ANIOMA UNITY AND PROGRESS
Never in our collective history as a people have we been so blessed with having a good majority of our political leaders and a cross section of our long suffering and marginalised people under one political party. To wit, the All Progressives Congress (APC). It matters little if you are an original foundation member or a defecting member. What we should all be focused on is how we can all maximise the utter most benefits for our people, be they from Aniocha, Oshimili, Ika, or Ndokwa Ukwuani extraction. Anyi cha bu ofu! All we need is for the yam of development to grow for the benefit of all Anioma citizens, irrespective of whether the yam sprouts from the head or the tail! We want progress.
What is progress that will benefit Anioma? Put simply, life in more abundance. It comes down to water for our people from Ogwashi- Uku dam, light for our people from Ukpai, good roads, security which would discourage and punish kidnapping, jobs for our educated youths with bursaries, unemployment benefits for the employed, eradication of malaria [ the leading health challenge of our people ], support for agriculture which is the major occupation of our people and of course: the long overdue Anioma state creation project. This is the best time for Ned Nwoko and his supporters, the Ndudi Elumelus,Victor Ocheis, Arthur Okowas, Chiedu Ebies, the Onyemes, Fidelis Tilijes, Ossais, Hyacinth Enuhas, Peter Nwaoboshis, etc., to come together so as to advance the collective progress of our people. After all, progress for our people started since the time of our father, Ojiba Ahaba Dennis Osadebe.
If all Anioma people get from APC is Anioma state, the gamble would have been worth it, no matter.
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As we all look forward to the Idumuje Ugboko June meeting of all APC Anioma members, it is hoped that we all put aside our differences and gubernatorial preferences for Urhobo candidates and think Anioma First in our thoughts and actions. So I end this short entreaty by asking: will all of us attend? Will we come with an open and loving heart? Would we all lovingly celebrate, wine, dine, take pictures, and genuinely rub minds irrespective of past hurts, disappointments, defections, gossip, and suspicions? Would our love for Anioma dwarf our individual misgivings? I so move and pray.
Chief Tonnie Osita Oganah, legal and media practitioner
