Hold G.G. Darah Responsible For Lingering Delta Government Failure To Deliver Otutuama-Ophorigbala-Esaba Road

It is sad that since award of the projects in the era of James Ibori, successive Delta State Government administrations have not given priority to completion of the road to connect Owahwa sub-clan communities of Otutuama-Ophorigbala-Esaba in Ughelli South LGA and other neighboring villages.

I’m not against the renewed agitations among Owahwa sons and daughters, indeed entire Ughievwen Kingdom to draw attention of the present administration to the need to see that abandoned project through.

However, the recent concerns would not make informed persons forget to hold former confidant of Ibori, Prof G.G Darah responsible for failing to take advantage as an influential insider in the administration of Ibori, even in that of Ibori’s successor cousin, Dr.Emmanuel Uduaghan, to get the project completed long before now.

Under Ibori’s governorship, Prof Darah was his closest associate, undoubtedly in Ughelli South, and among the closest in entire Delta at the time. Ibori had much regards for Darah in his administration and eventually made him Chief of Staff, a position he held up to two years and above.

It is hard to imagine why Darah couldn’t use such rare privilege to ask his friend and boss to do the road in his home town of Esaba in Ughelli South.

Before Darah, Chief Francis Agboro of Otokutu Town also of Ughelli South was Chief of Staff in a period of time and made some impact, particularly on influencing The PLANTATION MODERN CITY to Otokutu Community in Ughelli South, arguably the best housing estate in Delta state.

The people from Esaba and neighboring communities of Otutuama and Ophorigbala should ask Darah questions. Was any contract awarded by Ibori to do roads and bridges to connect Otutuama, Ophorigbala and Esaba?

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Who were the contracts awarded to by Ibori’s administration? Darah should be in a position to know what had happened, why the roads were not constructed and completed till now.
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G.G. Darah was too close and relevant to Ibori to have ignored his demand to construct roads to his community then. He was chief strategist and spokesman for Ibori’s loud agitation for resource control campaigns within and outside Nigeria.

In one of the great Nelson Mandela’s speeches he said,” man has limited time to stay on earth. You must try and use that period for the purpose of transforming your country into what you desire it to be”.

And as said by a great elder friend and former Vice President/Director of Shell Nigeria, Rev O.J. Agbarah, “You have one route and as you pass along the road do whatever you can to help and touch lives of people because you will not pass the same route again”.

To reemphasize the point, agitation for completion of the Owahwa sub-clan is quite in order, but I take exception to Darah leading the protest in disguise through his apologists.

G.G. Darah lacks the moral ground to lead agitation against abandonment of the Otutuama, Ophorigbala and Esaba Road, for delighting only in self aggrandisement above his community’s common good when he failed to use his peak of prominence in Delta government to influence delivery of the road.

Did he think he would reign forever and have till infinity on time to bring about realisation of that project? I doubt if today Darah can drive to his Esaba town at the peak of the rains, unless he has an amphibious vehicle or by boat/canoe.

Others should learn from Prof Darah’s mistakes.

Zik Gbemre

August 27, 2023

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