By Onomiguren Agbamu
The chairman of the Community Development Committee (CDC) in Igbe Ogume, Chief Alaska Ekele, has highlighted achievements of his first year in office.
Some of the achievements that he listed included the provision of a bicycle for the town crier, construction of a shade at the Okpala Uku’s palace, and promotion of peace and unity in the community.
Chief Alaska also maintained that the formation of the National Association of Igbe Ogume Students and the launch of the Igbe Ogume Skill Acquisition Scheme to train vulnerable youths in various fields.
While he appealed for empowerment for the community’s vigilante group and called for exploration of new funding sources to address financial challenges.
Ekele expressed gratitude to individuals and groups who have contributed to the community’s development, including the late Paul Nwose Ossom’s children, Chief Chuks Ochonogor, the Niger Delta Development Commission, Delta State government and the Ndokwa West Local Government.
According to him, “I thank God Almighty for making this day a reality. Barely a year ago (April 19, 2025, precisely), this administration came to power after a successful and hitch-free election.”
“During my inaugural speech I accepted to serve and to give my all for the development of the community. Immediately, I set out a 3-point agenda, which was health, security, and development of our community.”
“I would like to use this opportunity to say a big thank you to everyone here present for being there for us. It couldn’t have been possible for us to record any meaningful achievements without your support in one way or the other.”
He noted that “One of the major challenges they were facing is the activities of Fulani herdsmen in the land,” adding that they have continued to use their cattle to eat up farmers’ cassava and other farm produce from time to time and with impunity.”
He continues, “Another is the encroachment on our land by some dissident men from Emu Obodeti. The boundary polemics is becoming a perennial issue. Care is also being taken to avoid war. We are hopeful that justice will prevail and the recalcitrant Obodeti people will renege and never fan the embers of war.”
“The greatest challenge is paucity of funds. The only sources of money are contributions during conferences and paltry sums from marriages. Because of a lack of funds, we couldn’t get to our destination points in most cases. We need to explore other avenues for sources of funds.”
On SECURITY—To a reasonable extent, our vigilant group are doing great to sanitize the community and to make it crime -free. Thanks for the yeoman’s effort of the vigilante chairman, Mr. Samson Adegbe. There is a serious collaboration between them and the CDC. They truly need to be empowered.
EDUCATION—Our secondary school that is yet to be approved by the state government is giving us sleepless nights. Our sons, chiefs Chuks Ochonogor and Benson Ogwu have been committing their money and time for the actualization of this dream.We are not resting on our oars. We are confident that in the not-too-distant future it will be a Breaking News that it has been approved.
However, I must commend the efforts of the underlisted people for chesting out in ensuring that our community teachers are paid their stipends on a monthly basis.
They are the Izu family, the Obi Agha family, Prof. Bernard Obadoni, Chief Benson Ogwu, Chief Lawrence Edeme, Rev. Tony Osakwuni, Chiefs Edwin Elum, Daniel Osakwe, Felix Olisedeme, Lucky Nwadei, Messrs. Timothy Chukwuji, Stanley Obi, and others.
I must also appreciate the acting principal, Dr. Friday Okochi, for agreeing to serve with meagre wage and for taking the school to enviable heights. There are still others who are contributing to the payment of the teachers that may not have been mentioned here; they should kindly bear with me.
TRAINING – “Train up a child in the way he should go”- Prov 22 v 6. In a desperate bid to secure the future of our teeming, vulnerable youths, I have come up with what I call the Igbe Ogume Skill Acquisition Scheme.
“ What this means is that the beneficiaries would be trained in any of the fields listed below: hairdressing, tiling, fashion designing, catering, bricklaying, aluminum works, carpentry/furniture, computer training, painting, electrical works, mechanical works, phone repairs, etc. Training them means signing them for the job and bearing the cost of freedom. Starter packs are not included in this scheme. Form is available free of charge.
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF IGBE OGUME STUDENTS—A body known as the National Association of Igbe Ogume Students has been formed. It is a replica of Igbe Ogume Students Union of the then days. Memberships are drawn from secondary and tertiary institutions within and outside the country. December 27 every year has been dedicated to them. Kindly send the names and numbers of your children to be added to the WhatsApp group.
CONSTITUTION REVIEW COMMITTEE—As a community, we need to have a constitution that would serve as a guide and reference material in the day-to-day administration. I am of the opinion that we have a 7-man Committee that would do justice to this.
IGBE OGUME FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT-
To our soccer enthusiasts, I would like to inform you that a new oxygen has been injected into the above named tournament. We now have new club sides such as Ochonogor FC dedicated to Chief Chuks Ochonogor, Onah FC dedicated to Admiral MCO Onah (Rtd), Omenogor FC dedicated to Chief Sir Dele Omenogor, Opone FC dedicated to High Chief Johnson Opone and Anoka FC dedicated to Barr Leonard Anoka. We will have our outings every December as usual.
ACHIEVEMENTS- “When the righteous is on the throne the people rejoice”- Prov 29 v 2. Within one year of my administration we have witnessed in flow of remarkable achievements. Among them are:
Provision of bicycle for our Town Crier,
Building of shade at the Okpala Uku’s palace , Writing of sign posts indicating Okpala Uku’s and Onotu Uku’s palaces, promotion of peace and unity in the community, and the security of lives and property.
This regime saw the building of Six classroom block, Principal and Vice Principal’s offices, Toilets and borehole for our school. These were attracted by Chief Chuks Ochonogor.
Others are the provision of solar lights by the Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC), the approval of Phase 1 of Igbe/Ebendo Road as attracted by Chief Chuks Ochonogor. We now have Primary Health Centre with future pensionable staff in the community.
He called on spirited individuals, sons and daughters to come over and invest at home.
About the Author
