It is August 2007, in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Anarchy has descended. Heavily armed gangs fight street battles brazenly and undeterred. There is corresponding carnage, lawlessness reigns. Fear takes over the city. The Nigerian military’s Joint Task Force (JTF) had to intervene, even reportedly using helicopters to battle out the gangs. The toll in human lives was heavy. Prominent Niger Delta leader Chief Edwin Clark stated then that the impunity displayed by the wild youths was attributable to their sponsors being leading politicians from the state who he said are members of secret cults. The police had hitherto appeared helpless, as it was reported that calls would come from high places ordering the police to release arrested known cultists and gangsters. They appeared very well funded and had high-tech weapons.
In-coming Governor Rotimi Amaechi then inaugurated a “Truth and Reconciliation Commission” under the chairmanship of Justice Kayode Eso. The late learned jurist identified the ‘divergent ills’ of Rivers state as “cultism, chieftaincy, politics and insurgency”. Justice Eso said: “Rivers State is saturated with cults and cultism”. Ex-Governor Amaechi deserves commendation for he went after them frontally with full executive powers. He took no prisoners in his approach.
Since the return to constitutional rule in Nigeria in 1999, cult related gangs’ activities have shockingly become commonplace and always giving Rivers state negative publicity. This disorder started rising from about two years into democratic rule. Cultists set up their cells in different areas of the state and operated freely.
All things being equal, by May 29th 2019, a governor should be taking the oath of office to run the affairs of the state for another 4 years. Rivers state, although strategically located in Nigeria and endowed with immense natural and human resources, yet as of today does not figure highly in Nigeria’s economic index and powerhouses. There are quite a number of the state indigenes who believe Rivers state has not fared well in terms of governance since 1999. Take the example of Lagos state. Non-oil producing but look at its internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of N50 billion monthly. Commercial activities have been spurred on by successive governors of that state after the end of military rule, increasing wealth. While Lagos State 2018 budget proposal is N1.046 trillion, that of oil-rich Rivers state is N510bn. Landmark physical projects have been conceptualized and many completed in Lagos since the return to Civil rule; link bridges; the international airport new multiple lane road; Oshodi; the multi-lane Badagry express Way with a monorail; the Ikeja transport terminal; the Eko Atlantic City; the Fourth Mainland bridge and many others. Lagos state is not lagging behind in progressive policies of governance. It even now produces Rice. Come down South. Cross River State’s 2018 budget proposal is N1.3 trillion. It is a state without much oil resources yet its budget is higher than Lagos and Rivers State. This seems the product of a thinking and knowledgeable leadership. President Muhammadu Buhari’s first official trip outside his fortress of Aso Rock, was to identify with an ingenious clever-thinking economic project conceptualized by a barely 100 days in power governor of the southern state of Cross Rivers. It was a celebration of hope for the Nigerian state and its leadership. The president put party differences aside to go flag-off a superhighway project conceptualized on the state’s need to spur up its revenue base.
The citizens of Rivers state have an immense opportunity in 2019 to rectify the anomaly of a phlegmatic business climate and introduce economic renaissance, pushing out gangsterism and their patrons. With Nigeria’s reliance on an almost mono-economy product seeing a downslide, the era of governors largely re-allocating to Abuja at month end, with cap in hand for revenue allocation and then incurring huge banks debts, should seem a regressive agenda now. Rivers people need not fall again for emotionally choice slogans but should be thoroughly thinking their economy. They need now more than ever, an all-business man, an ultimate embodiment of the tenacious instinct for which the quintessential successful Nigerian professional is known, to run the state to economic profit.
Rivers state indigenes should never be scrapping the bottom of the barrel not even in these times nor be forming wild gangs to get pittance patronage from unprincipled politicians who have no other visible means of livelihood outside politics. The next governor of Rivers state, needs be an accomplished private performer, a solid personality who have been battle tested in the world of service to humanity and a product of economic prosperity, a figure with the preparation capacity and the limitless bank of ideas.
Rivers state’s next political headship should therefore come with a job description to lead an economic revival. This will be someone, a CEO, to prepare a comprehensive plan for resuscitating and ultimately growing the economy and leave no one guessing about the state’s economic future. The CEO Rivers state Plc is one, whose plans for the state economy, becomes his principal duty as governor, making daily judgements of all kinds that will keep economic prosperity up. This CEO sleeps and wakes the economy. The governorship then really becomes, not about political patronage, or about road constructions or the one who can catch the monthly flight to Abuja. It becomes one of immense intelligence, business skills and entrepreneurial managerial expertise. Someone, a grassroots man, who can improve the daily lives of his people by empowering deeds. In an era of youth restiveness and organized vandalism, a Rivers state Plc CEO will channel these teeming young men into becoming millionaires through economic ideas without necessarily making them thugs of state to indulging in state-sponsored terrorism. Rivers state people should be getting ready for the take-off of economic exhilaration, 20 years after the return to constitutional rule.
A lot of Rivers citizens and their elite are unanimous in agreement that a decent and law-abiding person needs take over leadership of the state. One name that keeps being mentioned is Chief Dumo Lulu Briggs, an affluent member of the highly respected Briggs family. The family patriarch, Chief OB Lulu-Briggs has touched a lot of lives in the Niger delta; he has sowed into many lives and institutions. His unassuming multimillionaire son Dumo Lulu-Briggs has naturally, faithfully followed on in his father’s philanthropic footsteps. Apart from his philanthropy, Dumo Briggs has been creating jobs and tremendous value for people. DLB, as Dumo Lulu Briggs is fondly called has been such a successful oil magnate.
Another thing propelling people to identify with Chief Briggs to run for governorship is the issue of Upland/Riverine rotation of leadership in the state. The riverine areas have largely been neglected in developments. The old Port Harcourt Township once a beautiful place, has deteriorated steadily. Power has always remained in the upland areas. Giving the riverine people a chance to lead in 2019 will definitely bring a serene calm into the state. It will ensure justice, peace and harmony.
Several state leaders have spoken out on this important matter on the next elections to Brick House. Chief Bekinbo Soberekon, has said, ‘’First, return Rivers State to the path of decency and good governance. Second, reciprocate Kalabari support to other ethnic nationalities in producing previous governors.’’ Many believe Rivers state has had its fill of motor park-style governments and there needs be a rebirth to decency, competence, order and tranquility. The man that seems to hold this torch for a new beginning is lawyer and business mogul Dumo Lulu-Briggs. Known to many to be kind, sympathetic, down to earth, from a very wealthy family and a comfortable means of livelihhod, his eyes would certainly not be on Rivers money for his private pocket.
Rivers State Government had reportedly spent about Two hundred billion Naira (N200bn) on infrastructural development of recent. This is commendable but job creation and economic revival is still missing. Channels TV recently placed Rivers state as the state with the highest unemployment rate in the country, a staggering 41 per cent.
For 2019, Rivers state indigenes should appreciate what Ken Blanchard said several years ago that “As a manager the important thing is not what happens when you are there, but what happens when you are not there.” Leadership must lay a solid foundation for a people to thrive. Chief Olusegun Osunkeye, former MD, Nestle Foods told The Nation Columnist, Mr. Sam Omatseye, that he had had to embark on a ruthless regime of training. Years later, this had paid off as he no longer needed to do much supervision; the workers already knew their assignments so well. He made men to blossom.
Rivers state needs an attractive alternative to kick off the state economy, to fight massive unemployment and inject life into economic activities. The state ought to be business-run by whoever assumes office on May 29, 2019. He needs be one with the entrepreneurial spirit, who has had his sleeves folded in real economic activities and was successful.
- Barr Oje is a Biographer.