Opinion

The first time visitor

BY SIMEON  OKWORIDE

THE ravaging flood for the first-time visitor to Nigeria and the devastation caused by it, is enormous and beyond one’s imagination. Though, in spite of the fact that the entire country was not affected by the ravaging flood, it devastated many communities across many states, Delta inclusive.

The governors of the affected states should be commended for their prompt visits to the affected communities within their jurisdictions to have a firsthand information and assessment of the extent of damage caused by the ravaging flood.

The president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, on the 9^th of October made a broadcast to the nation on the move to mitigate the impact of the flood by the Federal Government. He said the flood has ravaged many parts of the country homeless and causing massive destruction of properties, farmlands and infrastructure across the country. On that basis, the president announced immediate grants of N17.6 billion as medium term to cushion the effects of the victims ravaged by the flood. And the affected states were categorized into four groups (A – D) and the amount ranging from 500 million to 250 million naira only, respectively.

Before the president’s visit to the affected states, on the 11^th October 2012 he set up a presidential committee on flood relief and rehabilitation to raise fund to cater for the victims ravaged by the flood because he felt the government cannot do it alone, it should be a collective responsibility.

One interesting thing about the two co-chairmen is that, while one is from the business community and largest private employer of labour who has impacted positively on the generality of Nigerians, the other is a lawyer by profession, and civil right activist who had also used his two organization (civil liberty organization and HURISLAW) to fight injustice against the poor masses for the past 28 years is a good combination. They both have offices at No 34 Creek Road Apapa.

However it is pertinent to note here that after the announcement of 17.6 billion and the setting up of Alhaji Dangote and Olisa’s committee, the feelings of the majority of Nigerians including myself, looking at the corrupt nature of our political leaders, the question on the lip of every Nigerian was that, will the relief materials and funds get to the victims?

Despite the fact that the president did not waste anytime in re-assuring the people that the committee which is saddled with the sole responsibility of raising fund for the flood victims shall dispense everything in their disposal to the affected victims as the chairman of the committee, Alhaji Dangote is a comfortable man and not a politician who will steal from them.

The above question and the president’s comment have demonstrated that, there is lack of faith and trust on the various existing leadership structures. Recently in the eastern part of the country, I read in the newspaper where the victims of the flood protested against their leaders not allowing them to fix a new date for the sharing of the food items donated to them because their fear was that the food items donated will not be complete, if they are allowed to get to the destination of their leaders.

It is also being rumoured in Uzere that the flood that sacked the entire community affected only five houses, all in effort by some powerful politicians to claim what belongs to the people after succeeding in convincing the state government to arrest the leadership of the community, who are held in communicado without bail for a period of time.

I am saying that the flood victims should get what they are supposed to get, just as Alhaji Dangote said during the fund raising dinner of the committee to raise fund for the flood victims.

“We have taken so much from the Nigerian people. Therefore, we should also give part of what we have taken back to them at this time of their needs,” he said.

The leadership of the Isoko nation at this point in time, should endeavour to show some sense of exemplary leadership to ensure that those who are in need should be provided for without sentiments as it is been done in Uzere. 

While we hope that the leadership will inculcate the spirit of transparency, accountability and commitment in the handling of relief materials to the affected victims for a new Nigerian, we must also not forget that, without the followership, there will be no leadership. Therefore, good governance is a responsibility or duty owed the followership by the leadership.

This responsibility or duty must be dispensed by the leadership to the followership without bias or sentiment. This, we must see throughout this trying period of the victims ravaged by the flood.