James Ibori: A Hero or Villian?

The shocking decision of the people of Delta to celebrate an ex-convict who was found guilty of stealing his people dry will set the wrong example for others to follow.

Former Governor of Delta State, Chief James Ononife Ibori

 

 

The former Governor of Delta State, Chief James Ononife Ibori, could be a metaphor for the Nigerian politician – sometimes embraced and loved by all; and at other times, wanted by none and despised by all.

 

It is difficult to resist the temptation to declare Ibori an instant hero of his people. But going ahead to declare him an outright hero is equally risky, given our firm stand against corruption – a thief is still a thief, even where he turns over the entire proceeds of his thievery to the altar of God.

 

Truly, this piece would have been most undeserving if it was intended to get people out to welcome Ibori back home; or if it was intended to dissuade people from coming out to welcome him. But this has the opposite effect – it is a post-mortem that is more in the character of “If you see something, say something”. What have we seen on Ibori over the years?

 

The question is no longer whether Ibori was corrupt in office; it is a question of how much. The accurate amount remains a matter for conjecture. However, there is a standing estimation that in their time, Niger Delta Governors, not excluding Ibori, constructively looted not less than 75 percent of their States resources.

 

In a single entry, Premium Times asserts, “At a cost average of N10 million per unit, the nearly N40 billion the former Governor, James Ibori, recently admitted to stealing between 1999 and 2007could have rolled back a minimum of 4,000 houses”.

 

Delta is one of the most enlightened States throughout the Federation. It cannot be said that the people were unaware that they were being ripped-off. Yet, they love Ibori most passionately – to the extent that many would be willing to go to prison in his stead; and many would be willing to die so that Ibori could live.

 

When Ibori returned to Nigeria recently after about seven years incarceration forays abroad, he got the type of reception that no Nigerian Head of State has ever received. And this came in spite of the fact that many had written and spoken of the folly in coming out to welcome him; as it were, coming out to celebrate a criminal.

 

On his arrival in Nigeria, crowd control provided a major problem for security agencies. The original plan was for him to fly from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, straight to Osubi Airport in Warri, Delta State. Information revealed that as early as 10 a.m. the Osubi Airport area was already clogged up with human traffic.

 

It then became necessary to quickly change the flight arrangement and that was how Ibori ended up at the Benin City Airport from where he travelled by road to his home town, Oghara, the Headquarters of Ethiope West Local Government Area. On arrival at Oghara, human movement literally came to a halt and it was said that if you threw up a seed of alligator pepper, it had no landing space on the ground. And because of the large crowd, Ibori’s entourage could hardly disembark when they finally meandered their way to Ibori’s house.

 

If some former Governors who stole like Ibori did, had to quietly return home in total infamy after service; and you have Ibori’s return being celebrated in grand style, then, Ibori must have something going for him. He, therefore, becomes a special research subject.  That’s our major point of interest.

 

It would be recalled that with its entire arsenal, Ibori was one man that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, could not arrest. Only God knows where the timbers came from. Oghara youths used them to block every available route to Ibori’s place. As it were, they beat EFCC to its own game.

 

Hitherto, Oghara was an outpost for crayfish, “kpokpo garri” and edible worm market. Ibori came and turned things around; and that was how Oghara got transformed into a modern city with a Teaching Hospital, a University, a Polytechnic, non-stop water and electricity supplies, sprawling private industrial complexes, fantastic network of roads, etc.

 

Truly, governance is about human needs, the satisfaction of which is sole justification for government. There are obvious limitations. The truth remains that what is good for the goose is also good for the gander. That explains why people from other parts of Delta State would also want to be treated like Oghara people.

 

Again, there is a thriving Nigerian phenomenon, which is passed to the elected official even before his inauguration. He is quickly reminded that he is passing this way only once so anything he has to do must be done now. Besides, he is told that he may not steal but he must also not return empty-handed.

 

The Iboris of this world may be impelled by this to improve the lots of the entire States; but because they are engaged in a race against time and limited resources, they find themselves starting from their small cocoons.

 

The framers of our Constitution foresaw this when they provided for Federal Character and geographical spread of appointments and elections, including those of Chief Executives, in Section 14(3) of the Constitution. The underpinning here is that if every elected official represents his area well, the entire state and country would be eventually developed. Our charge is that elected officials must learn to develop their people so as to earn their love and respect.

 

It is bad enough to loot the treasury. But you are doubly damned if you must loot the treasury and build a fence around the proceeds for just you and your family.

 

We insist that the current war against corruption must be transparent. Recovered loots and their looters must be properly identified. The net balance of the loots recovered from a former State Governor has no business in the Federation Account – it belongs to the State concerned.

 

To the extent that Ibori provides a good example of how not to neglect the people, we have no hesitation whatsoever in casting our vote for him as the people’s hero.

 

-Written by Josef Omorotionmwan

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This Post Was Published By: Tony Odijie

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