Presidential amnesty programme: A future assured

It is most disheartening that we as Ijaws and Niger Deltans have learnt nothing from the unfortunate attrition we connived and collaborated in, that led to the fall of the Dr. Goodluck Jonathan administration, which has invariably, albeit inadvertently, created a banana peel in the affairs of the Presidential Amnesty Programme. The sundry threats of ill-motivated protests and ill-advised petition writing has not only become disgraceful, but reprehensible.

The question, however, is, who is beating the drum of this unconscionable misadventure? And to what end or purpose? The thought alone, of denigrating the integrity and purposeful leadership of a compatriot is criminal, especially when it is to sate narrow political objectives and pecuniary avarice. I shudder to the marrow of my bones to see our proud race and tribe besmirching itself in such ignominy.

Oftentimes, I caution my migratory thoughts in wonder if the obnoxious opprobrium being perpetrated is the clannish mindlessness occasioned by the fact that the reticent professor hails from the Eastern flank of the region. Because never before during the tenures of those from the Central and Western flanks of the Delta has any been accused of nepotism as basis for seeking his removal from office.

The accusations in the recent threat that the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator, PAP is populating the Amnesty Programme with persons of his tribe and awarding contracts in favour and exclusively to his Kalabari kith and kin flies most ridiculously in the face of truth, reality and verifiable fact. The statistics on ground unequivocally shows that this portrayal, false as it is from the pit of hell, is intended to whip up parochial sentiments and puss the sterling achievements of Prof. Charles Dokubo.

A cursory look at the staff delineation shows clearly that his Kalabari ethnic group in particular and the Eastern zone in general are the least represented in appointments and contracts awarded by him. Hitherto, this was not the case and there was no hue and cry from these born-again children of perfidy whose stock in trade is pernicious. This is unfortunate, and a slur unpardonable to our unity as a people of the Niger Delta.

It would be wise for those who are allowing their conscience and the destiny of our people to be persuaded by monetary gains to harken to the indomitability of spirit and resonance of truth in the words of Commander Biggy, Chief Ebi Pinapinawei, himself an ex-agitator, who has cautioned Niger Delta politicians over plots against the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator, Amnesty Programme, Prof. Charles Dokubo, whom he said has done creditably well, and that those clamouring for his sack are being sponsored by some dubious Niger Delta politicians who had embezzled Amnesty funds.

It is obvious that the Professor has ruffled dubious sacred feathers with his sanitization of the Amnesty Database and anti-corruption stance; his continued stay in office, some unscrupulous people believe, may lead to his unearthing a Pandora box of corrupt practices from which they feed fat at the expense of the real beneficiaries of the programme and the Niger Delta. Little wonder they are so anxious and desperate.

True sons and daughters of the Niger Delta are not willing to compromise their destiny and the certain future Prof. Charles Dokubo is dedicated and unrelenting to achieve for them. As he progresses with his well thought-out policies and programmes, and God willing, with the political will of the Federal Government to sustainably rehabilitate our youths, reintegrate and insert them gainfully into civil society, no weapon fashioned against Dokubo and the tomorrow of our indomitable youths shall prosper.

It will not be inappropriate at this time, in concluding, to admonish our budding generation next, that the future is theirs to behold. Prof. Charles Dokubo is just a tool in the hands of God; let us all support him to achieve the Niger Delta of our dreams.

*Warefade wrote in from Warri, Delta State