By Onyeche Wofurum Igwe
(Humble Lion)
History has shown that every epochal struggle produces its own heroes and villains, every community its own traitors and saboteurs. Traitors have their own way of infiltrating any community or group they choose to operate from.
While pretending to be committed to the cause of a community or group, they work surreptitiously to sabotage the same group for selfish and material gains. Usually, it takes supernatural intervention to identify traitors in any group. They are like green mamba snakes under the green grass.
Judas Iscariot pretended to be a staunch disciple of Jesus Christ. He worked seemingly conscientiously with Jesus in his mission to liberate mankind. But while he was still serving Jesus, wining and dining with him and casting out demons with him, he was in secret alliance with the enemies of progress who were determined to keep mankind in perpetual bondage. Judas eventually sold his master to the enemies.
Ever since that epoch treachery has not changed its spots or meanings, neither have traitors changed their modus operandi. As they were in the days of Judas, so are they today.
The measure of a man does not consist of his fleet of cars or fat bank account or staff at his beck and call. But in how many lives he touched, how many feet he washed, the number of mouths fed and the many battles of love fought and won with sheer tenacity and faith in God.
This name, Chief Hon. David Chinedu Omereji PhD, may not ring a bell but it rings more than a bell to those who have benefitted from his belief that kindness should be shown to the needy at all times. For this class of people, he is a merchant of hope, a true apostle of service above self and a friend of the downtrodden.
Chief Omereji, a library of towering credentials, carries out his political assignments with magisterial aplomb and sagacity. He is a philanthropist of international standard. He has empowered several persons in Emohua LGA and beyond.
Omereji has incited and weathered many storms in his episodic political adventure, yet he was unperturbed, remained steadfast and rode the storm. He is like a cat that wastes no energy but waits for its prey and strikes without missing. He has a soft exterior, a humane psyche and a fighting spirit if a battle is unavoidable.
The philanthropist has indeed left behind indelible footprints on the sand of time and enduring legacies that posterity will never forget in a hurry.
There is no Local Government Chairman in the history of Rivers State that has empowered people like Chief David Omereji. His Councillors and appointees were the best paid in Rivers State. He had a good working relationship with council workers, the reason he gave them mouth-watering Christmas largesse last year.
Apart from the roads and schools he built, he restored electricity in the LGA after many years of darkness. He reinstated over 300 workers sacked by previous administration. The good people of Emohua LGA were rejoicing, thanking God for send a Messiah before the unfortunate Supreme Court judgment.
Chief David Omereji paid house rents for people, school fees, hospital bills, built houses, sponsored weddings, etc. He gave people jobs, contacts, in fact he made people, spent millions of naira to better the lives of so many persons but unfortunately human beings are greedy.
Omereji sacrificed a lot to place Egbeda community on the political map of Rivers State after many years of marginalization and exploitation. Just three months out of office, the people that benefitted more than others asked for the head of a lion which was not possible, and hell was let loose. The same persons that never allowed others to reap where they sowed because of greed and selfishness. God will judge everybody according to their works.
The former Emohua Council Chairman is a monumental blessing to his community, Egbeda and a prodigious gift to Emohua LGA. As the saying goes, there are three judgements: the judgement of man, the judgement of God and the judgement of posterity. From available indices, it is quite obvious that he has passed the judgement of man, and if indeed the voice of the people is the voice of God, he has also passed the judgement of God. But since the judgement posterity is conditioned by time, time will surely confirm verdict of God and man.
Onyeche Wofurum Igwe, also known as Humble Lion, a Journalist, Social Critic and Human Rights Crusader, writes from Egbeda Community.
