Rivers Politics And Blood Letting: The Much Is Enough
Rivers State was known to be a safe haven for refugees from all walks of life before and today not because it harbours different races of human beings but because its elders, chiefs and youths are of sound mind.
The articulateness nature and hospitable life style of the people draw serious business mogul to its shores which characterized it as one of the fastest developing states in the country. A place where visitors found peace of mind in carrying out their daily activities.
It is on record that the peaceful nature of Rivers citizens and sense of development spur her fore fathers, to the agitation of the several developmental activities enjoyed in the state today.
The Elder Statesmen like the Dappa Biriye and Horsfall’s etc. were of like minds to the development of the state. The Okilo’s and Spiff’s activities are legacies the State should emulate.
Some of the founding fathers of the State, though late yet they live because their legacies speak for them and their works are unforgettable even after this generation.
Rivers State was not known for bloody politics but where things are done orderly in one accord, without blood letting even if there were oppositions, it was minute.
Unexpectedly, the wake of the modern Democracy in Nigeria from 1998 greeted sections of Nigeria especially Rivers State with violence and unforgettable circumstances that has to do with records of death tolls.
Some families in Nigeria especially in Rivers State will live the rest of their lives in shock and perpetual remembrance of the circumstance surrounding the death of their own, probably bread winners.
It is also on record that certain forms of criminality such as kidnapping, rape, assassinations were to certain extent the order of the day. Many ugly scenario were witnessed during the era under review.
However, between 1998 – 2007, even in the midst of tears and recalls of event that led to the untimely exit of loved once, there were also smile on the one side of the people as there were monies and of course mini-contracts in circulation for the people irrespective of class as against the present situation.
The magnanimity of the Government of the day in Rivers was so cherished by many who liked it, that the people christened it “the Donatus Government” because the government in her guest meant well for the people on ‘human development’.
However, many who formed crowd around Dr. Peter Odili’s government earned it a bad name because of selfishness. Some of them are in the hierarchy of Rivers government today, you know them.
Back home, the spat of violence of all sorts were expectedly reducing in the state when men with “mouth padlock” were deployed to the state to restore peace.
It is regrettably now that the quest for power and money at the detriment of the populace and electorates has spin up the forgotten violence in the State.
It began with the government of the State telling itself lies in the guise of deceiving the people, what a regret? Those in the corridor of power in the State who were seen to be tongue and teeth in the siphoning of the State huge resources are no longer compatible with each other. There is a missing link which they refuse to disclose to Rivers people.
This era of violence began with vulgarism, war of words and suspected threat to the fragile peace in the State.
From the war of wards within, was the formation of political associations, the Grassroot Development Initiative (GDI) and the Rivers leadership advancement forum, (Rivleaf) now Save Rivers Movement.
Kudos to all Career Politicians because they are more powerful than the Sooth Sayers and some prophets, as they are able to probably design the immediate future of the polity.
These associations have done their best and worse in the political life of the State. Many times in certain quarters would be news of sporadic shooting and fear of the unknown, scaring people away from scene of activities. Indeed, it has been one incident or the other that places all on alert of the next action.
The good that these associations have done to Rivers people is that certain secrets either at the corridors of Power in the State or as it affects individuals are revealed to the ordinary citizen. Is it not a goodnews to know that some personalities have not won any elections in their lives; rather through highly supervised litigations? It is also good that citizens who care have come to understand how much the State Government receives from federation account. Etc.
Yes, it was never heard that Dr. Peter Odili whose administrations witnessed serious intimations, violence and what have you had one day dared the militia or tend to confront any form of violence personally, but the reverse is the case today.
What it implies is that the present government is mightier than Dr. Odili’s Government and others. It is suggested.
The State at this period ought to be talking about propagating peace rather than allegedly fueling crisis, either against suspected enemies or enemies of would be ambitions.
It is high-time, the blood testing spirit ceases to operate in the State so as to achieve the aims and objectives of the founding fathers of the State.
A purported legacy of a war lord when there is no war is no legacy but foolishness and selfishness, beware. Let all hands be on deck to restore peace to Rivers, please.
