By Felix Ofou
On Monday, January 27, 2025 the board of ThisDay/Arise News Media Group conferred honours on Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori as Governor of the Year, 2024 (Infrastructure and Fiscal Discipline Category). Three other governors, Babajide Sanwo-Oku of Lagos, Pastor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom and Uba Sani of Kaduna also shared the podium with the Delta State helmsman.
The event which attracted a large crowd from within and outside Nigeria, was the climax of activities lined up to celebrate 30 years of unbroken and reputable existence of ThisDay newspaper on the newsstands and 12 years of robust broadcasting by Arise News in Nigeria. It was an A-list ceremony accompanied by loud music, glitz and glamour. It was a celebrity showcase event to be talked about for a long time.
But, the award for the governors turned out a show stopper. It was quite different from other categories of awards which were no less important. First, was the suspense as to which of the five governors, including Peter Mbah of Enugu State who had earlier been nominated out of the 36 governors in the country, would clinch the coveted title.
It was arguably a big relief, when chairman of ThisDay/Arise News Media Group, Prince Nduka Obaigbena, announced that the board of editors found it extremely difficult to choose only one person out of the five nominated for Governor of the Year, 2024. He, thereafter, announced the four governors present at the historic event as winners of the prestigious Governor of the Year, 2024.
For Rt. Hon. Oborevwori, however, it was no surprise that his name was announced first before his three other colleagues. It was a fitting reward for a man who was unheralded and as Obaigbena himself described him, underestimated, hit the ground running as soon as he was sworn in as Governor of Delta and has transformed the State into a huge construction site. His prudent management of available resources and stout refusal to borrow money to execute projects have become legendary. There was no doubt that he had gained positive reputation in project delivery.
The immediate past Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly has since become known as Mr. Project, while some preferred to call him Mr. Continuity because of his dogged determination not to any project inherited from his predecessors. So, everyone knew that the Governor stood very tall in being named winner of the award as far as infrastructure was concerned.
However, the positive responses from prominent persons, elder statesmen and influential leaders across board, all attesting to the excellent performance of the governor in the past 18 months in office, may have been the desideratum for giving him the coveted title of Governor of the Year. Even known critics of previous administrations in Delta have had to openly commend Oborevwori for outstanding performance in the state.
Indeed, in the past few months before the award, Ukodo, as the governor is fondly called, had been in the news for good conduct and praise from opinion leaders across the political divide in the state. It is a case of Vox populi, vox Dei, a Latin phrase which translates to Voice of the people is voice of God. There has been an avalanche of voices pointing to the fact that Deltans at home and abroad are happy with the man they overwhelmingly voted as Governor of the state.
Perhaps, it was the same euphoria that prompted the chairman of ThisDay/Arise News Media Group, Prince Obaigbena, himself a prominent Deltan, to herald the award by first calling his own governor. “Let me start from the governor in Delta. A man who was grossly underrated. But for 18 months in power, he has not borrowed any cent (money) from any bank. And he keeps building infrastructure”, he boldly declared.
As if on cue, erstwhile Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, also had kind words to say about Oborevwori. “My dear governor of Delta State, I’ve heard so much of your activities and performances and I had the pleasure of speaking to you on the telephone sometime ago. I have the greatest pleasure to present to you this great award”, he stated
Earlier, before the close of 2024, the apex Urhobo organization, Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), had blazed the trail by inducting Oborevwori into the Urhobo Hall of Fame, a rare gesture, considering that a prophet is often without honour even among his own people. The Governor broke the jinx and was recognized by his kith and kin.
The event which took place during the 93rd Urhobo National Day Celebration 2024/Grand Reception for the Governor held at Urhobo House, Uvwiamuge, Agbarho in Ughelli North Local Government Area of the State.
President-General of UPU (Worldwide), Olorogun Ese Gam Owe, in his remarks, thanked Governor Oborevwori for the State Contributory Health Scheme and for providing free health care services to Deltans and lauding him for the ongoing construction of flyovers in Warri and Effurun and for other projects in Sapele, other parts of Urhobo nation and Delta State in general.
Chairman of the occasion, Olorogun John Oguma, congratulated UPU on its 93rd anniversary and commended Governor Oborevwori for his outstanding accomplishments in the governance of the state.
Representatives of the Itsekiri, Isoko and Ijaw nations, Chief Thomas Ereyitomi, Professor Chris Akpotu and Professor Ben Okaba respectively, who were also present, congratulated the Urhobo nation on their 93rd anniversary celebration and for honouring Governor Oborevwori.
They commended Governor Oborevwori for the unprecedented development and for his sterling performance across the nooks and crannies of the state, stressing that every local government area in the state was being touched across all sectors of the state’s economy.
Deltans feeling impact of Oborevwori – Clark
Elder statesman and convener of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Clark, joined the fray by commending the Delta helmsman for remarkable achievements in the state since assuming office on May 29, 2023.
Clark, in an open letter, said Governor Oborevwori had achieved much within a short time as governor, adding that he had outperformed his predecessors.
Clark expressed admiration for the governor’s achievements within a short period and challenged critics to identify any past Delta State governor who had accomplished as much within a comparable timeframe.
“Warri is fast becoming a sight to behold, returning to its old self. The famous Warri Township, which had been reduced to a shadow of itself, is being revitalized under Oborevwori’s leadership,” he wrote.
The former federal minister contrasted this with the neglect Warri suffered under previous administrations, which he accused of focusing development on less populated areas while ignoring densely populated commercial hubs like Warri and Uvwie.
“Today, the story is different. Almost all parts of the state are feeling the impact of Governor Oborevwori’s developments,” Clark stated. He praised the governor for paying off a debt of over ₦300 billion incurred by the previous administrations and for prioritizing people-focused projects over political patronage.
Oborevwori has shown bold determination to re-write Delta’s history – Olu of Warri
The Olu of Warri, His Royal Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse III, in a first major public assessment of the administration of the Governor, remarked that Oborevwori had ensured peace and security as well as embarked on legacy projects that cannot be ignored.
Said he: “The first thing that comes to mind is that it has been peaceful. Since His Excellency came in, I don’t think we have had any security situation in this state and that in itself is something that we cannot take for granted because if there is no peace for all his good intentions, you know you don’t have a solid foundation to begin to do anything.
“There is a major drainage work going on especially in the Odion area. Obviously that’s going to help when we get into the rainy season to checkmate heavy flooding that goes on there. This development initiative is also tied to the overhaul of the Warri Township Stadium which we know will be a world-class infrastructure masterpiece.
“There is also the trans Warri Ode Itsekiri road which is something that he inherited but we are very delighted to see that he’s seen it through to the end because that’s a major infrastructure project that is going to open up the riverine area.
“Finally, even though this goes beyond Warri, it’s just very obvious. When you fly anywhere in the world, the airport and the road that leads out to the airport, it always gives an important impression. And clearly His Excellency is determined to give people who fly into Warri through Osubi a great Warri.
“Everyone can see the bridges, the road work on going connecting Osubi all the way to the Effurun roundabout. I think that will go a long way in not only giving people the right impression of Warri and Delta state.”
Nwaoboshi and Nwaka thumb up Oborevwori
Senator Peter Nwaoboshi and Dr. Tony Nwaka, two top chieftains of the rival All Progressives Congress (APC), could not hide their admiration for the positive things Oborevwori has achieved, despite the fact they are not in the same Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with the Governor.
Said Nwaoboshi: “I know Sheriff as a humble, fearless and respectful young man who does not fall for pressure. I won’t run down someone because we are not of the same political party. Some of us in APC today trace our roots to PDP”, when asked recently about Oborevwori’s performance in the state.
On his part, Nwaka, a renowned critic, eulogized the Governor for running a pan-Delta administration and unleashing legacy projects across the state. “His early steps are looking encouraging. He seems to know precisely what to do. They said he didn’t possess the needed expertise. Has the man not performed?” he asked rhetorically.
And Governors Forum noticed
Perhaps of greater significance was the endorsement from the Nigeria Governors Forum. At a New Year visit to the President, Bola Tinubu, early January, chairman of the forum and Governor of Kwara State, Alhaji Abdulrahman AbdulRasaq specifically spoke of the huge developmental strides taking place in Delta. It was a resounding vote of confidence, considering that there were other governors in attendance.
With the outpouring of love, support and open applause that heralded the nomination of Oborewori for Governor of the Year by the ThisDay/Arise News Media Group, it was only a matter of time for him to be announced winner of the award. From the grassroots to the urban cities, royalty and elites, the academia and motor parks, the consensus was that the former Speaker has out performed his peers.
No doubt, the people voices were unmistakable. And if their voice approximates that of the Almighty, as the Latin maxim suggests, we did not expect any contrary outcome. The award of Governor of the Year handed to Oborewori was truly deserved.
