Group Battles Osinbajo Over Failure To Honour His Promise To Ijaw-born Author

A Niger Delta group, Coalition Against Bad Governance (CABG), has taken a swipe at Vice President Yemi Osinbajo over his failure to honour his promise to a 32-year-old Ijaw youth writer and author, Prince Meshack Bebenimibo, over his publication of his numerous unpublished books.

Osinbajo had six years ago on January 16, 2017, during his visit to Gbaramatu kingdom to douse the raging tension resulting from the activities of militant groups in the region, promised the young man to help him published some of his works.

The group expressed surprise that the Vice President was yet to attend to the needs of the young and promising author six years after.

CABG, at a rally to encourage the author over the weekend, promised to be with Bebenimibo at this point to ensure he fulfills his dream of becoming a great author coming from the region. “We will be with you at this hour so your spirit won’t be dampened. We will assist you to make your dreams come through,” it said.

The group, in a statement signed by its Coordinator, Raphael Ikika; Secretary, Akren Selekowei and Public Relations Officer, Bisin Richard, pleaded with the VP and other well-meaning Nigerians to come to the aide of the writer.

An overwhelmed Bebenimibo, who was surprised about the organisation of the rally for his support in his quest to become a famous author, thanked CABG for their concerns and promised not to disappoint the confidence reposed in him.

He assured the group that the VP would come to his aide as promised attributing the delay to the busy schedule of Osinbajo in the recent times.

“I am sure the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will fulfill his promise to assist in the publication of my unpublished books. He is my father and I do know that father’s don’t discourage but encourage his children when they are doing well or have the potentials to do well. I hope to hear from the Vice President soon”, he assured the group.

Bebenimibo recounted how he met the VP and introduced some of his motivational publications and unpublished scripts to him and his promise to assist in making his dreams to come through.

He said that the VP, during his visit to Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State in 2017, to douse brewing tension in the Niger Delta region, promised to assist him with the publications of the unpublished scripts.

Bebenimibo lamented that five years after the promise, he was yet to hear from the VP Office while his scripts remain unpublished adding “though I received a letter from the Presidency in 2018, I followed up with instructions contained, but nothing came out of my efforts.”

Bebenimibo, who has written and published over three books with some titled: Disappointment To Appointment, Self Discovery In Nation Building and Battles Of Life, said further: “On the 16th of January 2017, I met with the VP during the his peace keeping and fact-finding visit to the Niger Delta Region, particularly at Kurutie Community, the temporary site of the Nigerian Maritime University in Gbaramatu Kingdom, in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State.

“I approached the VP and expressed my passion and desires to him. And how I needed the support or empowerment of the VP in the actualisation of my dreams of remodelling and reorienting the minds of Nigerians, particularly the youths.

“I told His Excellency about my written books and how I desire to impact lives positively with my talent as a motivational writer. After expressing myself and my vision to the VP responded by appreciating my passion and desire and as such, promised to empower me, in order to bring to light my burning desire, in remodelling and reorienting the minds of the Nigerian youths and other Nigerians in extension, with books.

“I am using this opportunity again to appeal to the VP, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, to as a father, please fulfill his promise of assistance to enable me realise my passion and desire to use books to impact on fellow youths in Niger Delta, Nigeria and the world as a whole,” he pleaded.