By Ishiak Yusuf Ayonote
The sterling and commendable qualities of leadership exhibited by the governorship candidate of the APC, Senator Monday Okpebholo (Akpakomiza) has been commended by the Jattu people through the traditional institution and victims of the recent disaster that happened at the centuries old Omogbai market Jattu-Uzairue.
Making this commendation today was the Ogieneni in council, who was represented by the number one titled chief Daudu 1 of Uzairue kingdom Who spoke on behalf of over 100 chiefs of the Uzairue Kingdom that received Senator Okpebholo at the palace of Ogieneni of Uzairue kingdom. To them, though Senator Okpebholo had already sent condolence message, that he deemed it fit to shelve other very pressing personal/state functions to physically come to empathize with Uzairue community after the natural climatic disaster that claimed several lives and left many with varying degree of injuries aside the destruction of several sources of livelihood and market structure.
They were not surprised as the antecedents of Senator Okpebholo speaks to his humanitarian and caring leadership nature, representative of his people and a pillar of support for community and humanity as a whole. He said Jattu people in particular and Uzairue in general appreciate this gesture and would not forget.
Earlier, the visiting APC flag bearer told the gathering that he felt personally touched and traumatized when he saw the magnitude of the devastation caused by the rainstorm, the toil on human lives and erosion of livelihood and injuries. He said he felt it a human duty to personally come to sympathize with the victims, see things for himself and assess the immediate needs as well as future actions to avert such magnitude of destruction that happened this time.
During the visit, Senator Okpebholo inspected the scene of disaster and promised that the modernisation of Jattu market would be one of the first projects he would embark on as soon as he is sworn in as governor. He made a personal donation of 10 million naira towards a fund on the disaster. He also visited some of the victims and made a commitment to offsetting their medical bills and other immediate needs.
Senator Okpebholo was accompanied on the visit by top APC party leaders in Etsako West local government. Among the leaders were Etsako West Coordinator of Edo state governorship campaign council, Hon. Yakubu Musa (Yakson), The leader of APC in Edo North, High chief Alhaji Abubakar Akokhia, Etsako west chairman of APC, Hon. Ahmed Dauda (Kurata), former chairman of Etsako west Local government, Hon. Alasa Idaro, leader of APC in Etsako west , Alhaji Jim Garuba, and a host of notable party leaders across all local governments in Etsako.
Ishiak Yusuf Ayonote is a member, Publicity/Media Committee APC Campaign Council.