Sheriff restrains Okunnu

At the Yoruba tennis Club last week, Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori gave a profound speech with an original twist on inclusive governance. But Femi Okunnu, 93, raised his voice against the governor and completely misrepresented him. I was embarrassed for the old man as he went on a tangent of error.

The governor’s idea was simple. We should hold a national conference to map out goals of development across the country, and it will look at what might be a ten-year goal. There would also be a body appointed to track year on year how state governments and federal governments are meeting the goals. This will keep the nation focused on development agenda.

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The 93-year-old went on a free fall attacking the governor for suggesting that we hold a national conference of ethnic nationalities like we held in the Jonathan era. Even more embarrassing was that he would not stop as he kept repeating himself. I recalled Soyinka’s The Man Died in which he singled him out for ridicule. He sued Soyinka and lost in court on the main principle. However, after his rambling, Governor Oborevwori quietly and respectfully, in one sentence, corrected him that he was not calling for the usual national conference. It was clear to most people in the hall who listened to him. A murmur swept the air as Okunnu kept going on and on. He even insisted on the wisdom of his 93 years and the governor should learn from him. We should forgive the man for not listening well.