|
The Audacity Of The
Prince Of Niger Delta Politics @ 40
By Eze Chukwuemeka Eze,
Audacity according to Encarta
Dictionaries of 2007 means boldness,
daring or willingness to challenge
assumptions or conventions or tackle
something difficult or dangerous. At the
age of 40 assumed to be the beginning of
life, the need of examining the deeds
and actions of Prince Tonye TJT
Princewill who celebrated his 40th
Birthday in style on 4th January at Port
Harcourt in line with the above truism
becomes imperative. For avoidance of
doubt, Prince Tonye TJT Princewill is
the crown Prince of the Kalabari
Kingdom, the largest clan (33
Communities) in the Ijaw land and a true
son of the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria
being the son of a famous academic and
prominent King in Nigeria; King Prof TJT
Princewill the Amanyanabo of Klabari
Kingdom, Amachree xi. Prince Tonye
Princewill apart from being the Leader
of Rivers State Action Congress (a
political party in Nigeria ) since 2006
till date is the youngest member of the
Rivers State Economic Advisory Committee
and a member of the Presidential Niger
Delta Technical Committee saddled with
the responsibility of fashioning out the
future of Niger Delta region in Nigeria
. He was appointed the Investment
Consultant to the Rivers State
Government in December 2007and has
through this attracted over fifty
Billion Naira (N50B) investments to
Rivers State in the past one year
through Private Partnership Programme of
the State Government.
This young man's entry into the politics
of Rivers State took everybody by storm
and by the time the people could settle
down to know what he was up to, he had
already demolished the bulldozer and
established politicians like Sergent
Awuse and became the undisputed flag
bearer of one of the major political
parties in Nigeria, the Action Congress.
He not only surprised himself, critics,
opponents, established politicians in
the State, admirers and the leadership
of AC both at the State and National
levels that today he has become not only
the Prince of Niger Delta Politics, but
the 'bride' of Niger Delta politics. The
AC he single-handedly funded, nurtured,
watered, and built is the only viable
political platform in Rivers State being
sought-after by the great names in
politics of yesterdays in the State in
order to be relevant today. He
single-handedly made AC a principal
partner in the governance of Rivers
State based on the ruling of the Supreme
Court reinstating Hon. Chibuike Rotimi
Amaechi as the rightful Governor of
Rivers State.
His love for his State forced him into
politics and today, to create his ideal
Rivers State , he offers scholarships to
150 undergraduate and post-graduate
students every year in Rivers State to
lay the foundation of egalitarian and
greater Rivers State of the future. To
demonstrate this love for his State in a
more practical way, this resourceful
Prince and a study in resilience dropped
his case at the Election Tribunal to
join Amaechi, a PDP Governor to form a
unity government in Rivers State to the
chagrin of his peers. This action though
commendable and a study in political
artisanship in Nigeria is anathema to
many of his colleagues.
In answer to this, he stated '' Rivers
State comes first in all my
calculations. Apart from building a
virile, egalitarian, vibrant, cohesive
and compact Action Congress in Rivers
State , making Rivers State one of the
strong bases of Action Congress in
Nigeria is a task I have set for myself
to accomplish. We have taken our
decisions in Rivers State based on the
lesser of two evils and the future of
our party. Many do not know the details
of our reasoning but we are comforted in
the knowledge that in the end, all will
be revealed".
The fact remains that what this
foresighted enigma saw by withdrawing
his case is now being applauded by those
who opposed the plans initially as
nearly all the cases against Governor
Amaechi at the Election Tribunal have
been thrown to the dustbin of history
coupled with the unprecedented
achievements of this administration so
far.
This Prince of Niger Delta Politics
involvement in Rivers State and Nigeria
politics will not be said to have been
properly written if adequate note of his
informal interest in the affairs of his
people is not considered. He stands out
as a professional engineer and a
business magnate, who did not take
politics as a profession for lack of
means of livelihood. Rather, Princewill
is a professional who has always been in
politics as a result of his concern for
his people and personal attempts to help
them. He decided to bring his acumen and
dynamism to bear on his efforts to serve
his people as Governor in the 2007
election. Even as a private
businessperson, he has been a
people-centered person who has always
been critical of corrupt regimes in the
state, particularly that of the Odili
administration that wasted the enormous
potential that was at its disposal based
on myopic desires, devoid of empowering
the people.
The father of modern day opposition
politics in Nigeria and former Vice
President of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar described
Prince Tonye Princewill with these words
“First and foremost, I am impressed with
the way the AC leadership in Rivers
State , under him has handled the
affairs of the party. I thank the
leadership for holding the forte of the
party in the state. As you know, I am
back to the country, fit, well and
strong, and we (National and State
Chapters of AC) can, together face the
problems of this country. Prince Tonye
Princewill is a promising young man and
I believe that the future is there for
him as long as he shows the right
qualities of leadership, which he has
been showing all along in the party”.
To Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, former
Executive Governor of old Enugu State in
the foreword he wrote in the book on the
Prince authored by Chief Eze C Eze
titled Prince Tonye TJT Princewill, The
Prince of Niger Delta Politics: His
Vision, Mission and Politics stated "
Now, Prince Tonye Princewill has not
only become the Prince of Niger Delta
Politics, but actually the bride of
Niger Delta Politics. His vision for his
people in the region is now receiving a
reasonable boost through his various
appointments into key and crucial
sectors, particularly the recent one as
a member of the Presidential Niger Delta
Technical Committee, which has done a
great work in reshaping the future of
the region. A book on him at this point
in time is, therefore, timely and
considered a "sine qua non" and of
paramount importance to everybody".
One of the finest politicians in Rivers
State and the Hon. Commissioner of Works
in the present dispensation, Hon. Dakuku
Peterside described the Prince “Tonye is
among a new generation of patriotic
politicians desirous of rendering
quality service to the people. This
eminent group of youthful politicians
have begun to re-engineer the political
landscape, re-introducing pragmatic
approach to resolving deep political
challenges. He has further shown like
others in this group that there is no
relationship between age and wisdom. One
thing that stands him out among his
peers is his ability to distinguish
politics of opposition and collective
interest of Rivers State as demonstrated
by his open and unrepentant support for
Governor Rotimi Amaechi, who
interestingly is the arrow head of this
emerging generation of pragmatic
politicians, Committed to the rebirth of
Rivers State .”
The Chairman of Action Congress in Cross
River State , one of the 36 States in
Nigeria and the Chairman of the CNPP in
CRS, Comrade Cletus Obun in his
congratulatory message to the Prince on
his 40th birthday stated, “If life
begins at 40 as the ancient assert, then
some have disproved this and put it to
test. How does the man of less than two
scores meet the obligations of three
scores and yet begin? The story of the
starry-eyed Prince bathed at birth in
the muddy mineral led creeks of the
Niger Delta, groomed in the finest
academic tradition of yore yet
submitting with humility to the demands
of his fatherland. Of the quality of
mankind humility and charity stand out.
Prof.Tonye TJT Princewill has woven a
fabric from these two virtues landing
him the benevolence of his superiors
like Alh Atiku Abubakar,Chief.Tom
Ikimi,Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu. His
contemporaries watch him with passionate
admiration while his followers deify
him.--What will a ma-n in his thirties
be doing among the sages of his time?”
Prince Tonye TJT Princewill, a disciple
of the school of John Stuart Mill, who
pioneered the conception of liberal
politics, believes in the stronger
protection for individual rights against
government and the truism that "We can
never be sure that the opinion we are
attempting to stifle is a false opinion,
and if we were sure, stifling it would
be an evil". TP is also a great admirer
of the works of the Chinese philosopher,
Confucius, whose philosophy was "rooted
in his belief that a ruler should learn
self-discipline and govern his subjects
by his own example and treat them with
love and concern".
With all these, it becomes obvious that
Franklin D Roosevelt had the likes of
Tonye Princewill in mind when he wrote:
"The test of our progress is not whether
we add more to the abundance of those
who have much; it is whether we provide
enough for those who have little."
Holding tenaciously to this eternal
verity, TP believes that a leader should
be a public servant, who strives
relentlessly to put smiles on the faces
of his followers without placing undue
emphasis on their social status or
dashing the hopes of the poor masses. As
one with leadership acumen, Princewill
never subscribes to leadership stratum
as an end. Rather, he views it to be a
means to an end, the end being the
socio-economic and political
emancipation of the entire people of
Rivers State
In appreciation of the much, Prince
Tonye Princewill has done in the
upliftment, emancipation, unity and
growth of the people of Niger Delta
region; great Nigerians from all works
of life assembled on 2nd January, 2009
at the Hotel Presidential, Port Harcourt
in Rivers State to honour this new icon
in Nigerian Politics. In the three-day
unprecedented action packed events that
lasted for three days from 2nd to 4th
January, 2009 started with a Lecture on
2nd January 2009 at the Hotel
Presidential; Port Harcourt titled The
Challenge of Nationhood and the Role of
the Newbreed delivered by the Chairman
of the Niger Delta Technical Committee
and President of MOSOP, Mr.. Ledum
Mittee. The programme chaired by Alh.
Umaru Shinkaffi was attended by great
minds in politics, academia, civil
society, Royal Fathers and Captains of
Industries. It was a gathering of all
those that matters in the politics and
economy of the Niger Delta region with
their friends from other regions in the
country. Ambassador Segun Olushola,
Chief Abiodu Aremu, Dr. Frederick
Fasheun the Founder of Odua Peoples
Congress and others represented the
Yorubas. Alh. Umaru Shinkaffi erstwhile
Director General National Security and
his rich entourage represented the
North. Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo former
Governor of Enugu State and the first
Secretary of PDP, Rt. Hon. Adolphous
Wabara erstwhile Senate President and
the dreaded General Achuzie Secretary
General of Ohanaeze Ndi-Igbo, Chief
O.C.J. Okocha, Dr. Ego Ezuma the
National Legal Adviser of Action
Congress and others represented the
East. Niger Delta was represented by who
is who in the region that includes
Governor Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, Chief
A.K. Horsfall OMPADEC first Chairman,
Alabo T.O.Graham-Douglas one time
Minister of four Federal Ministries-
Aviation, Culture, Sports etc, Justice
Karibe-whyte The Minister of State for
Petroleum, Mr. Henry Odein Ajumugobia,
Dr. Joseph Wayas, Senate President of
the 2nd Republic, Ambassador Dele Cole,
Ledum Mittee President of the Movement
for the Survival of the Ogoni People
MOSOP and Chairman of the Niger Delta
Technical Committee. Traditional fathers
were adequately represented - King
Alfred Diete-Spiff, former outstanding
Governor of the Old Rivers State, King
T.J.T Princewill, Amayanabo of Kalabari,
Amachree XI and father of the
celebrant.. Other dignitaries include
Tony Uranta, Youpele Banigo, Prof
Lawrence Ekepbu and other colleagues of
Prince Tonye Princewill in the Niger
Delta Technical Committee, Chief Magnus
Abbey, SSG of the Rivers State
Government among others.
The list go on and on but the
significance of the event is the total
summation by all and sundry that
attended the birth day Lecture that
Prince Tonye Princewill at the age of
forty has matured so soon to take much
responsibility in the affairs of the
Niger Delta Politics. Alh. Shinkaffi who
spoke on behalf of the Northern Nigeria
kick-start the event by paying glowingly
tribute to the ingenuity of Prince Tonye
Princewill for fashioning out and
sustaining the Unity Government in
Rivers State that has become a study in
pragmatism, resilience, idealism and
essence in the Nigerian politics and the
various roles he has played in shaping
the present day politics in Niger Delta
region. Dr. Okwesillieze Nwodo who spoke
on behalf of the National Leader of
Action Congress, Alh. Atiku Abubakar and
himself stated that the records of the
Nigerian politics can never be completed
without a space solely dedicated to the
miracle, ingenuity and initiative of
Princewill and Amaechi in Rivers State .
It was Ambassador Segun Olusgola who
spoke on behalf of the Yorubas that
confessed the failure of his generation
in the project called Nigeria and urged
the need of total surrender of
leadership to the likes of Prince Tonye
Princewill. It was based on all these
summations that made King Diete-Spiff
the most outstanding Governor of the old
Rivers State to state when he was called
to spoke on behalf of the Niger Delta
region that the future of Niger Delta
Politics lays in the hands of great
minds like Tonye Princewill and formally
anoint him as the Prince of Niger Delta
Politics. Alabo Graham-Douglas aptly
described Tonye as his political son and
that the agenda to establish him firmly
in the politics of the region has being
outlined for implementation.
The prophetic book titled “Prince Tonye
TJT Princewill, The Prince of Niger
Delta Politics:His Vison, Mission and
Politics” authored by Chief Eze
Chukuemeka Eze his Media Consultant was
formally presented to the public during
the Lecture by Chief A.K. Horsefall. The
book chronicled the Past, Vision,
Mission , thoughts, politics of Prince
Tonye Princewill. Chief Horsefall during
the presentation of the book truly
stated that Tonye without any doubt or
exaggeration is the Prince of Niger
Delta Politics being the only visible
Prince in politics in the region. He has
proven himself and can lay claim to that
title. “I Chief Horesfall on behalf of
the Leaders and Elders of Niger Delta
region hereby present to Nigerians the
undisputable Prince of Niger Delta
Politics, Prince Tonye TJT Princewill”,
Chief Horesefall enthused.
During the thanksgiving on 4th January
at Abundant Life Evangel Mission, Port
Harcourt, the General Overseer of the
Church. Apostle Eugene Ogu who foretold
the Governorship of Rt. Hon. Amaechi and
Senator Adolphous Wabara as the Senate
President in the last Republic stated,
“If Tonye follows the Lord diligently
the future of Niger Delta Politics lays
in his hand. In summary, both the
politicians, traditional Council Leaders
and the Church have formally accepted
this icon and great Prince of the
Kalabari Kingdom as the true Prince of
Niger Delta Politics.
His friend and partner in the
emancipation and development of Rivers
State , Governor Amaechi of Rivers State
later in his remarks stated “Tonye is my
good friend and no matter being the best
critics of my administration, he means
well for the State and no amount of
prejudice or manipulation from outsiders
will come in between us. To me, Tonye is
a great gift to the people of the region
as he brings in his intelligence and
highly principled life to bear on the
governance of the State. I wish him the
best as he makes himself available for
the service of our State and region”
Ledium Mittee the Chairman of Niger
Delta Technical Committee stated while
delivering the keynote address during
the Lecture to commemorate Princewill's
40th birthday event “The part so far
played by my friend Tonye is not in
doubt to any positive mind and key
watcher of the unfolding political
events in the region.”
A Journalist with FRCN, Mr. Terver Akase
summarised the event in a text message
he sent to me a day after the Lecture in
these words, “congratulations to the
Prince whose birthday Lecture has
attracted the biggest turn out by
eminent persons in recent times to Port
Harcourt. Kudos to you Chief. I am happy
that the Prince knows what you can do.
Keep it up and may God continue to watch
over you.”
The Prince in his response expressed
appreciation for all the encomiums
poured on him by his fathers and
teachers in the arts of politics and
stated that ' If Diete-Spiff could have
achieved the much he did at the mere age
of 27 while as the Governor of the old
Rivers State, I don't see why I could
not do better at the age of over 40 The
fact remains that I didn't come to
politics to achieve; I came to take a
stand and make my point and make the
difference in the lives of Rivers State
people”.
This is the new block in Nigerian
politics Prince Tonye TJT Princewill,
the Prince of Niger Delta Politics.
Eze Chukwuemeka Eze is a Media
Consultant and Public Analyst based in
Port Harcourt
|
