Prof Igho Natufe, President General of Okpe Union, has expressed deep dissatisfaction over the neglect of the Okpe Kingdom, urging political leaders in Delta State to take responsibility for the region's underdevelopment.
In a message delivered over the weekend, Prof Natufe lamented the stagnant growth in Sapele and Okpe Local Government Areas, attributing the lack of progress to the failure of Okpe elected and appointed political and traditional leaders. He criticized these leaders for not leveraging their positions to benefit the Okpe Nation, despite their significant roles in the electoral successes of both the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
"While we share the Orodje’s lamentation on the neglect of Sapele and Okpe Nation by successive governments, we situate the problem more in the failure of Okpe elected/appointed political and traditional leaders for the stunted growth and development in Okpe Nation," Natufe stated.
Highlighting the dilapidated state of public education and infrastructure, as well as the absence of industries in Okpe compared to neighboring regions, Prof Natufe emphasized the critical role that Okpe leaders have played in governance since 1999. Despite holding key ministerial portfolios and representing Okpe in various government levels, these leaders have failed to positively impact their communities.
Prof Natufe, an expert in International Relations and Soviet/Russian Foreign Policy, questioned the contributions of Okpe leaders to major projects and local governance, citing the lack of progress in establishing a proposed university at Degheli and inadequate socio-economic development from local government councils.
"The task of Okpe Union is heavy, demanding, and challenging. If we are unable to interrogate Okpe political and traditional leaders on their poor stewardship impacting Okpe Nation, then we lack the moral justification to interrogate non-Okpe political leaders on the stewardship of their respective portfolios impacting Okpe Nation. A people get the government that they deserve," he concluded.
The call to action from Prof Natufe seeks to mobilize the people of Okpe Kingdom to hold their leaders accountable and work collectively towards the development of their region.
