Deltans powder Ibori in victory
- Urge gov to get back to work
From Sunny Ogefere, (Asaba) and Chido Okafor, (Warri)
IN years gone by, no celebration was complete without the observance of one ritual. In villages in Delta State, the generous application of white powder to the face and the areas around the neck, was an indication that a person has won a case in the court of the village head. The practice is also observed when a woman is delivered of a baby. The celebrant is required to dance in the open while distributing the powder to those who come his or her way. The "rubbing" of white powder is an exhibition of boundless joy.
When an Abuja High Court ruled that the Delta State Governor Chief James Onanefe Ibori was not an ex-convict, the town of Ibusa was awash with white powder. Deltans in Asaba and Ibusa celebrated and the people virtually drenched themselves in white powder as they took to the streets, dancing and singing praises to God for giving them victory at the Abuja High Court on Monday.
In Asaba, the state capital and environs, the celebrations and jubilation were electrifying. About 11.07 on Monday morning when news of the victory filtered into the Government House, Asaba, security men on duty immediately shot several rounds of gunfire into the air in jubilation.
As the gunshots rent the air, the Political Adviser to the Governor, Chief Ighoyota Amori who like a town crier announced the news to no one in particular, took to the road, singing and dancing. Some other officials of the state government joined him. The dancing team grew in number.
At the Government House, the team was joined by the Chief of Staff, Chief Francis Agboro, the Permanent Secretary, Government House, Mrs. Patience Ikomi and other aides of the governor who were nearby. They danced to and from before they trooped to the Government House chapel to sing praises to God Almighty.
Similar jubilation and celebrations were witnessed on the streets of Asaba, where supporters of Ibori drove with their headlights on and with their horns hooting consistently.
Reports also indicated that spontaneous jubilation took place in the University community of Abraka, where Ibori's admirers were congratulating themselves as well as in Mosogar in Ethiope West council area.
The Guardian leant that at Oghara, Ibori's hometown, was agog with celebrations as the news filtered into the town.
The governor who got news of the victory in Oghara arrived at Asaba in the afternoon and popped champagne with the Deputy Governor and other top government functionaries to celebrate his victory at the Abuja High Court over the ex-convict saga.
Ibori who rode joyously into the Governor's lodge Asaba, to a warm reception by his aides including the Special Adviser on Strategy and Public Communications, Prof. G.G. Darah, was mobbed by his supporters who sang praises and thanksgiving to God.
Several bottles of champagne were later brought and popped to bathe the jubilant crowd as they savoured the governor's victory. Thereafter a prayer session was held in gratitude to God for the victory, which they regarded as that of Delta State.
In the night of Monday, it was partying till dawn. The deputy governor kicked started the night session of the celebrations with an impromptu party at his residence.
There was enough to eat and drink with a live band entertaining the crowd made up of top government functionaries, members of the state executive council, members of the House of Assembly, led by the Speaker, Hon. Young Igbunde, and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faithful.
The jubilation and celebrations were infectious as known introverts like the deputy governor threw caution to the wind and danced openly in an ecstatic manner as the live band reeled out tunes apt for the joyous occasion.
Even the no-nonsense "iron ladies" of the Ibori administration, Dr. Veronica Ogbuagu (Commissioner for Education) and Mrs. Grace Ekpiwhre (Head of Service) were caught off-guard by the euphoria of the court victory as they took to the dancing floor. .
The party trains later moved to the residence of Mr. Ovuozourie Macaulay, Commissioner for Inter-Ethnic and Conflict Resolutions and continued with the celebrations till the early hours of Tuesday.
Of course, there was every reason to celebrate because the implications of a loss at the court would have been too much for the people to imagine.
As pointed out by the Anglican Bishop of the Asaba Diocese, Rt. Rev. Nicholas Okoh, the State perhaps would have been mourning and the politicians, particularly the public office holders, being the immediate and direct victims.
He said, during the inter-denominational thanksgiving service held on Tuesday at the Indoor Sports Hall of the Asaba Township Stadium that the politicians would have been jobless and may be making arrangements to park out of government quarters by now.
This perhaps explained why the politicians celebrated more than the governor himself as the Hussein Mukhtar judgment had far-reaching implications for the state and the country in general.
"God has delivered Delta State from the forces of darkness, Delta State has bounced back", Bishop Okoh stated noting that after the fire, trauma, psychological and spiritual warfare that Ibori went through, the governor was now purified, and better equipped to do more for Deltans and mankind."
He urged Ibori to exhibit complete faith in God by forgiving his adversaries so that he can receive the favour of God.
On his part, the governor who titled his remarks at the inter-denominational service "We forgive All", said that he has forgiven those fighting him, stressing that he held no grudge against them.
"As we give honour and glory to God for his deliverance, I hereby assure all that we harbour no malice or hatred against anyone. We forgive our persecutors and pray that God will touch their hearts and have mercy on them", he stated.
Meanwhile, in Warri, an atmosphere of calm greeted the announcement of the victory. But workers in some state government establishments celebrated openly. Loyalists of the governor who had feared that the governor would lose the case heaved a sigh of relief. For many of them, if the governor had lost, it would have meant loss of jobs, contracts, benefits, positions etc.
The Delta Rainbow Television (DRTV), the state television station in Warri, which usually begins broadcasting in the evening, opened transmission earlier than the normal schedule and joined in the celebration.
At the Governor's Liaison Office, workers jubilated and shouts of "thank you father, thank you Jesus," rent the air.
Before the ruling, workers in the state gleaned what they believed was the authentic police reports on the case on the walls of the building of governor's office. And the news of victory now meant that the reports could now be torn off the walls.
Generally, Warri was relatively calm and people went about their businesses as if nothing had happened. However, there were reports in Effurun that some members of the youth wing of the PDP drove through the streets in light convoys with headlights on to celebrate.
Many indigenes of Warri believe the protracted legal battle cost the state so much in terms of development. Mrs Rebecca Clark-Okorodudu, a lawyer, said the case did more damage than good to the state because no meaningful project was executed, apart from repair of roads and payment of salaries. "We can now go back to the many issues affecting the state," she said.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Wing Cdr. Peter Biakpara (rtd), said, "for some of us, the judiciary was on trial. We were convinced that Ibori was innocent the very moment he said he has never been tried, not to talk of being convicted."
The Commissioner for Transport, Mr. Bosin Ebikeme, believes that it would have been a disaster if the governor had lost.
"It is a victory for us all. Any distortion of facts made by the court in evidence would have destabilised the state and the country, because Delta is the number one state. I congratulate the judge and restate our trust in the judiciary in the ability to dispense justice, because anything to the contrary would have amounted to injustice," he said.
In the heat of the celebrations, the governor is not displaying the magnanimity of the victor. He has refused to say "Lord forgive them for they know what they have done." Instead, he has called the authorities to investigate and prosecute those responsible for his travails in the court. He said that the will not forgive the people who forged and stole court documents because of the implications of their actions.
He said that he and the state were the primary targets of the "fraudsters." Their action he said had dangerous implications for individual and national integrity.
"It is very good that they have been exposed by the court. All those behind the forgery and stealing of documents must be investigated by the Federal Government and prosecuted for ridiculing the judiciary and the stability of the nation," he said.
According to Ibori, what happened at the court was not just a victory for him as the governor of state, but it symbolises the triumph of truth over falsehood and virtue over villainy. He said that the judgment has rekindled the hope for the ultimate survival of democracy in the country.
The governor said the intention of those behind the fabrication of falsehood against him was to derail the process of peace and progress, which democracy has brought to Delta.
"Unfortunately, the planners and their sponsors underestimated the capacity of the people of the state and Nigeria to defend their democracy. They also forgot the power of God to protect the innocent and the just," he said.
Ibori noted that with the landmark judgment, the Nigerian judiciary has lived up to its reputation as the fortress of democracy and as a beacon of hope for the people.
"We are also indebted to the media organisations for their patriotic role in the whole saga and for demonstrating that they are true allies of democracy", he said.
Ibori restated his dedication to the service of God, the state, Niger Delta and the country, saying that with the victory he has renewed his electoral mandate, and pledged not to relent in the pursuit of justice.
Reacting to the judgment of the Abuja High Court, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan said that it was a victory for all Deltans.
He dedicated the victory to God and expressed appreciation to Chief Edwin Clark, an Ijaw leader and former minister, as well as to the Obi of Owa and others for their support during the trial period.
According to the SSG, the victory will spur the governor to provide more dividend of democracy for the people of the state in the remaining period of his stewardship in the state.
Similarly, Chief Amori said: "All the forces of darkness in the state will now witness light and new developments because all distractions have been eliminated by the judgment."
The Special Adviser to the Governor of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Ramos Guanah, took solace in the Ijaw proverb that says: "Dean sei ka kpo, bai minimi," meaning "no matter how tempest the night is, dawn must certainly come."
He said that Deltans have had occasions of severe thunderstorms and lightening in the night and that dawn has come.
According to him, the judgment was a victory for the entire country, it was more for the judiciary. Guanah commended Justice Hussein Mukutar for the courage exhibited in delivering the judgment.
Also, Mr. Anthony Akpomiemie, who represents Ethiope West, Ibori's constituency in the state House of Assembly, said that with the judgment, there would be stability in the government and the state.
According to him, the judgment has shown that the judiciary is truly independent.
For Mr. Abel Oshevire, Senior Special Assistant on Media Matters to the governor, "it was a good moment for democracy, because there cannot be a stable democracy without an upright judiciary.
"Governor Ibori's victory is being celebrated not only by Deltans but also by Nigerians who believe in justice because all along, everybody knew that it was a clear case of castigation."
Most of the governor's aides believe that the administration would be more focused to deliver the dividend of democracy, which is the only way to get everyone involved. The victory they said is not for the governor alone, but for every citizen of the state.
Mr. Ovie Agas representing Ughelli North II in the state House of Assembly, enjoined Ibori's adversaries to join hands with the governor to move the state to the Promised Land.
"The governor is a broadminded person and you can see that he has forgiven everybody. They should reciprocate his good gesture to move the state forward," he said.``
In villages in Delta State, the generous application of white powder to the face, and the areas around the neck, was an indication that a person has won a case in the court of the village head. The practice is also observed when a woman is delivered of a baby. The celebrant is required to dance in the open while distributing the powder to those who come his or her way. The "rubbing" of white powder is an exhibition of boundless joy
