See Jonathan's Otuoke and Die

From being another rustic, agrarian and fishing Ijaw community in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State a few years ago, Otuoke Community is fast becoming the envy of communities in not only the state, but across the Niger Delta region. SHOLA O'NEIL and Mike Odiegwu reports on the emerging Eldorado in the Niger Delta

Otuoke Hospital

Fed Uni of Technology

When Niger Delta Report visited Otuoke recently the community was one massive construction site: from the recently establishment Federal University of Technology to the Otuoke Hospital and massive road construction projects, it was bustling with development activities.

Why not? One of its sons from the illustrious Ebele Family, one of the seven that make up Otuoke, is President of Africa's most populous nation.

Still, even the most optimistic of them never envisaged that this fishing, cassava and plantain farming community surrounded by water would make such giant progress in such short time.

A proud indigene of the community predicted that Otuoke will be to the Southsouth what Paris is to France. "Then, a slogan, 'visit Otuoke and die', will be assigned to it," he said.

The first indication that President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan's hometown is not one of thousand others in the region is the number of heavily armed, but well behaved security personnel that maintain a post just after the bridge leading to the community.

Otuoke, a mere 15 - 20 minutes drive from Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, has really changed into a satellite town. Driving through the narrow and bustling road of Azikoro Village, one meanders the treacherous bends, navigates ubiquitous sand dumps and the shoddily constructed road that leads to the community through Otu-Ogidi.

From the bridge, Otuoke comes alive. Shanties of a few years ago have given way to modern buildings. All the buildings along the road are either reconstructed or renovated. Mud houses which used to dot the community are gone. There is a general belief that Jonathan has empowered his kinsmen with contracts to enable them build good houses.

The hitherto narrow road has been expanded. Solar-powered streetlights dot both sides of the road; at night they cast golden glows on the neatly swept street.

The construction of Jonathan's house which is located at the waterfront is nearing completion. The compound has been redesigned and remodelled severally perhaps to befit his new status.

When our reporter visited, rubbles of buildings demolished to create more space littered the wide expanse of land. A lone, nondescript church building stood out on the wide space on the fore ground. On the background, an uncompleted 2-storey building, with a penthouse stood smugly above the skyline of the city.

The president was said to have acquired all the land bordering his fence in order to isolate his compound from those of other neighbours'. Their uncomplaining owners reportedly received handsome pay off to build better houses elsewhere.

Directly opposite the President's house which is still work-in-progress, are twin duplexes newly erected by Jonathan for his mother and his late father. Though not gaudy, their simple splendour distinguishes them from other structures around them.

Located nearby is the new ultra-modern St. Stephen Anglican Church, a controversial building which was donated to Jonathan by Gitto Construction Ltd, an Italian contractor working for the Federal Government.

Road in Otuoke

There is also a Skill Acquisition Centre that is nearing completion in the town. In addition, there is a mini “Eagle Square” built by former Governor Timipre Sylva and named after Mrs. Jonathan. The Dame Patience Jonathan Square registers its significance with two torn Nigerian flags hoisted.

To ensure that members of the National Youth Service Corps serving in Otuoke enjoy the benefit of serving their country in the president's community, the old 'Corpers Lodge' have been repainted. A new fully-air-conditioned 40-bedroom apartments with a kitchen and restrooms for each apartment being built by the state government is nearing completion.

On the streets of the city, the Bayelsa State Government, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and other Federal Government agencies strive to outdo the each other in the race to develop Otuoke.

The state government under present occupant of Creek Haven - Hon Seriake Dickson - has been active. Apart from the NYSC Lodge, Dickson completed one of the most modern health facilities in the entire the state in the town. Simply named Otuoke Hospital, N3.5bn facility was conceived as a cottage hospital by then Governor Goodluck Jonathan, shortly after he succeeded his impeached boss, DSP Alamieyeseigha. But the project dragged for years before it was revived by Dickson. The finishing touch was applied by the Millennium Development Goal (MDGs), allegedly on the directive of Mr. President.

But the main catalyst for the massive development in the hitherto rustic and out of the way community is the Federal University of Technology, Otuoke.

The establishment of the higher institution has unleashed a flurry of economic and social activities. It is a major federal presence that has redefined the community. Independent observers believe that establishing a tertiary institution of that magnitude in his small community was a masterstroke by Jonathan.

Within months after its establishment structures have sprung on the large expanse of sandfilled land that is the permanent site of the institution. 

Sch for Deaf

Similarly, millions of naira is being paid as rent to a private firm that owned rows of bungalows that house the administrative block of the institution.

A multibillion naira project awarded to OnePlus Holding Limited for construction of internal road networks within the university community is seen as one that benefits the town even more than the university. As one critic of the choice of the site noted, "Is it going to be called a community university or university community?"

With the presence of the university which is directly opposite Margel Resort, a hotel owned by the wife of the President, Dame Patience, land speculators and developers have stormed the community. Land is hot cake and people are erecting different shades and sizes of buildings with aesthetic beauty.

While some are building hostels to accommodate students, others are erecting hotels, clubs, shopping malls and shops to promote increased social and economic activities.

Besides, businesses are closing shops in Yenagoa and elsewhere and moving Otuoke. Boutiques, cosmetic shops, restaurants etc are springing up. Eucharia, one of the owners of the new restaurants said the university attracted her to the community.

"I came here to take advantage of the university. Business is good but we expect it to be better soon", she said.

Apart from escalating a boom in property development, most of the influential members of the president's clan have since dropped their farming hoes and fishing net in favour of contracting work.

"Most of the new houses in Otuoke are owned by contractors, who are said to be using their 'brother's' connection to get contracts from the Presidency, NDDC, Niger Delta Ministry and other agencies. "Most of them come back home to build modern houses," a source added.

However, the Paramount Ruler of Otuoke, His Royal Highness, Ogiasa said development started before Jonathan was inaugurated as president.

Speaking with our reporter in May 29, 2011, HRH Ogiasa, said, “It started from the time our son became the vice-president. He has brought improved primary and secondary schools and even nursery school. That alone has given a desired change to the community.

"There is electricity. There could have been water but in this present day, all the sources of water are bad. He has acquired a standby generator so that immediately PHCN takes its light, the generator will be switched on.’’

It is therefore not surprising when the monarch described May 29 2011, as a day that "is glorious and joyful. In the first place, all the glory should go to the heavenly father. I know that this happening is just a divine one."

The wise monarch though advised Jonathan to remember that "Every Nigerian citizen gave him the mandate and he should try not to disappoint the people...There should be one purpose and one goal in his administration.” 

Our investigation revealed though that although Jonathan has impressed most of his kinsmen, there are some Niger Deltans and indeed Bayelsans who are uncomfortable with his quest to develop Otuoke at the expense of other communities.

One of the sour spot is the choice of the president's home town as the site for the university. Critics of the choice argued that the location made nonsense of the benefits such project would have given to the entire region or states like Bayelsa.

A source who pleaded that his name should not be mentioned, said: "We have expanse of land even in Ogbia Local Government Area where development hasn't got to. We also have other strategic and central locations like Sagbama.

"The university should have been sited in those areas. A federal university is supposed to be located where there is no development or known community so that it will help to attract development to such areas.

"The university in Otuoke in my opinion is selfishly located. How can a big institution like that be squeezed into a small community?" 

More ongoing project

Urhobo groups protesting marginalisation of the ethnic group have also compared the pace of development at the university which was set up barely two years ago with the age-long Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Delta State. They often lament that the budgetary allocation for the young university far outweigh FUPRE, which is nearly a decade old.

However, no matter what the critics say, the university is achieving the purpose of its establishment - immortalising Otuoke, creating human and vehicular traffic in the area as well as turning around the economy of the community. It is, indeed, a lasting legacy that a President has bequeathed to his community.

The Otuoke Hospital is said to be awaiting future upgrade to serve as a teaching hospital. The facility which could be likened to a general hospital has attracted criticisms.

Some said Jonathan foisted the project on the MDG Office, which he directly supervises, and ensued it was completed on time with whooping N3.5bn. Others are also angry that instead of centrally locating the hospital to serve more than one community in Ogbia, the President tucked it into his Otuoke hometown.

"It appears that the President only knows about Otuoke. Doesn't he know that Bayelsa State and other states in the Niger Delta region are expecting similar developmental projects? The office of the presidency is too big for development to be concentrated only in a community", an aggrieved persons who identified himself simply as Emmanuel said.

But Mr. Mica Eki, said the community was being transformed through proceeds from land. "People are selling land to build houses", he said.

He added: "That is the only reason why Otuoke is developing. As Goodluck became a President everybody rushed to our community to buy land because they want to identify with the President's community. Now Otuoke that was a village before has become a town".

He, however, said the President had done little for them. "Some of us are angry with him because whenever he comes, he doesn't share money to us. He only advises us to work hard. Apart from the university and the hospital Goodluck has not done anything for Otuoke."

Pointing at the direction of the State School II, Eki exclaimed: "Look at the primary school he attended, he is supposed to have rebuilt it. No Nigerian should say that Goodluck is sharing money in Otuoke, he doesn't share money but he must come back in 2015 even though I have not received any money from him. He is busy developing other places. Let him come back so that he can develop Bayelsa."