This article was prompted after I read the statement credited to the Delta State governor, His Excellency, Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa with the caption, "I'll shock my critics with verifiable projects." It is no longer news or anything novel in Nigeria that awards of phoney multi million Naira and Dollars contracts to ghost companies remain the surest and easiest route to siphoning public funds by corrupt people in government. Many even go as far as commissioning projects purported to have been executed whereas sites for such projects still remain as forests.
As it is popularly said in law that 'to every general rule, there is an exception', one is not in doubt to assert unequivocally that the exception to the general "normal norm" of corruption in the Nigerian political space is the emergence of Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa.
In my pre-election article on one of Ika Weekly's publications of Saturday, 31 January - Saturday, 7 February, 2015 (page 38/39) captioned; "Okowa, Delta State Only Governorship Candidate", I said among many other things that Okowa's "ambition to govern Delta State is not driven by self interest but a sincere burning PASSION to reach out to all DELTANS irrespective of ethnicity, religion, gender, age, profession and political affiliations. A man that strongly believes in equity, togetherness, unity of purpose and human development. A man that is humility personified. A man whose DNA is PEACE ..."
Having to assess his performance so far within this only two months of assumption of office, there is no sentiments in declaring that Okowa was the MISSING HUB that Delta State had lacked at the top administrative seat to propel the State to rapid development.
As a youth and one that strongly believe in human capital development as being a panacea to social vices and promoting peace, I'm optimistic that Okowa's roll out of various Youths' entrepreneurial and skills acquisition programmes deserve plaudits and should be encouraged by all sane and lovers of Delta State. His prompt response and rescue of the Delta State students thrown out of school due to financial problems in Trinidad and Tobago is worthy of appreciation. A clear indication that the welfare of all Deltans irrespective of where they are residing in this world remains his priority.
I read with happiness the news of top-in-the-agenda plan to upgrade three technical colleges at Agbor, Ofagba and Sapele which past successive administrations had deliberately neglected, for each time I pass through the technical college at Agbor, I weep because I know the great impact of technology to economic transformations. Therefore, Okowa's desire to upgrade these technical colleges further emphasizes his wonderful understanding of how best to tackle the problems of social vices and youth restiveness which is by crippling idleness. When you remove idle youths from the streets by gainfully engaging them, criminal acts will drastically reduce to the barest minimum.
It is disheartening therefore that despite these achievements within this short period and many more in the pipelines to be rolled out systematically, there are still people that are bent in trying to disorganize the smooth sail of the administration by carrying out malicious propaganda and falsehood, especially on different social media platforms. By every intent and purpose, this new administration is more than determined to spread the prosperity promised during the electioneering campaigns to every nook and cranny of Delta State, and all residents - old and young will not only hear of the prosperity being enjoyed by a few individuals but ALL will be immersed in this prosperity.
Okowa is a man that believes that his words should be used to judge him, and I'm sure that at the end of his first four years tenor, over 80% of well meaning Deltans will seriously beg him to continue not for selfish reasons but his good works and VERIFIABLE executed projects will be there across the three senatorial districts to campaign for him. If in just two months, he had accomplished thus far with the projects ongoing across various places in the State, with enough support from many Deltans, rather than destructive and destabilizing criticisms, Delta State will be the Paris of Nigeria.
Constructive criticisms are necessary, for I too will not fail to call the administration to positive path of fulfilling the campaign promises whenever I notice any derailment. But in our criticisms, we should not incite public hatred and disaffections, the unity of Delta State should be uppermost on our minds by allowing the new government to concentrate instead of causing distractions. I challenge my fellow youths to rise above personal and ethnic creed, greed and sentiments to support the administration. We should rebuff being used as agents of destabilization. Let us support the government to develop and not join forces with enemies of the State to destabilize her. It is our collective patriotic debt, not just that of Okowa and his cabinet.
Okowa is a charismatic and principled leader whose motivation and priorities are tied to his humane values and living for others. Delta State affairs are in safe hands with him. He is the governor today and will certainly not be there forever. Whosoever that wants to destabilize and pull him or his administration down today because the person feels that it was supposed to be him (the detractor), his relative, close friend or kinsman that should be governor instead of Okowa must remember that tomorrow it could be his own turn or that of his relative, close friend or kinsman that would be governor, and the same seeds of distraction that you are sowing today will be harvested in manifold by you and those close to you. Delta State belongs to us all, and it is our responsibility to contribute our best to make it conducive for all residents. We might not know the devastating effects that our actions and comments might have on us individually or collectively. When your evil seed germinates, you wouldn't know if you or any of your loved ones would reap the harvest of such destructive propaganda today or in the future. Ditto for the good seeds that you sow today.
THEREFORE, SOW GOOD SEEDS ALWAYS. Cheers.
LONG LIVE DELTA STATE
LONG LIVE NIGERIA.
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