Viewpoint: Dr Izonebi’s stand on Ijaw Governorship, By Ekanpou 

By: Enewaridideke Ekanpou

Rt. Hon Sheriff Oborevwori is the authentic governor of Delta State who has endeared himself to Deltans because of his pragmatic infrastructural vision attested to by the presence of Julius Berger and Setraco in the state coupled with his demonstrated educational vision for Deltans mapped by his yearly payment of bursary awards to Deltans and award of scholarships to physically challenged students and children of deceased civil servants of Delta State. By his vision His Excellency Sheriff Oborevwori has become the pride and joy of all Deltans whose second tenure is a concluded matter because the governor’s legacy projects shall speak for him in 2027. However, in 2023 it was the musically communicated passionate thought of Dr Izonebi Alfred that the Delta governorship should have been produced by the Delta Ijaws who are yet to produce any governor in the state. Alfred the remarkable Nigerian highlife musician distinguished by his notable musical masterpieces and dazzling stage performances echoed his passionate stand in a masterpiece entitled ‘Delta Ijaws’ which caused positive earthquake in the Ijaw music world as the song became seminal and dominated every homestead. It is this passionate position of Izonebi Alfred that is captured verbatim here through the medium of translation.

The night has broken into day. One inspired musician who sings memorably, and whose didactic lyrical messages always bear accurate resemblance to contemporary events is Dr. King Robert Ebizimor. He habitually said there was only two years left and it was actually like that. While he was alive telling his stories, nobody heeded and valued his words but now that he is no more, his once devalued words are nostalgically recalled whenever some of his hit songs are played which relate to contemporary events. These words now nostalgically recalled were the words you devalued while King Robert Ebizimor was alive.

Indeed, a living man has no value until he dies. However, Izonebi is still musically walking on King Ebizimor’s path in continuation. Because I am still on the path, it would be progressive if you could heed my lyrical messages now that king Ebizimor is no more on earth. I want you to lend your ears to my songs. Let all the Ijaws come together; let all the Niger Deltans come together. The God of Heaven and the gods of Ijaw have decreed that the next governor of Delta State must be an Ijaw person. This cosmic decree shall come to pass with 95% accuracy if the Ijaws come together and speak one language. With unity in purpose the Delta Ijaws can produce the next governor of Delta State and become the owner of the governorship seat or chair.

Delta is my mother’s state to which I have just crossed over because of this very important governorship matter. Metaphorically, governor of a state is like mammy-water, an earth god, a whale people butcher and go home with large chunks, yet the whale is not exhausted, ready to meet the demands of anyone who goes to butcher it – as the whale anatomically re-invents the butchered parts and remains ever inexhaustible in service to humanity. A governor has enormous power of transformation in terms of human capital and infrastructural development. The whole Ndoron town could be deforested and developed by mere decree from a governor just as a bridge to link Burutu could be similarly constructed within the twinkle of an eye. A state governor must be somebody who attends to all your needs when he sees you without asking questions. At one fell swoop a state governor should have the capacity to Londonise Ndoro town and Burutu council through road-construction and bridge-construction. What kind of governor is it that still asks questions as to what you need when he sees you? Is such a governor so blind he cannot see my poverty? Captain Ogiren of Akparemogbene englishes thus: MIA KOLUPA ZIMIA KOLUPA. It seems it is Mr. Ekanpou .E. Enewaridideke who should assist us in the semantic interpretation of this English structure.

My Ijaw people, I was home because of the lockdown. Being idle at home because of the lockdown, I decided to journey to Ndoro my hometown. I was actually in Ndorobou Forest for three days when Alapala called me. I had no phone in my hand in Ndorobou forest, yet Alapala called me up and insisted I come to Asaba where I was needed. I went straight to Yenagoa, and from Yenagoa I was taken to Asaba by Alapala and Doutimi into the home of Chief Barrister Bosini Ebikeme and Chief Emmanuel Amgbaduba. Chief Richard Enarede, Mr. Alfred Tortor and Prince Kelly Penawou detail me to cry musically to the wide world as a town-crier that the Delta Ijaws should form a united front and produce the next governor of Delta State.

This town-crying must not be left to politicians and musicians alone. Christians have significant roles to play too. Because Christians have roles to play, I hereby call on senior prophet Jeremiah Omoto Fufeyin to play his own role by praying for the Ijaws. Traders should be ready to play their own role too. Chief Tunde Smooth the Bulouwei 1 of the Niger Delta, Chief Dewaleys the King of Marine, Chief Kenneth Oboku the Asiwaju of Niger Delta, Pere Arikawei Wariwini the Pere of Umbi Kingdom, Ogisi the first, Chief Joseph Penawou, Chief Pius Sinebe, Chief Clement Moni, Chief Matthew Tonlagha and Alhaji Omoko of Egbema should be very firm in their resolve to produce the Delta Ijaw governor while we the musicians equally play our roles.

A cock usually crows at dawn. Just as a cock crows at dawn I am using my song as a medium to call on all Ijaws to come together. Wake up if you are asleep. If you are in a foreign land, come home now! It is dawn now. King Ebizimor is fully in support of my call on you to come together. Pastors and traders have their roles to play. I have been detailed by Barrister Ebikeme, Emmanuel Amgbadaba, Chief Richard Enarede, Alfred Tortor to turn a town-crier and preach the gospel of Ijaw governorship. All the Ijaw traditional rulers and Chiefs have a role to play in this matter. If everybody plays their role just as I am doing as a musician, we shall cross to the other side. King Robert Ebizimor once told these stories but now has gone to the underworld. But Izonebi is still telling the stories in continuation and so if you lend your ears to my stories, we shall successfully cross over to the other side of the river.

To double Chief Peter Ekiyegha the Amadiowei of Ogulagha Kingdom, Double Chief Emayei Benidiowei, Godday Orubebe, Chief Felix Eba the Pere Bebefiyeowei of Ogulagha Kingdom, Comrade Moses Agbobulagha and Hon. Godwin (Alias Teiembelemowei), my words or stories are very much in the right direction. They also hold the view that the Ijaws should collectively choose one Ijaw man as a gubernatorial candidate at night before coming to the public arena so that all the Ijaws can give their support to the consensus candidate. Where are you, Ek. Clark? What are you waiting for, Governor Douye Diri? King Robert Ebizimor says it is dawn now and that you should gather the Ijaws so that we can have a firm collective position. The Hausas, Yorubas and Igbos still speak one language even after conflicts. Why is ours the reversal after we have collectively agreed to go to Eselemo but on the agreed day people dramatically journey away on different canoes. What is happening in Ijaw? This time around we have agreed that an Ijaw man must become the governor of Delta State. Now that we have taken a common stand, let us chorus HAAN IZON YAN. HAAN IZON YAN! YAN!

With our common position to produce the next governor of Delta State, may it please the gods of Ijaw to identify and take away from us any person who works against our common resolve. May it therefore please Ndorobou Forest to identify and take away any Ijaw man who betrays the common cause. All the things of Ijaw should descend furiously on any Ijaw person who indulges in traitorous games as regards the Ijaw governorship calculation. This prayerful imprecation is also the stand of King Robert Ebizimor as communicated to me mystically.

Again, let it sink into the consciousness of all the Ijaws that any Ijaw man from any part of Delta State enjoys eligibility as a governorship candidate. The Ijaws should be ready to support any Ijaw from Bomadi, Patani, Burutu and Ogbe-Ijoh Warri South-West Councils who aspires to become the governor of Delta State because all the things of Ijaw have resolved that the next Delta State governor must be Ijaws. Historically speaking, the Ijaws have worked for Urhobo, Itsekiri and Delta Ibo to produce the governor of Delta State at different times. This is the time for these ethnic groups to reciprocate the Ijaws by supporting the Delta Ijaw governorship dream. It is now the turn of the Ijaws to produce the governor. This time we shall not let go of this because it is our democratic right and entitlement. Firmness on the part of the Ijaws is highly needed. James Manager, Kingsley Otuaro, Godday Orubebe, and Nicholas Mutu, Braduce and Basil Ganagana should be very firm in their resolve towards the production of Ijaw governor in Delta State.

Traders, be firm and play your roles; pastors, be firm and play your roles. Izonebi is telling all of you to be dedicated to the governorship cause being championed. Kingsley my brother, break into a dance while you await this governorship dream-materialisation because it is coming to the Ijaws. Hold your side very well, Kingsley my brother. Both the old and the young of Ijaw should dance and jubilate because the governorship is coming to you people. May our women have their breasts wrapped round with cloth; may our mothers also have their breasts wrapped round with cloth in supportive gestures and jubilate because it is ours to produce the next governor of Delta State. In fervent prayer should Owomowomo be engaged because the governorship is the Ijaws. Papa Ek. Clark, hold your side firmly because it is ours. Governor Douye Diri, gather the Ijaw people because this is the promised day. Frank is standing firmly on his side. Shedrach Otauro is also standing firmly on his side in supportive language for the Ijaw governorship. We should all firmly stand and hold our sides without yielding way because on no account shall we let go of this governorship opportunity this time around. It is our destined time to produce the next governor of Delta State.

Ekanpou writes from Akparemogbene, Delta State