Ndokwa Elders Have Not Been Properly Educated on Anioma Project - Comrade Enudi Marcus

Ndokwa Elders Have Not Been Properly Educated on Anioma Project

-       Comrade Enudi Marcus

Comrade Enudi Marcus is an Anioma Advocate and Ndokwa Youth Leader. The President-General of Anioma Youth Council Worldwide, in this explosive interview speaks to EMEKA ESOGBUE on a number of issues ranging from Anioma unity, how Senator Peter Nwaoboshi facilitated Ndokwa youths inclusion in Niger Delta amnesty program, his dismissal from DESOPADEC and other related matters. Excerpts:
Esogbue: You are one of the earliest and most consistent advocates for the unity and wellness of the Anioma people. How have you managed to keep yourself in this rough journey?
Enudi: (smiles) my Anioma advocacies started when I noticed our Anioma people as almost taking a second class positio

n in everything in Delta State. I looked at myself and concluded that as Deltans of equal status with the Ijaws, Isokos, Urhobos and the Itsekiris, nobody was more Deltan than the other. Moreover, our people are very learned and peace-loving. Another factor that also encouraged me was our Anioma people not being allowed to actively engage in Niger Delta activities despite being a part of this area geographically. I looked at all these things and promised myself that our Anioma must gain recognition at all cost. People are bound to see you the same way you see yourself so I have managed to keep myself in this journey because I have shunned self-interest and often considered what is of general interest to our Anioma people. It has not been an easy task as I have stepped on powerful toes who think we have to remain stagnant for their own selfish reasons. On the contrary, I have also received support from many of our Anioma people who see patriotism in my activities. Back then, we started with Anioma Voice Worldwide Foundation and had three things in mind. These were development of Aniomaland, creation of Anioma State and emergence of an Anioma Governor and all these we have achieved except creation of Anioma State. The Anioma people are not a conquered people neither are they second class citizens. They are intellectuals, peace-loving and unique in their own way.  Let me state here that the unity of Anioma people is very crucial at this stage. We need to speak with one voice and also work closely together to achieve greater things.
Esogbue: Thank you very much, Comrade Enudi. You are also the initiator of the group, Save Ndokwa Nation. What have been your achievements over the time?
Enudi: Well, Save Ndokwa Nation Group was initiated by me after I looked around and noticed that nearly everybody was thinking about what to benefit from Ndokwa nation without thinking of what to give in return. We therefore set-off by calling on all political office holders, religious bodies, corporate organizations and other individuals to look into the challenges faced by our people. We started by going round the nook and crannies of our Ndokwa region and took pictures of roads, schools, hospitals, health centers and other areas that needed attention and thereafter published them on the social media. We made calls to our people to come and develop our land. Many of our people called us jobless people but we were not deterred. Thankfully today, it yielded tremendous results. We have touched almost all communities in Ndokwa nation. There was a time we had to concentrate on Ndokwa East because it was considered one of the most underdeveloped areas in Ndokwa nation and we were able to attract electricity to Iselegu and Osissa communities. Obikwele was far inside so we tapped from the electrification project in Osisa. We actually stopped a brewing war between the good people of Iselegu and Osissa at a time we waded in. At the time, both communities were accusing each other of stopping development coming to each of them. Our advocacy brought about rehabilitation of many primary and secondary schools in Ndokwa nation. We campaigned against projects like solar-powered street lights which gulped a lot of money but didn’t last more than three months. At this time too, Hon Charles Emetulu was very helpful. For the record, he demonstrated that he was a true son of Ndokwa.
Esogbue: …you just singled out Hon Emetulu for good delivery of his mandate to the people…?
Enudi: (smiles) Yes! As the then Commissioner for power and Energy that he was, I remember he took a memo to the Governor on our behalf citing none viability of the solar powered-street lights in Delta State. He also advised the Governor to push the monies from his Ministry to renovate and establish primary and secondary schools. Hon Emetulu earned my respect for appealing to the Governor to push funds from his own Ministry to another to achieve better results for our people. I don’t think that this is common so his likes are rare. There was a time Sir Kenny Okolugbo, the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) Commissioner from Ukwuani Local Government Area like me but representing Ndokwa nation was executing shoddy jobs in Ndokwa nation and I was working with DESOPADEC at the time which also coincided with my position as the Youth President of Ndokwa Neku Union. I raised alarm after talking privately with him to do the right thing but he refused which was to result in the Delta State House of Assembly Committee on DESOPADEC coming to Ndokwa nation to check the projects. The Committee expressed anger over the shoddiness of the projects executed by the Commissioner. After that the Commissioner illegally dismissed me from DESOPADEC. That's the country we live in. When you are working genuinely for your people, there are prices you pay too.
Esogbue: Thank you very much, Comrade Enudi Marcus, let’s talk about what you just alleged was your unfair dismissal from DESOPODEC by Sir Kenny Okolugbo. Did you ever have to challenge it?
Enudi: (cuts in) I wrote a petition to the Delta State House of Assembly but sadly till today, the matter has not been resolved. But I believe it will be resolved soon because the illegality and unfairness of my dismissal can be seen by the blind and the deaf can hear it too. I am very proud to tell you sir, that since the emergence of Save Ndokwa Nation Group, Ndokwa nation has never been the same.
Esogbue: Still on your advocacies and leadership of Ndokwa youths. What challenges have these occasioned you?
Enudi: They want you to be their puppet and the moment you refuse it, they begin to fight you from right, left, front, back and center. Most of them are so corrupt that they want to eat everything coming to their constituencies. They eat constituency projects and other allocations but it is still not enough so they want to seize what belongs to the youths. The State Government approves some stipend to give to the youth on monthly basis for peace to be maintained in their various communities but some members of the political class hijacked it. I fought for that money to be given to the youths for almost six years. The first time, many of our people did not believe it, but later, some believed my stories concerning the money. Today, I am proud to say the money is going directly to the youths of the community. It may not be all that transparent but it is 80% better than six years ago, when a few people will just pocket the money. Many Ndokwa youths are jobless and hungry so some political office holders have been using them to fight against themselves. The moment they notice you have a voice, they recruit youths to fight you for them to continue with their looting. Fortunately, many of our youths are seeing reasons with me. They now realize that I actually meant no harm but to remove them from slavery and bondage. Some members of the political class have been my major challenges; some too have been my major supporters because as my people say it, it is where you see evil, you see good. During our call for Agip to step down electricity in Ndokwa nation and environs, I was arrested as arranged by an Ndokwa political office holder who was benefitting immensely from Agip. I was arrested in a commando style by a team of Anti kidnap squad when I was taking my son to school. When we got there, there was nothing meaningful. I was only advised to drop the protest and seek for reconciliation with the said political office holder. By this time, Ndokwa youths were mobilizing themselves to storm police headquarters. Ndokwa lawyers residing in Asaba also mobilized themselves to know my crime. The social media was agog so that when the police saw these things, they asked me to post on the social media that I was in good condition and that I have been released, which I did and was left to go.
Esogbue: …but some people will claim that Ndokwa youths are increasingly depending on oil proceeds rather than how they are governed. Isn’t this responsible for the scenario you pointed?
Enudi: (cuts in with laughter) maybe some years ago, Ndokwa youths depended mostly on oil more than how they were governed but I can tell you sir that today many of them are much more enlightened. Save Ndokwa Nation actually opened the eyes of most of the youths to know the processes and intrigues involved in governance. We started the advocacies that most people keyed into. This gave them the realization that the government has a lot to offer the youths other than oil companies. You will be shocked to know that employments mostly given to these youths in their own land are casual jobs while better ones are offered foreigners. However with Save Ndokwa Nation, they got to know that skill acquisition, scholarship, bursary, trainings and employment can also come from the government. Some of these oil companies are notorious for introducing divide and rule system amongst the youths in the communities. They pitch the youths against one another in which case they start killing themselves while Oil Company works progress unhindered. However, we have educated them on how to involve the government in their welfare and this has paid off.
Esogbue: Now back to Anioma, there has always been this claim and counter-claim that in this Anioma union, the people of Ndokwa are marginalised by the other groups that form the union. Comrade Enudi, as an Ndokwa man, address this claim?
Enudi: Anioma youths, I believe are not marginalized. I think it is our silence that has been marginalizing us.  We can't sit at home and expect whatever belongs to us to get to us. You go out there and you fight for what belongs to you before getting get it. We are now operating with Anioma Youth Council Worldwide, which is affiliated with the Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders Council, which is also affiliated with Nigeria Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders Forum. We are no longer sleeping. We are not militants but we were included in the amnesty programme for the very first time for being peaceful, through our Distinguished Senator Peter Nwaboshi who made a case for us at the red chambers by calling on the amnesty office to engage Ndokwa youths in the amnesty programme for being peaceful. So far, ninety-six of the youths have been trained on agriculture and will soon be given their starter packs to start up something for themselves.
Esogbue: Comrade Enudi, it’s good to know that Senator Nwaoboshi assisted in the inclusion of Ndokwa youths in the amnesty program, something worthy of commendation. But let’s return to this allegation of Ndokwa marginalization in Anioma: Those holding this view sometimes claim that yes, unlike Ndokwa youths, Ndokwa elders have not done much to identify with Anioma. Are they right?
Enudi: Maybe it is different strokes for different folks. But the last President-General of Izu Anioma, Gen Alabi Isama was an Ndokwa man. It is probable that most elders might not believe in Anioma project because they have not been properly educated on the project. For me, I have always believed in Anioma. I walk the talk when it comes to Anioma issues. Most elders of Ndokwa extraction still have a way of believing that only Ika and Aniocha-Oshimili have benefited from Anioma project. I know this because I have spoken with many of them. But you see, even most of our brethren from Ndokwa East do not also identify with Ndokwa. They rather want to be called “Ndoshimili”. Others want to be called “Ukwuani” and not Ndokwa people. So it has been like that. Even in Nigeria, some are saying they are "Biafrans" and not Nigerian. It has always been like that sir.
Esogbue: Now, do a broad political analysis of this current Delta State administration by an Anioma son. Would you say this Okowa-led government is making accomplishments already?
Enudi: I will say the Okowa led administration is making accomplishments though it is not more than two years in office. In the area of youth engagement, which is my primary constituency, he is doing well. In the area of infrastructure, I can say, he has touched many local government areas in the state though he has not touched my local government which is Ukwuani Local Government Area, I think he still needs time to do more. The only thing working against him is that some people in his boat are not sailing with him but are rather drilling holes in the boat. You should understand this Elder Emeka Esogbue.
Esogbue: Generally speaking, would you express satisfaction in the mandate given these present Anioma political representatives? Have they impacted on Ndokwa region especially?
Enudi: Satisfaction to me will come when I see primary school children stop sitting on the floor to learn. It will come when I see functional health centers in each and every community; people stop dying because they can't access health facilities. It will come when I see our youths fully engaged with crime rate dropping. It will come when I see political office holders keep to their campaign promises and when I see the State Government prosecute those that have kept us in this mess for now.
Esogbue: But why this frequent distrust between youths of Ndokwa and their elders? Is this a sign of unhealthy relationship?
Enudi: My brother, the elders want what belongs to the youths. The political office holders seize everything that belongs to the youths. The youths are like strangers in their land. What do you expect? Do you know that one of our leaders openly told me "I am the one holding your appointment as a political office holder because you are too stubborn".
Esogbue: At this stage, our readers will really like to know you. Who's Enudi Marcus?
Enudi: I am Comrade Enudi Marcus from Umumgbolobia Quarters in Umukwata, I am a 1999 graduate of Public administration from Ambrose Alli University. I am a Christian happily married with two lovely kids, I am from a family of 10 children, 3 men and 7 women. I am a voice of the voiceless. I am currently the State Chairman of Anioma Voice Worldwide Foundation and the President-General of Anioma Youth Council Worldwide.
Esogbue: Do you have any advice for the Anioma people?
Enudi: It is for them to stop sitting at home and expecting manna to fall from heaven. They should stand up, speak up and take what belongs to them, and above all, they should shun all forms of social vices.
Esogbue: It was really nice speaking with you
Enudi: Same here sir