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
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| Otuoke Hospital |
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| 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.
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| Road in Otuoke |
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.
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| 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?"
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| 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."
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