When Prince Huxley Unumadu was appointed the Senior Special Assistant on Culture & Tourism (SSA) to Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, the Executive Governor of Delta State and Vice Presidential candidate under the auspices of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, he was generally acclaimed to have merited the appointment, especially in the light of his over two decades antecedent in Culture and Tourism Development in Nigeria.He has visited a significant number of African countries, namely; Ghana, Gambia, Burkina Faso, Mali, Cameroon, South Africa and some European countries in the past two decades. This is in fulfillment of tourism assignments and cultural transformations which has taken place globally with the (new) renaissance of the influence of Western civilization which the global information economy has helped to spread in Africa.Question: Your principal, Governor Okowa, is the Vice presidential candidate of your party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the up coming general election. Would you say he merited the opportunity.Unumadu: Oh yes! Governor Okowa’s emergence as the Vice Presidential hopeful has added value to the politics and presidential ambition of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. Just wait and see what happens on 25th February. The picture of PDP’s victory is becoming clearer everyday. Now, look at the political reality – Atiku is the principal presidential candidate of the north. Can you imagine an Hausa/Fulani voter casting his or her vote for a Yoruba or an Ibo man? It’s hardly possible because they strongly subscribe to the so call divine privilege to govern any community which they occupy by conquest.Then, in the South, Atiku carefully and intelligently chose Governor Okowa of Delta state, who has defined himself as an astute political strategist over the years – precisely since 1999.
You can recall that my leader, Governor Okowa, started his political leadership journey as secretary to Ika LGA, at Agbor. He later rose to serve as the chairman of the LGA and in 1999 after the election, he was appointed a commissioner where he served the state for eight years under the administration of Chief Ibori. He subsequently served thereafter as secretary to Delta state Government, SSG for four years and proceeded to the senate for another four years, and from the senate, he contested the gubernatorial election and won to become the Governor of our state for the past eight (8) years; 2000-2023. Now, he’s on his way to the centre to serve as the nations vice president, hopefully on May 29, 2023.Now, what does this antecedent say of him? It’s simply resilience courage, hardwork, determination, effective and visionary leadership, which he has demonstrated in Delta State over two decades ago. As a result of his stellar performance, our amiable Governor has, over the years, emerged as the most admired and highly valued political leader to have emerged from Delta state since the commencement of this political dispensation in 1999. His charismatic personality has become ethereal.
And he’s also admired for his intellectualism and rare ability to manage scare resources to produce a sustainable development trajectory that has created a new Delta state.Equally, these rich political antecedents have made Okowa one of the few political leaders in the southern part of the country, who have grown to the presidential level due to his clean record, result oriented achievements, contacts and ability to mobilize stakeholders and again electoral value.He is a silent operator and achiever who is focused and committed to achieving his set objectives and goals.
That’s the more reason why his political journey has been on a consultant and upward mobility. Question: How do you see the issue of Atiku, a northerner becoming the President after Buhari, also a northerner has served eight (8) years in the positionUnumadu: You see, we in this country, are the enemies of this country. Why can’t we outgrown such ethnic sentiment and replace it instead, with the pursuit of merit. Now look at it, Nigeria is a very complex country. It’s multi-ethnic, multi-religious and so on. We need a solid man; solid in the sense that the man has to be very experienced in handling big issues such as governing a country like Nigeria. We need a man who has presidential experience both in the sense of politics and the economic realities. A man who has sufficient contacted and long lasting relationship with people across the geo-political divides of the country. A man with a big heart, a brain healthy enough to understand issues and respond to policy formation. That man is Atiku. That’s why Nigeria’s, from the south and north are routing for him. They know him, they have tested him and they understand him. Despite the challenges on the path, he is on the way to success. Another issue, you must look into is the issue of party. APC’s governance for 8 years was a disaster and no Nigerian can afford to see the party remain in power. Buhari didn’t govern alone. He didn’t even governed at all. The governance, in his administration, was carried out by people around him and the same people are on the game trying to use presidential power to install their party man so that they, their party, remains in power. This is the reason why we’re hopeful. The Atiku/Okowa ticket has the greatest advantage.Question: As the SSA to Gov, Okowa on culture and tourism development, what do you think is Okowa’s signature achievement in the sector?Unumadu: Have you visited the newly commissioned Maryam Babangida leisure park and film village at Asaba? You better go there and see the beauty of human mind and creativity. The park is a world class tourism destination and to conceive and build that masterpiece is an enduring legacy to behold. Gov. Okowa has put Asaba, via Delta state on the global map and as events begin to hold in that park, you will see the world begin to converge there for one thing or another. The facilities there are endless. Film makers have finally arrived on their choice location. There are lodging events centre, zoo, leisure, indoor games, children amusement park and gardens, cultural gallery, just name it. Everything you need. That’s one of Okowa’s signature achievements.Question: How can you access the chances of PDP governorship candidate in Delta state?Unumadu: The Speaker Sherriff is the man. He’s the people’s man and we’re simply waiting for his swearing-in. In Sherriff we will see the picture of Delta state in the next level. He is an Urhobo man and Urhobo nation in Delta state is largest ethnic group in the state. The same thing goes for Ndokwa nation, which is the second largest ethnic nation in the state. Now, PDP went for the most popular man with a heart of gold as his deputy candidate. That is the magic word. Chief Sherriff and Chief Monday Onyeme is a wonderful team and the best positioned to further put Delta state in exactly where the people wants the state to be in the next political dispensation. When two jolly good fellows come together to govern a state, the result is usually very positive and that’s what our people should expect in the Sherriff administration, from May 29, 2023.Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has set the template and it’s now for the in-coming Sherriff administration to build on the vision and sustain the tempo of achievements which the party (PDP) is known for. Equally, you also know that there is no actual opposition party to the dominating presence of PDP in Delta state. The All Progressives Congress (APC), does not have the structure and party members loyalty which PDP has in Delta state, so you cannot expect a party without the required structure and political tools to remove PDP in Delta State. We have spent 24 years building individuals, building communities, empowering women and youths in the state.The governing philosophy of PDP has entered into the consciousness of the generality of our people with a positive narrative, such that Deltans, especially at the grassroots has no actual need of an alternative and no desire for chance of the protocol. In Delta state, PDP ensures that everything goes round and over 85% of the voters are gunning for PDP, for Sherriff and Onyeme – same as for the PDP candidates for Senate, House of Representatives and State House of Assembly.Question: You’ve been the sole sponsor and organizer of the famous Miss Tourism Delta Beauty Pageant, for 18 years, now that you’re in government, why haven’t you come up with the pageant?Unumadu: That’s good question but a rather sensitive one. My Governor is very supportive to good creative ideas, but you know, I’m in the political side of Government, not from the civil service side.
My ideas and proposals must pass through the ministry or would need the ministry to be implemented but we seem to be working at cross-purposes. Some people will sit down in the office, hiding files, killing visions and dragging pragmatic ideas backward.The success of every political administration could be hampered or enhanced by those in the civil service. There is always this suspicion in their mind that the political appointee is coming to invade their space. That’s the problem. I’ve written several brilliant proposals on programmes and projects that would’ve added to what is on ground but you will be surprised when they tell you that they can’t find your file.Nevertheless, I’m still on the game. I’m hopeful of making the 2023 edition of Miss Tourism Delta Beauty Pageant a reality. We’re going to come out bigger and better. This time, we’re going to re-define tourism, especially by infusing cultural values to the tourism concept of the event.