The Man, Ifeanyi Okowa

If the universe wills, Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, might be the next Vice-President of Nigeria, writes

His physical appearance is not intimidating neither is his mien awe-inspiring. Yet, his social and political status, today, towers like a colossus. Perhaps, his remarkable educational accomplishments in his early days at the famous Edo College, Benin-City, were pointers to Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa's future stature as a great man of destiny.

It is an affirmation of those enduring qualities that have earned him the nomination as running mate by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, for the 2023 presidential election.

Okowa, who was born on July 8, 1959, to an education-loving family of Sir and Lady Arthur Okowa of Owa-Alero in the present Ika North-East Local Government Area of Delta State, left no one in doubt about his uncommon academic prowess, when he graduated from the University of Ibadan in June 1981, qualifying as the youngest medical doctor at 22 years.

Okowa's love for his people obviously underlined his initial business ventures as he was to establish private medical centres, called Victory Medical Clinics, at Igbanke in the present Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State and Boji-Boji Owa in Ika South, shortly after his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) between 1981 and 1982.

Before then, the young doctor was appointed by the then Bendel State Hospitals Management Board in 1983 and worked at the General Hospital, Uromi, and Government Hospital, Igbanke, at different times, until he resigned the government appointment in 1986.

Okowa ventured into active politics in 1991 under the guidance of his father and became the Secretary, Ika Local Government Council. Following the creation of Ika North-East Local Government Area later that year, Okowa became its pioneer Executive Chairman (1991-1993).

However, the military truncation of the Third Republic in December 1993, saw Okowa resume his medical practice, only to return to politics in 1998, when ban on politics was lifted by the then military government.

Since the restoration of democracy in 1999, Okowa, had served in various capacities in the Delta State Government. He served in three ministries as commissioner for agriculture and natural resources (1999-2001), water resources development (2001-2003) and health from 2003 to 2006.

In view of the 2007 governorship election, he resigned in October, 2006 to run for the office of governor of Delta State on the platform of the PDP. He emerged runner-up at the party's gubernatorial primary election and subsequently became director-general of the successful campaign of his party that produced Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan in 2007. He served as the Secretary of the Government Transition Committee between April and May, 2007, the same position he held again in 1999.

In June, 2007, Okowa was appointed Secretary to the State Government (SSG). He resigned in July, 2010, to contest the senatorial election for Delta North Senatorial District, eventually clinching the PDP ticket and winning the election convincingly. His membership of the Nigerian Senate was signposted by outstanding payment performance, including the sponsorship of the health bill that produced the National Health Insurance Act and the Contributory Health Insurance Scheme.

Okowa left the Senate after another attempt at the governorship led to his election as the fourth democratically elected governor of Delta State on April 11, 2015. He was sworn in on May 29, 2015.

Okowa was elected for a second term with minimal opposition, having swept aside the challenge of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Great Ogboru.

The achievements of the Okowa administration in the different sectors of the state's economy in the last seven years have been a subject engaging many local and international analysts, but it has been that of commendation. Needless to say, expectations have always been high since its creation in 1991, because Delta State is a leading oil producing state with the government expected to work to reflect the huge amount of revenue accruing to the state. His administration has been scored high in the area of provision of infrastructure, including roads and bridges across the three senatorial districts as well other vital sectors like health, education, job and wealth creation, prompt payment of civil servants, despite the very large civil service structure. The complementary role of his wife, Dame Edith Okowa, especially, through her '05 Initiative', has also been widely acknowledged locally and internationally as thousands had benefited from her free health and poverty reduction programmes. Perhaps, the 2020 National Poverty Index, which saw Delta State leapfrog to second place as least poor state in the country, should provide ample insight into how far the Okowa administration had taken Delta from where it met the state on May 29, 2015. Moreover, the acknowledgement of the administration's wealth creation efforts by the World Bank in 2019 gave further credence to the Job and Wealth Creation programme under the novel Job Creation Bureau in the state. The administration's development blueprint is encapsulated in the SMART Agenda, and, like the state information commissioner, Mr Charles Aniagwu, advised recently, whoever desired to do an objective assessment of the performance of the Okowa administration should use the SMART Agenda format as "marking scheme". In the education sector, the state government government recently created three new universities in addition to the first, Delta State University in Abraka. Besides the state-owned polytechnics, each of the 25 local government areas of the state would have a technical college under the administration's programme to promote technical and vocational education. The multiple storm water projects in Asaba, have reached advanced stage and sufficiently tackled the flooding challenge in the state capital. A similar but larger-scale project and urban renewal scheme is also going on under the Warri/Effurun and Environs Development Agency. The multi-billion dollars Prof Chike Edozien Secretariat Complex in Asaba, which ensures the housing of all the state ministries, agencies and departments, was inaugurated last year by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, who had kind words for Okowa as a visionary leader. Osinbajo, in 2019, also inaugurated several road projects executed by the Okowa government in the coastal communities of the state. The new-look Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba was regarded as jinxed until Okowa stepped in and practically reconstructed it, attracting accolades from former president Olusegun Obasanjo, who inaugurated the stadium. The arena has since hosted several national and continental athletic and football events. Much credit has been given by many to Okowa for the relative peace in Delta State, which has dipped the number disruption to oil and gas facilities in the state and the resultant leapfrogging of Delta to the first place in crude oil production in Nigeria today. Communal clashes have been reduced to the barest minimum, while the state has witnessed the steady inflow of people from neighboring states and other parts of the country. Okowa, who presides over the forum of governors of the South-south states, has severally been saddled with the responsibility of helping plan and execute important events of the PDP, including being appointed as the chairman of the party's convention and presidential election in the recent past. Thus, the leadership, administrative and organisational credentials of Senator Okowa are well acknowledged beyond Delta State.