The Executive Governor of Rivers State,
His Excellency,
Chief (Barr) EzenwoNyesom Wike, CON, GSSRS, POS Africa
Sir,
I wish to once again commend you for your developmental strides in all parts of Rivers State, particularly in Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area (LGA) as well as your recent approval for the construction of Ogu-Wakama road, which will certainly foster economic development especially to the people of Wakama community.
Your Excellency, may I use this privilege of writing you this open letter as a formal means of drawing your attention to the persistent and undemocratic political marginalization suffered by the Wakama people in Ogu/Bolo LGA. It is a known fact that Wakama community played a key role in the creation of Ogu/Bolo LGA by the late Head of State Gen. Sani Abacha on the 1st of October 1996, which is over 24years ago, and yet Wakama community cannot boast of ever producing at least an elected LGA council Chairman or House of Assembly member. However, Bolo community has produced 4 chairmen and 2 House of Assembly members, while Ogu community has produced 2 chairmen and 2 House of Assembly members, with the incumbent House of Assembly member from Ogu Community serving his 3rd tenure (12 years). Again, no Wakama Son or Daughter has been given an appointment such as commissioner, Special Adviser (SA), Board member etc from 1996 till date, whereas both Bolo and Ogu Communities have been the ones enjoying these juicy appointments from the State Government to the detriment of other communities in the LGA, even though it is the Governor’s jurisdiction to make or give such appointments.
It is also true that Wakama community is the third largest community in Ogu/Bolo LGA, yet they suffer political injustice than any other community in the LGA in the form of discrimination and marginalisation. In fact, it is perceived as a taboo in Ogu/Bolo LGA for a Wakama son or daughter to contest for the position of a council Chairman or House of Assembly member; this is the level of relegation Wakama Community has been placed by other communities in the LGA; funny enough all the communities in Ogu/Bolo LGA are from Ijaw ethnicity, and they speak the same Wakirike language.
Your Excellency, it will surprise you to know that Wakama Community is more PDP than other communities in Ogu/Bolo LGA. For instance, it is a known fact that, Wakama community has always given its 100% votes to PDP from 1999 till date, and yet the community does not have a voice in decision making in Ogu/Bolo LGA. This is why the Wakama people are least considered in terms of employment, empowerment and appointment within Ogu/Bolo LGA, even when there are intelligent, competent and credible Wakama sons and daughters scattered all over Federal and State Ministries, Parastatals, Agencies, including the Oil and Gas Sector as well as Successful Entrepreneurs.
As we are fast approaching the 2021 Local Government elections, the good people of Wakama Community have started appealing that the LGA council chairmanship position should be given to them at least to correct this political imbalance for once. Key PDP political leaders and stakeholders within the Ogu/Bolo axis have been consulted and still consulting through letters, phone calls and other mediums for their appeal to be considered. However, there are reliable rumours all over Ogu/Bolo LGA that Wakama community can never be considered for the LGA council chairmanship position.In fact, currently, Ogu community has the senator representing Rivers East who is serving his 31/2 tenure (14years), the member representing Ogu/Bolo Constituency in the Rivers State House of Assembly who is serving his 3rd tenure (12years), and the Rivers State commissioner for Sports. Likewise, Bolo community has the incumbent LGA council chairman and others with political appointments made by the state government. So, it will be unjust for Wakama community not to be given the Council chairmanship position in the forthcoming LGA elections in Rivers State.
Your Excellency, there is no doubt you are not fully aware of the political injustice suffered by the Wakama people for over 24years after the creation of Ogu/Bolo LGA. Also, you are not aware that a prominent Wakama son ensured that electoral materials were not snatched by hoodlums from other opposition political parties especially during the 2015 general elections, just to secure the 100% votes given to PDP by the good people of Wakama community. In fact, this dogged Wakama son is a prominent financier of PDP party and PDP related political pressure groups including political campaigns in Ogu/Bolo LGA, as well as financially supported PDP aspirants during previous general elections; He has paid his dues for PDP as a faithful and committed party man.
Your Excellency, the said dogged Wakama Son is Chief TamunotekenaAkoWakama, whose capacity and competency has been attested by all PDP Leaders and Stakeholders, and he has made his intention to run for the office of the LGA council Chairman in the forthcoming 2021 LGA elections known to all leaders and stakeholders in Ogu/Bolo LGA. Instead of getting support from PDP leaders in Ogu/Bolo LGA as regards to his LGA chairmanship ambition, he is constantly getting messages from PDP Leaders in the privileged Ogu and Bolo communities that he should drop his ambition, simply because he is from the marginalized Wakama community.
Your Excellency, you can do your findings from the above statements I have made; from Wakama community not producing elective LGA Council Chairmen, House of Assembly members, Commissioners, Special Advisers etc down to the role the LGA council Chairmanship aspirant from Wakama community, Chief TamunotekenaAkoWakama has played in financing PDP in Ogu/Bolo as well as singlehandedly securing PDP votes from hoodlums in Wakama community during 2015 general elections.
Your Excellency, I have no doubt you can effect this much needed change where political oppression and marginalization of other communities in Ogu/Bolo will be put to an end, as everyone in Rivers State and Nigeria at large have known you to be a man who hates injustice and oppression, which you have demonstrated overtime.
The good people of Wakama community have no voice in Ogu/Bolo politics since there is no LGA council chairman, House of Assembly member, Commissioner, Special Adviser, Board member etc from Wakama community to speak for them, and I have seen you as their last hope to grant them the long awaiting LGA council Chairmaship position to be given to them in the forthcoming LGA elections in 2021 for the sake of justice, equity and fair play in the political arena wthinOgu/Bolo LGA.
Yours Sincerely
Jonathan Wakama