…..Chief Demas Akpore and the resolution of the Nigeria security challenges
Omamuzo Efidhere & Choice Grandball
Chief of Staff to the Deputy Senate President, Dr. Otive Igbuzor, Chief Ogbemure Imene, Publisher Urhobo Voice Newspaper, Dr. Joseph Ambakederimo, HRM, Johnson Duku, King Duku II, HRH, Barr. Olarewaju Ajayi and others have described Chief Demas Akpore as selfless, visionary leader and a great pioneer in the field of education.
Speaking at the Chief Demas Akpore 12 memorial lecture with the theme ‘Chief Demas Akpore and the resolution of the Nigeria security challenges’ held recently at Donrose Event Centre, Ughelli/Patani Road, Dr. Otive Igbuzor, President of the Ejiro & Otive Igbuzor Foundation, sponsors of the Chief Demas Akpore memorial lecture stated that one must not be rich before giving back to the society.
According to Igbuzor “My main message at this 12 Chief Demas Akpore memorial lecture is that you do not have to be rich to give back to society. When my wife and I started this memorial lecture 12 years ago and started giving money to people to do corporative society 16 years ago I am not sure that home and abroad we had up to two million naira in our account but today for the past twelve years we have given scholarship to over three hundred primary school students, we gave educational support to six undergraduate people last year and six others this year.
“We are running a Centre, Niger Delta Resource Centre to provide information because information is power. We are supporting widows and doing so many other things not because we have money but because of the urge to give back to society and from what the lecture today showed it is a vicious circle. Poverty breeds insecurity and insecurity leads to poverty. It is a vicious circle and in order to break that vicious circle we require action from every sector of society, government, private sector, civil society, media and individuals. I am confident that with the resources that Nigeria has if we can have the right kind of leadership at all levels then we will see insecurity decreasing and we will see prosperity increase.”
Chief Ogbemure Imene, Publisher the Urhobo Voice Newspaper, and Chairman of the occasion described Chief Demas Akpore as open and friendly, “he valued what education can do that is why he built a school in his community. He knew the lack to his people in the absence of education. Chief Demas Akpore is from Orogun, Chief Ovieghara is from Eku, and these men were great pioneers in the field of education. He did not only live well, he left a good legacy there are challenges at every point in life but despite the challenges man must try to live and live a good life.”
Dr. Joseph Ambakederimo, Associate Environmental Professional, Social Crusade and Development Expert in his lecture stated that the resolution to the Nigerian security challenges would be for the policy makers to arrest the drift through social justice and development. “As long as we continue to treat the issue of national security separately from the issue of national development wrapped around poverty, inequality, corruption, unemployment and social exclusion based on tribe, religion, insecurity will remain with us for a very long time to come. it is important to recognize that national security goes hand in hand with national development and in treating them as separate subjects is not only counterproductive but is fraught with danger.
“Policy makers need to think out of the box to do things differently by appreciating the nexus between national development and national security. We must take necessary steps to build the institutions that could ensure justice, accountability and development in the country without which measures we employ to address insecurity will remain futile. We are gathered here today for one man, a man of candor and peace, selfless, calm, articulate, amiable and visionary leader.”
On his part HRM, Oba, Barr. Rufus Olarewaju Ajayi, Ogidi Olu Arolagba II Oba of Gbomina Ekiti Kingdom described Chief Demas Akpore as a great man, selfless, father, trailblazer and one of the best human ever to live. “Deltans are great people but the only problem I have with Deltans is that they do not know how to celebrate their best. They need to put their house in order. We have four million people in Delta state, 2.5million are children, and these children take biscuit, drinks, gala, sweets, cheese balls etc. to school daily of which none is produced locally.
“If these industries are set up, jobs will be created, more people will be happy; the cost of those snacks will drop drastically because the cost of transportation from Osun, Ogun, Lagos and Ibadan will no longer be there. Our politicians should stop building filling stations and hotels and set up industries. They should think outside the box, think like Awolowo who had the opportunity of siting all the industries in his town but refused today look at Ibadan, Shagamu, Uromi etc. he always thought of 50-100 ahead and will never do anything for himself.”
Earlier in his welcome address, the Executive Director of the Ejiro & Otive Igbuzor Foundation, Mr. Monday Osasah noted that the lecture on Chief Demas Akpore and the resolution of the Nigeria security challenges was chosen because of the current state of affairs in the country. “The security challenges confronting Nigeria have assumed a frightening dimension, ranging from crises in the Niger Delta, kidnapping in the South East geo-political zone, crises in the middle belt, Boko Haram crises and crises by herdsmen in the Northern part of Nigeria, now spreading southward with people numbering several thousand killed already. The conflict is now so deadly that many Nigerians fear it could become as dangerous as the Boko Haram insurgency. It is to change the current security narratives and put the country on the part of peace and sustainable growth and development, that this annual lecture has been put together.
