By Norbert Chiazor
Predecessor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa did not leave Delta in the hands of an irresponsible governor. That was my sigh when I met Governor Sheriff Oberevwori the other day.
Julius Berger is coming to Delta. A festival of project commissioning is blooming. Civil servants are flaunting their allowances. Delta is trending. M.O.R.E Agenda is making sense.
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori marked his first 100 days in office on September 8, 2023, in the shadows of storied chronology. He is following an archetype.
Franklin D. Roosevelt became the 32nd president of the United States of America on March 4, 1933, with a pledge to govern with speed.
On the 100th day of Roosevelt’s presidency, June 12, 1933, he coined the term “first 100 days” as a threshold to gauge his success.
All presidents of America have followed the Roosevelt model to date. Nigerian presidents since Obasanjo had observed the convention. Governors and indeed all political leaders of significance commemorate it.
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta state, in keeping with this tradition just marked 100 days of his gubernatorial sojourn, which began May 29, 2023.
As symbolic as 100 days may seem, the rhythm of governance is nowhere as easy as the sweet ballad of the nice ice cream seller.
“After Okowa Na Sheriff”. Yes! But the new Sheriff in town is on a marathon race, so energy-sapping, enervating.
Glory not the Big Heart. Forget about oil. Delta is not that smooth. This state is so rocky to rule. Complex in character, her place, people and politics are combustible.
The philosophy behind Roosevelt’s 100 days as a performance chronometer is faulty. Hasty hassle. Fleeting fight. Sound without much volume.
The 100 days benchmark of determining gain in governance is useless. Three months is too short, too fickle to fire development. Why observe 100 days? A participant observer is not persuaded.
In the complex maze of power politics in Nigeria, a 100-day period ticks off like a twinkle of an eye. Fading like the morning rose.
Nonetheless, counting Delta’s 100 days left one eager. Sheriff is shocking. Spunky on the saddle.
From the initial steps of clearing Warri drainages and provision of transformers to light up parts of the oil city in darkness for years, he moved to Asaba and Okpanam axis to commission 29 networks of roads and auditoriums of state-owned Dennis Osadebay University, Anwai.
Okowa built the best and biggest state secretariat ever in Nigeria for civil servants, Sheriff put money in their pockets at season of subsidy removal hardship, with the release of #5 billion promotion arrears to Delta workers.
Following in 100 days was the payment of #40 billion in pensions for local government retirees and approval for the employment of about 1,000 primary school teachers and other staff.
Mega interchange networks (flyovers) powered by construction giant, Julius Berger are soon to be mounted in the twin cities of Warri and Effurun.
A governor who promised Deltans M.O.R.E, a 4-point development and empowerment agenda had done more in 100 days.
Dr. Kingsley Emu, Secretary to the Delta State Government, facing a news conference, rolled out a slate of palliatives- #10,000 running for three months for public sector workers, and 17,000 bags of 50kg rice and maize across the 25 local government areas to cater for the ordinary people, widows and the vulnerable.
It has been a break-taking timeline inspecting and addressing projects across the three senatorial districts of Delta as Oborevwori forms and firms up his government in 100 days.
It is a pleasant surprise that the governor has committed energy to the completion and commissioning of projects initiated by his predecessor.
Political leaders across the country have often abandoned projects inherited based on a certain fear that the previous initiators would take the credit.
Only an incompetent, wicked administrator would jettison viable projects and programmes financed with huge public funds because he is not the author. That is the tragedy of Nigeria. A selfish sense of personal identity that rubbishes good governance and destroys social continuity. Okowa is right with Oborevwori!
Sheriff’s body language of continuum is not lack of will but latitude of wisdom. A good leader handles the past while building a great future.
Pronto. The Delta governor has so far kept a reasonable duty in the 100th day. Balance is Sheriff’s speed. Deltans are following him steady.
– Norbert Chiazor