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Tribalism: The gap between Oborevwori & Zik Gbemre – By Norbert Chiazor


By Norbert Chiazor

Why do Zik Gbemre delight in diatribe? I often ponder.At over 70, a man should walk in measured steps not brash bang on every table.

For readers at sea over Gbemre’s identity,he is a self styled critic with uncanny obsession for only one subject – Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.

Occasionally,he rambles on other matters  both trivial and tedious but he draws his absurd  theatrics mostly on local politics of Delta.

This he deviously dramatizes on all kinds of  social media  platforms, with uncouth scandalous yet fictionalised sarcasm which no mainstream newspaper or traditional media would ever agree to publish for the risk of screaming libel.

His latest tirade, ridiculous as usual but not surprising is a Whatsapp/Facebook post where he went goofy,over communal issues, propagandizing highly divisive perspectives, capable of causing ethnic hatred among Deltans.

In the worst form of vile  misinformation  ever seen on social media ,Gbemre falsely  wrote that Governor Oborevwori “couldn’t admit  that innocent civilians died in the Okuama crisis”

At different fora,a  deeply concerned Oborevwori,known for his pacifist make up, had repeatedly acknowledged the tragedy of civilian and military casualties in the Okuama mayhem of March 14 ,2024.

His sincere  unbiased  condemnation of the violence by the  unhinged perpetrators had been widely reported.

That he  took  responsibility  to resettle the displaced citizens of Okuama with shelter and other vital material care speaks of a leader who deeply values peace and human dignity, in the face of conflict  and humanitarian crises.

A  different agenda is clearly at play  between a conceited  antagonist and conscientious protagonist.

While Oborevwori is daily dousing tension for public order ,Gbemre is  fanning fire upon Okuama.

His highly  inflammable invectives against the state government, military authorities cultural and community leaders are not only deepening the Okuama issue but expose him as a dangerous rabble rouser. All for  ephemeral vainglory so petty- to trend on Whatsapp and other social media handles.

Open,fair and reasonable, Oborevwori is obviously more Urhobo than Gbemre.

There is no charity in malevolent riot at  home.

Gbemre in his reckless faux pas also raised feeble alarm on Oborevwori for personally  presenting “Staff of Office to the Asagba of Asaba” while he  “delegated his Deputy” to perform  similar  assignment  to  Ovie of Agbarha-Warri.

This is the most nauseating bigotry displayed in recent  history within Delta.

Both Asagba of Asaba  and Ovie of Agbara-Warri are recognized kings of autonomous kingdoms.

Governor’s action is not a damper in the line of duty.

That he delegated his deputy for staff of office presentation to one, fulfilled all established constitutional conventions.He did not  err in law or moral realm. Chieftaincy is the purview of deputy governor.

The governor’s hand- over of staff of office to Asagba was simply honorific and symbolic.Asaba is the capital of Delta and seat of government.

Numero uno Delta  soil .

This reality,hard core in immutability is beyond the crass tribalism of Gbemre,which throttles his bitter anti-Asaba/Delta North sentiments, in pitiable xenophobia.

But if he is  in doubt about the sacrosanct status of Asaba, he should read the constitution of Nigeria!

Oborevwori,with his honour to Asagba,acted well and wise – an administrative savvy, pro-social and culturally sensitive governor.

Incurable in his tribalistic spell, Gbemre also threw another reckless tantrum at the governor:

“He shunned all appeals to personally present Staff of Office to Ovie of Agbarha-Warri Kingdom, a critical opportunity to reaffirm Urhobo ownership rights to Warri Township”

At peace time,the Urhobos, Itsekiris and Izons are co-existing in Warri after the 1990s destructive ethnic conflict, it is absurdly unimaginable that Gbemre is  blowing a baleful divisive trumpet.

Does he want to become Ferdinand Nehimana, harbinger of hateful rhetoric who incited the 1994 Rwandan genocide? Or  Adolf Hitler of Nazi notoriety? While these posers are  hyperbolic for a parrot-mouthed ordinary civilian,this stunt no matter the motive is  condemnable,objectionable and  atrocious.

Happily,Oborevwori is not Gbemre. He will never listen to him.He cannot wear his blurred ethnic binoculars,which magnify  nothing but hate.

Delta North voted for Oborevwori because he is not a tribal leader. Delta Central supported him ,in spite of the betrayal of naysayers like Gbemre, because he is a good son of Urhobo land.Delta South backed him because he is accommodating.

Oborevwori pledged at his swearing ceremony at Asaba on May 29th 2023 that he would serve as Governor of all Deltans.

He has not changed!

CHIAZOR is Ex- Delta NUJ Chairman and Executive Assistant, EA to the Governor on Media.

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