“Sen. Omo-Agege has proven himself in leadership beyond his equals, and have created in the mind of many as a true leader with a different realistic political ideology”
By Mark Columbus Orgu, April 18, 2020,News/comments
Indeed, as a very young boy in Junior Secondary School, in my native mini town, Aragba-Orogun then, I began to hear about Omo-Agege’s family. I was very inquisitive to know more about them. Until one day, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, (then, not a Senator, but a prominent political heavy weight in Delta) came to a political meeting in our street, Umuojita, Aragba-Orogun, in Ughelli North Local government Area of Delta State, hosted by Hon. Grace Oddiri, a former Ughelli North LGA chairman, at his father’s residence near my father’s family house.
Then, I was also one of the boys that helped to keep the residence tidy as a family member of the late Chief Oddiri. I never knew that after 17 years, the man I longed to see, like the tax collector who climbed a sycamore tree to gaze at Jesus is now, my Finest Principal, who in his kindness recognized my youthful talent and appointed me as one of his aides.
And so, eminent guests were arriving the compound, while I was patiently waiting to glimpse my eyes on this meek and gentle man, “Ovie”. Luckily, somebody pointed “That is Barr. Ovie Omo-Agege” that tall man, the son of the Erudite Jurist, look at him” That was my first day of setting my eyes on Senator Ovie Omo-Agege. This was at about 16 years ago when I left my place to Lagos for a greener pasture and for further education. It may interest you to know that history has a way of a replay in our lives especially when men understand the capacity of posterity and nature.
When I was writing my book, Historiography of Orogun, divergence in Perspective, our past shapes our present, I ensured I dedicated seven pages in talking about Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege’s drives and the love he has for human transformation.
This was further attested to, during the book launch when Dr. Otive Igbuzor, Chief of Staff to the Senator verily said in the course of his lecture: “With the election of His Excellency, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege as the Senator of the Urhobo people and subsequently as the Deputy President of the Senate; an Orogun son is occupying a position, the 6th in the country and for the first time by a Deltan. The seed of significant institutions coming to Orogun clan is being sown by the Obarisi of Urhobo land with the planned establishment of the Federal Polytechnic, Orogun. This has the potential to change the landscape and political economy of Orogun people”
You may agree me that this is a true testimonial philosophy of a good leader and legacy record, which Senator Omo-Agege has laid, and it would be very difficult for any Urhobo indigene as it stand now to equal his achievements in human capacity building and development.
Oh yes! It wouldn’t be a trite notion to say that any nation not built on “a filter ideas” from resourceful leaders result into failure. In the case of our Senator, he has capitulated himself with young men and women of great ideas with proven track records over the years, to enable him to deliver his national mandate. For instance, Dr. Igbuzor, his chief of Staff is a core administrator, educationist, activist and political strategist, who believes on socio-economic and political emancipation. Truly, these were the core focus of the great immortal Mao Zedong Tse-tung (December 1893 – 1976)), during the great economic revolution in China. Mao, popularly known as Chairman Mao, had clinically stated: “We shall in the main have achieved the semi-socialist transformation of the remainder of the agricultural economy involving the other half of the rural population. By then, the number of fully socialist co-operative formed from the semi socialist cooperative will increased.
All the through the first and second five-year plans, this social transformation will continue to be the main feature of the transformation of the countryside, while technical transformation will take place” Indeed, for those who have not had a true encounter with Senator Omo-Agege may not understand clearly his social and community transformation. For instance, he facilitated and personally paid for the counterpart contributions for the Federal government agricultural loans for more than 1000 youths in Delta Central, disbursed several Keke nappeps, motor-cycles, grinding machines, which I was privileged to see in the course of my research work in Orogun communities.
He sponsored a bill cum an act in establishing the University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Warri, bill to amend 2010 electoral acts for the establishment of National Electoral offence Commission; a bill to Prohibit Sexual Harassment in Tertiary Institutions; a bill for the establishment of Federal Polytechnic, Orogun, a bill to amend the Court of Appeal Act, and other national important bills. Most of his bills sponsored gears towards national interest and development. This cannot be overemphasized.
He recently gave out 85million naira to his constituents personally as a palliative to cushion the effect of the suffering and hunger of his people in Delta Central in this misadventure of the deadly coronavirus outbreak, and personally instructed that the cash must be given out across party line, as long as the beneficiaries are entitled to it.
Appraisably, many socio-political analysts have described Sen. Omo-Agege as a man who, has done what the Great Napoleon Bonaparte could not do. A bold man, who has concentrated his efforts in good legislations/governance rather than play politics, which is a standard practice by true politicians all over the world.
It could be easily concluded that the Deputy Senate President, as Machiavelli puts it in the ‘Prince’: “As Victoria Kahn has shown, thus underlined the complexity and fluidity of political life and political judgment. He tried to teach his readers that they must not look for hard-and-fast rules, but learnt to think their way subtly into each different political situation and its requirement” Marchiavelli concluded by advising shining and polished leaders to see themselves as light against darkness, and must remain bold to their ideology. “The bold would succeed better than the hesitant” he added. Sen. Omo-Agege has proven himself in leadership beyond his equals, and have created in the mind of many as a true leader with a different realistic political ideology.
Finally, let me use this medium to appreciate my father and mentor in journalism, who, am still trying to learn his poetic styles of engagement in writing, Mr. Sam Omatseye, a good friend to my Principal. God bless.
Author, Mark C. Orgu, is a Journalist, writes from Lagos. (mcnext8@yahoo.com)
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