For MANY years, the picture below and a few others were the only pictures of Tompolo the Public had because he chose to be disciplined and stayed in the dark and focused on his Dream for his people.
Niger Delta arms struggle has been in phases led by successive Actors. It was birthed by ADAKA BORO in Bayelsa state…a one time student Union leader who later took up arms, declared Niger-Delta an independent republic, was over-powered by the Nigeria Military, captured and jailed. He later struck a deal with the Federal govt after the counter coup and him and his boys were granted AMNESTY. Which was the first Amnesty to Niger Delta. This amnesty is nothing like this present Amnesty where beneficiaries are paid Stipends or given scholarships. The Amnesty was restricted to ONLY those that were captured unlike this where 90% of the beneficiaries never fired a single bullet. I will come back to this.
Then came the era of Ken Saro Wiwa under a Military govt. This time it was an Era of Radical intellectualism. Despite the draconian land dictatorial military govt , the weight of Saro Wiwa’s Pen was as Heavy as a Multipurpose Machine Gun. He dared the Military govt with his pen and he was executed and joined his predecessors from the Niger Delta, Adaka Boro in the other side of life .
The death of Daka Boro and Saro Wiwa shows that the problem is NOT the approach…A factor in the Niger Delta struggle equation was missing and that factor is POLITICS.
You see, Delta State was NEVER KNOWN for the Niger-Delta struggle. I can go and on to mention Successive actors that rose up in the struggle. They were either from BAYELSA OR RIVERS…NOT ONE that grew to prominence was from Delta state. This was why if you go back to watch the videos of Asari Dokubo, he kept saying Tompolo was never originally part of the Niger Delta struggle. Tompolo was more focused in the liberation of Gbaramatu rather than region.
But you see, sentiment aside, TOMPOLO IS A SON OF DESTINY. He was only a sub-leader within MEND when the Political Actors picked him to be the new face for the struggle for resource control. When you want to talk about Militant in the region, he was in the lower ranks but POLITICS PICKED HIM starting with the James Ibori administration, Dr Uduaghan and Goodluck Jobathan perfected it.
This is why most of the other Militant leaders till date are not happy because they felt Tompolo is undeserving. Some felt Tompolo is reaping what they all labored for as he was politically picked to act like their leader….but truly Tompolo seems like one that was born with a GREAT DESTINY.
A few years before the Warri Crisis, Tompolo was just an average ijaw youth, relatively UNKNOWN until the infamous Warri crisis brought him to prominence .
During the crisis, he proved to be a BRUTAL FEARLESS LEADER over his people. Yes he wrecked havoc on my people, killed defenseless aged men, women and children..He was Brutal but such is unconventional war for u... there are no rules of engagement.
Tompolo defended his people fiercely and earned their trust but most especially, he earned the admiration of Delta state PDP Politicians who were watching from the sideline. After the Crisis, When the leaders of the Militias from the various warring ethnic groups were scrambling for Political positions, appointments and contracts, Tompolo remained in the CREEKS…Still carrying the dream of the liberation of Gbaramatu in his heart.
Like a leader he sent out his commanders to go out into Politics but he himself remained in the dark. Until recently Tompolo stayed away from the public. His pictures were scarce only few were available in the internet..he was mystified.
Political leaders of Delta state started investing in him just as some Niger Delta Governors started recruiting militant leaders in their state as well as instruments for resource control agitation. But Delta state was unique because Tompolo understood the assignment. He was VERY DISCIPLINED. Asari and others love the attention and publicity and always granting press statements but Tompolo lived in the dark and would rather speak through his spokesman and lawyer who later became a Deputy State governor in Delta state.
They made him the new face of RESOURCE CONTROL in Delta state.
The factor that Boro and Saro Wiwa lacked in their struggle was present in that of Tompolo which is POLITICAL SUPPORT.
Delta state Government frequented his hideout in the creeks…Tompolo lived in the dark but was close to office of the Governor of the state as he served their purpose for resource control. His activities gave the Niger Delta governors led by Ibori some leverage to negotiate with the federal govt. gradually the central govt started yielding to the demands of resource control. State started getting certain percentage of the oil. DESOPADEC was formed in 2006 to manage 50% of the 13% derivation which is one of the first results of resource control agitation.
and the Era of WASTAGE started with an Ijaw man Chief Okrika as Chairman and an Urhobo man from Orogun Asewota as Secretary. Palm groove Hotel was a place where money was daily shared. While these men wasted the rewards of the struggle on women, cars and lavish lifestyle, TOMPOLO remained in the Dark building his empire gradually.
To Be Continued...
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