…Says Jonathan disappointed Niger-Delta region
…Urges Tompolo to come out of hiding
A Niger-Delta woman activist, Chief Mrs. Rita Lori Ogbebor has called on the Federal government to reconsider its decision to stay action on the development of the Nigerian Maritime University (NMU), Okerenkoko, Delta state adding that the university was something the region was entitled to.
Lori Ogbebor who made this appeal in a chat with newsmen in Lagos last week added that there was nobody from the Niger-Delta who was going to accept whatever reason the federal government had given due to the fact that the people of Niger-Delta had given so much to the country but had gotten little or nothing in return.
She pointed out that while there was no excuse for the stoppage of the University, she was hoping to hear as she listened any better reason why the development of the university should not be give a priority.
“We have nothing, what have they given us? No infrastructure, they have to think again and change their thoughts so that the place can be developed. Maybe, they do not understand the huge potentials that that place is going to afford us, from there as far as fishing, that is something that is going to boost that area and I am sure it will be given priority, I mean it should not be abolished. I am very sure, as long as Niger-Deltans are alive; they are not going to wipe us from the face of the earth. They will continue because we want them to continue, at least, for the contributions we have given to this country.
“Go to the whole of Niger-Delta and you will cry. I am not saying like any part of this country, some money give has been abused for the development of Niger-Delta but there is no amount of money given to the Niger-Delta that is going to be sufficient for us not to have other developments in the area. Tell me, what are the developments in the Niger-Delta today? Absolutely nothing! Everything is eitherin other parts of the country and yet we have given so much for the development of this country”.
Lori Ogbebor also known as the Igba of Warri therefore appealed that the Federal Government should rescind its decision on the status of the university adding that it was something they were entitled to.
Speaking on the achievements of the former president Goodluck Jonathan in the Niger-Delta region, she regretted that Jonathan did not make adequate use of the opportunity that got to him which according to her, he may not be fortunate to have again noting that Jonathan failed the region.
According to her,” This is why I am talking like a child learning to speak English because my son have failed me. He did his best, I am going to tell you one thing about him, it was his lieutenants who let him down. Well, that is not excuse anyway because if you go and take a position, you should know whether you have the ability to do it or not. If you go and take a position and you go and rely on people to tell you what to do, then you are not leaders. This is why he failed.
“So, I agree, it is mind boggling, every time I want to cry because it is not everyday you have the opportunity. We had the opportunity to develop the Niger-Delta but we never did. I must be frank. If you are a leader, you are a leader. So, if we have failed, I agree, we had a leader, the leader failed, so we have failed. But we are not going to continue like that because our contributions have not failed. We have not failed to give contributions to this country”.
She further called on the former Niger-Delta Militant, Government Ekpemupolo also known as Tompolo to come out from his hiding to answer the court so as to state his own version of the story to enable people know whether or not to stand with him rather than making himself a coward by going into hiding.
She said,” What did you ask me to say? That I should ask Tompolo to come out? But he knows he has to come out. I am not the kind of person who will say he is from my area. Until he comes out and state his own side of the story, that is when I am going to say fight but right now, the federal government says come out, so, he should come out”.
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