Opinion

Ferguson Onwo, A Man Who Came Prepared By Palmer Nathaniel 

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Over a decade ago, Hon. Chief Ferguson Onwo began his journey to the Delta State House of Assembly as a Lawmaker who would speak truth to power in the advancement of the cause of his constituents. Born of an elitist parents, his father, Late Chief Stephen Uze Onwo who held the prestigious title of the Owata of Olomoro Kingdom is reputed to be the first University graduate in Olomoro community. He was also the first registrar of the College of Education, Warri. He lived a fulfilled life having seen four of his children becoming multi-millionaire in his lifetime.

Ferguson’s journey to the Assembly could fit for a smash hit movie.  He saw palace politics in its crudest form.  He encountered the harshest reality politics could serve. As a University of Ibadan trained Political Scientist, he was not new to the topsy-turvy before him and as such was determined never to allow challenges haze his vision.

Today he is an Honourable Member of the Delta State House of Assembly chairing and co-chairing committees that impacts the people directly. He is one of a conglomeration of congressmen who are here to do the job, and not for the fame and paraphernalia of office. As at the last count, Onwo has a total of twenty-four (24) aides cutting across all the communities and wards in his constituency, the highest ever hired by a lawmaker in the history of Isoko South Constituency II. The spread is to ensure that every ward has a bite of the cake while also guaranteeing that information from the grassroots gets to him as timeous as possible. Few weeks into his tenure, he initiated the Okpobrisi Sustainable Development Program where thirty-six of his constituents were sponsored to the Bioresource Centre, The National Development Agency, Odi Bayelsa state, and were trained by thorough professionals on various shades of farming.

In just one year, Chief Onwo’s strides in the representation of his people have been exceptional. Several of his Bills are at various stages of passage in the Assembly. The Corporate Social Responsibility Bill has passed through second reading. If passed and consequently assented to, by the Governor, the Bill seeks to monitor the Corporate Social Responsibility plans of all corporate organisations in the state. This will in no small measure, protect the interest of vulnerable Communities by ensuring that they get what is rightly due them. This will definitely herald in a brand new model of peaceful and harmonious co-existence between host communities and the companies.

Onwo has so far influenced the admission of twelve (12) students into various higher institutions as well as pensionable employment slots four (4) constituents within the period under review. This is coupled with the various shades of scholarships he has awarded to many. His government has equally within a period of one year reconstructed and completely furnished three blocks of classrooms at Owvodokpokpor Grammar School, Igbide, constructed and completed three blocks of classrooms at Owholemu Primary School. Olomoro, Constructed three blocks of classrooms at Otor-Aviara Primary School, Aviara, completed the perimeter fencing of Owholemu Primary School, Olomoro, constructed eight blocks of toilets, borehole and stationed derrick water storage in Umeh Grammar School, Umeh, amongst others.

Hon. Chief Ferguson has championed the rehabilitation of failed portions of the Enwhe/Enenurhie bridge, construction of eight (8) block of toilets, borehole and station derrick water storage at Osiota Primary School, Enwhe. All these are proceeds from the constituency projects funds for the 2019/2020 fiscal year. Onwo has also successfully deployed the instrumentality of his good office to attract the construction of the road from Yanga Market, Oleh to Avirara Community. The project has been awarded to a reputable construction firm and work is expected to begin any moment from now. All thanks to our ever listening and development-driven Governor, Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa who saw the need to touch the people where it mattered most.

With a man like Ferguson Onwo as the representative of the good people of Isoko South Constituency II, the future looks auspicious. One of America’s greatest Presidents, Leader, Doer and statesman, Theodore Roosevelt, once said, “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming, but who does actually strive to do the deeds, who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

As he celebrates his one year in office, may I become the apostle who takes the sermon to the people that Hon. Ferguson Onwo is a man who came prepared. Prepared to serve. Prepared to break new and even grounds. His entrant into the Chambers of the Delta State House of Assembly has made the place richer in intellect, sophisticated in ideas while the effect of his all-encompassing representation trickles down to his people like raindrops.


As a first-timer, he never prevaricated in keying into the vision of the Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori’s administration. He has continually preached to all that leadership stability in the House must be maintained for optimal delivery of the dividends of democracy to the state and its people. As a high-ranking party leader and an unwavering disciple of the Governor, he has insisted that all hands must be on deck for the actualization of the vision of the Senator Ifeanyi Okowa-led Government. As a prominent Chief of Isoko extraction, he has maintained a firm contact with his people and has remained a strong supporter of the activities of the Isoko Development Union (IDU). He is a proper Isoko Man who holds the title of the Okpobrisi of Olomoro,  the Akokotu of Igbide, the Olodi of Enwhe, the Othuke of Umeh and several other titles within and outside Isoko land.

His support for the works of God via various church activities and the general charity has been next to none. His intervention through various palliatives distribution initiatives across Isoko during the COVID-19 lockdown and other acts of goodwill has been commended even by his critics.

Hon. Chief Ferguson Onwo has so far been tremendously effective in his representation of his people, he is dogged and responsible in his oversight. He has been proactive in his core mandate as a parliamentarian. He is your servant leader who is leading by example. He is your man and will continue to answer the call of his people now and later. And even in his SECOND COMING, he will remain committed to the development of his people and Constituency.

 

 

Palmer, a former Newspaper Editor,  Speechwriter and Media Consultant to Hon. Chief Ferguson Onwo

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