Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, has a knack for speaking with the wisdom of a centurion, a savant of grand old age.
But he’s only 62, two years younger than independent Nigeria.
On Wednesday, April 29, this year, he once again demonstrated such sagely wisdom.
He was guest of the 100 years old Yoruba Tennis Club in Onikan, Lagos.
Don’t be deceived by its name. The club was never conceived as a club for the Yoruba. It is a national club founded by great and outstanding statesmen including the unapologetic nationalist Herbert Macaulay. It has since become the recreation and networking watering hole for persons from all walks of life.
Rich in history, high on social equity, the Yoruba Tennis Club has acquired a national, even global appeal. It profited from the cosmopolitan nature of Lagos and it has grown into an elite sanctum of Nigeria’s moneyed class; men and women whose moral premium is oiled by integrity and driven by goodwill to all men creed.
Oborevwori as guest lecturer spoke on the theme: Inclusive Governance and National Unity – Lessons from Delta State for a More United Nigeria. The topic was as apt as the choice of speaker. And how well it turned out. It was more than a lecture. It was a bell ringer for both the hosts and the governor.
Without disputation, Nigeria has been walking a tight rope of unity and national cohesion. There seems to be a high tide of centrifugal forces pulling the nation to disintegration point, almost overwhelming the centripetal forces trying to pull the people into the centre, into the umbra of unity. This centrifugal power seems to make us all forget out past. Nigeria was once a united, highly bonded collective. Pre-Independence statesmen like the great Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa among others were united in their common resolve to birth a sovereign Nigeria. They were not divided along ethno-religious cleavages. They were driven by nationalistic fervour, an abiding faith in what they believed in: to unclasp Nigeria from the stronghold of colonial manacles. Even at Independence, they still held out a banner of unity while recognizing their diversities. Though tribes and tongues differed, they did not compromise the bond of brotherhood and sisterhood.
But that nationalistic flame has waned. Well over 60 years after Independence, Nigerians are today searching for their nation; a nation founded on the tripodal props of unity, peace and progress. Where is the Nigeria of 1960, a nation whose overriding ethos were forged in the fire of unity; a Nigeria where anyone irrespective of tribe, religion or social status felt a part of the national super-structure; where everyone is a subset of the whole.
That was the task before Oborevwori as he stepped forth to deliver the lecture. He used Delta as a template as he navigated the labyrinthine contour of leadership among a people of distinct diversities. As he took the audience through the hallway of history, economics, administration and leadership, the applause that intermittently signposted his lecture justified the depth of his thought, the pragmatic plank of his argument and the wisdom that underpinned his suggestions. Oborevwori did not just deliver a scholarly lecture. He offered leadership nuggets that Nigeria should adopt at the centre, sub-nationals, local government areas and in the private sector ecosystem to achieve and sustain national unity.
Oborevwori should know. That’s why the club’s choice of the Delta governor is both apropos and fitting. Oborevwori has a rare record in leadership in Delta. He is the longest serving Speaker of the State Assembly in this 4th Republic, serving out almost two terms in a position littered with the banana peel landmines. By his simple and open leadership style, he endeared his way into the hearts of his colleagues in the State Assembly. He earned the love of multi-ethnic Deltans. He is the beloved of the people with proven street credibility. It was of little wonder that he won overwhelmingly at the 2023 guber election that brought him to office. And even now, by the stroke of good governance, not good luck, his re-election is as assured as the rising of the sun.
So, what did Oborevwori do in Delta in barely three years that has kept the state more united than ever? He provides the answer in his lecture. He offered leadership that embodies geographic and ethnic inclusivity, political inclusivity and socio-economic inclusivity, all captured in his MORE agenda of Meaningful development; Opportunities for all; Realistic reforms, and Enhanced peace and security. Oborevwori has deployed this template of leadership to knit Delta together, ensuring that no part of the state is left behind. This is called inclusive leadership. It ensures even distribution of development. It guarantees equity, fairness and justice.
Oborevwori is the architect of development-centric leadership that has productively engaged the once restive youths; empowered once idle and helpless women; aggregated the citizens of the state into a robust healthcare system; created jobs and wealth across all sectors; upskilled the workforce; entrenched a healthier reward system for civil servants and generally uplifted the productivity quotient of farmers, both agrarian and aqua-culture farmers. Oborevwori has allowed power to be domiciled among the people through positive and independent legislation by the State Assembly without undue Executive interference as is common in some states.
He believes that infrastructure is the bridge between the people and economic opportunity; he sees genuine inclusive governance as the type that intentionally considers the needs of all stakeholders. This is the type of leadership he prescribes as the antidote to the forces of disunity tugging at the fabrics and foundation of the nation.
He lists the benefits of inclusive leadership to include: Mitigating discord and intergroup conflicts through equitable allocation of resources; promoting national unity because when diverse groups perceive genuine representation and respect, their allegiance and dedication to the nation is fortified; and empowering the citizens which increases civic participation while affording robust protection and entitlement to the excluded population.
Oborevwori, the man who birthed real peace in the creeks of the Niger Delta, a masterstroke that has helped to boost crude oil production in Nigeria, believes that inclusive governance cultivates a culture of institutional accountability because where there are transparent processes, public trust, constructive scrutiny and oversight mechanisms are guaranteed.
He recommends inclusive governance across the states and at the centre as the nation continues to grapple with the challenges of nationhood. This, he believes, will help to redress socio-economic inequities through even distribution of democracy dividends across all strata of society.
For him, sustainable development cannot benefit one senatorial district over the others; it must elevate the entire state. He surmises: “Our approach embodies strategic fairness, guaranteeing that Delta North, Delta Central, and Delta South all partake equitably in the dividends of governance. The insights gleaned from Delta State’s governance model are unequivocal, extending their relevance beyond our state to the nation of Nigeria.”
*Umukoro, a policy analyst, writes from Warri.
