•The Case of Gov Fubara and the Rivers People
By Joshua Nicholas
Recent happenings in the oil rich Rivers State have unfurled a new series of events, where the Executive Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara has been incessantly trailed by acclaimed ‘owners of the state and godfathers’.
It is no longer a clandestine synopsis that the state is at war with brawny forces and it is such a decisive moment that regardless of party lines, ethnic coloration, religion and tribe, Rivers people should forge in unison in a concerted front to abort this anomaly and trauncate this orchestrated, condescending gang up against the destiny of our dear state.
With the recent whammy ruling of the Apex court, political foes and even allies expected the Executive Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara to be consternated and bewildered; contrasting this popular expectation, he has been coordinated more than ever, with so much decorum, dishing out more and more dividends of democracy to the dear people of Rivers State. At some point, it was as if the unfavorable court judgement brought out an unwavering determination to dispense the highest degree of good governance to the people.
Sir Siminalayi Fubara should be an institution of democracy studied in every educational system and Government parastatal in Nigeria and sub Saharan Africa. He has indeed proven that exemplary leadership is a posture of the heart and willingness from the leader to make his people matter; even in the face of great chaos, a raging storm and a tempest tossing up without.
In the very epicenter of the judicial crime scene and the legislative rascality, Sir Siminalayi Fubara has redefined virtue, poise and leadership intentionality with the commissioning of 9 people-oriented projects in the State cutting across key sectors such as health, education, security etc.
Below are some of these projects:
* Government House Staff Quarters PHALGA
* State Fire Service Headquarters and Firefighting Vehicles (Isaac Boro Park Mile 1, PHALGA)
* Handing over of Helicopter to the Nigerian Air Force (Obio/Akpor)
* Borokiri Fire Service Station and Firefighting Vehicles
* Rumuodonmaya Fire Service Station and Firefighting Vehicles
* Construction and Furnishing the Palace & Residence of Akpor Monarch
* Judges’ Quarters
* Zonal Hospital Bori
* Okrika Grammar School
Sir Siminalayi Fubara is amongst the first Governor to approve the payment of N85,000 minimum wage for civil servants in the state on October 18, 2024. Gov Dapo Abiodun (Ogun) followed suit with N77,000, Gov Muhammed Yahaya (Gombe) N71,000, Gov Lucky Aiyedatiwa N73,000 (Ondo) and Gov Usman Ododo (Kogi) N72,500 for their state workers respectively.
Backlog of pensions accrued from the previous administrations all cleared, rapid and massive promotions of civil servants thereby increasing their standards of living, infrastructure, road constructions, schools and hospitals, the list is endless.
In December 2023/2024, Rivers State made history to be the only state to reward workers with N100,000 bogus Christmas bonus and the latter year, extended such gesture to all the retired civil servants in the state; I personally witnessed some of these senior citizens praying for and blessing the Governor with tears in their eyes. Some have not been able to celebrate the festive season after their retirement.
Where should we start from? What more should we say? Sir Siminalayi Fubara GSSRS, the Execurive Governor of Rivers State, is the best performing Governor in Nigeria; the political patriarch in Rivers State confirmed this recently, Sir Dr. Peter Odili, Rivers first Governor of the fourth republic. In his words, “No Governor in Rivers State has surpassed your strides in health and other sectors within one year in office”.
To an endnote, I encourage the People’s Governor to keep delivering the dividends of democracy to the good people of Rivers State, ignore the detractors and also for the Rivers people to continue to support the People’s Governor, unhindered, unbroken, untamed, using every legitimate tool to protect our destiny from destiny harvesters and destroyers.
This quote from the Ruthless war General, Lt. Gen. Chester Puller will say it better, “They are in front of us, behind us, and we are flanked on both sides by an enemy that outnumbers us 29:1. They can’t get away from us now!”.
A Rivers of Progress!
Rivers shall succeed!
Thank you Sir Siminalayi Fubara- Rivers people are behind you!
joshuannicholass@gmail.com