Why they call me ‘Lion of the Niger’ vanguardngr.com vanguardnews
ruler of Seimbiri Kingdom in Delta State, His Majesty, King Charles Ayemi- Botu, popularly known as Lion of the Niger, has expressed anger at the sickening underdevelopment at many Ijaw and Itsekiri communities with rough topography in the coastal belt of the Niger Delta region, saying it was embarrassing.
The monarch opined that Niger Delta was safe and highly secured than some other parts of the country and everybody could attest to it with the unabated oil production at its peak, so there was no reason for the federal government not to develop the region.
“It took the symbiotic efforts of TROMPCON, pioneer chairman, Oil Mineral Producing Communities of Nigeria, OMPCON, Chief Wellington Okrika, late Matthew Fuludu and elder statesman, Chief Alfred K. Horsfall , pioneer executive chairman, defunct OMPADEC to jerk the principle of derivation from a meager 3 per cent to not less than 13 per cent in the early 90s. This was during the reign of former military titan, late General Sani Abacha.
“ However during the return of civilian dispensation, the South- South governors capitalized on the lacuna and prevailed on then President Obasanjo, who released 60 percent of the 13 percent and kept the balance for the NDDC, which he created by changing the nomenclature from OMPADEC to NDDC. Obasanjo maintained the commission was built on a sandy soil because his perceived antagonist created it.
“He claimed that both print and electronic media gave undue publicity to purported achievements of NDDC and he would use air and river crafts to tour the region for his personal assessment of the actual projects before deciding the fate of the regional organization. They invited me to give the vote of thanks, but the then President left the venue unceremoniously with former governor of Rivers state, Dr. Peter Odili.
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