By Joseph Esivwenughwu

LAGOS MARCH 16TH (URHOBOTODAY)-A Praise Singer according to several dictionaries is someone that sings praises of someone or something.

Some of the praise singers used words such as, “Instead of dwelling on what went wrong, however, Beard continued to sing the praises of his team”. “During practice, Coach Kojoyian would sing the praises of the forearm shiver, legally the most effective way for a player on offense to knock someone over”. In football it is a fact that almost all the people in the world sing praises of Messi, the Argentinaidol described by the International Federation of Association Football as Greatest Of All Time (GOAT).

In Nigeria people like Jay Jay Okocha, Kanu Nwakwo, George Finidi, Daniel Amokachi, Sunday Oliseh and many others are praised day and night because of their prowess in the round leather game. Also there are many Nollywood stars being sing praise on a daily basis. In the literature world the name of Professor Chinua Achebe, the author of Things Fall Apart will continue to attract praise singing because of his impact on the generality of users. When it comes to the construction industry, even the enemies of Julius Berger sing praise the name of the company to high heavens. The biggest benefit enjoyed by these praise singers is nothing but the joy and lessons including quality of performance and satisfaction.

However, in the political arena praise singing have its own definition altogether. In Politics praise singing is the process of bestowing non-existence awards on elected and appointed people in order to get a reward in terms of monetary or contract. For years the former president Goodluck Jonathan was deprived from seeing and having access to his only sister whenever he visits Otuoke by praise singers.

One day as a president of Nigeria I could no longer bear it and I have to push my way through because they have been depriving me from seeing my only sister whenever I come home”. These praise singers in most cases are appointed into offices by the elected officials and most of them have not worked in their life before and so does not know what a pay slip looks like at the end of the month and their behavior is expected not to be different.

I recalled vividly during the time of Omo-Agege as deputy senate president. The praise singers most of them appointed aids did not give many of us peace whenever we meet in ceremonies. Some see my articles as a sign of hatred for the deputy senate president. At a point I have to suspend attending parties in the state but knowing that it is the willingness to satisfy their master that pushed them to that obnoxious level I recommended to the deputy senate president to lodge his praise singers in a hotel outside delta state and invite consultants to train them for two days. Honestly a month after this advice the aids to the deputy senate president turned a new leaf and whenever we meet in ceremonies it was hugging and hugging despite the fact that we are not on the same party. Nigerians especially deltans should know that the disadvantages of this praise singers outweighs it merits and I will explain here.

To say praise singers deceive the elected officials beyond words is an understatement. I recalled vividly the tenure of former governor Dr. Eweta Emmanuel Uduaghan from Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State. Also he is from Abigborodo and Itsekiri by tribe. Because of his brother1s generosity he became the first Itsekiri man to be a governor and the expectation from people like us is that it is an opportunity to develop the Itsekiri area. In one of my official trip since I worked in the private sector for years, the land I saw between Abigborodo and Koko town increased my articles and call on the former governor to establish Delta State University of Medicine and Medical Science between the two communities since there was no such institution in the state. Before Uduaghan left office his praise singers did not give me any rest for a day and today there is nothing to show in Itsekiri land that there was once a governor from the area who governed for eight years. The price of listening to praise singers but the entire Itsekiri kingdom paid for it dearly and nothing less.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan is another example of the disasters caused by praise singers. “I want to thank you all for welcoming me home because I did not expect it. I thought that I will develop outside in my first tenure so that in my second tenure I will develop home but I lost the election”.- Former President Goodluck Jonathan during his welcoming home after losing the election to Buhari.

Being a president of Nigeria for about six years the praise singers took over Jonathan heart throughout the period of his presidency to the extent that there is nothing to show that an Ijaw person have been the president of Nigeria for about six years. Even the east-west road was abandoned by the Jonathan regime while the only University which ought to reduce admission stress to the people of Nigeria delta was not in place until Buhari came on board. To show how bad the Jonathan Goodluck government is to the people of Niger delta region, the Vanguard Newspaper of 23rd November 2023 thus, “Ooni of Ife visits Tompolo’s hometown, lauds Gbaramatu’s role in national development”. Responding to the praise of Ijaw Nation by the Oni of Ife, the traditional ruler of Gbaramatu Kingdom told the Ife Monarch, “Despite our rich oil resource we are oppressed, neglected – Gbaramatu king”. “His host, the Pere of Gbaramatu kingdom, His Royal Majesty Oboro-Gbaraun II, said the story of the Ijaw nation was a bitter narrative, stressing that though they feed the nation but Ijaw areas wallow in poverty and neglect”.

Still on the visit, “One of his subjects, Chief Sheriff Mulade who spoke to newsmen on the sideline also harped on the challenges of underdevelopment in Ijaw areas, urging the federal government to give special attention to development of Gbaramatu and other riverine communities in the Niger Delta”. The question is that, where were they when their son was a president of Nigeria for about six years? Praising Singing? That is the result because as you lay your bed so shall you sleep on it is a popular saying.

Even though with the technological advancement which was not there at the time, one name that attracts and will continue to attracts commendation was that of Late Prof Ambrose Alli of blessed memory. Although the issue of political praise singing was at its lowest ebb at his time, the fact remains that he was courageous enough to put the praise singers in their position and the outcome is the Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma. For years the university has dominated the law school in terms of performance and today the city of Ekpoma is in the map of the world courtesy of one man that refused to be dribbled in the name of praise singing. Chief James Onanefe Ibori also deserves my appreciation for not abandoning his home. The number of employment created by all these institutions in Oghara today is a testimony of how one should love where he come from like others. Former governor and road master, Dr. Senator Ifeanyi Okowa is a man of his words. A visit to his community will attest to his believe in developing all sector of the state. Senator Adams Oshiomhole is another name that will not be forgotten in a hurry. When he came on board his agenda was to develop the entire state but his home must have a star project to be remembered and today, the university he cited in his community is now producing graduates and providing job opportunities both direct and indirect.

The name of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is another achiever. When this idol of a woman took the whole world-by storm show-casing her achievement as a senator no one could say no to her achievement. To those who were voted into office only to forget where they came from should do away with praise singers and return to develop home like every other parts of their constituency. It was Dalai Lama that said, “Do not let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace”.

Joseph Esivwenughwu is a Chartered Accountant and former Chairman Okuetolor Community Okpe Local Government Area of Delta State.

For media advert placement, events coverage, media consultancy, placement of publications and further inquiries please WhatsApp 2348023773039 or email: labakevwe@yahoo.com