The grand reception in honour of the immediate past governor of Delta state, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa weekend by his tribesmen, the Ika nation of the state was greeted with heavy downpour.
Although the event held at Owa Model College, Boji-Boji, Owa, Ika North-East Local Government Area of the state went on smoothly as planned, majority of guests were neither entertained with water nor food.
Towards the end of the event, children, youths, women were seen struggling to get packs of food from a standby cooling van as several others walked away complaining.
However it was a day of glory for the former governor as he received econioums from various personalities that graced the occasion.
One of the highlights of the ceremony was the approval by the state governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori naming the popular Old Lagos-Asaba Road cutting across Ika North East and Ika South council areas after Dr Ifeanyi Okowa as requested by the council chairmen, Hon. Victor Ebonka and Hon. Sunny Tatabuzuogwu.
Commending the Ika nation for organising the reception in honour of the former governor, Oborowori said:
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“You have done very well for the people of Delta and your eight years in the saddle have been very wonderful and impactful on the lives of our people.
“There is nothing as good as your people celebrating you because some people will finish serving in public office and they cannot return home.
“But here you are being celebrated and given a hero’s welcome by your people and Deltans have come in their large numbers to honour you today in appreciation of your good deeds.
“I want to appreciate the Ika nation for organising this hosting in your honour and I appeal to Deltans to extend the same love and support shown you to our administration.
“The immediate past Governor is very experienced in governance and leadership and I learnt a lot from him in the last eight years.
“I want to serve you people and to be a Governor for all Deltans. I will be fair to you all in everything we are going to do in this administration,” Oborevwori assured.
In his remarks, Dr Okowa thanked the Ika nation and Deltans for the honour done to him and his family and appreciated everyone who supported his administration’s success story.
“Am truly very excited to be back home and to be received in this manner and I must thank you all for honouring me and my family.
“Coming home in this way gives me a lot of peace and joy because when your people receive you the manner they have received us, it gives us a lot of comfort because it shows that we can return home anytime.
“Throughout my eight years Ika nation was very peaceful and that gave me the opportunity to perform my duties very well and I must thank our youths and all stakeholders for the peace we are enjoying across the state.
He urged the people to extend support to the Oborevwori administration to advance the state through its M.O.R.E. agenda.
“You have shown me love, please extend the same to Sheriff Oborevwori. He has promised us that he is going to do more and I am convinced in my heart that he is prepared for the job.
Chairman of the Planning Committee, Hon. Nduka Irabor, said they honoured the former Governor for his outstanding accomplishments in the administration of the state and for making the Ika nation and the entire Delta proud.
He commended Deltans for coming out in large numbers to honour the immediate past governor and his family, adding that the Okowa administration witnessed unmatched peace and unprecedented development across the three Senatorial Districts of the state.
Dignitaries present at the ceremony include, the wife of the Governor, Deaconess Tobore Oborevwori, Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, represented by Rear Admiral Ndidi Agholor, Speaker of the State House of Assembly Rt Hon Ochor Christopher, former governor of the state, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan; and immediate past deputy governor, Deacon Kingsley Otuaro;
Others were the former Deputy Governor, Chief Benjamin Elue; Minority Leader House of Representatives, Chief Ndudi Elumelu; Senator James Manager; Senator Ighoyota Amori, Secretary to the State Government, Dr Kingsley Emu, Chief of Staff to the Governor Hon. Johnson Erijo, Senior Political Adviser Senator Emmanuel Aguariavwodo, Chief John Nani, Chief Festus Ochonogor, Olorogun John Oguma, Mr Mideno Bayagbon, Mr Hope Oborevwori, Olorogun Talib Tebite among others.
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