There is no time that Delta State will not give Deltans and their friends some news to clap or not to clap for. And the news, sparkling or not, always conjure up the aroma of butter and barley or the aroma of fufu and bitter-leaf depending, of course, on the fidelity of one’s nostrils to the different aromas. For example, when a couple of weeks ago, the news of former Governor James Ibori’s evasion of arrest at his Oghara country-home broke out, there were many people who applauded his evasion and resistance. Ibori’s conduct similarly aroused many people’s indignation against him. And when the news flew in, that he had beaten the security people and evaded their nets and traps to surface in Dubai, where he still is at present, the aromas of the news were inhaled with pleasure and displeasure at the same time by his associates and detractors respectively. For now, I don’t feel the need to enter, by way of my verbal observations, the matter of the former Governor as per  how the nostrils of his likers and dislikers defined him then.

Now, what news, scintillating or un-scintillating, from Delta State compel attention, the kind of attention, that is, that affects my affection and impairs it in such a manner that arouses my indignation against the reactionary politics and the dramatis personae of this politics going on in Delta State?
Answer: Three Critical News, as follows:

First, the “I didn’t buy car for Clark, says Unduaghan”-story published on page 6 of The Nation of Monday, July 26, 2010. Of course, the sub-story bore the headline: “Ijaw leader confirms gift.” I found (and still find) the entire story distasteful and vulgar. And to say the least, the story almost compelled me to embark on a civil war with myself. Why should Governor Uduaghan always go out of his way to pacify grand old man Clark who time after time treats him with disdain? Since Dr. Uduaghan emerged, as the PDP gubernatorial flag-bearer, and then substantive Governor of Delta State, Chief E.K. Clark has never given him the required regard due a Governor. To say the least, Chief E.K. Clark has consistently treated Governor Uduaghan as some piece of nothing. Regardless of how Dr. Uduaghan emerged as the present Governor of Delta State, and regardless also of his performance rating and score-sheet since he has been governing the volatile state where some people in government and outside government pretend that harmony exists among the different ethnic nationalities, the Governor deserves some modicum of joyful treatment from Chief E.K. Clark and his fellow travellers. Dr. Uduaghan may be a man of small build (which he truly is) and he may come from the small Itsekiri ethnic group (which he truly comes from), but regardless of his imperfections he deserves fair respect and treatment – psychologically, culturally and politically. But I have been digressing.

Why on earth and in the name of all that is right and decent should Chief E.K. Clark not direct that the eighteen million naira donated to the purse of the Foundation bearing his name be returned and refunded to the donor he so detests? He rejected the birthday gift of SUV-Sports Utility Vehicle, a Ford Expedition Ranch 2010 model valued at ten million naira allegedly bought for him by the allegedly highly reprehensible Dr. Uduaghan, yet he keeps mum on the succulent aspect of the deal, so to put it. My appeal: reject the eighteen million naira and direct the Edwin Kiagbodo Clark Foundation to so do. All Greek gifts to you from Governor Uduaghan must be so rejected, and publicly too. On this matter, all that is sordid is sordid and all that is not fair is not fair. But who truly knows the ways of politicians? Or is this not a fair question?

All in all, Dr. Uduaghan must take the blame and the gubernatorial lash and all the gubernatorial lash our un-gubernatorial tongues can give him for not being circumspect enough or for not being too clever in his relationship with the Kiagbodo chief. I implore him to listen to his advisers and critics outside his government, circle and caucus. He should resist the urge of wanting to retain his Governorship by all means, and refrain from sounding so desperate to achieve this goal. What will not be will not be.

Conversely, what will be will be. I speak to him thus: let your pointed desire not make your gifts unwholesome. Be a firm believer in selfless governance and leave the rest to destiny.

The second critical news. This pertains to the threat some Ijaw fellows threw up recently regarding Dr. Uduaghan’s resolve to whittle down the powers of DESOPADEC (Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission) where the Ijaws have held sway since the creation of that establishment meant to help bring succour to oil communities in Delta State. Chief Wellington Okrika, an Ijaw, has been the Chairman of DESOPADEC since its establishment. All kinds of complaints have been made pertaining to the way and manner Chief Okrika and company have been running the organization.

Rather than bring succour to the communities of the rough oil mangroves and fields, rather than promote the sweetness of ethnic co-existence and good neighbourliness, DESOPADEC, via its modi operandi, is ironically tilting towards ends that cause unhappiness to the people. Dr. Uduaghan is saying enough is enough, and some rascals are saying that things must remain the way they are. Governor Uduaghan must resist them and tell them to go to hell. And they must be told loudly and clearly that as there are rascals in Ijawland, so also are there rascals in Itsekiriland, Isokoland, Okpeland, Urhoboland and other lands.

And those who have been courageous enough to un-compromise with the Governor on account of what they perceive as or consider to be his unacceptable policies and manner of governance, should be courageous enough now to say that his current stand on DESOPADEC deserves acclaim. Members of his Itsekiri ethnic  group in particular who had openly and courageously criticized his erstwhile lukewarm attitude towards DESOPADEC ought now to show their broad-mindedness by standing solidly by him on the positive change that the Governor now wishes for DESOPADEC. Indeed, it is my belief that if they display their unyielding integrity and patriotism, Governor Uduaghan’s government will not capitulate.

The third critical news provocatively borders on the subject matter of the activities of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs in Delta State. Some Itsekiri youths and women a week or so ago demonstrated against the Minister of the Ministry. Their grouse as reported in newspapers? The Minister, an Ijaw, is not interested in opening up devastated Itsekiri communities as he is interested in setting things a-right in his Ijaw communities. Simply put, the allegation against the Minister is that he is effecting the policy of discrimination, nepotism, ethnicity and environmental storm against Itsekiris who, like Ijaws, are living in extremely difficult environments and conditions. Is this true? Talk minister, talk! Is the allegation true? Talk, Minister!

What the protest and press conference of the Itsekiris indicate are clear: the good times of ephemeral peace in Warri and environs cannot last long.

Is somebody listening? The Warri weather is becoming unpredictable. Is somebody listening? A new sorrow might soon be revealed in the Niger Delta. Is somebody listening? A new pain is coming. Is anybody listening?

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