Celebrating Delta State at 25

If there is one thing  that has become the envy of most Nigerians, it is the fast growing pace of Delta, oil and gas rich state that has made its mark in various fields.
Aside oil producing; Delta had carved a niche for itself in the sporting world by breaking several records within the country in all the National Sports Festivals.
Created by the mercurial Nigerian Military President, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, (IBB) on  August 29, 1991, Delta had a special attraction and was regarded as the state given to the people by their son in law, who was husband to Maryam Ndidi, Babangida, a daughter of Asaba from the Okogun family.
The early days of the creation of Delta State went through several rough patches as civil servants who were sent packing from Edo State had barely no accommodation of any kind in terms of office and residential places.
Military governors had a rough time settling in as the pioneer Governor, Group Captain Luke Ochulor tried to make the best of the situation.
Civil servants who came in from Benin City to Asaba got accommodated in offices and some prefabricated buildings.
Ministries were housed in private homes and halls and it took some hard and creative ideas for the early days for most civil servants to settle down.
Group Capt Uchullor created prefabications as temporary structures for offices. Soon after, first civilian governor came in under SDP government of Chief Olorogun Felix Ibru, which did not last beyond two years. Another coup truncated Felix Ibru’s administration, which was short- lived  and for most times, he never slept over in Asaba as his convoy was seen hurrying home to Agbarho- Otor in Ughelli North Local Government.
Ibru’s short spell was marked by two things; agreeing to convert the College of Education Abraka into a full fledged university and the estate at Okwe which housed commissioners and permanent secretaries in Asaba.
With the overthrow of the civilian dispensation came a long list of military governors, seen more as adventurers by Deltans, who took turns in the running of affairs of the new state.
We can recall names like Asuquo Bassey, Kefas, Col. Dungs under whose reign, there was crisis in Warri axis between two neighbourly  ethnic groups- Izons and Itsekiris. The ethnic flares were sparked off by the location of Ogbeijoh local government headquarters to an Itsekiri village in Ogidigben. But with the coming of Governor James Onenefe Ibori, the Ogidgben ruckus was settled and returned to OgbeIjoh, near Warri.
The pace of development in Delta was fast-tracked more under civilian governors than their counterparts, who were seen more as ‘plunderers’ from other states to help themselves with booties of soldiers in political postings as governors.
After David Dungs came naval Captain Walter Feghabor, an aquatic Izon from Bayelsa State also took his turn as governor.
When civilian governors came on stream from 1999- 2007 in James Ibori, he asserted himself as a progressive leader who appropriately laid the structures of government in the state.
Governor Ibori ensured that accommodation for commissioners were built in Asaba, inter- city highways and bridges thrown across the state and even bridges linking Bomadi, Kwale and Omadino were show piece  structures that linked inaccessible villages to the Delta mainland.
The Koko Ogbenu Road was constructed and made business and commerce in those remote villages a possibility.
Between 2007 and 2011, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan extended the frontiers of development through the bold initiative of linking Asaba and Ughelli with a dual carriageway thus fast tracking economic boom in the state. The most ambitious project was the  Asaba International Airport which had saved travellers to Delta State the tedious route of going to Benin to travel by air to Abuja and Lagos.
Amongst others was the proliferation of modern colleges and classrooms for both primary and secondary schools, making Delta a pride to all pupils and parents were full of praises for the Uduaghan administration.
The PDP had planted itself as a formidable party in the state and many envious eyes feel they can takeover the state in the near future.
Now with the battle for governorship in the hands of a son of Delta North in Senator Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa in 2015 May 29, the progressive policies of the PDP government has continued unabated with roads and construction of schools.