CICERO/TRIBUTE
More than 14 years after leaving office, former governor of Delta State, Chief James Onanefe Ibori, has remained a household name that is regarded with uncommon public acclaim as a genuine leader and unifying personage, notwithstanding the numerous challenges and hurdles he has had to deal with in recent times. The widespread outpouring of accolades on the occasion of his 63rd birthday anniversary few days ago gives credence to that perception about Ibori, writes Omon-Julius Onabu
For more than two decades, August 4 every year has become a day that does not pass without the outpouring of accolades and commendations from friends and relations as well as political and buisness associates, with a rippling effect on the social and political arena, particularly in Delta State. August 4, 2021 was yet another birth anniversary of the economist and politician, James Onanefe Ibori, who has etched his name boldly in the political history of Nigeria following his election as governor of one the country’s richest oil producing states in 1999. Granted that he spent the maximum two terms in office, totalling eight years as governor of Delta State, but not many of his peers enjoy the kind of influence and popularity that Ibori has continued to command in the state and beyond today, more than 22 years after he assumed national prominence on the political stage. Hardly a handful of his contemporaries, some of who had the privilege of spending considerable time in the Senate also, have been so lucky!
Against the backdrop of his unprecedented detribalised disposition and commitment to equitable distribution or spread of political positions across the different sociocultural divides, he is regarded by many as a visionary and qualified father of the modern Delta. As the governor, Ibori ensured that each senatorial district had something to be grateful to the administration for as a legacy infrastructural project.
To Okowa, Ibori is a truly great leader and pathfinder who believes in inclusiveness in politics aas he demonstrably built bridges of unity that has positively strung together the various ethnic and cultural groups in the state. “His contributions to the growth and development of Delta State are unquantifiable as many of his legacy projects still dot the nooks and crannies of the state.”
In his message of felicitation with the former governor, and under whose administration he had served two times as commissioner and member of the state executive council, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa described James Ibori as “a great and inspirational leader” who left indelible footprints in his state and humanity service trajectory. Speaking through his chief press secretary, Olisa Ifeajika, the incumbent governor of Delta State commended Ibori for laying the solid foundation upon which successive administrations in the state have continued to build.
“On behalf of the government and people of Delta, I congratulate our dear leader, patriot and statesman, Chief James Onanefe Ibori, on the occasion of his 63rd birth anniversary. As the father of modern Delta, I must commend your visionary and inclusive leadership that you exhibited throughout your eight years as governor, laying the foundation of the desired modern Delta laced with building bridges of unity among the diverse ethnic groups in the state. It is my prayer that your best years are yet to come even as God Almighty grants you long life, good health and wisdom to keep serving God and humanity.”
On his part, business mogul, Chief Emmanuel Oritsejolomi Uduaghan (not same as ex-governor, Dr Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan) on chose to pinpoint specific and visible legacies of Ibori as former governor of Delta State. According to Uduaghan, who holds the title as Alema of Warri, the patriotic political go-getter was a Colossus with enormous contributions and achievements to his credit.
“Chief James Onanefe Ibori faithfully and diligently served the good people of Delta State, cast aside all forms of tribalism and delivered the dividends of democracy to them,” Chief Uduaghan observed. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Webster Group of Companies, lauded the former governor for touching the lives of many Nigerians, shaping the future of his people, encouraging broad participation in governance and lifting Delta State to unprecedented relevance.
While commending the ex-governor for implementing the bottom-top philosophy, institutionalising due process and sustaining peace in Delta State through his belief in peaceful co-existence, good neighbourliness and unity amongst all. He also commended him for exhibiting good interpersonal relationship and eschewing divisive tendencies through the introduction of rotational leadership in the state and giving every part of the state a sense of belonging in the scheme of things.
Uduaghan noted, “James Ibori carried traditional rulers along in sustaining peace, through periodic meetings. He created an enabling environment for the private sector to thrive. He brought development and transformation to the geo-political entity called Delta State through Operation 2000 Projects.
“Chief James Ibori promoted peace, harmony and development in the Niger Delta. He campaigned for the diversification of the nation’s economy, power shift, resource control and derivation as well as enthronement of equity and justice in a restructured Nigerian polity where true federalism reigns. He also campaigned for decentralisation of policing and security responsibilities of government.
“Chief James Ibori built bridges of friendship and understanding among Nigerians. He demonstrated that leadership is not a function of tribe but a matter of vision, determination and mission. He also recorded successes in security, job creation, human resources capacity building, gender and youth empowerment, environmental sustainability and remediation, fiscal discipline and budgetary reforms.’’
Uduaghan also underscored Ibori’s role in the training of Deltans in local and foreign universities among other achievements in the education sector. He extoled Ibori for exhibiting high sense of maturity not only in development issues but extended his accommodating leadership style in terms of relationship with his deputy. He equally showed commitment to quality human capital development by paying bursary allowances to students of Delta State extraction in various tertiary institutions, curbing unemployment, youth restiveness and ethnic crisis in Delta State.
He noted that Ibori exceeded the expectations of elders, founding fathers and stakeholders in eight years in the number-one position in the state, most of who consequently respected him and cooperated with his government. There was a pervasive sense of pride to be called a Dentan, owing to his confidence and towering personality and strong projection of the state and the entire Niger Delta region.
“James Ibori did well in transportation, healthcare delivery, water supply, basic and higher education, rural electrification, sports, ICT, agriculture and housing. He provided better roads, built bridges, facilitated the training of Deltans in local and foreign universities and provided selfless service to mankind”, the Warri traditional chief further said. “As a responsible governor, the relationship between the Executive and the Legislature was a model in terms of peaceful co-existence, separation of powers and checks and balances. The judiciary also enjoyed tremendous support and co-operation from the Executive. Indeed, Ibori exceeded the expectations of the founding fathers of Delta State through visionary, exemplary and transformational leadership’’.
It stands to reason to assert that the foregoing commendations and submissions about Ibori should suffice in appraisal the towering political giant who influence and political philosophy have continued to act as compass for political calculations in the state. Such is his enigmatic and viral political qualities that practically every serious political issue in Delta State today has, at least tangentially, the imprimatur of James Ibori. Even during his legal travails in the United Kingdom, it took Ibori’s personal intervention still to restore sanity in process following disagreement around the choice of a gubernatorial candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015.
As activities towards the 2023 general election intensify across the state, almost every known governorship aspirant in the different political parties, save the former education minister, Kenneth Gbagi, is a product of what has come to be known as the Ibori Political Family. From the PDP, which has had a stranglehold on power in the state since ylthe restoration of democracy in Nigeria in 1999, to the All Progressives Congress (APC), which is considered as the main opposioltion party in Delta, the key actors would tend to have some of the Ibori touch.
James Ibrori was born to the family of late Chief Ukavbe Ibori and Mrs. Comfort Oji Ibori of Otefe in Oghara clan, Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State. He attended Baptist High School, Oghareki, now Oghareki Grammar School, before proceeding to the University of Benin where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and Statistics.
Ibori moved to London, England in the 1980s where he married his wife, Theresa. He worked as a cashier at Wickes DIY store in Ruislip, Middlesex.
Ibori’s political career began in 1990 when he joined the National Republican Convention (NRC). In 1991, he was nominated to contest for the Federal House of Representatives seat, to represent Ethiope Federal Constituency. He lost the election to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate.
When the General Sani Abacha Transition Programme kicked off, he joined the Grassroots Democratic Movement (GDM). The GDM clinched a good number of local, state and federal positions, including one of the three senatorial seats in the state. The transition programme was abruptly terminated with the death of Abacha. Ibori then with the leaders of other defunct political groups in Delta State, formed the Delta National Congress (DNC).
The DNC later merged with many others of like ideas to birth the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). It was on the platform of the PDP that he contested and won the January 9, 1999 Delta State gubernatorial election.
In 2003, he was re-elected as governor for another four-year term. Since then, he remained prominent in the Nigerian political firmament.
