Sapele and Other Places Is Welcome, Writes John Aguma — In the former Mid-West Region, Sapele towered among other towns around. For commerce, it had giants like the African Timber and Plywood, Eternit, and the River Ethiope was even dredged to allow access for big ships.
Housing schools like St. Peter Claver's College and St. Malachy's Grammar School, Sapele attracted students from across the country. Even the local distillery industry got national recognition with the gin produced there given the moniker 'Sapele Water.' In those heady days, Sapele had all the social trappings of big towns of that era. Up till around the 1990s, the town still managed to boom.
However, with the setting in of oil as the new gold, the Nigerian government swayed with the 'easy money' from the black gold. It began neglecting other productive bases. And slowly, Sapele began to lose its allure. It witnessed a neglect that robbed it of its charms, commerce and even roads. Hence, the news that Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori is set to repair roads in Sapele was pleasantly received.
Last Friday, while attending the maiden re-union and business summit organised by the Sapele Memories Development Foundation at the Sapele Athletics Club, Oborevwori announced that the government would begin constructing over 15 kilometres of internal roads. According to the President of the Sapele Memories Development Foundation, Professor Hope Eghagha, the idea of the reunion was to give back to a city that made them what they had all become. He described Sapele as a "melting pot" devoid of any type of ethnic rancour as is rampant across the country.
"That is the Sapele we want to recreate," said Eghagha who also revealed that the foundation carried out 57 free surgeries in the last one week. It is laudable that groups like the Sapele Memories Development Foundation deem it fit to see Sapele not just restored to its former glory but positioned for a greater future. It is even better that the Oborevwori administration is also aligned on the same vision.
"Your being here today is seen as part of your agenda that the government is pushing forward to create opportunities for all," said Oborevwori, who was represented by the State Commissioner for Works (Rural and Riverine Roads), Mr Charles Aniagwu.
"I can see individuals who belong to different political parties and different religious persuasions bound together and gathered here in the spirit of Sapele. It is part of the vision of Governor Oborevwori to build one Delta; with all intents and purposes we are looking forward to a state where all of us can gather, irrespective of our different political persuasions. By the grace of God, I have been saddled with the responsibility of supervising some of the roads we are doing in Sapele at the moment."
The commissioner also stated that the contract to repair the Okirighwre-Benin Road has been awarded and it would be completed before May 2025. That portion constitutes a nightmare for travellers. And it is the right thing that Sapele is getting the needed attention.
"We are looking forward to a state where all of us can gather to move our state forward, irrespective of our political differences," Aniagwu said.
"Oborevwori knows the developmental needs of Sapele and I can tell you that, in our quest to revamp infrastructure in Sapele, we have awarded contracts for the construction of over 15km of internal roads. To fast track the construction of these roads, we have provided mobilisation, as much as 40 per cent in some cases, to the various contractors we have given these different jobs. So, I can assure you that the development of Sapele again has begun and that by the time we complete some of the projects, Sapele will become better than you used to know. We are doing it because we want to provide the enabling environment for businesses to thrive again which is also part of what you are doing which is very commendable. It is always better for the private sector to thrive so that employment opportunities can be boosted because the government alone cannot provide the much-needed employment opportunities for all."
The event was chaired by Professor Sam Oyovbaire and had in attendance the Orodje of Okpe, HRM Maj Gen. Felix Mujakperuo (rtd), Orhue I, and the Ovie of Idjere Kingdom, HRM Monday Obukohwo Whisky, Udurhie 1, among other prominent 'Safaraians' as Sapele residents are fondly called. Stressing on how Sapele deserved a facelift, Oyovbaire said: "Let's think of what we can do to make Sapele better. Sapele deserves a higher institution, possibly a university, industry and economic activities."
Chief Ighoyota Amori, a Delta State politician who delivered the keynote address, nostalgically recalled how Sapele boomed with development from the activities of the now moribund African Timber and Plywood (AT & P) and other companies. His address focused on restoring Sapele to its place of pride, the whole aim of the Sapele Memories Development Foundation.
And while the Delta State government released its intention to construct roads in Sapele at the event, it should be noted that the Oborevwori administration is not restricting governance to any region. Rather, it is taking governance around the three senatorial zones of the state and tackling infrastructure. However, the administration asks for co-operation to ensure the state is safe as that is a sine qua non for any meaningful development to happen.
"We are ensuring that our communities connect with each other so that our kith and kin can interrelate with one another and we are also fast tracking the construction of the Ughelli-Asaba Expressway," Aniagwu said while appealing to leaders at the event.
"If you are not able to have peace and ensure security, it becomes much more difficult to attract development to such societies."
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Speaking a few days earlier while handing over the 2.7km Issele-Azagba-Otulu Road project in Aniocha North local government area to the contractor, Aniagwu restated the governor's commitment to ensure all the local government areas are linked with good roads.
"You will recall that a few weeks ago Exco approved a number of roads across the three Senatorial districts," he said.
"After the approval, we proceeded to the process of awards and we got a number of contractors who bid after the projects were advertised. This particular project which links Issele-Azagba-Otulu and to Ubulu-Okiti was among the projects that were approved in the course of that Exco. It's been awarded and we are here to examine the level of mobilisation and to formally hand over these projects to the different contractors. This particular project comprising 2.7km and over 3km side drain has been awarded to a contractor we considered capable and it will link up Aniocha North to Aniocha South in Delta North Senatorial District."
One beautiful thing about this particular road is that residents in that axis would not need to go through the expressway in order to access their local government headquarters at Issele-Uku. And it is such accessibility via good roads amongst other infrastructure that Oborevwori wants to create in Delta State with his MORE agenda. He cannot do it alone but with the support of Deltans, such would be a reality.
· Aguma writes from Asaba
