Delta 2015: Is Urhobo Ready and Serious? Posted on 22nd Jan 2014 under FEATURES. Political philosophers believe that politics is who get what, when and how, they pontificate that it is a contest Author: By Prince Afoke Okporua Political philosophers believe that politics is who get what, when and how, they pontificate that it is a contest of principles masquerading as a conflict of ideas. For them, politics is a game of whose ultimate end does not necessarily justifies the means, but creates a circumvention of the means after its justification. Politics as it is in Delta State vis-a-vis the clamour of Urhobo for Governorship does not in any way portray any iota of seriousness. Perhaps, Urhobo is not ready. A people cannot be in dire need of a thing and not show attitudinal commitment-it is an aberration for Urhobo to say we need to produce the Governor of Delta State in 2015, whereas their actions depicts the contrary. Martin Luther King argues that \the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy\. Presently, if I am to sum up the actions and inactions of Urhobo political elites, leaders and actors- I will say nothing clearly and passionately indicates that the race is serious to clinch the seat of Governor in 2015. Internally, there is absence of unity of purpose as it concerns the 2015 gubernatorial project. Some Urhobo political leaders have pitched tent with the people of Delta North, while others have aligned with Delta South inspite of being conscious of the political ambition of their ethnic group. A house divided against itself cannot stand, the seeming successful incursions that foot soldiers from the South and North are making into the central is to say the least potentially capable of truncating the dream of Urhobo and further broaden her slavery status. Urhobo leaders, elites and politicians who are conniving with external political forces at this crucial time shows that they don\t give a hoot about the pathetic situation of their race. Opting to mortgage the political survival of their people for pecuniary motive is like playing the ostrich. Urhobo is in the wilderness politically, those who are supposed to play the role of Moses in her liberation struggle, amazingly prefer to go into a marriage of convenience with Pharaoh. Can we truly say we are ready for the great Exodus? The children of Israel didn\t divide, they didn\t sell their interest for a pot of pottage when they were ready to migrate from Egypt, rather, they collected spoils from their slave masters. Prevailing realities in Nigeria\s political water shows that when a people need power, the first indicator is their political behaviour. In 1998/99, after the death of Chief. M. K. O Abiola, the entire Southwest people impressed it on the nation that power must to their region and the actions they put up afterward clearly shows that they were ready and this propelled the three political parties then (PDP, APP and AD) to zone the presidential ticket to their region. Ahead of 2015, the North is insisting on power returning to them, they are utilising all arsenals at their disposal to ensure this. So far, they haven\t shown symptoms of weakness, unseriousness or atom of crack in their fold. The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and the Northern Elders Forun (NEF) are preaching the gospel of Northern Presidency, come 2015. Despite the fact the North has in her political box the office of the Vice President, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Justice of the Federation, National Chairman of the ruling People\s Democratic Party and the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission they still need that of the President and thus far, they are on track. In Delta State, excluding the office of the unproductive, weak, latent, dysfunctional and irrelevant office of the Deputy Governor, can Urhobo pinpoint any other important political office in the State and Nigeria. We have no Minster, and also we are not head of any Federal Parastal or agency. With the exception of the belated appointment of Chief Ominimini, no other Urhobo politician is making Urhobo proud. The socio-economic and political life of Urhobo is in quagmire. With his learning, experience and exposure, the Deputy Governor of Delta State have so far acted shabbily and in the mood of a stooge. Utuama is indeed a clear picture of the spare tyre function in constitutional democracy. It beats my imagination how a Professor of Law, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and an Ughelli South indigent will lack political clout, sagacity, dexterity and bite needed to salvage Urhobo. I am completely taken aback as to why and how Prof. Amos Utuama cannot in anyway reflect the zeal, bravado and rigmarolling skills the Ughelli politician are known for. Methink, the Urhobo Prof and SAN needs to be bathed with boiling water to enable him wake up from the coma he slide into. In 1998/99, OPC and the Yorubal Council of Elders (YCE) played great role in the emergence of a Yoruba man. They were vocal, pro-active, visible and resilient when they canvassed for the office of President, which Obasanjo got. As the build up to 2015 gathers momentum, the North is not leaving any stone unturned. NEF and ACF are showcasing their political elements. If one is to juxtapose the activities of the Urhobo Progress Union with that of Arewa and Yoruba Council of Elders, the conclusion will be that the UPU has not displayed content and character that is needed to caterpult Urhobo to government House in Asaba. Yes, UPU under Chief. Patrick Aziza has tried in so many areas, however, alot still needs to be done. Like Arewa Consultative Forum, Northern Elders Forum, Yoruba Council of Elders and the Ijaw National Congress, the UPU under Aziza must display guts, vibrancy and the superiority tenacity needed to rail-road Urhobo to political relevance. Urhobo is politically divided and 2015 Governorship battle can\t be actualised with such high level of complacency and confusion. General Aziza (Rtd) as step one, must put an end to his incommunicado life style. A situation where it takes almost two weeks before access to the PG can be gotten only for it to break again is to say the least very unsavoury and will pose a great barrier to the political aspirations of the race. Our amiable PG ought to know that the day he accepted to serve UPU in the capacity of President-General is the day he accepted to do away with certain military orientation and training. For Urhobo to succeed in the 2015 gubernatorial contest, duty behooves on UPU to perform approximately, 50% of the task. The second step for the PG is for him to convene urgently an Urhobo political leaders, elites and stakeholders meeting, with the sole-aim of discussing the way forward for Urhobo ahead of 2015. This all- encompassing, all-inclusive and all-important meeting will permutate and get the Governorship. Of course, we are in a democracy and there is freedom of association but the political dance by some Urhobos to Delta North and others to the South is but a mockery and begs the question “is Urhobo ready and serious ahead of 2015?”
Posted on: Sun, 26 Jan 2014 12:21:03 +0000
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