By Vivian Eseoghene
Since the beginning of the Fourth Republic, the oil-rich Delta State seems to have been trapped in a vicious cycle of callous and clueless governors who have failed to appreciate the complex dynamics of governance.
The sloppy development and arbitrariness demonstrated by the governors who ruled the state from the inception of its creation explain the general poor state of affairs.
Despite the enormous revenue accruing to the state, the people of Delta still grope in abject poverty, while the privileged few live in opulence. Available indices show that Delta State is in search of a credible leader who can harness its abundant human and natural resources for the general good of all.
It was against this backdrop that the newly formed African Democratic Congress (ADC), in its wisdom, sought out a renowned industrialist, acclaimed international business mogul, and philanthropist, Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru, to rescue the state from the cleavages of poverty and its glaring underdevelopment ahead of the 2027 general election.
For Deltans in the state and in the diaspora, Chief Ogboru needs no introduction, as his intimidating credentials set him far above other aspirants. He has tested the troubled political waters with both feet.
Undoubtedly, the University of Kent and Hult International Business School graduate will bring his wealth of accumulated experience to governance. As a successful career businessman, Chief Ogboru, if elected to pilot the affairs of the near-moribund Delta State, will be preoccupied with harnessing the state’s vast human and natural resources that currently lie fallow. He will introduce the principles of industrialisation and manufacturing, which have largely been alien to the state.
He is more disposed to building a better-organised government that is sensitive to the needs of the people.
For so long, the people of Delta State have been divided along ethnic and political lines. This ugly state of affairs has contributed immensely to the persistent poverty and underdevelopment of the various communities that make up the state.
Though it has been argued in different forums that the complexity of governance in Delta State lies in its diverse ethnic communities, Chief Ogboru has expressed the belief that the beauty and strength of the state lie in the multiple ethnic groups that form and represent its various communities.
For Chief Ogboru, the current stagflationary pressures and economic austerity, exacerbated by a lack of vision, fiduciary responsibility, and empathy among successive governors and local administrators, have forced marginalised people into precarious, short-term informal coping mechanisms such as oil theft, banditry, and other criminal activities.
These survival strategies have triggered ethnic bickering and represent high-risk psychological and economic responses to systemic failure. Hence, Chief Ogboru has opted to throw his hat into the electoral ring in order to build and enthrone an enduring structural equilibrium that will jettison tribal sentiments and unbridled political rivalries, which combine to threaten the fragile unity of the state.
Definitely, we desire a change in Delta State. Chief Ogboru will open up the state to investment, and this will attract the much-sought-after Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). The workforce will be highly motivated, while gratuities and pensions will be paid as and when due.
His economic intervention will pave the way for an ambitious export-driven initiative through the establishment of cooperative societies across the nooks and crannies of the state.
Solar-powered water boreholes would be provided in various communities to ensure access to potable drinking water. Chief Ogboru has a well-researched blueprint for the agricultural sector.
He will introduce mechanised farming in various communities, while farmers will be encouraged to form cooperative societies in their respective areas of operation. This will facilitate easy access to government loans.
Tractors and other farm implements would be highly subsidised and made available to various communities.
Deltans must wake up from their deep slumber and be courageous enough to do the right thing this time around by voting en masse for Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru and his ADC party for the desired meaningful change knocking on their doorsteps.
Please spread the message of hope to every Deltan that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Deltans must vote wisely and defend their votes against the enemies of progress. Together, we shall be emancipated this time around.
The post Delta 2027: Great Ogboru’s rescue mission appeared first on Vanguard News.