…say ‘we can’t endorse a govt that has failed our people’
A group, Okpella Leaders of Thought warned that nothing untoward should happen to a former Edo State Commissioner for Information, Prince Kassim Afeguba, over his consistent opposition to the candidature of Governor Godwin Obaseki in the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State.
The group said that they knew who to hold in the event of any untoward thing happening to Prince Afegbua, adding the Okpella community could not have endorsed Governor Obaseki, whose administration had abandoned the people of the area as he had failed to consider executing any project in the area in the almost four years of his government.
It further warned that the community and the royal family would not hesitate to place ancestral curse on anyone or group of persons who might want to rubbish or ridicule Prince Afegbua over his stance against the Obaseki administration.
The community stated this in a statement in reaction to some persons in the area who recently announced that the people of the area had disowned Prince Afegbua for opposing the incumbent Edo governor’s re-election in the forthcoming governorship poll in the state.
The Okpella Leaders of Thought’s statement entitled, “We can never disown our true son, prince Kassim Afegbua,” and signed by Prince Abdul-Hafiz Abubakar on behalf of the Afegbua Royal family and the Okpella Leaders of Thought, Awuyemi-Okpella, described Prince Afegbua as the beloved son in whom the community was so pleased.
The statement further lamented the neglect of the community by the Obaseki administration inspite of the resources the area is blessed with and the revenue derived by government from the area.
The full text of the statement reads:
WE CAN NEVER DISOWN OUR TRUE SON, PRINCE KASSIM AFEGBUA – OKPELLA LEADERS OF THOUGHT
Our attention has been drawn to a statement credited to some strange names in Okpella, saying they have disowned our true son, leader and ambassador, Prince Kassim Afegbua.
We do not only find the statement ridiculous and laughable, but at best a declaration by bastards, who have questionable parentage and do not know our common ancestry as Okpella people.
We cannot imagine any true and free born Okpella son or daughter to celebrate our present neglect by a government that continues to draw from our resources and economic endowment. It is true that Okpella’s uncompleted road project has been abandoned for four years by a government seeking our votes.
It is also true that in four years, the Obaseki administration has not done a single project in the entire Okpella community. If in doubt, tell the government apologists to mention one infrastructure he has built. Our schools are almost without teachers. We still contribute money to hire temporary teachers to teach in our schools. Only few months ago, Okpella Comprehensive High School closed down because of lack of teachers.
What will such a government campaign with in Okpella? We could not have endorsed such a failed Governor. It is not in our character in Okpella to celebrate anyone that has raped our collective patrimony.
We will not hesitate to place a curse on anyone who tries to ridicule our true son, in whom we are well pleased. Any true Okpella free born, will understand the import of this declaration.
Besides, the Afegbua Royal Family will not hesitate to invoke the spirit of our ancestors against anyone who tends to rubbish our son, Prince Kassim Afegbua, and should any harm befall him, we know those to be held responsible.
It is only a fool that will celebrate in Okpella seeing the bad condition of our roads and schools. During this season of rainfall, our roads are almost impassable due to erosion and flooding. How can a government serve for four years without building any infrastructure in a community like Okpella with our natural endowments?
Anybody can play his politics, but do not distort facts to please your masters. We will remain proud of our son, because in the true spirit of being an Okpella Prince, he can neither be intimidated nor dominated.
He will continue to speak truth to power, no matter whose ox is gored.
Those who do not like his sense of honesty, courage and boldness in speaking the truth, may hide their heads in shame.
Okpella must be free from saboteurs and economic predators who continue to connive with constituted authorities to deny us our legitimate rights.
Signed
PRINCE ABDUL-HAFIZ ABUBAKAR
For and on behalf of AFEGBUA ROYAL FAMILY
And
OKPELLA LEADERS OF THOUGHT
AWUYEMI-OKPELLA