ON THE CONFERMENT OF THE NATIONAL AWARD ON GOVERNOR OKOWA – DOES HE DESERVE IT?
October 3, 2022 | News
It is only when we start telling ourselves the TRUTH as a people, that we would be FREE from the mediocre we call a State Government under Okowa
-By Zik Gbemre
ON THE CONFERMENT OF THE NATIONAL AWARD ON GOVERNOR OKOWA – DOES HE DESERVE IT?
What did they use as the criteria, and the yardstick to measure, and conclude that Governor Okowa deserves the CON award…
It is only when we start telling ourselves the TRUTH as a people, that we would be FREE from the mediocre we call a State Government under Okowa…
With facilitation and congratulatory messages already pouring in, particularly from Delta State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to Congratulate Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for the supposed recognition and conferment of the national award; Commander Of The Order Of The Niger (CON) on him, by President Mohammadu Buhari, I think it is very important for us all to sit back and ask: Does Governor Okowa of Delta State worth any national award? Does he deserve to be given such national recognition, especially when we consider his performance as the governor of the State for close to Eight years now?
If we are to be very honest, blunt and open-minded with ourselves as Deltans and Nigerians concerning this matter, particularly when we thoroughly ex-ray and examine the performance of Okowa as Governor; we would come to the logical conclusion that indeed, he does not deserve to be recognized and awarded the said CON, or any other national award for that matter. Has anybody bothered to ask what Governor Okowa’s financial status was before 1999? This is because, before 1999, Okowa was not significant in the nation’s political/public space.
Who, in their right-thinking minds, does not know that everything about the Okowa PDP-led administration has been nothing but a channel through which those loyal to the Government of the day are compensated with jobs, government contracts, appointments and what have you? And not a government that is people-oriented and investment-driven to increase economic growth and improve the general standard of living of the populace. That is how it has been right from the time of James Ibori. Governments on such foundations can never be sustainable or leave great legacies behind. Rather, they will always leave debts and more debts and abandoned projects behind. That has been the sad story of Delta State in the hands of the trio (James Ibori, Emmanuel Uduaghan and Ifeanyi Okowa), which has governed the State since 1999 till date.
So, what exactly is the Buhari-led Federal Government recognizing and awarding Okowa for with the said CON? Is Governor Okowa being awarded for borrowing and borrowing, part of which they are using to fund the PDP’s Atiku/Okowa and Sheriff Campaigns in Delta State and across the nation? Is Okowa being recognized and awarded with such national honour for leaving Delta State in a more terrible and pathetic state than he met it when he assumed power in 2015? Does Okowa, who has many financial cases hanging on his neck worth being given any national Award?
Who does not know that Delta State remains the number one State that receives the highest Federal allocation in the South-South region? Yet, we have little to nothing to show for it. Okowa is tagged as the supposed ‘Road Master’ yet, the entire Delta State road network is nothing to write home about. Okowa is praised for doing this and that, yet the State and its people remain poverty-stricken, living in sub-human conditions, and the State is in serious debt despite all the funds being enjoyed by the State under Okowa.
Any reasonable person knows that Dubai-UAE and Doha-Qatar are today the world’s tourist centres/business destinations, and no one needs to broadcast them. Same way, if those who have been Governors of Delta State, including Okowa, have been doing what was expected of them with the State’s public funds, the ‘realities they would leave on the ground’ would announce Delta State to the world, without anyone praising them in the first place.
We need the Governing Board in charge of the said National Award and the Federal Government, to please publicly explain to Deltans and Nigerians why the Delta State Governor was considered to be conferred the national award of the Commander of the Niger (CON)? What did they use as the criteria, and the yardstick to measure, and conclude that Governor Okowa deserves the CON award or any national award for that matter? Nigerians are begging to know the answers to these questions because many are still looking around Delta State to identify what exactly must have been used to conclude awarding Okowa with a national award.
All that the Okowa-led Delta State Government are known for is always singing praises of themselves, especially through their paid media hands/aides. And some of them do this so arrogantly and proudly, that one might think the Okowa-led Delta State Government are doing the people a big favour by simply doing the LITTLE they manage to do while in Government. They forget that: when a masquerade dances, it is the onlookers that should praise his dance steps. That is what these media aides of the Okowa government do not understand.
Well, the problem here is also the fact that the National Awards, as we know them today, have been reduced to an ‘ordinary ceremonial event of paper because practically every dick and harry in Government and the entertainment industry is being given national awards for what Nigerians cannot explain and understand. They have turned the National Award into mere merriment and jamboree for shameless politicians. What a shame!
Zik Gbemre
October 3, 2022
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes
-By Zik Gbemre
ON THE CONFERMENT OF THE NATIONAL AWARD ON GOVERNOR OKOWA – DOES HE DESERVE IT?
What did they use as the criteria, and the yardstick to measure, and conclude that Governor Okowa deserves the CON award…
It is only when we start telling ourselves the TRUTH as a people, that we would be FREE from the mediocre we call a State Government under Okowa…
With facilitation and congratulatory messages already pouring in, particularly from Delta State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to Congratulate Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for the supposed recognition and conferment of the national award; Commander Of The Order Of The Niger (CON) on him, by President Mohammadu Buhari, I think it is very important for us all to sit back and ask: Does Governor Okowa of Delta State worth any national award? Does he deserve to be given such national recognition, especially when we consider his performance as the governor of the State for close to Eight years now?
If we are to be very honest, blunt and open-minded with ourselves as Deltans and Nigerians concerning this matter, particularly when we thoroughly ex-ray and examine the performance of Okowa as Governor; we would come to the logical conclusion that indeed, he does not deserve to be recognized and awarded the said CON, or any other national award for that matter. Has anybody bothered to ask what Governor Okowa’s financial status was before 1999? This is because, before 1999, Okowa was not significant in the nation’s political/public space.
Who, in their right-thinking minds, does not know that everything about the Okowa PDP-led administration has been nothing but a channel through which those loyal to the Government of the day are compensated with jobs, government contracts, appointments and what have you? And not a government that is people-oriented and investment-driven to increase economic growth and improve the general standard of living of the populace. That is how it has been right from the time of James Ibori. Governments on such foundations can never be sustainable or leave great legacies behind. Rather, they will always leave debts and more debts and abandoned projects behind. That has been the sad story of Delta State in the hands of the trio (James Ibori, Emmanuel Uduaghan and Ifeanyi Okowa), which has governed the State since 1999 till date.
So, what exactly is the Buhari-led Federal Government recognizing and awarding Okowa for with the said CON? Is Governor Okowa being awarded for borrowing and borrowing, part of which they are using to fund the PDP’s Atiku/Okowa and Sheriff Campaigns in Delta State and across the nation? Is Okowa being recognized and awarded with such national honour for leaving Delta State in a more terrible and pathetic state than he met it when he assumed power in 2015? Does Okowa, who has many financial cases hanging on his neck worth being given any national Award?
Who does not know that Delta State remains the number one State that receives the highest Federal allocation in the South-South region? Yet, we have little to nothing to show for it. Okowa is tagged as the supposed ‘Road Master’ yet, the entire Delta State road network is nothing to write home about. Okowa is praised for doing this and that, yet the State and its people remain poverty-stricken, living in sub-human conditions, and the State is in serious debt despite all the funds being enjoyed by the State under Okowa.
Any reasonable person knows that Dubai-UAE and Doha-Qatar are today the world’s tourist centres/business destinations, and no one needs to broadcast them. Same way, if those who have been Governors of Delta State, including Okowa, have been doing what was expected of them with the State’s public funds, the ‘realities they would leave on the ground’ would announce Delta State to the world, without anyone praising them in the first place.
We need the Governing Board in charge of the said National Award and the Federal Government, to please publicly explain to Deltans and Nigerians why the Delta State Governor was considered to be conferred the national award of the Commander of the Niger (CON)? What did they use as the criteria, and the yardstick to measure, and conclude that Governor Okowa deserves the CON award or any national award for that matter? Nigerians are begging to know the answers to these questions because many are still looking around Delta State to identify what exactly must have been used to conclude awarding Okowa with a national award.
All that the Okowa-led Delta State Government are known for is always singing praises of themselves, especially through their paid media hands/aides. And some of them do this so arrogantly and proudly, that one might think the Okowa-led Delta State Government are doing the people a big favour by simply doing the LITTLE they manage to do while in Government. They forget that: when a masquerade dances, it is the onlookers that should praise his dance steps. That is what these media aides of the Okowa government do not understand.
Well, the problem here is also the fact that the National Awards, as we know them today, have been reduced to an ‘ordinary ceremonial event of paper because practically every dick and harry in Government and the entertainment industry is being given national awards for what Nigerians cannot explain and understand. They have turned the National Award into mere merriment and jamboree for shameless politicians. What a shame!
Zik Gbemre
October 3, 2022
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes