The President National Association of Itsekiri Graduates, NAIG, New Year Message to Itsekiri Graduates Worldwide

The President, National Association of Itsekiri Graduates, NAIG, Comr. Collins Oritsetimeyin Edema, wishes all our members worldwide a happy and prosperous new year.

The Year 2019 being an election year was characterized by manoeuvring, surprises, setbacks and a wakeup call for the Itsekiri Nation.

In 2019, I spoke extensively on the General elections. Excerpts of my 2019 New Year message are outlined below:

"The 2019 general election is the beginning of a new political life cycle for the Itsekiri nation and as such we must be involved in how our economic wellbeing will be affected in the next four years. 

Today, the Itsekiri Nation is at a political cross road. It is either we remain the way we are or we move forward. We cannot afford to vote for candidates who will take us backward as that will only land us in political wilderness for another four years. 

The 2019 general election is a choice between immediate financial gains and sustainable development. 

The 2019 general election is a choice between Itsekiri interest and personal interest. 

The 2019 general election is a choice between political jobbers and political capacity. 

The 2019 general election is a choice between being anti-party and being anti-Itsekiri. 

The choice is yours to make.

Our choice in the 2019 general elections will either lead to the completion of the Dredging of the Warri River or the suspension of the project. Our choice in the 2019 general elections will either lead to the opening of the Warri and Koko ports or the continuous closure of those ports. Our choice in the 2019 general elections will either lead to the commencement of work on the Gas Revolution Industrial Park, GRIP, Ogidigben or the continuousp hopelessness we face.

Our choice in the 2019 general elections will either lead to the passage of the bill for the establishment of the Federal Polytechnic Koko into law or the suspension of the bill. Our choice in the 2019 general elections will either lead to the gazetting and revival of the $5million vocational training centre Egbokodo that is in a sorry state or the continuous sorry state.

A glance at recent headlines should tell you that this moment is really different. The stakes are quite higher. The consequences of any of us sitting on the fence are more dire. It is not that we have not had big elections or made hard choices before but the fact is, our democracy has never been easy.

My dear compatriots, honestly these are not just extraordinary times but they are dangerous times. In less than two months we have the chance, to restore some semblance of sanity to our politics". 

The 2019 General elections sum up our continues slide cum decline into political irrelevance at both State and Federal level.

It is important to state that the Itsekiri Nation started the last decade with four members representing us at the Delta State House of Assembly but after the 2019 General elections we ended the decade with only two members.

In the last decade, We have also gone from being appointed as commissioners with critical portfolios to being appointed as commissioners into ministries that we cannot use to influence Developmental projects in the Itsekiri Nation. 

The much celebrated N3Billion Funding provided for the Trans-Warri-Ode-Itsekiri Road by the Delta State Government as announced by His Excellency Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa at the 3rd Coronation Anniversary of His Imperial Majesty Ogiame Ikenwoli, The Olu of Warri, in December 2018 was just an election deceit to cajole the Itsekiri Nation.

The appointments made so far by the Delta State Government after the 2019 general elections sum up our journey into political abyss.

The fact that the Itsekiri Nation has the highest quantum of Crude Oil and Gas and voted massively for His Excellency Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has not been reflected in the political appointments made by the Delta State Government. 

While the Itsekiri Nation with the highest production quantum in DESOPADEC has a Chairman (part-time), a commissioner (Part time) and ED Project (making three appointees), the Urhobo Nation with the third production quantum has five appointees in the board of DESOPADEC. 

At the Federal level, the NDDC Board appointment slots allocated to Delta State which should rightfully come to the Itsekiri Nation was hijacked by elements of darkness.

The only glimmer of hope is the decision by His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari to reconstitute the NDDC Board.

It is at this juncture that I wish to call once more on the Federal Government for the appointment of an Itsekiri man as the Chairman or Managing Director of the yet to be reconstituted Board of the NDDC. I wish to call on all Itsekiris worldwide to join this clarion call as other appointments such as the Federal Commissioner representing Delta, Bayelsa, and River State at the Federal Civil Service Commission (zoned to Delta State) has been taken by our neighbours, also the Position of Delta State at the Federal Character Commission has been taken by our neighbours despite the fact that it is the turn of the Itsekiri Nation to be so appointed. 

We cannot continue on this downward protectory into political abyss. 

The Itsekiri Nation should produce the next NDDC Chairman or Managing Director as zoned to Delta State based on the NDDC act.

I wish to also state that we are working tirelessly with the Honourable Member Representing Warri Federal Constituency Hon. (Chief) Thomas EREYITOMI, the immediate past member Representing Warri Federal Constituency Rt. Hon. Daniel Reyenieju, The Itsekiri Leaders of Thought, The Olu-in-Council, Itsekiri Congress UK, and other critical Stakeholders to ensure that the Federal Polytechnic Koko Bill is given concurrence by the Senate and signed into law by the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

I plead with all our political gladiators, and academia to give full support to Hon. Thomas EREYITOMI, so as to actualize the Federal Polytechnic Koko. 

ABANDONED PROJECTS

The list of abandoned projects is still as worrisome as it was when NAIG co-authored the Odyssey of Waste in 2016 but more worrisome is the fact that some few completed projects by either Development agencies such as DESOPADEC or Constituency projects have not been put to use. Training Institutions are not gazetted as seen in the case of the $5 Million Vocational Training School Egbokodo.

The Ogidigben Cold Room, Welding/Fabrication Workshop, Olobe Cold Room, and Ogiame Ikenwoli Health Centre Ijala-Ikeren are few examples of completed projects not being utilized.

Any responsive Government or Representatives will want to better the life of his constituents. That both the Local Government Chairmen or State Legislators where these projects or institutions are located have continuously turned a blind eye to this issue is the height of wickedness from those we have entrusted to govern us.

Prominently, the issue of the Ogiame Ikenwoli Health Center in Ijala-Ikeren that has been completed but unfortunately left to decay by those that should know the importance of a primary health Center to not only their electorates but to our pregnant women, children and aged parents (who are constantly exposed to different forms of environmental hazards from industries in that location where both the Warri South Local Government and the Delta State Government enjoy huge Tax returns) is the height of Government insensitivity to the people.

The Warri South Local Government Chairman and the Member Representing Warri South Constituency 1 at the Delta State House of Assembly should save the people of Ijala-Ikeren, Ifie-Kporo, Aja-etan, from the stress of taking bike to Ubeji for medical attention such as antenatal, immunization, child birth and emmergency medical issues.

Lastly, this year 2020 is an election year in NAIG. 

I wish to plead with all members to ensure a free, fair, and credible election as has been the hallmark of NAIG since the inception of the present administration. 

No doubt, our convention in July 2020 will see the emergence of a new NAIG President. I plead that we all join hands to have a convention we will never forget in a hurry. 

GOD BLESS NAIG

GOD BLESS HIS MAJESTY OGIAME IKENWOLI 

GOD BLESS WARRI KINGDOM

COMR. COLLINS ORITSETIMEYIN EDEMA

PRESIDENT, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ITSEKIRI GRADUATES (NAIG)

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