A MESSAGE TO TOMPOLO: ACCEPT THIS OFFERINGS AND LET ME SPEAK!

By Asiayei Enaibo

Like a pilgrimage to Agadagba-bou, I bowed to seek your face, but many cobwebs against my face, I hold firm to your hands.

The year is almost coming to an end, thanksgivings and offerings are everywhere religiously. Barely years ago, you have craned your eyes and ears away from our directions, Oh! legendary living deity.

I do not have much to give to you but I have brought your ancestral delicacies, native chalks, bitter
Kolas, alligator peppers, cowries, Ifiyen, and 7 bottles of Bekeworu on a white plate, placed in the middle of my canoe, accept it so that I can express my mind.Those who go to see God or gods must go with offerings as a symbol of purity and believe.

1. The spring of human ladder is connected to humans on Earth while God gives every man their own gifts and strength, you have earlier discovered who you are and what you are made up of, you stood to liberate humanity from our poor state of being, your voice was heard in the Nigerian space and in the global world, your selfless sacrifices become joy to the voiceless people, you have set the template as a true Patriot, where few emulates and your name become Tompolo in the world register.

High chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo which name alone become fearful and honoured for the spirit of patriotism and a Nationalist consciousness.

That was your role to humanity, a freedom fighter to the Niger Delta people to have Sense of belonging in the Nigerian state. Through you, many shanty homes turned Golden Houses while this Tompolo like Jesus do not have a house of his own, but build houses for people, train people in schools, he takes people medical responsibilities, You create way for humanity, few are like Tompolo as disciples, they are carrying out the legacies of Tompolo, while some are acting like the other disciples of Jesus Christ, what they practiced is unknown to God and man, they don’t want you to come close, Master leave them alone, except them.

They teach hatred but he hates hatred, when Tompolo forgives, the Judas forgot angry. He quizzically smiles as their hearts as desperate men and women.

They thought Tompolo do not know, because we will not have the opportunity to meet with him, accept this offering and open thy gate Master! Some spirits at the entrance of the Odokorikodo act differently.

My gate pass is here to see you one on one not to point what others have done but.

2. In the bit of human struggle, the role of journalism is also to do gate keeping, the modern society has no space for journalist, our role has been relegated, we are thrown into the gate of penury, empoverished and less valued. Come first, after come first, and write, the food never got to our table. we only got verbal appraisal of GbaramatuVoice; you people have tried in telling the Niger Delta stories, Talking Drum you are doing well, but the average journalist in the Niger Delta is dying in the social economic ladder of pain in discharging his core value as a watch dog in the society, even the Dog at the gate of one man’s house that is just a dog, not a watchdog is eating meat while the watchdog is homeless and not getting even Left over bones from his master’s table.

Take this my offerings on behalf of journalists, good spirited Tompolo conscious men and women, and as the Talking Drum of the Niger Delta. We come to your sacred temple with these offerings so that you can create a space of empowering the watchdogs to the society, or have we not done well in your eyes? Have we not been diligent enough master? Take this ancient delicacies Odokorikodo!

We are the storylines to the Generals, we tell the story, our stories set the template of dialogue. When it is time for dialogue, the Journalist is locked out of indoor meetings, we are never path of the laughters, in those stories we tell, some of us are imprisoned, illegal detentions, families are in hunger, we are made conditionals beggars in the street of the New Niger Delta with empty pockets and stomachs, our calls are never returned with hope.

All the generals are leaving in Golden castles, but the story writers are homeless, tomorrow if they turn to write a different story, they declare us betrayals. We have also declared some betrayals too, because, the benefits are only for themselves and wives.

Amnesty came, it is only the strong that become the generals, the privileged few that went to school, but return back being employed by Facebook and WhatsApp, because they are jobless.

Tompolo you are the key to the oppressed and the less privileged people.The journalist are economically less privileged too in our advocacy to the Niger Delta questions.The GbaramatuVoice, is an appendage of the struggle, but in this, our compatriots are in pain inflicted by poverty and no helping hand. Maybe those you sent to us have not gotten to where we are.

For you are the living Legend in the world register, that is why I have come with this offerings to you so that I can Speak to the Odokorikodo, the key to the spirit world to hear my people and Free us from the danger and grip of the emerging penuries like the covid-19 pandemic of different stages.

It is a custom in the sacred Egbesu temple for those who come with Bekeworu, native chalks, alligator peppers, kola nuts to Egbesu will tell the Agadagba to tell Egbesu his needs, and protection for this I offered this so answer Us Odokorikodo.

Like a drowning man in the sea, he will hold anything to save his sinking soul before waves of the sea took him to the world beyond.

Throw down your life vest upon us, so that those in the canoe will have hope of the new vision as we are the storytellers.

It only takes a courageous man to embark on your boat of entourage and it takes only a courageous man to speak with you for the pains of his folks. For as the Talking Drum I have come to bear crown on this uneasy age.

Now that the trouble is over do not close your eyes and ears on the vision of these young souls. We too are inspired by your spirit.Throw your hands of Grace upon our path, so that the Vision of Abai, Asiayei and many more will be the history of tomorrow as Maj. Adaka Boro was your history and yours become our history and ours become the history of Tomorrow, and tomorrow.

I have eaten your Osobo meat from the Egbesu’s pot of Power, in purity, I have danced often before your eyes, do not allow me to think, your God is not seeing what we do.

Do not allow them to barred us from coming to see you. During the time of turbulence when you were living with Bini- ebi in the sea when the earth was full of inconveniences, we also throw biscuits and Fantas in River Forcados so that the earth can be still again. Many of us became the target but today no one has ever come to show us the love of Tompolo.

So are we not entitled to the wealth of Bini- ebi too?

Hear the voice of thy gate keeper, let my voice be heard as you in humility pour libations to Sarabobouwei, Ogoni, Bini- Ebi, and Egbesu. They heard your plead and attend to your needs. Accept this token as my offering to your gate of empowerment, and open the bank of wealth before my eyes. So harken to my plea Odokorikodo, the living legend, the torch bearer, the King marker to Kings.

I genuflect before you in honour for accepting by petition.

Íseeeeeeeee!

Asiayei Enaibo
The Talking Drum of Delta Delta
Writes from GbaramatuVoice.