By Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe Esq
What brings a man down quickly from the mountain top of life is when he deliberately soil his heart with injustice, jealousy and unnecessary hatred against his fellow man.
Yes, many political leaders are down today because they unjustly promoted mediocrity, unproductive fellows and arrogantly demoted top class professionals, hardworking and loyal supporters. Leaders must avoid the temptation of “absolute power” and reward loyalty with good, and not evil.
It is also possible to become very unpopular within a short period of time, and rejected by the people if you let your personal hatred for an individual provoke you to war against him unjustly. The end of it all is shame, regret and frustrations.
I personally advised my learned friend and Agbon brother, Chief Aghwarianovwe Ikie Esq, to respect himself and stop being used by negative forces to unjustly fight Rt Hon Sheriff Francis Oborevwori, the same way I put up a call to advise another learned friend and senior brother, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi Esq, to congratulate the then Governor-Elect now Executive Governor of Delta State, Elder Oborevwori, but the duo ignored by precious counsel.
I told Ikie from the outset that the law is not a respecter of any person, local or international entity. The facts in issue is what the Courts must adjudicate upon based on credible evidence. I remember telling my learned friends that Oborevwori’s surname remained constant in all his documents with Sheriff, Francis and Orohwedor featuring interchangeably, pointing to show that he is the same person, not another.
I also can remember clearly that I repeatedly pointed out in some of my articles and stories published before, during and after the governorship primary, electioneering campaigns, during the elections and after the results of the Governorship election, that discrepancies in date of birth can be corrected legally by a valid Declaration of Age, once the Deponent is of age connoting that all former documents remained valid, believing that the previous date of birth was either correct or a mistake made by illiterate parents or typographical errors, et al.
I went further to deduce that the DEED POOL legally perfected to properly streamline the names of Oborevwori Sheriff Francis Orohwedor, was validly made and that all his documents points to show that he was and still the same person. That the Courts shall scrutinize all available evidence to accept or reject the allegations of the Plaintiffs and Appellants in favour of Elder Oborevwori.
I pointed out that the allegation whether or not Elder Oborevwori obtained academic Degree and Masters Degree in Political Science at both Ambrose Ali University Ekpoma and Delta State University Abraka, can only be decided by the degree certificates issuing authorities, and not the Courts, not the Plaintiff, not the Appellants, not the Defendant and not the Respondent.
And it came to pass that the certificates issuing authorities via their authentic and undisputed witnesses were in Court to vindicate Elder Oborevwori. His classmates roared to his defence. The West African Examination Council, WAEC, reacted positively in favour of the accused person. Case closed!
It is now a settled matter by the Supreme Court that Oborevwori is sound academically and genuinely got his academic certificates by dint of hard work and sincere determination. His date of birth is also a settled matter. This is how not to fight the truth. See 2nd Corinthians 13:8, KJV of the Holy Bible.
The Supreme Court of Nigeria, SCN, shamed the Plaintiff/Appellant, Chief Ikie Esq and he hurriedly resigned his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. That’s how not to fight the truth. I refer you again to paragraphs 1-3 of this article for better understanding of how Chief Ikie’s predicament originated.
I know Oborevwori too well, watching and researching into every aspect of his life in the past forty five years of our friendship, and I can tell you for free that his date of birth can never again be an issue. He went to College, University and graduated. I know it to be so, you now know it to be so!
I firmly stood by Oborevwori and fought for him like a wounded lion in the mass media space, defending his enviable reputation and integrity in the past nearly three years and counting. I shall continue to do so, God willing.
I believe strongly in Elder Oborevwori’s ability, competence, foresight and right sense of judgement to govern Delta State without blemish.
Congratulations to His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Delta State, Elder Sheriff Francis Oborevwori, JP. To God be the Glory!
#fredlatimore
