By Patrick Ochei
The cerebral mother of Anioma Nation and Nneoha (Mother To All and Mother Without Borders), HRM Obi Martha Dunkwu has eulogized the Governorship Candidate of the Labour Party, Deacon Ken Pela for choosing a woman to run with him in his Governorship Ticket, adding that women are always delighted with men who are friendly to them.
She unleashed these eulogies when the LP Candidate and his entourage paid her a consultation visit at her Palace in Okpanam, Oshimili North LGA of Delta State.
Omu Dunkwu who gave the historic background to the existence of the Omu Institution, affirmed that Mr. Pela had just emulated Anioma forebears who over 822 years ago, created the Omu Institution for the inclusion of women in leadership and traditional matters in their communities.
According to Omu Anioma, “The Governorship Candidate of Labour Party, Deacon Ken Pela is women friendly and so deserves a place in the hearts of women across the state. I want to wholeheartedly congratulate him for picking a woman as his Deputy.
“Let me also congratulate the Deputy Governorship Candidate, Prof. (Mrs) Julie Nwabogo Umukoro for she has also made sacrifices, having left her position as a Professor in the University to serve at a higher level of leadership.
“Though God created man first and gave him pre-eminence; however, the place of a woman is entrenched in a man’s life. God intends for a woman to be the harmony in a man’s life, even though he gave the man pre-eminence over everything. But has man used that pre-eminence to better the lots of society?
“I asked that because, most of our men want to be a man and a woman at the same time. They don’t give opportunity to women to excel. We must understand that women can never be men and men cannot either be women; they are to complement each other.
“On this note, I want to again commend Mr. Pela for seeing the goodness in Prof. Julie Nwabogo Umukoro to harness and use for the uplifting of other women and society at large. For this, I pray that The Will of God be done in our country in the coming elections and The Will of God be done in the lives of all Nigerians, including yourself.
“I am not one of those that believes that Nigeria is finished. Nigeria will be greater than this if we all work together, irrespective of the challenges of the moment. I went to England and America to study, and I saw their own challenges and how they also strive to make better their society. I came back of my own free will to contribute my compulsory quota in developing my own country, because East or West, home is the best. I didn’t go there to do a wholesale importation of western ideas. That is why I am not one of those that preach gender equality; but I can always stand for women being given freedom to develop their potentials and excel in the purpose for which God has endowed them.
“As we look towards election and leadership, we need proper men who have capacity to change things. We no longer have proper men, and that is why there are catastrophes everywhere. We need that proper man like in the days of our fathers, to be back in leadership.
“Let me also add that the media is complicit in the challenges we face today. The media is so important and indispensable in the progressive affairs of society; it cannot afford to be used to further divide us. The assignment of the media should not be to condemn alone, but to be critics and partners in progress through proffering of solutions. I once wrote a piece over two decades, where I insisted that the Watchdog must be watched. It was not to cast aspersions on the media, but to stir them up to their role and responsibility, because a compromised media is one that fails the society more”, Omu Dunkwu posited.
In addressing the Royal Mother and stating his intention for visiting, the LP Gubernatorial Candidate, Deacon Ken Pela recognised the global fame and sterling leadership qualities of Omu Martha Dunkwu at all levels.
He said he had come to tap from her wisdom and to get energized by her prayers for the uphill task that is ahead.
Promising to enthrone righteousness and prosperity in governing Delta State, Pela recognised that Omu’s blessing would go a long way in propelling his vision to fruition.
His words, “We have come to see you as our unbiased Mother and as one who sees things we cannot see. Of course we know that you know that a change is coming to Nigeria through our principal, His Excellency Mr. Peter Obi, the Labiur Party Presidential candidate.
“Your Majesty, we have been in this country and we have seen things slide into horrible situations. We believe that God has ordained a change in this nation with our leader Peter Obi coming in as the next President. In your position spiritually, you know that this will happen.
“We earnestly need a change in Nigeria. In Delta State, it has been the same. We want to believe that the same way God has ordained a change at the National level, so He has in Delta State.
“As the Governorship Candidate of Labour Party, I have come as your son to seek your blessing. We really are fired up to bring the kind of leadership that will enthrone righteousness and character that is credible.
“We are on number 26 on the Financial Sustainability Index, because of how we keep on borrowing and it shouldn’t be so. We have the character, commitment, consistency and credibility to govern Delta in terms of enthroning righteousness and accountability. With such proven antecedents of credibility, we will engender prosperity to all.
“I am not going to be campaigning that I will provide infrastructure; of course they are the rights of the people. They don’t need to clamour for it before they can have it. On this note, I am promising a vision for a better Delta with quality infrastructure in place at all levels.
“The following will form part of the things we will do while in office:
- We will pay a living wage of #100,000 as minimum wage.
- We will ensure financial autonomy for the Local Governments.
- We will have our Local Governments based on Social Investment Scheme through which we will empower our people with 1m each to engage in enterprise without interest.
- We will ensure constant power in the state and we will stop gas flaring.
- We will develop 10 new cities that will attract development from the whole world (we will do a modern sewage in the cities through which waste can be properly channelled and managed).
- We will have a social programme in the form of Mortgage Housing Scheme.
- We will revive moribund industries and put our seaports to work.
“We will build a better Delta where righteousness and prosperity shall reign supreme. That is my promise, Your Majesty”, Pela submitted.
In addition to the submissions of her principal, the Deputy Governorship Candidate, Prof. (Mrs) Julie Nwabogo Umukoro appreciated Omu Anioma for accepting to receive her principal from the very first day she came seeking audience with her, adding that as a woman gunning for the position of the Deputy Governor of Delta State, she needed to recognise a female dynasty like that of Omu Anioma to boost her courage.
Commending her for the warm reception, she said, “Nne, we honour and regard you for the joy and glamour you have brought into this institution of Omu. Your voice is strength for us and I know with you, we will garner the votes of women in Anioma and beyond.
“Labour Party is on a divine movement and the party in the State has gotten it right, having me, a woman as Deputy Governorship Candidate, running in the ticket of His Excellency, Deacon Ken Pela. I make a promise to you, Your Majesty that I will represent women”, she affirmed.
It was a high profile visit with the following personalities gracing the occasion with the Governorship Candidate; they are Prof. Matthew Umukoro, husband to the Deputy Governorship Candidate, Mrs. Margaret Pela, wife of the LP Governorship Candidate, Olorogun Efe Iyonu, former Special Adviser on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs during Chief James Ibori’s administration, Mrs. Henrietta Chukwuemeke, Comrade M. Nwaose and others too numerous to mention.
