On several occasions, news filtered in that the former Governor of Delta State, Dr Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, CON, was dead, but it always turned out to be a hoax, prompting some observers to ask, “Who wants Uduaghan dead?” But this afternoon, the family confirmed that the man mostly addressed as the Asamaigo has passed on at the age of 71.
As an individual, I feel sad that the third democratically elected Governor of Delta State is dead. This death comes in quick succession following those of Prof. Amos Agbe Utuama, Deputy Governor to Uduaghan, and Chief Sir Benjamin Sunday Elue, Deputy to former Governor James Ibori.
Reflecting on the vanity of life through the loss of these three figures, one can only imagine how former Governor James Ibori must feel, having lost three prominent members of his Executive Council within just a few years.
In the course of my job as a journalist, I covered the health beat when Dr Uduaghan served as Commissioner for Health, before he was appointed Secretary to the State Government and the immediate past Governor of Delta State, Sen. Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, CON, took over from him. I covered the activities of Dr Okowa as Commissioner for Health before I was drafted to the Office of the Deputy Governor as a correspondent while Chief Elue held sway.
When Dr Uduaghan was Governor, I was comfortably plying my trade as a journalist in the Office of the Deputy Governor under Prof. Utuama, SAN. Then came a call from veteran journalist Sonny Ogefere (Chief Press Secretary to Dr Uduaghan), informing me that Governor Uduaghan had requested that I move from the Deputy Governor’s Office to his office to cover his activities. That order or “request”, as I might now call it, brought me closer to understanding how “The Governor” operated.
It is natural for some people not to love Dr Uduaghan, despite the fact that his administration achieved a great deal for Deltans and humanity at large. Most people are aware that he assembled a top-tier Economic Team, which included Evelyn Ndali Oputu of the Bank of Industry and financial expert, Bismarck Rewane, to mention but two. He had ambitious programmes that he believed would transform Delta State, including functional seaports in Koko and Warri, an industrial park in Warri, and parks in Udu and Ogwashi-Uku.
He believed that if the Warri Industrial Park were functional, goods could be moved seamlessly through the Warri Port, Osubi Airport, and the Asaba International Airport, which he initiated. To facilitate the smooth movement of goods from the Warri Industrial Park to the airport, he commenced the dualisation of the Asaba–Ughelli Expressway, dividing it into Sections A, B, and C.
One might overlook his free maternal healthcare scheme, his efforts to ensure Delta was safe from bandits, his administration’s automatic scholarships for First Class graduates, the massive recruitment of teachers, and other initiatives he described as “low-hanging fruit”. However, one thing is certain: he boldly dared to open up Warri.
Prof. Chike Okolocha, who served as Commissioner for Lands and Survey during Governor James Ibori’s administration, once described Warri in an interview with me as an “urban slum”. Former Governor Uduaghan, who proudly embraced the moniker “Warri Boy”, constructed dual carriageways on roads that had previously been viewed as simple bypasses or access tracks.
He put his reputation on the line to ensure Shoprite was established in Asaba and Warri, completed and moved into the new Government House complex, and constructed the first flyovers in Asaba and Warri, among other achievements.
If you have ever travelled to Abigborodo by speedboat, canoe, or any other means from Koko Port, you will always appreciate that Dr Uduaghan was Governor of Delta State. The former Governor hailed from Abigborodo, an island previously inaccessible by road. Dr Uduaghan deployed state resources to build several bridges, making it possible for motor vehicles to drive directly into Abigborodo.
Lack of space and emotional constraint prevent me from detailing all he accomplished at the Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara, or how he nearly entered the Guinness World Records for facing the highest number of legal challenges as Governor.
The man is dead, one death too many. The Governor of Delta State, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Sir Festus Ahon, described the deceased as “a detribalised leader whose contributions to the development of the state will not be forgotten.”
On a personal level, the former Governor always honoured our invitations. When Maris Schools, Amachai, Okpanam, was opened on 25 July 2018, I invited him, and he was physically present at the Holy Mass celebrated to mark the occasion. Additionally, through his representatives, particularly his daughter, Orode, former Governor Uduaghan regularly contributed to the Maris Annual Public Service Lecture series.
In all, the man has died, leaving the living to ponder the true essence of life.
The writer, Comrade Fidelis Egugbo, is the Senior Special Assistant (Media) to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State.
