“The fifty three years had been years of recklessness, ignorance, manipulation, dissentious living……..” with Chief (Major) Joseph Oyewonsa
NR- what do you think is delaying conducting the local government election in Delta State.
Chief (major) Joseph Oyewonsa– We has a problem in the state. Political parties where stopped from performing their functions. Transition government where now in place. The appointment of the transition committee members are supposed to be across-board, but in the case of Ukwuani local government Area, it is all PDP affairs and because the government had not come out with a statement on this election, after naming the Delta State independence election commission (DEISEC) no body know what is happening.
NR- Is this misnomer having appointed members, instead of elected ones running the affairs of the Local Government Councils the best for the state?
Chief (major) Joseph Oyewonsa- The government know what they are doing. The state is run by PDP. I believe the government will come out with the time table when they are ready.
NR- Is transition Committee Government a good system in a democratic setting?
Chief (major) Joseph Oyewonsa- This is not the best for any system.
NR- what do you think about the road network?
Chief (major) Joseph Oyewonsa– For a proper and even development the street roads need to be graded or tarred. Even when graded, it should be continuously maintained. For instance the road to Ukwuani local government is such bad state.
What I know is that local government administration is appointed by the state that is why the party in power had appointed their people to govern, without any effort to supervise the work at the local government Area; the roads should not be graded, but properly tarred. The government should tar these roads, irrespective of the grade of road.
NR- Looking at Ukwnani LGA the roads to the secretariat is in bad state, none of the entrance is motorable especially during rainy season.
Chief (major) Joseph Oyewansa- The road from Umuebu and Amai ends had been like that for a longtime. The local government chairman should be able to explain the reason. May be he is looking for funds. But whatever the case, the secretariat should have better roads.
NR- Nigeria just celebrate her 53rd independence Anniversary, had the people of Ndokwa benefited from this?
Chief (major) Joseph Oyewonsa– The fifty three years had been years of recklessness, ignorance, manipulation, dissentious living, indiscretion, discrimination, falsehood, and above all corruption, which is the greatest in the system.
Corruption, which many a time the military had, being blamed. Especially for all the problem of Nigeria. But I want to believe that the military did a lot for Nigeria. The present party structure in Nigeria is due to effective leadership of the military.
Despite the entire allegation against the military the so called crime the military is being accused was in conjunction with the civil society. They never ruled in isolation. Remember, in every military government, there were commissioners, who were all civilians. They were always there to help and form the government. The civilians were the ones that had created burden on this country, most of the so called problems associated with the military was caused by the civilian. The military officers couldn’t take a decision without the civilian advising. The civilian were the ones playing the role of advising. The military was in a way to make things work. It was not the military that miss ruled Nigeria, but the civilians.
NR.-But sir, the military can not be ordered on what to do or not to do?
Chief (major) Joseph Oyewonsa- That is a lie. It is not true. The military took over to make things work. The civilians pushed the military in doing things out of ordinary. It is funny. When it is failure it is the military. But when achievement is celebrated it is the civilian that will take the glory. The civilian had the highest hierarchy in the system, I see no season when they refuse to perform. The civilian catered all the money that was meant for the military, and still come back to blame the military.
NR- In all this, had been the Ndokwa Man’s benefit, 53years of independence. Any development?
Chief (major) Joseph Oyewonsa– first let me tell you the Ndokwa man discriminates himself. He hardly wants incorporation between him and others of his people. The Ndokwa man is so docile; they don’t want to come out in public places to contest for position. We are the second largest ethnic groups in Delta State, after the Urhobos and looking at the case within Delta State, the high population and resources is not utilized. Leadership had been coming mainly from the Urhobo axis. Even during the military his position was taken by people from the Urhobo,Ijaw, Itsekiri and Isoko’s. They were not integrating with other groups, to achieve political or economic gain. Ironically in the Nigeria project Ndokwa people were not recognized. Because of the civil war, we were tagged along the Ibo’s.
NR- Why?
Chief (major) Joseph Oyewonsa- It was like that because they were not coming out to the federal level. Even at the state they were not there and not organized. And on Ibo’s issue, because we speak almost the same language.
First you must have to belong. You must have the ability to belong. You must have the ability to say this is my area. You must know why and why things should happen this way. Because of this lack of assertiveness, the position(s) of the Ndokwa man was giving to others. A typical scenario is Okpai with her wealth and resources remains underdeveloped. The place is in total darkness.
The development of gas in Okpai is not for Okpai people. The government had shown this for virtually all Ndokwa land. The people of Okpai should be able to go to the street and say look, you can’t continue to cheat me bring down power for us. We are not forceful. Or should I say we are not innovative. Despite the huge resources we produce, had we ever produced any minister? Even as commissioner, the ones there are the governor’s friends.
NR- What about now, the past fourteen years.
Chief (major) Joseph Oyewonsa- first during the war we were considered to be Ibos. The Urhobos; who had always being in power, reported that the Ndokwa people were Ibos they had for a long time deprived the Ndokwa man of effective political and economic position. The tagging of the Ndokwa man as Ibo, this equally caused the Ndokwa man the position of the Vice Chancellorship of Delta State University. He was the most qualified, but because of the longtime of personal and group hating on the Ndokwa man, he lost out.
Again, also we the Ndokwa man is a problem to himself. Take chief Obielum, he has this intention of governorship, but what he is doing now is to first go around other ethnic groups before coming to his people. What he is telling the average Ndokwa person is that, without you, once I get other groups, I am settled. That is not how it should be. When you are going on a journey you settled it first at home.
NR: But looking at Ndokwa man, some of them had achieved some performance record, like you and others that was in the military and many others. What went wrong apart from the marginalization?
Chief (major) Joseph Oyewonsa- The major problem is lack of integration for instance the political leaders don’t want to relate with the ex-military personnel’s. They feel they are out to take their positions, except few. I am using this medium to call on ex-military colleagues to come together and form a common fold to help our people, by aligning with our political leaders.
With the emergence of the Ndokwa political forum, and Admiral Onah elected as the leader, my advice to him is that he should reach out to all Ndokwa leaders. With this we can get our needs from the government. Take for instance; there is no higher institution in Ndokwa. We are not looking at the private university at Amai, we are talking about state institutions even the so called polytechnic in Ndokwa is at a slow pace to open.
NR: Must we always look up to the government?
Chief (major) Joseph Oyewnosa– They have to. And they have to provide better conditions for development. Looking at the oil installation in Ebedei, environmentally, communities within 30km is supposed to be taking care off. But in Nigeria that is how it is done. That is not the issue, the main problem is among ourselves. Each community in Ndokwa is fighting to be the first. Even officials at the government level is same attitude. The Ndokwa people don’t reach out, for the meeting at Onah’s residence was not extended to all communities that have political leader..
NR-And Ndokwa nation as a union, what is the state in terms of carrying the people along.
Chief (major) Joseph Oyewonsa:- Under Paul Enebeli, NNU had being doing fine. We are relating well. He had being making some impart in the nation. Looking back at the past leadership of NNU, the time of Paul Enebeli is producing some positive results.
NR: And talking of NNU, what had the Ndokwa people and amnesty got in common, especially the recently released list.
Chief (major) Joseph Oyewonsa- I supposed the list is to take care of those that in one way or the other took part in the struggle, especially in Ndokwa East. It is a good development if well managed.
NR- Do you see NNU becoming a strong force to reckon within the next few years?
Chief (major) Joseph Oyewonsa– -Yes. But first of all, we should try and settled our differences, and thus employ NNU to start doing this among our elites, the last meeting held at Admiral Onah home, Hon Ossai was shouted down. This should not be. For now he is the one representing us. Until we all come together and push these differences behind us, there will continue to be problem. And again, to achieve more let not continue to lobby people outside of our origin. Let reorganize ourselves, from their we will reach out.
And again, our representatives have to be home, not permanently staying in Abuja or Lagos, or somewhere in Canada as the case maybe. Because of lack of unity, the project they bring is not for the general good of the people. We should not be living in Isolation. If we can push behind us issues that bring bad feeling and look at a more positive aspect as a people of one culture, one people, one language just name it we will live a well-balanced life as a people.
