Opinion
Delta Elites And Politicians Have Goofed With Their Congratulatory, Publicized Messages To Tompolo @ 50 — Zik Gbemre
Looking at array of well-publicized congratulatory messages from Delta State elites and politicians, which includes Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and the Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege, to supposed ex-militant Tompolo as he clocks 50 years, to say that I am highly disappointed is to put it mildly. And I believe am not the only one who might think this way.
We can imagine the kind of Nigeria political elites and supposed leaders that we have in Delta State and Nigeria. How will the country develop with such anti-development disposition?
They say President Buhari is uneducated and dull, but what about Governor Okowa and Deputy Senate President Omo-Agege, who are both University graduates? Especially Okowa who is a graduate of Medicine and a qualified medical doctor. Senator Omo-Agege is a qualified lawyer as well, and the lawyers usually call themselves “learned people,” and refer to themselves as learned seniors or learned juniors. What can we say of them, when we see them demonstrate such public shame? Are we to say that Okowa and Omo-Agege are uneducated and dull like Buhari? I think the problem is far more than what the majority of the people may think.
Who is really Tompolo? How did he become rich and known to the public? What has he been known for? How did he become prominent with his wealth, which has made some to now see him as their supposed hero?
What exactly are they congratulating Tompolo for? Is it for his active involvement in escalating the insecurity situation in the Niger Delta with the support of former Governor James Ibori then, which was an avenue for them to create wealth through security votes? The same security votes money that found its way into Ibori’s pocket and his loyalists.
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One begins to ask, are the Delta State politicians encouraging militancy? Are they saying supposed ex-militants are now role model for the young people? How then can insecurity be curtailed in Nigeria, to bring about sustainable peace? Are they romancing with such supposed ex-militants for the sake of using them to rig future elections in their favor? Do they have conscience at all? Has greed overtaken their common sense of reasoning? How can Nigeria develop with this kind of attitude by our political leaders?
As noted by a retired Shell (SPDC) Manager, he said: “This is very disgraceful. Very shameful! It is happening all over Nigeria, not only in Delta state. Known criminals, thieves, armed robbers, kidnappers, cultists are nowadays rewarded with chieftaincy titles by communities all over the country. The churches are not exempted in this malady, as many of them confer Knighthood on these criminal elements as reward for the huge tithes/offerings/donations they pay/give from their loot. The government, on the other hand sends delegations and prominent people to beg and negotiate with the bandits, and subsequently, pay them billions of Naira. Tell me, Zik, why wouldn’t criminality continue in Nigeria? The governments and people of Nigeria elevated robberies and other forms of criminality to the highest levels of attraction to both the young and old in the country. That is why some government security personnel donate guns to robbers and kidnappers. That is why some traditional rulers donate their vehicles for kidnapping operations. Zik, the country is finished!!”
We need to be sincere with ourselves, that Nigeria is doomed if urgent steps are not taken to redirect the steps of our supposed political leaders and elites. If the likes of Tompolo is Governor Okowa’s best friend, and Senator Omo-Agege’s paddy, they should keep it to themselves because of Tompolo’s militancy record.
Governor Okowa and Senator Omo-Agege should not have advertised their supposed mentor and friend, Tompolo. But they should have kept it to themselves, and congratulate him privately without the public’s knowledge.
Zik Gbemre.
April 13, 2021