Family members and friends Thursday celebrated the forty seventh birthday bash of ex-militant leader, High Chief Oweizide Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo.
Tompolo’s whereabouts has remained unknown since the Federal Government declared him wanted.
Comrade Guwor Emomotimi, a nephew to Tompolo stated that they celebrated him to make Nigerian Government know he is a man of justice and peace.
Emomotimi added that they celebrated Tompolo because he had brought development to Gbaramatu Kingdom and Nigeria in general, stressing that,”He is our Icon. He represents the struggle of the Niger Delta.”
“As a young man, when the Warri South-West headquarters was relocated, he stood his ground and today, that Local Government headquarters has been returned back to its original state.
“His contribution to the struggle to emancipate our people from the oppressive leadership of Nigeria Government. That struggle resulted to the very first Ijaw man, Goodluck Jonathan, a minority to be president of Nigeria.
“That was his contribution. He attracted the Nigeria Maritime University. His persistent struggle brought about Amnesty programme. So many of our young ones who would not have gone to university are now graduates. That’s because Tompolo stood his ground to make what is wrong, right.
“The man is always standing for what is right, which is justice for his people. That’s why he is being persecuted by the Nigerian Government. By God’s grace, he will be vindicated. We will celebrate him every year.
“Our prayer is that God will continue to guide and protect him. By the grace of God, we will celebrate him at 100. For us, he is a living legend.”
Prominent Gbaramatu leader, Chief Wellington Bobo and the Ijaw Women Connect, IWC, called on the Ijaws to stand firm behind Ex.Militant Oweizide Government Ekpemupolo Alias Tompolo in his travails with the Federal Government.
Chief Bobo said,”I beg Ijaw nation to stand firm for this our great son, High Chief Oweizide Government Ekpemupolo Alias Tompolo. He has suffered. People are looking for him to kill but God never allowed that because God has sent him to deliver the Ijaw nation.”
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