• Governor Okowa Caused It, Says Barr. Agbaoh
From Ochei Matthew, Asaba.
Former Special Assistant to the immediate past governor of Delta State, Barr. Mary Agbajoh has berated Governor Ifeanyi Okowa over the manner late Olorogun Felix Ibru’s burial was conducted, saying the state government allegedly refused to assist Ibru while he was sick in a London hospital and further allegedly humiliated the late governor of the state in death by giving him a poor burial.
Agbajoh , who spoke with The Dream Daily Asaba said “Okowa failed to render any financial assistant to Olorogun Ibru, even when appeals were repeatedly made to him by those close to Ibru about the financial challenge he was facing in UK.
According to her “all efforts to see Governor Okowa failed and his Principal Secretary Mr Hilary Obi Ibegbulem also failed to respond to earlier promise to see Okowa and get back to Olorogun’s aide in the UK.”
A text message she forwarded to The Dream Daily which was allegedly sent on April 1, 2016, read: “Dear Hilary, I know you are very busy… As discussed, I just finished speaking to Olorogun Felix Ibru PA in London and he said things are very bad and Olorogun is dying silently. As regards the medicals they spend over 30m each trip. Pls any help from Delta state government will go a long way (than state burial) God bless you; Barr. MoAgbajoh, 01-04-2016”.
While picking holes in the manner the burial of the first former civilian governor was conduct, Agbajoh queried the burial committee led by the secretary to state government Hon. Festus Agas over the choice of casket used to bury Ibru.
She said: “Olorogun Ibru is noted for white, if they could not honour him by buying white casket, at least they would have gotten silver because he is worth it.
“To further humiliate him in death, SSG bought a brown coffin not worth one N100,000 and claimed that they bought it for N 5million, can you just image how heartless the committee was, especially the SSG who is an Urhobo man!”
She said that facts would unfolded soon how the burial money was allegedly share among the committee “including one of the media aide to the governor on electronic media, Mr. Amaechi Udemba who diverted publicity fund. Hon. Agas took half of the fund. You journalists should investigate and see how the money was spent. Were you not there and saw the entertainment on Wednesday? Even the valedictory session at Government House saw no entertainment and all these were budgeted for. Where is the money? She asked.
She faulted Okowa’s naming of a state secretariat building after Olorogun Felix Ibru, saying: “Is Olorogun Ibru a Permanent Secretary or Head of Civil Service that a secretariat be named after? Why not named Osubi airport or desirable things after him if Okowa was sincere about immortalizing Olorogun Ibru? Who else deserves it more than Ibru?”
Agbajoh also shared this SMS she sent to the governor with The Dream Daily: “Your Excellency! Hope this meets you well. Why the choice of state secretariat named after Olorogun? What happened to the Airports Asaba or Osubi which was formerly Warri Airport, the Ibru’s Aero pioneered? Please who else is best fit to be named after an Airport that the first civilian governor or is it you after you die?
“You have been so unfair to Olorogun, even while in the hospital and in death. If you had responded to him, Olorogun wouldn’t have died. God is watching you.”
Efforts made to reach the chairman of the Ibru burial committee, SSG, Mr. Fustus Agas failed as at the time of going to press.
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