Nsukwa Cries Out For Okowa’s SMART Touch

As  Dr  Ifeanyi  Okowa begins the last lap of  his political journey as Delta State Governor, one can affirmatively say  that , by his proactive actions, deeds and accomplishments, that he  discharged his onerous  responsibilities as Delta’s helmsman in his first four years with candour, commitment  and the professional zeal of a man poised to be on the positive side of history.

And  for others who are chroniclers of  the human personality and its many ‘waves’, they posit that  Governor Okowa(was in his first term), and still remains,  a man who understands  the dynamics of leadership in a contemporary world , where values, needs, aspirations and expectations change with the speed of light.

Still, a few other critical minds–probably perfectionists- query what they term the ‘over rating’ of Governor Okowa given the trajectory of Delta’s history as one not particularly  blessed before (Okowa’s era) with purposeful leadership, and, therefore , lacks a veritable barometer  to gauge what responsive leadership entails.

But be that as it may, our focus here is on Governor  Okowa’s second term .Oftentimes, in our clime here,  second term turns out to be the most tempting and intriguing, as most governors in their second coming , sadly , recoil to the shell of inaction and complacency . At such periods, many of them feel they are no longer under any electoral heat or pressure to woo the largely uncritical electorate .Most of them, now  feeling  firmly secured in power , begin to behave like the proverbial masquerades at the village square , who  after displaying their acrobatic prowess, begin to  lazily  retreat homewards aided by their many cheerleaders.

But one believes that, as the saying goes, ‘the morning shows the day,’ Governor  Okowa ,judging from his inaugural speech on May29, 2019 when his second term began, ,has sent an early signal that he will not be in the mould of those do-nothing governors; that  his second coming is to take Delta State  to enviable heights and leave behind a legacy of service in the next four years.He is roundly believed to be a man who walks his talk and not given to rhetoric.

But Okowa’s  promise of handing over a  Greater Delta notwithstanding, the crux of the write up is to bring to the fore the near criminal neglect and abandonment that has become the lot of Nsukwa Clan, and by extension, Aniocha South Council of the State.

For emphasis sake, Nsukwa Clan now more popularly known as Enuani, forms one of the tripod that make up Aniocha South Council; the other two being  Ogwashi-Uku and Ubulu-Uku  zones.

Nsukwa Clan which is about 25minutes drive (on motorable road) to Asaba, the State capital, is situated at the South –Eastern flank of Aniocha South Council, and comprises 11 major communities and many splinter settlements that  share socio-cultural affinities that predates history.  These major communities include, Nsukwa, Isheagu, Ewulu,  Ejeme-Unor,  Ejeme –Anigor,Adonte, Umute, Ukwu –Oba, Egbudu-Akah and Ashama.

Sad enough, a common thread of despair runs through these communities—the absence of social amenities—roads, electricity , potable water , health and educational facilities.

From pre- independence days Nsukwa Clan has remained  a mere pawn in the chessboard of political manipulators and their cronies. The people of the Clan are perceived as willing horses in the hands of politicians, who woo them during elections, only to abandon same in the lurch. The politicians never return to fulfill their electoral promises, and then the macabre dance of deceit continues!

Our cries here are not those of alarmists and tale bearers; the reality is glaring and self- evident. For instance, out of the 11communities in the Clan, not more than three have tarred roads, and wait for the shocker, of these three ‘lucky’ communities,    one –Nsukwa – Ejeme road(which was recently given a facelift) leads to the outer Ndemili  road in Ukwani Council. Those of  Isheagu and Umute  ,which have become deplorable due to age, terminate in the middle of the communities, thereby leading to nowhere.

The other dark side of the no-roads saga in the Clan is, that neighbouring communities who in the past shared common ‘the  Schools’  because of their proximity,  have now been cut off from each other.For instance,  patients from these nearby  communities who go the  Isheagu General Hospital (the only one in the Clan)  for treatment, now have to make a detour of about 13kms on the Ughelli-Ogwashi-Uku Expressway to access  the neighbouring town  located less than two kilometres away or preferably travel to Ogwashi-Uku on bikes on the ever busy highway. A good example is the Ewulu –Isheagu, Umute- Nsukwa links which have been cut off by broken bridges.

And of course, the Delta Line Transport service which is subsidized by the State government does not cover any part of Nsukwa Clan, as there are no roads in the area to accommodate the wear and tears of the shuttle buses.

More so, the implication of this lack of good roads, is that these agrarian communities with their aquatic splendour that could boost tourism and shore up the state’s revenue, also have their  food produce rot away since they never get to their desired destinations. With little or no economic activities going on, poverty reigns supreme and all sorts of heinous crimes begin to creep into hitherto crime -free communities.

Most worrisome, formerly close knit communities now cut off by bad roads and broken bridges, have haven lost their earlier affinity, consequently, become belligerent neighbours who are now always on the war path. This the dilemma of Nsukwa Clan today and a threat to peaceful co-existence  in a  State in dire need of communal harmony.

Why one is particularly worried about the state of roads in Nsukwa Clan, is because, like the Romans say, ’civilisation follows the road’, and as these communities remain inaccessible, the area will continue to be  consigned to the backwaters of underdevelopment and abject poverty. A good road network is a sine quo non for Okowa’s Greater Delta vision.

Still, opening up these areas with accessible road network will help to decongest Asaba and its immediate environs, and consequently, stem the tide of rural –urban migration with its attendant social vices.

It must be noted that the then Lagos  State Governors Babatunde Fashola and Ambode’s magic wand was the opening up  rural areas and making more areas accessible, thereby  boosting economic activities;  Delta State can replicate same

For electricity , Nsukwa  Clan, has more than  10 years been in darkness, as the  grid that runs from Ogwashi-Uku through Ewulu, Isheagu to  Nsukwa, has been vandalized and stolen. And one is sure that there is any visible attempt by the Benin Electricity Company to restore light to the area. Even the  Delta  State Energy Ministry seem unperturbed by this ugly state of affairs.

We all know that without power, small scale industries and sundry outfit go comatose, or operate at huge costs.

One has taken detailed studies of the development paradigms in neighbouring Aniocha North, Oshmili North and others,  and has come to the painful conclusion that Aniocha South Council  lags behind in all indices of development, as good  roads, water, electricity  remain  mere illusion in the area..

Our tears and pains are evidently justifiable and obvious: since the inception of this democratic dispensation in 1999, Nsukwa Clan has remain a predominantly PDP zone, with people casting their votes en masse  for the ruling party in the state.  Equity, justice and good conscience demand that  a people so religiously attached to the ruling party deserve a better deal , irrespective of whether they have a ‘voice’ or a heavy weight at the corridors of power. To continue to neglect and undermine their collective needs and expectations, is to play the hardened Pharaoh, and expect the same level of loyalty from the same despised and abandoned people.

And for the people of Nsukwa Clan, it is time to end this docility and  forge a bond of unity and sense of belonging aimed at consensus building and lobbying the powers that be to change  the sad narrative of these decades of wrongs by successive administrations in Delta State. The people must understand that  no outsider will fight their war and bargain for the juicy slices from power; we are the ones to  do it ,without which, we would have wittingly mortgaged the future of our coming  generations.

And for  the new lawmakers representing Aniocha South in the State House of Assembly and the National Assembly, they must rise up to  the challenge of bringing a new lease of life to the people through consensus building  and alliances with the executive arm for the much needed amenities in the Council. They  must be independent minded  in  taking rational decisions in the interest of the majority , rather than  dancing to the tunes of selfish power mongers.

For Governor Okowa,  the task of pulling  Nsukwa Clan, and by extension, Aniocha South  from the backwaters  of under development should  begin now. The Council  needs a new deal which  is long overdue; the people need to beat  their chests and echo: ‘Governor Okowa came and made the huge difference in their lives, and this great expectation need be met in this this  second term!

Nwagboniwe , a  Media Practitioner and Convener, Professionals for Better Nsukwa Clan, could be reached via email, nwagbo@yahoo.com

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