Lauretta Onochie
Delta State is, so to speak, a mini Nigeria. Recently, I travelled to many parts of Delta State and was appalled, to say the least at the state of decay across the state. Urhobo people, have been sold a dummy that Anioma area is fully developed because we have the state capital. Our Anioma people have been left with the impression that the Urhobos have taken all the developmental projects to their land because they are more pushy than Anioma people. The evidence on ground points an accusatory finger to the political elites of these two ethnic groups. They are the ones to blame for the backwardness that have pervaded these two areas.
The truth of the matter is that Anioma people marry more Urhobos than any other ethnic group in Delta State. Again the sworn enemies of the Urhobos, (except in looting public funds) are the Itsekiris, not the Anioma people. We must never forget that Anioma and Urhobo politicians are the ones who convert funds for developmental projects for their areas into private use, not their people.
I do understand the feelings of our people and the sentiments they express when they think of the preferential treatment accorded Oghara by James Ibori. But we must all bear in mind that we cannot hold the whole of Urhobo land responsible for Ibori's selfish use of public funds, after all, the rest of the Urhobo land was neglected too. In the same way, it would be absurd for anyone to infer that Anioma people are fraudsters simply because Fred Ajidua is an Anioma son.
Now, if we ever get to 2015, I hope not, how do we plan to clinch the governorship seat in Delta State without the backing of the Urhobos? Do we approach them as enemies, which they are clearly not, or do we collaborate with them as our in-laws/political allies, working with Urhobo leaders of like minds?
Delta State is, so to speak, a mini Nigeria. Recently, I travelled to many parts of Delta State and was appalled, to say the least at the state of decay across the state. Urhobo people, have been sold a dummy that Anioma area is fully developed because we have the state capital. Our Anioma people have been left with the impression that the Urhobos have taken all the developmental projects to their land because they are more pushy than Anioma people. The evidence on ground points an accusatory finger to the political elites of these two ethnic groups. They are the ones to blame for the backwardness that have pervaded these two areas.
The truth of the matter is that Anioma people marry more Urhobos than any other ethnic group in Delta State. Again the sworn enemies of the Urhobos, (except in looting public funds) are the Itsekiris, not the Anioma people. We must never forget that Anioma and Urhobo politicians are the ones who convert funds for developmental projects for their areas into private use, not their people.
I do understand the feelings of our people and the sentiments they express when they think of the preferential treatment accorded Oghara by James Ibori. But we must all bear in mind that we cannot hold the whole of Urhobo land responsible for Ibori's selfish use of public funds, after all, the rest of the Urhobo land was neglected too. In the same way, it would be absurd for anyone to infer that Anioma people are fraudsters simply because Fred Ajidua is an Anioma son.
Now, if we ever get to 2015, I hope not, how do we plan to clinch the governorship seat in Delta State without the backing of the Urhobos? Do we approach them as enemies, which they are clearly not, or do we collaborate with them as our in-laws/political allies, working with Urhobo leaders of like minds?
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