Comrade Victor Ojei, the Senior Special Assistant on Civil Societies and NGOs to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, has resigned from his position but not without issuing a damning indictment of the Delta State Government’s failure, inertia, and what he branded “voodoo governance.”

Ojei’s resignation letter, dated April 25, reads less like a courtesy and more like a war cry. In it, the activist – aka Wong Box – accused the administration of deliberately stalling developmental projects, stifling innovation, and leaving the ordinary Deltan “to drown while the government claps.”

“Not one policy guarantees their safety. Not one hope touches their roof,” Ojei declared. “This cannot continue, and I refuse to be part of a system that watches our people drown.”

His decision to step down comes amid widespread political turbulence in Delta State, following a controversial wave of defections from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), a move that has angered many civil society leaders and grassroots stakeholders.

Government by sabotage

Ojei’s letter chronicles his frustrations from within government walls, how proposals aimed at bringing international development partners, AI-powered security technology, and grassroots innovation were repeatedly ignored or shelved under the euphemism “KIV (Keep In View).”

“Projects that could have sparked industrial revolutions, brought jobs to the unemployed, and put food in the mouths of widows and orphans were met with silence,” he wrote.

He pointed to the total absence of tangible economic benefits to ordinary citizens since the return to democracy in 1999, asking pointedly: “Where are the economic projects that bring money into the hands of ordinary people?”

Refusal to cross-carpet

Amid the political realignments rocking Delta, Ojei made it clear he would not defect to the APC, insisting he is “not a politician,” but a “socio-political activist whose loyalty is to the people, not the highest bidder.”

He took aim at what he called the “aggressive political conversion” of PDP-led states into APC territories, warning that the erosion of pluralism is dragging Nigeria dangerously close to authoritarianism.

“That is not democracy; that is voodoo governance,” he wrote.

A voice for the forgotten

Despite his resignation, Ojei remains defiant. He pledged to continue fighting for the people, vowing not to “resign from Delta State” or from “the hearts of the people.”

He cited his creation of the Save Delta State Security WhatsApp Platform, a grassroots coordination effort involving police, DSS, local leaders and youth, as one of his proudest initiatives while in office.

“A tree cannot make a forest when starved of rain,” he lamented, urging the government to redirect its borrowing toward actual security and economic upliftment.

A legacy of silence

Ojei’s parting words were a stark indictment of both Governor Oborevwori and his predecessor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, whose combined tenures he implied have been defined by inertia, propaganda, and betrayal of public trust.

“Let it be known that Comrade Victor Ojei (Wong Box) stood when others bowed,” the letter concluded.

Source: eyewitnessngr.com

The President and Chief Executive of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has been appointed to the World Bank’s Private Sector Investment Lab, joining a select group of global business leaders tasked with driving investment and job creation in emerging economies.

In 2023, Mark Carney, the Prime Minister of Canada, co-chaired the Private Sector Investment Lab, which focused on attracting £1 trillion in sustainable investment to support the energy transition in emerging markets.

In a statement confirming his acceptance, Dangote reaffirmed his commitment to fostering sustainable economic growth through private sector-led investment, noting the transformative potential of such initiatives in developing markets.

“I am both honoured and excited to accept my appointment to the World Bank’s Private Sector Investment Lab, dedicated to advancing investment and employment in emerging economies,” the African industrialist said.

“This opportunity aligns with my long-standing commitment to sustainable development and unlocking the potential of developing economies. Drawing inspiration from the remarkable successes of the Asian Tigers, which have demonstrated the power of strategic investment and focused economic policy, I am eager to collaborate with fellow leaders to replicate such outcomes across other regions.”

The World Bank announced Dangote’s appointment on Wednesday as part of a broader expansion of its Private Sector Investment Lab, which now enters a new phase aimed at scaling up solutions to attract private capital and create jobs in the developing world.

Joining Dangote in the elite group are Bill Anderson, CEO of Bayer AG; Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chair of Bharti Enterprises; and Mark Hoplamazian, President and CEO of Hyatt Hotels Corporation.

The World Bank said the expanded membership brings together business leaders with proven track records in generating employment in developing economies—supporting the Bank’s sharpened focus on job creation as a central pillar of global development.

“With the expanded membership, we are mainstreaming this work across our operations and tying it directly to the jobs agenda that is driving our strategy,” said World Bank Group President Ajay Banga. “This isn’t about altruism—it’s about helping the private sector see a path to investments that will deliver returns, and lift people and economies alike. It’s central to our mandate.”

The global bank said that over the last 18 months, the Lab brought together leaders from global financial institutions to identify the most pressing barriers to private sector investment in developing countries and to test actionable solutions.

The statement said that the work had now been consolidated into five priority focus areas that were being integrated across the bank operations, including regulatory and policy certainty.

The Lab’s founding members included senior executives from AXA, BlackRock, HSBC, Macquarie, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Ninety One, Ping An Group, Royal Philips, Standard Bank, Standard Chartered, Sustainable Energy for All, Tata Sons, Temasek, and Three Cairns Group. The Lab is chaired by Shriti Vadera, Chair of Prudential plc.

The Dangote Group, founded by Aliko Dangote, is the largest conglomerate in West Africa and one of the largest on the African continent. With interests spanning cement, fertiliser, salt, sugar, and oil, the Group employs over 30,000 people and is the largest taxpayer in Nigeria—contributing more in taxes than all of Nigeria’s banks combined. It is also the country’s largest employer after the government.

The $20 billion Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals, the Group’s flagship project, stands as the largest single private investment in Africa.

In addition to his business interests, Dangote leads the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF), the largest private foundation in sub-Saharan Africa, with the largest endowment by a single African donor. The Foundation primarily focuses on child nutrition, while also supporting interventions in health, education, empowerment, and disaster relief.

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member, and former presidential candidate, Chief Dele Momodu, has urged President Bola Tinubu to uphold democratic principles and avoid steering Nigeria toward authoritarianism.

Speaking on Politics Today, a programme on Channels Television, Momodu addressed the recent wave of defections from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC), especially those of Delta State Governor,  Sheriff Oborevwori, his deputy Monday Onyeme, and former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

“My advice to him (Tinubu) is simple: uphold our democratic tenets. Don’t turn Nigeria into a democratic dictatorship,” Momodu said. “No matter what happens, you were a pro-democracy advocate before becoming president. Please, allow democracy to breathe. If not, I fear it may become a regrettable chapter in our nation’s history.”

Momodu said Okowa’s defection did not come as a surprise to him, noting that the former governor had been facing significant pressure and intimidation in recent times.

“What would surprise me,” he added, “is if President Tinubu truly believes these defections are happening because people love him or because he’s doing exceptionally well. That’s far from the truth.”

He also warned Tinubu against placing blind trust in political defectors, claiming that their loyalty may be driven more by survival than support for his leadership.

“It’s clear he’s focused on securing a second term,” Momodu said. “But he must remember—God granted him the first term, not coercion. So why now resort to force to ensure a second?”