MUCH ADO ABOUT OLORI ATUWATSE III NOMINATION ON SHERIFF’S 88-MAN TRANSITION COMMITTEE

Contrary to fears from some section of the social media, Olori Atuwatse III’s nomination by the Governor-Elect amongst other eminent Deltans to midwife his ascendancy to the number one office in Delta State is not a political one; neither is it a PDP affair as I can see some APC persons grumbling about. It is a state event which requires the best professionals from across all fields of endeavors to drive. They represent the populace whose job is simply to set the stage for one administration to pass the baton of governance to another.

By the time The Rt. Hon. Sheriff F.O Oborevwori will be sworn into office on May 29th, this high powered committee will be dissolved same day because it is not a political committee. It is a committee composed mainly of respected Deltans unaffiliated to any political party.

Like Olori, Prof. Emmanuel Nwanze, the chairman of the 88-man committee is not a politician. He was my VC at the University of Benin. Rev. Dr. Justin C. Okoroji (wrongly addressed as Honourable on the list), the resident Pastor of First Baptist Church, Warri is not a politician and does not carry the card of any political party. Ditto for Mr. John Ashima, Apostle Dr. Okonye Cyril Ifechukwude and Rev. Gideon Ogheneruemu Oyibo amongst others.

Those frowning at Olori’s nomination may have forgotten that Ogiame Atuwatse III is an eminent board member of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) a policy formation center for bureaucrats, private sector leaders, Army officers, and medium-rank and senior civil servants which was inaugurated by the APC-led Federal Government last year. Was there complaints from the PDP that our throne was being dragged into partisan politics? The simple answer is NO because even a child knows that such appointments/nominations are not partisan. Same as a transition committee. So what is the fuss about really? Rt. Hon. Sheriff is going to be a Governor for all Deltans and residents of our state. He has the prerogative to draw from the pool of great minds available to him in the state (including monarchs) to serve the people. Or is he no longer the Governor-Elect? Is there another one in the opposition party?

In the game of Chess, the Queen has more mobility on the board compared to other chess pieces. The Queen can move like the Bishops and move like the Rooks. A combination of that move has given the Queen considerable power on the chess board. The same philosophy applies in modern monarchy where kings give more visibility to their queens. Ogiame Atuwatse III, CFR made it very clear in his maiden coronation speech that “women will no longer be invisible” in his reign. Modern Governments and religious groups are giving more valuable roles to women. So it is a thing of honour to serve our dear state in such capacity.

I see no issue but congratulations to all the worthy Deltans that made the list or maybe you’re one of those desperately seeking to reclaim a phantom mandate that was never stolen so blindly that you refuse to accept that there is a Governor-Elect already and not a Gubernatorial candidate of the PDP. Issues of governance and issues of politics are not siamese twins. Abeg make all of us calm down.

~L. Monoyo Edon,
Proud Waffarian.