Our smart, peace ambassador Otuaro is 52 today

His Excellency, Barr Kingsley Burutu Otuaro, Deputy Governor of Delta State celebrates his 52nd birthday today, April 16. The Editor-in-Chief of GbaramatuVoice Newspaper, Jacob Abai points out the need to reflect on the life of the humble-leader, who has shown commitment to work for the common good of his people in spite all odds.

When on that fateful day, women of Okerenkoko community in Gbaramatu kingdom, in their traditional way of heralding the birth of a new child, were making their joyful noise, singing and dancing, swirling and twirling, and thanking God for blessing Pa Otuaro and his darling wife, Mama Penapena Otuaro with a bouncing baby boy, little did they know that someday that child will grow to become not only the servant of the small village, but also of the entire people of Delta State. Of course, the Ijaw people of Delta State, who have long been disconnected from the political equation of the state with its attendant ‘marginalisation’, maybe, never believed that a day will come when they would have their own son emerge the Deputy Governor to give them a sense of belonging.

However, mounting on the saddle as the Deputy Governor of Delta State, Otuaro didn’t see himself as one who would come to fight for only the interest of a particular segment of the state, but rather, for the interest of all Delta people, irrespective of differences in LGAs and senatorial districts.

Beyond being a smart Deputy Governor, Otuaro is indeed an embodiment of good vision, hard work, excellence, humility, peace and ingenuity. These have continued to play out in his leadership style as a peace ambassador.

Celebrating Otuaro on the occasion of his 52nd birthday is never a charity done to him, but a reward of an excellent performance which will no doubt inspire him to do more for the people of Ijaw nation and Delta State as a whole.

Happy Birthday, His Excellency, from all of us at GbaramatuaVoice Media Centre.