By Kenny Okotie

Chief Ovedje Great Ogboru stands on the brink of tomorrow… He has indeed etched his name on the sands of time in his relentless advocacy for the downtrodden and less privileged in our society today where living is hellish and brutish, where the common man has lost all hopes of survival and merely exist for the sake of living. He never considers tribe or religion when doing what he knows how to do best. And so, Chief Great Ogboru is a Pan Africanist, a man of destiny and a great optimist. He is broad minded and devoted to his ideals. One wonders how the name “Great” was given to him at birth by his parents. He happens to be a blessing and a beckon of hope for our generation because he has the midas touch of doing business.

He is an industrialist to the core. His triumphant re-entry into the folds of the All Progressive Congress, APC might signal a win-win situation for Deltans if ever he vies for the gubernatorial elections in 2027. He is sure to establish numerous cottage industries in this wise. Because what Delta state lacks most is in the areas of industries and manufacturing.

We have to seriously think of Delta without oil. The time is now. It is highly commendable that past administrations have constructed bridges, roads and flyovers across the nooks and crannies of the state but this time around, attention would be shifted to the area of manufacturing via industrialization. Who else is a master of this game other than Chief Ovedje Great Ogboru, if and only if, he could be persuaded to go for the kill in 2027. Time alone will tell.

The sole fact that Delta State is a major producer of oil and gas in this our beloved country, Nigeria, is not a guarantee for prosperity for the indigenes of the state. The people as of today still live in abject poverty with the dire consequences of producing oil in large quantities to the effect that the total revenue generated by this act amounts to about 40% of our total Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In some cases, where spillage occur, it is “double wahala” for the people. As farmlands and streams are heavily polluted. Fishing, which is the main stay of the people becomes considerably impossible. The discovery of oil in our state, Delta, has taken our people backwards.

DELTANS SHINE YOUR EYES! It is not the time to be fixated to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, it is time to try an alternative party such as the All Progressive Congress, APC for a meaningful change, moreso, when at the Federal level the APC is in power. Why should we be at the opposition everytime?

The knowledgable Deltans should pass the message of “Change” to the uneducated and uninformed Deltans for a total manifestation. It is high time we industrialized so that our oil will be an added advantage to us. One wonders where Chief got all these positive attributes from. The role of Education in social process is a crucial one, without it, life would be incomplete. 

Thus, Olorogun Ogboru attended the very prestigious Government College, Ughelli GCU, in Delta state. At GCU, standards and discipline were maintained. Those glorious years in school when they placed a high premium on discipline, excellence, respect for seniors and social values.

The GCU system was designed to elevate the dignity of students and create “the complete gentleman”. After which, he proceeded to the United Kingdom for further studies. It must be pointed out that the Ughelli system gave its products elements of cosmopolitanism on outlook of life moreso, the school GCU has taught him to free himself from all that is parochial, ethnic and primodial in thought and deed.

Talking about Delta state where Chief Ogboru hails from, is a multicultural, multiethnic and a multireligious state. The microcosm of the state is quite different from other states. One typical characteristics of our nation and its subunits (states) is the unbridled capacity to deploy deception, pretence, outright lies and prevarication, as tools for the management of public affairs, all in a ground design to obfuscate the truth, where inefficiency and graft thrive.

It is however, worth pointing out that while diversity has its inherent challenges, it remains, in contestably, one of the state’s greatest strengths and conduit to socio-economic prosperity.

It is said that people are grouped into three: those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who wonder at what’s happening. Chief Great Ogboru definitely belongs to the first set. If the Chief decides to contest the 2027 gubernatorial elections in Delta state, he will grow like a cedar of Lebanon planted in the house of the Lord. Although, some might say he has tried in the past before, but be reminded that “success is not final, failure is not fatal, it is the courage to continue that counts.”

Ogboru has a tenacious will and an indomitable faith. He is a man of great personal magnificence. His philosophy of “God first, others next and self last stands him out.” Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising everytime we fall. Great is a man of consummate diligence. He maintains a quintessence of justice, prudence and fairplay.

Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru has forced a plethora of excellence in business and other areas that many won’t beat in a life time. Furthermore, he is blessed, no wonder the bible says the blessings of the Lord maketh rich and adds no sorrow with it. At this juncture, while we await the declaration of Great Ogboru in time to come (if ever he will), we hope for the best because “hope” isn’t just wishful thinking, it is the fuel that drives progress. He is a hero in his own right with his profile and pedigree awesome. Moreso, he is kind, compassionate and a most friendly man. A MAN OF SUBSTANCE, Olorogun, here’s wishing the peoples general a belated birthday and pray that the Host of Heaven would grant you divine health all year round. Amen.