Bad Leadership, Bane of Niger Delta Underdevelopment ….High Chief Wellington Bobo

By Wilson Macaulay

WARRI:

High Chief Wellington Bobo, the Oroupawei of Gbraramata kingdom has identified bad leadership as the bane of underdevelopment of the neglected Niger Delta region.

The High Chief who spoke in Warri Delta state noted in his speech that the compromising nature of the Niger Delta leaders have made the region a cesspool of corruption, a scourge which can never allow development to thrive unfettered in any clime.

The good government advocate explained that bad leadership in the Niger Delta have shriveled the economy so much that we are almost worn out and since it is absurd for the people to die in silence, we have to speak out.

The Humanitarian Advocate quoted the memorable assertions of Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu of blessed memory, that: “the history of the world is a chronicle of oppression. Since oppression is maintained by force, it is only possible to remove oppression by counter force” 

According to the Populist Chief Bobo, it is high time to make the cabals truncating the progress of the Niger Delta to understand that the battle in the Niger Delta is clearly that of the truth against falsehood which is bound to collapse like a pack of card one day.

He reminded Niger Delta Leaders, the likes of Senator Godswill Akpabio who can be described as political jobbers and their Aso Rock henchmen of what happened not too long ago in the history of Apartheid South African Government which ended ingloriously with victory on the sight of the oppressed Africans which was validated by the emergence of Nelson Mandela, the first Black Man as the President of Independent South Africa.

The poised and resolute Niger Deltan Chieftain stated that he is indeed frightened and astonished to marrow that a crop of leaders could be so callous and wreckless about the future of their children and what posterity would say about them over the thorny issues of underdevelopment of the Niger Delta.    

Chief Bobo asserted that the time is now to tackle the powers that be by asking for what is legally due for the region which produces the black gold for all to enjoy.

He observed that the souls of the Niger Delta people are bruised because they are living in drudgery in the midst of affluence.

Shedding more light on the sad story of neglect of the Niger Delta, Chief Bobo the great radical humanitarian said: “what is happening right now in the Niger Delta is tantamount to trampling a stricken child and once that occurs, what you see in most cases is revolt, volatile actions reacting to check the unbalanced equation”.

Continuing he remarked: “the injuries sustained by the Niger Delta region are getting festered instead of being bounded up with wool”. 

He berated the situation whereby the region which ought to be encouraged with ownership of marginal fields has been short changed and the management of these marginal fields is shamelessly anchored as an exclusive reservation for the management of Northern Cabals to the detriment of the people who produce the Crude Oil.

He advised political leaders particularly those from the Niger Delta to have a change of mind to allow themselves to be used as vessels and agents of positive change in line with what is tenable in global practice.

Chie Bobo lamented that because of compromise of government agencies such as DPR, NOSDRA and others charged with the responsibility of ensuring compliance, Shell Bonga 2011 oil spill victims are yet to get compensated even after getting legal victory at the lower court while similar incident by same Shell in Mexico attracted a compensation grant of 211 million USD in record time.

He stressed that the refusal of shell to pay willingly stemmed from the fact that the agencies that ought to enforce compliance of the oil company to pay the spilled victims are averse to the compensation payment but believe more what they can get to their private pockets.

According to Chief Bobo the Nigerian government must strengthen the institutions and make the individuals walk through the process and not the other way round where wicked personalities make themselves cog in the wheel of the people’s progress.