New Rivers at one: Fulfilling the Ogoni pledge
(Nigeria) By Simeon Nwakaudu
The campaigns leading to the 2015 general election were
thorough and tortuous. One of the key
deciding grounds in Rivers State was
Ogoni land. The reason is not
far-fetched. The Ogoni Ethnic Nationality forms a major power
block in the state.
Therefore, all
political interest groups moved over to
Ogoni land to sell their programmes to the people. This came on the heels of the
fact that the then outgoing
administration had conned the
Ogoni people, pledging to
accommodate them politically, without
doing so. In all of the political engagements the issue of credibility cropped up.
Smarting from
the extreme political deceit
of the then outgoing
administration, the Ogoni
people needed a trustworthy politician and statesman to invest their votes in.
The political godson of the then outgoing failed leader
presented himself as someone who lived
amongst the Ogoni people
and schooled in their midst.
According to him,
this would make him different
from his political godfather. The Ogoni people
were not deceived. They rejected him and his political party because
they knew nothing would change.
The Ogoni people
unanimously endorsed and
accepted the candidature of Nyesom Wike. This was done after the governor's
deep-rooted consultations with
Ogoni stakeholders came up with
key pledges that his administration will
accomplish upon election. This
was at the Grand Rally in Bori.
The most prominent of
the pledges was the governor’s
acceptance that he would
dualise the Sakpenwa-Bori Road. He also
pledged to ensure that Ogoni people play prominent roles in
his administration.
As an apostle of
pro-people politics and leadership, Governor Wike has lived up to
his pledges. He has taken proactive
steps to develop Ogoni land and improve
the stand of living of the people.
For over three decades,
the Ogoni people were denied access to
a safe road to their traditional
home-lands as the Sakpenwa-Bori
Road degenerated into a notorious death trap which claimed the lives of the people on a daily
basis. It was on this premise that the Sakpenwa-Bori Road became
a source of persistent
political deceit.
Politicians used road to gain
political capital, claiming
that they would dualise the strategic road. The immediate past
administration was the worst culprit. Therefore, when Governor Wike made the pledge that he would dualise the
Sakpenwa-Bori Road if elected, most people thought it was yet another political promise not to be fulfilled.
On Thursday, 26th May, 2016, Governor Wike
made good his pledge. He took concrete steps to actualize the dream of the
Ogoni people. He flagged off the
dualization of the
Sakpenwa-Bori Road.
The road cuts across Tai, Gokana and Khana Local Government Areas of Ogoni land. It also links
communities of Andoni and Opobo-Nkoro and Akwa Ibom State.
The joy of the Ogoni
people and their neighbours knew nothing bounds. They put aside
political differences and rolled
out the drums to celebrate Governor Wike’s commitment
to their development.
Governor Wike declared that he will complete the
road in record time because of its
importance.
Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People, MOSOP, Mr.
Legborsi Saro Pyagbara praised Governor Wike
for living up to his promise, saying the governor has by his action served the interest of all
Ogoni people, irrespective of their political differences and affiliations.
Chairman of the Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers,
King GNA Giniwa commended the Governor for his work in Ogoni land. He said
the dualization of the Sakpenwa-Bori Road and the key
appointments extended to Ogoni
people in Wike’s administration are praiseworthy.
Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Hon Kenneth Kobani
said the commencement of the construction of the road is a dream come true for
Ogoni people.
Former Member of the House of Representatives, Dum
Dekor declared that
by Governor Wike’s investments in Ogoni land, he will
continue to enjoy
the support of
the people.
In addition to the
dualization of the
Sakpenwa-Bori Road, Governor Wike
has started the phased total rehabilitation of the
Birabi Memorial Grammar School, BMGS,
Bori, which is one of the most
prominent public schools in the area.
The governor further
announced that the
Gokana-Bodo road will be reconstructed
to open up other Ogoni communities.
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