I t may perhaps not be a happenstance that the new governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, is coming from the same city that produced Pa Adekunle Ajasin, the former governor of the old Ondo State.
Governor Akeredolu is coming to power with a ‘GhanaMust-Go bag’ of advantages and pluses. He comes from a family of tall and hefty men and women, who like Caleb and Joshua, does not lack the courage to take on the principalities and cabals of this world as he has shown in his recent victory, which became possible even when the powerful giants of his party ganged up against him.
Akeredolu has also brought in a family tradition of humility, honesty, honour and has committed himself by wearing the grey beard brand of the Akeredolu family.
His adherence to this family tradition, coupled with the fact that God is the source and power behind his success, would envelope his totality with a godliness of God which will inspire him to care for his subjects who were created in the image of God. What an awesome way to give back to God for all the victory against earthly satanic power.
The Governor also flaunts a very prestigious and flamboyant curriculum vitae in governance. He is a lawyer, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, former Attorney-General of Ondo State and a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association.
This is the first time a SAN and former NBA President would be elected into office as Ondo State governor. This gives a triple advantage to the governor, who is already regarded as an expert in governance before becoming a governor.
While I love and welcome ‘Aketi’ with open arms, I want to bring to his notice the plight of the Ijaws in Ebijaw ward at Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State.
These are the same people referred to as Tobotoru Ijaws. Now that we have a governor and deputy governor who are kiths and kins of the Ijaws, this is the right time to solve the problems of the Tobotoru Ijaws once and for all.
For instance River Gbenewi separates Gbenewi Community in Odigbo council area from Siluko in Edo State. While Siluko has electricity, maternity, tarred road, primary and secondary schools, Gbenewi and all the Ijaw communities in Odigbo council do not have roads, secondary schools, electricity, cottage hospitals, or even any local industry.
Communities in Tobotoru or Ebijaw ward are Ebijaw, Zion, Gbenewei, Taribo, Kuregbene, Otumara, Iyaradina, Salugbo and Abadigbene. A comparison of development between Ijaw communities in Ondo State and those of Siluko in Ovia Southwest in Edo State is like comparing hell to heaven.
If we reinvigorate our dying agricultural base as cocoa and rubber used to be the most income earning produce in the days of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and complement our oil with agriculture, Ondo State will be the richest state in Nigeria
While the Ijaws from Ese Odo council in Ondo State have variously produced commissioners, Secretary to Ondo State Government, chairmen of boards and government parastatals, deputy governor, among others, none of our sons and daughters has been employed even at the local government level.
This is in spite of the high level of the educated citizenry of the area, which boasts of jobless graduates and even several higher degree holders.
Indeed, we welcome ‘Aketi’ as our new governor to come and revolutionise Ondo State and govern so that the hiatus between the “haves and have nots” will be narrowed.
For instance, Ondo State can be the richest state in Nigeria if we reinvigorate our dying agricultural base as cocoa and rubber used to be the most income earning produce in the days of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
If we complement our oil with agriculture, Ondo State will be the richest state in Nigeria. Today California has the biggest economy among all the 50 states in the United States of America and also the largest economy in the world, after USA, China and Japan.
The cocoa forests belt of Ile Oluji, the untapped and abandoned rubber reserves in Tobotoru in Odigbo, the fish baskets of Ese Odo and the untapped natural resources all over Ondo State are enough to overtake all states in Nigeria to become the numero uno economy in Nigeria, even bettering some other economics in Africa.
Today Nigeria imports over N700 billion worth of fish and sea foods annually, but if the vast fish potentials of Ondo State are explored and exploited, Ondo State will become Nigeria and Africa’s ‘fish basket’ as our fish festivals, cultures and traditions have been overtaken by our mono-economy – oil. Mr. Governor, if you will, it will be possible.
In 1933 Franklin Delano Roosevelt became America’s 32nd President in an inauspicious and inclement period of America’s history, during the great depression. And within 100 days, President Roosevelt raised the morale of Americans and restored hope in the ‘American Dream’. And President Roosevelt is the only president who has ruled America for three terms of four years each, between 1933 and 1945.
We welcome you and encourage you to achieve great feats, but do not forget us in your ‘kingdom,’ as Ijaws in Odigbo local council need secondary schools, cottage hospitals, roads and government appointments as commissioners, board chairman and members, heads of government agencies and parastatals, among others. May the good Lord empower you to do all these and more.
