart.

The Comrade turned Real Estate’s odyssey in life since his birth shows that he is a naturally born great man. This is not to say there were no vicissitudes at the period of his birth and boyhood which worked to no avail to deny humanity this rare gift. The story of the man, vicissitudes, no doubt is one described as from grass to grace by dint of hard work, focused, perseverance, humility, honesty, integrity and above all God’s Grace.

Omelora is a man of strong will and vibrant speech, of imposing purpose and simple sentiments. His character and politics have continued to please the people. He is genial, witty, unassuming, and endowed with a charm that atones for his errors. Simple and unpretentious in appearance and attire, he has steadily established a reputation for political sanctity and love for our constituency, Nigeria and its people.

The leis of honour haven’t ceased hanging on the neck of the Ibusa-born Real Estate mogul, Sir (Dr) Chuks Okonji (Omelora). He is gradually becoming a tremendous national human resource. This man of a huge physical frame from the bowels of the Niger Delta; has, since his return to the country after his educational pursuit overseas, continued to contribute his quota to national development. Interestingly, the activities of Sir (Dr) Chuks Okonji (Omelora) have not gone unnoticed.
The Ibusa-born technocrat has left indelible marks from both private service, academia, international relations, and currently Oshimili North House of Assembly aspirant.
Of all the contenders for the Oshimili North House of Assembly in 2023 on the platforms of the various political parties in Delta State, Sir (Dr) Chuks Okonji (Omelora) without equivocation stands taller with untainted records in overall achievements. These were the words of Barrister Andy Okechukwu, London based lawyer while addressing a section of journalists in Asaba over the weekend.

According to the Okechukwu, who is also a social crusader, the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) flag bearer for the House of Assembly election, Sir (Dr) Chuks Okonji (Omelora) is not only purposeful, but also humane and selfless which are the attributes mostly needed for the successor to our Lawmaker Extraordinaire, Hon. Pat Ajudua who has been historically phenomenal in her approach to leadership and proactive representation.
Sir Okonji, he said, as a Real Estate mogul is best equipped for the demands and exigencies of the Office without caving in to political maneuvering.

“Though the House of Assembly is political, it takes more than a politician to be able to cope with the arduous tasks. The occupant of that coveted office must be articulate, focused, altruistic, selfless, tolerant and at the same time, humane. It’s not easy to find these rare traits in one single individual and this is where Sir Okonji surpasses his opponents having a quantum of these life-giving characters in him”, the Ibusa-born lawyer declared.

He therefore appealed that the only way to sustain the tempo of development already put in motion in the state by our out going lawmaker Hon. Pat Ajudua was to ensure that a like mind and people-oriented personality is supported to be the next House of Assembly member of the state which is Sir Chuks Okonji. Oshimili North is our home, our love and our pride, but we know the extent of victimization and vindictive politics that is played in it, where Sir (Dr) Chuks Okonji (Omelora) is the ready target, nevertheless he is all out to get the better end of any development, not just for himself, but for as many people as possible.
The adventure of Omelora in politics is an epic tale of service and sacrifice. A true model of Nigerian nascent democracy.
Oshimili North people, he warned, must not be deceived into going back to ‘Egypt’ by self-seeking individuals and their political megaphones.
Sir (Dr) Chuks Okonji has all it takes to represent Oshimili North to greater heights and the best choice of representative for the constituency at a time like this.” Omelora to Asaba” Carry go Broda … Nke bu nkenyi…

By: Ike Philip Abiagom

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Director of Procurement, Federal Cooperative College,Orji River, Mr.Idewu.C. Okeze has flagged off the distribution of Twenty(20) tricycles and twenty five(25) motor cycles as part of Federal Government of Nigeria and Federal Ministry of Agriculture administration sustainable economic plan to empower the teeming Cooperative youths in Ibusa.

He described this as historic as it demonstrated Federal Government of Nigeria commitment to improving living conditions and providing opportunities, especially for the teeming Cooperatives youths. He said this administration will continue the quest to improve the socio-economic life of the ordinary people, it had extended the welfare and economic support programme to Cooperatives Youths in Ibusa.

“Like other support and economic empowerment programmes of this administration, this intervention is aimed at promoting the socio-economic advancement and self-reliance of the common man and increasing the availability of easy-to-use means of transportation for our people,” Mr. Okeze said.

He said twenty tricycles and twenty five motorcycles were provided for forty five(45) individuals through Federal Government of Nigeria and Federal Ministry of Agriculture Human Capital Development Initiative.

Okeze  said this was, among other interventions, in addition to the training of thousands of youths cooperators that had been engaged through Federal Cooperative College,Orji River to train self-employable Nigerians through the effective creation and encouragement of cooperative societies.

The Director of Procurement said beneficiaries of the empowerment programme were nominated from the various villages regardless of their political affiliation, religion or tribe.

“This further affirms the Federal Government of Nigeria support to every citizen of Nigeria without bias. By this discounted revolving rider-owner arrangement, it is envisaged that these beneficiaries will earn a living for themselves and their families through this partnership and subsequently give a window for another batch of beneficiaries to be selected in due course,” he added.
According to Okeze “These items were given out to each of the beneficiaries free of charge, it is not a loan or a facility from anybody and nobody is expected to be settled or compensated by any beneficiary.”

Okeze urged the beneficiaries to take advantage of the opportunity to pursue a decent livelihood devoid of any wrongdoing, recklessness or violation of the law.

Also speaking, the Uwolo of Ibusa,High Chief Amaechi Nwaenie,who represented the senior diopka of Ibusa said the series of empowerment programmes of the present administration were broad-based, multi-disciplinary and just a tip of the iceberg.He encourages the youths to take advantage of this empowerment to move to the next level.

Anthony Nwaoboshi, one of the beneficiaries of the tricycles said his joy knew no bounds with the donation from the Federal Government. He said the keke given to him would assist in his farming activities. “No word can be used to express my joy for this gift.”
He said the gesture by FGN was timely as it came at a time when they were in dire need of support.

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]ke Abiagom writes on efforts made by Federal Government of Nigeria in conjunction with Federal Cooperative College,Orji River to train self-employable Nigerians through the effective creation and encouragement of cooperative societies.

No fewer than five Hundred (500) Cooperators attended the seminar which was held at the Oshimili North Council Hall in Ibusa,Delta State on friday 21st of August 2022. This special one day Capacity Building and Skill Acquisition on farm products and marketing for farmers in South-South Zone which was powered by Federal Government of Nigeria(FGN)and was anchored by the Federal Cooperative College,(FCC),Orji River,Enugu State, under the Cooperative value chain.

The South-South Cooperators, hence, were drawn from the states in the zone including food processors, fish farmers, crop producers, garri processors, as well as attracted commercial banks,Media groups and traders.
The Director of Procurement,Federal Cooperative College (FCC), Idewu.C. Okeze, who facilitated the training,said it is targeted at unearthing and nurturing the hidden potentials of the trainee and urged cooperators to acquire the right knowledge and skills needed in order to grow their enterprises beyond sole proprietorship.
Mr Okeze noted that Federal Government vision was to train, retrain, direct and assist cooperative societies on best practices to survive the challenges caused by the hardship so as to equip them to become the highest employers of labour and food suppliers.

He said, “There are high expectations from the beneficiaries. We never minced our words that it is for our benefit. We felt that there is need to take the bull by the horn to address the problem of unemployment.

Okeze, also commended the Federal Government for the one day free training programs for cooperators in South-South zone.The aim of the programs is to encourage entrepreneurship, create job and wealth for Nigerians is widely accepted as many have embraced the program.

“The way the various entrepreneurship development programs have been received across the South-South zone shows that the Federal Government knew what the people wanted. Presently the Federal Government has met the yearnings of the people especially the youths, who are eagerly looking for opportunities to be enlisted into any of the programs’’ said Okeze.

He advised the beneficiaries to be truthful to themselves and learn all they need to learn, interact with one another, keep in touch with their trainers.

Speaking with journalists in Ibusa , one of the participants, Winifred Nkeaka a graduate and an entrepreneur said, “Though I am managing a small business, with this training, everything will change, because the opportunity to be here has not just boosted my morale but has also opened my eyes to so many things which will help in sustaining my businesses and I will forever be grateful to Federal Government and Federal Cooperative College for the genuine interest in helping the society.”

Another participant, Mrs Kate Mokobia livestock farmer who specializes in piggery said, “I have been in this business for more than 20 years and I have been doing it in my local way but during the training, I have learned so many things which I will apply and I’m optimistic that it will improve yields and productivity.”

During the training, the participants have grouped themselves into a cooperative society and promise to register and sustain it.

The Director of Procurement, Federal Cooperative College,Orji River, Mr.Idewu.C. Okeze while presenting certificates to the participants said they should count themselves lucky to be part of the training and thank Federal Government and Federal Cooperative College for their genuine passion and interest in the economic advancement of the people.

He implored the beneficiaries to apply the knowledge they have acquired so far in their businesses and teach others so as to have a better society. “With this training, you are good to start and flourish in your businesses, once again I want to congratulate and wish you all the best in life.”