James Onanefe Ibori: The Man Who Discovered Delta State and Recovered Niger Delta

The life of His Excellency, Chief James Onanefe Ibori, the Odidigborigbo of Africa, best illustrates the above reality. Born into a very humble family in a little village called Oghara, the Odidigborigbo weathered the harsh weather of life and rose beyond his immediate challenges.

Having been raised by God to become the first Executive Governor of Delta State in the present Republic, Deltans aged 25 years and above today, had the privilege of understanding what Democracy truly meant under Chief Ibori. We all saw his life quest for a more equitable society and the upliftment of the downtrodden in the society.

The landmark achievements of his purposeful rule including but not limited to the construction of sports stadia in all Local Government Areas of the state, establishment of over 10 polytechnics and colleges across the state, massive roads construction, conception of the Asaba International Airport, Omadino/Unity Bridge and other bridges construction etc. are still unprecedented in the annals of the federation.

Under his administration, civil servants and public school teachers were able to purchase lands, built befitting homes for themselves and paid school fees without much stress. This was made possible due to the regular inflow of monthly salaries under James Onanefe Ibori.

As the Apostle of resource control together with the likes of Obong Victor Attah and the late DSP Alamieyesegha, he carried the cross of the Niger Delta people, placing the interests of his people above personal interest. In the process, he stepped on powerful toes and ruffled so many feathers who sought to control the peoples and resources of the Niger Delta and the Nigerian Federation as their conquered territory.

They appeared to have succeeded in their life ambition to keep the Odidigborigbo out of circulation but their victory just like the seeming triumph of evil over good, was but for a short while.

Today, all those forces of yesterday together with their international conspirators who sought to silence the Pride of the Niger Delta, the Odidigborigbo himself,  have all been washed away and the heat of the injustice perpetrated by them is now kindled upon them. Light has indeed shone and prevailed over the forces of darkness and today, the hunters of Chief Ibori have become the hunted.

The Odidigborigbo is today standing tall with shoulders high. Ibori is the news, they are an ugly history.

As the world stands still to welcome home the Apostle of Resource Control, we salute the General who brought Delta State to the whole world, His Excellency Chief James Onanefe Ibori.

On behalf of the wonderful people of Delta State and Niger Delta, welcome home sir.

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