DELTA State tagged “The Big Heart” has graciously clocked 32 years. Created on August 27, 1991, the journey to this day has, no doubt has been an admixture of spirited sacrifices by its leaders at bequeathing a sense of well-being and oneness among the citizenry and the obvious distinct nature in the ethnic configuration of the state.
When the state was carved out of the defunct Bendel state by the military administration of General Ibrahim Babangida (retired), the jubilation that greeted the air was with mixed feelings, largely because of the capital city Asaba, which fell short of the expectations of some sections of the state. That was a major challenge the first administrator of the state, Air Commodore Luke Chijuba Ochulor (retired) had to contend with. He quickly put in place infrastructure on ground to encourage smooth administrative takeoff in the state capital. He also faced the task of preparing the young state for election to usher in a civilian administration in 1992. Apart from his tireless effort at pursuing peaceful coexistence among the ethnic groups in the state, Luke Ocholur was reputed to have established the now thriving Delta State University, Abraka, out of the Facility of the College of Education, Abraka campus of the defunct Bendel State University.
After the partial hand over to civilian administration in June, 1992, Late Chief Felix Ibru, became the first executive governor of Delta State. He continued from where his predecessor stopped, by tackling the challenges of governance, especially in the area of transforming the infrastructural landscape of the state. An architect, he was reputed to have given the young state a sound developmental frame, particularly the master plan for the development of the capital territory. Unfortunately, the short lived span of the third republic by the military, prevented him from bringing to fruition the implementation of that master plan.
After the full takeover of the then interim government of Chief Ernest Shonekan on November 17, 1993 by the military, led by Late General Sani Abacha, a new administration emerged in the person of the Police Commissioner in the state, Alhaji Abdulkadir Shehu (retired). His stay was in acting capacity and so short-lived, spanning from November 20 to December 12, 1993, when Colonel Bassey Asuoquo was appointed the Military Administrator. Colonel Asuoquo (who later retired as a Brigadier General) was in charge of governance in the state till September 23, 1994, when the Group Captain Ibrahim Kefas (retired) took over from September 26, 1994 to August 27, 1996. Colonel David Dung (late) was appointed Military Administrator from August 27, 1996 to August 14, 1998; thereafter came Navy Captain Walter Feghabo (retired) from August 14, 1998 to May 29, 1999.
The era of the military administrators under the leadership of Late General Sani Abacha and later General Abdulsalami Abubakar (retired), was characterized by one appointment to another without much developmental excitements, which can be hinged on the lack of accountability of the military to the people. To many, it was renewed joy when democratic governance was reborn in May 29, 1999, with Chief James Ibori elected as the second Executive Governor of the state.
Democratic governance under Chief Ibori practically unearthed the sleazy revelations about the below performance experienced during military rule in the state. Although his tenure from May 29, 1999 to May 29, 2007 was inundated with countless distractions, no thanks to the many court cases he won, it showcased massive recruitments in the public service and transformation in works, education, health, agriculture, housing, water resources, energy and information among several other sectors. Chief Ibori’s penchant for grassroots politicking and development practically and metaphorically made him the bridge builder of unity across the state. Then came Dr. Emmanuel Udughan, a medical doctor, who succeeded Chief James Ibori as governor in May, 2007. Dr. Uduaghan redefined the complexities of governance through his well encapsulated three point agenda of peace and security, human capital development and infrastructure development. In consolidating on the gains of his immediate predecessor, Dr. Uduaghan, like Nostradamus, saw the future we are in now when he propagated his gospel of ‘Delta beyond Oil’, preaching and demonstrating the need for diversification of the state’s economy.
Like Chief James Ibori, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan’s administration also faced similar distractions. At the twilight of his first tenure in November 2010, his election was annulled by the court, thus making the then Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Prince Sam Obi, Acting Governor for two months from November 10, 2010 to January 10, 2011.
Dr. Uduaghan eventually won the rerun election that followed the annulment of his election in April 2007 and also a second term election in April, 2011 as governor, where he was sworn in on May 29, 2011. By April 2014 when the price of crude oil started to fall sharply in the global market, his administration began to experience the very future he feared. At the end of the Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan’s administration in May 29, 2015, he was succeeded by Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa. When Senator Okowa took over, the coming of recession became only a matter of time. Oil price plummeted further from around fifty dollars per barrel to as low as twenty seven dollars by March 2016, and when it began to appreciate marginally, crisis in the Niger Delta region resulting in the destruction of oil facilities by militants further worsened the precarious state of the region with Delta state hard hit.
In the face of these stark realities, the administration of Dr. Okowa remained undaunted, putting to judicious use the meager resources both from the federal allocation and internally generated revenue (IGR) via his government’s template, the SMART Agenda. The manifestation of completed and commissioned projects during his tenure is still viewed by stakeholders as a marvel.
Governor Okowa actually redefined governance by his unprecedented achievements in his eight years of governance of the State.
It is generally acknowledged that Delta is a huge potential for greatness in human and material resources, but it has been bedeviled over time by distractions such as political instability, inter and intra ethnic strife, nepotism and tribal tendencies, militancy and vandalism as well as criminality and neglect of productive endeavours.
For the forward looking stakeholders, a situation of this nature presents a dire need for a rethink and change of attitude and behaviour. This is the understanding the present administration of Governor Oborevwori wants from the people of Delta state. While this calls for sacrifice, we can take solace in the words of William Borah, a US Senator, and 1865-1940: “A marvel of history is the patience with which men and women submit to burdens unnecessarily laid upon them by their governments.” As we celebrate Delta at 33, a significant milestone in the life of the state, posterity beckons on all stakeholders to put aside their parochial and group interests and creatively contribute their quota to support the state to succeed and bring out the greatness for its lasting development and growth.
