By Emma Amaize, Godwin Oghre and Perez Brisibe
OGHARA – THERE was wild jubilation, Wednesday, in Delta State following the news of the release of the former governor of Delta State, Chief James Onanefe Ibori, from prison in the United Kingdom.

His kinsmen at Oghara and other Urhobo communities in the state, however, turned the affair to a carnival as they lined up the major streets dancing.

When Vanguard visited Oghara, his country home, Mosogar, Jesse, Sapele and other neighboring communities, joyous residents were seen chanting solidarity songs in honour of the former governor describing him as, “The hero of our time”, “The resource control guru” and “Liberator of the oppressed, who paid the supreme price for the sake of his people.”

The atmosphere was reportedly same among Urhobo folks in the United Kingdom, America and several other countries of the world,

One of Ibori’s closest associates, Chief Ighoyota Amori, said: “Our joy know no bounds as the entire Urhobo nation, Deltans and the whole country await his triumphant return to his father land. Like Nelson Mandela, Obafemi Awolowo, Olusengun Obasanjo and many others of his type, Ibori remains our hero.”

Amori, who is the Otota of Mosogar Kingdom, Ethiope West local government area of the state and top political strategist said that political associates and friends have concluded plan to specially celebrate not just his release, but the return of the former governor of Delta State, Chief James Onanefe Ibori.

His words: “Every Urhobo man or woman and indeed Deltans and friends and political associates of the Odidigboigbo of Urhobo land, His Excellency, Chief James Onanefe Ibori is looking forward to the coming back home of our idol and head of our political dynasty.”

“We will celebrate it like a thanksgiving and like the children of Israel, we will gather under his political umbrella frequently once again. We only missed his physical presence. James Ibori, welcome to our fatherland,” he asserted.

Amori added” “No matter how long a road is, it must have an end. The long wait and expectation has come to a positive end. To God we give all the glory. There is no doubt that his incarceration/imprisonment in almost eight years now created a big political vacuum, which will now be filled by his triumphant return to his fatherland.”

He stated: “Deltans missed a political field marshal, a mentor, a resource control apostle and the father of modern-day Delta state. One thing outstanding about him even while incarcerated is that he maintained touch with his political family and was able to keep the family intact with the family dominating the political landscape of Delta state till today. “

According to him, “With Ibori, all things are politically still possible, Ibori handed over to his erstwhile Commissioner for Health in the person of Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, who was his SSG and who also handed over to also another Ibori Commissioner for Health, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, who was also Dr. Uduaghan’s SSG.”

Another Ibori friend, Chief Ayirimi Emami, said: “The release of Ibori is long awaited by all Nigerians. My support for him is not about supporting corruption, but that his incarceration was political and the sponsors were/are corruption personified.”

Also speaking to Vanguard, Chairman of Delta State Association of Past Local Government Legislators, Hon. Clement Olojoba, said, “Today (yesterday) that Chief Ibori is released is like a festival for all Urhobo people at home and in Diaspora. There is celebration all over the world now and we have all heave sigh of relief. Urhobo nation and Delta state as whole are blessed once again.”