Heavy headwinds heralded his nomination by his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Torrid turbulence assailed his path to guber election victory. But in all, and in spite of all, Sheriff Oborevwori, the homeboy of Okpe Kingdom and Governor of Delta state emerged victorious.

Deltans registered an unprecedented love for, and solidarity with, a man they easily relate with by his first name.

Winning 21 out of 25 local governments, and all by dignified margins, you would expect that those who mounted garrisons along his path would beat a retreat. You’d expect them to withdraw into their tattered cocoons and cracked carapaces with uneven steps of ignominy. Never! There is no shame in the palace for a mob that first danced naked in the marketplace. So, the mob, having lost its plot to stop his nomination and upend his chances at the polls, regrouped, this time, with unskilled recruits and hirelings from hades. And having failed in the court of the people, the courts of law, even up to the apex court, the mob appears to have caused a cessation to its own acrid noise.

In all, a good 38 cases were unleashed at Oborevwori in his journey to Government House. A march through Golgotha. But he prevailed. He easily attributes his victory to God. Very smart of him. It’s easy to spot the signet of divinity on him. The most dangerous person to fight is a man encased in grace.  Oborevwori is enguarded with grace. And it shows in his streak of victories. Against political principalities and potentates, he prevailed. Against Lilliputians masquerading as lofty lords, he triumphed. Just ponder this, 38 battles fought by one man with 38 victories as evidence. Only God!

African politics is raw war. Sometimes shorn of the majesty of Western politics or the ethical politics of some Asian nations, African politics is putrid. Back-stabbing, betrayal and treachery define the moments. Oborovwori has had such moments. Again, he survived all.

Yet, despite the blaze of political cum legal blizzards, the Delta governor never took his eyes off the ball. During electioneering, he promised good governance focused on welfare for all Deltans, infrastructure, human capital development, education, healthcare, sports advancement, among others. Eight months into his tenure, he has taken pragmatic steps to make good his promises.

It’s often said that great leaders are unobtrusive, self-effacing. They would rather let their actions and activities speak for them. Oborevwori embodies this. Not given to garrulity and swashbuckling showmanship that define some leaders in the nation’s public space, Oborevwori shuns the klieglights but embraces labour as virtue that becometh of great leadership. The manner he has been quietly executing the about 400 projects he inherited from his predecessor, some already completed and some nearing completion without beating the gong to advertise his accomplishments speaks volumes of his character as a quiet leader. Effective and quiet leaders share some common traits. They are good listeners, deeply reflective, and full of empathy. They are never loud on verbosity, they avoid being the focus, and they do not impose their will or opinion on others. This is the portrait of Oborevwori who has since assuming office worked seamlessly with his cabinet members, the security apparatchik in the state, thought leaders and elders as well as the rapidly growing variegated stakeholders in the state.

In a country where a rehab of one kilometre hinterland road is celebrated with laudatory noise across television stations and other media platforms, Oborevwori is not given to such gush of publicity. Across the three senatorial districts of Delta, he has imprinted his name in roads, education, health and general infrastructure. And he’s still doing more.

But by far, what stands out in Oborevwori’s 8 months tenancy in Delta government house is the mobilization of construction giant, Julius Berger, to site for the construction of three flyovers, a cloverleaf, pedestrian bridges and ancillary road expansion projects in the oil-rich Warri and Effurun metropolis. It’s an ambitious N78 billion mega project, the biggest to be undertaken by the popular construction firm in the history of the state. The Warri-Effurun axis is the commercial hub of the state and connecting this economic metropolis with roads and bridges will help connect them back to their old glories.

The modernization of Warri-Effurun-Sapele commercial axis is a promise being kept. At his inauguration on May 29, 2023, the governor minced no words in telling the world that rebuilding Warri would be a priority of his government. Warr in its glorious past was the economic empowerment destination of Deltans, indeed the world. A vibrant oil and gas sector grew firm roots in Warri. Job-seekers, investors and other development mandarins looking for where to grow their money found a fertile ground in Warri. With that influx of humanity, came also a sprouting of hospitality industry which translated to increased contribution to the state’s internally generated revenue. But Warri lost all that gloss and glory. All too soon, Warri and environs lost their glory.

A coalition of crises including insecurity and internecine feud among various communities in the oil-rich belt of Delta pushed the investors away, especially the oil and gas players. And gradually, and painfully, Warri faded from glitters to grim with shuttered offices, and environmental degradation as its new adornment. Oborevwori is changing all that. The sight of wheel loaders, graders, roller machines, truck cranes, forklift trucks and other road construction equipment last week at the DSC Roundabout to commence the construction of the three flyovers, cloverleaf, pedestrian bridges and ancillary road expansion projects triggered a rhapsody of joy among commuters some of whom exuberantly prayed for Oborevwori for working to end their travails on the bad roads. The project is part of the plans of the Governor for the infrastructure development and urban renewal of Warri, Uvwie and environs. This is a signature project that would eternally index the name of Oborevwori in the hall of fame of outlier leaders in Nigeria. And being handled by Julius Berger is enough quality assurance.

Across Delta, Oborevwori has carved for himself a reputation as an empathetic and welfare-driven leader right from his days as Speaker of the state Assembly and beyond. Now, as governor, he is fast manifesting it. In the wake of the pangs of fuel subsidy removal, he did not only approve bonus for workers, he structured a staggered shift system for them. He has given life to the scholarship/bursary scheme for Delta students and effected payment of promotion arrears for the state civil servants. Recently, he secured legislative approval for a N40 billion loan to enable local governments liquidate backlog of pensions and liabilities. All these without organized labour in the state agitating for them.

Now, unhinged from any legal boobytrap and political encumbrances, Oborevwori says he is poised to do more for a state that deserves more, though it gets a short shrift from the ever-receiving federal government. Yet, in doing more, Oborevwori must see to the speedy completion of the Warri-Uvwie mega project. It holds the prospects for the next big buzz of socio-economic activity in the state.

In eight months that looks like eight weeks, Oborevwori has set off on a flying start in a summer trip that triggers a wellspring of hope for Deltans.

First published in Sunday Sun