RIPPLES AS KINSMEN CELEBRATE IBORI’S 58TH BIRTHDAY

On August 4, 2016, Ex- Delta State Governor, Chief James Ibori, clocked 58^{th years} on earth. Though he’s currently serving jail terms in a British prison after being convicted by a London court for money laundering, he was celebrated in Nigeria by his kinsmen, family and friends.

Championing the celebration is Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa. The governor published a congratulatory message on a full-page of a national newspaper, Vanguard. According to Okowa, the sterling contributions of Ibori to the development of Delta State and Nigeria is legendary, and will remain a subject of discuss by contemporary political watchers.

Besides him, Mr. Ayirimi Emami, an activist from Niger Delta and Warri chief who is widely known to be Ibori’s loyalist also published congratulatory messages in the newspapers and held a soiree to mark the date in the absence of the birthday boy. In addition, Society Mirror also gathered that the birthday was being celebrated across the cyberspace with many Deltans eulogizing the convicted ex-governor.

Meanwhile, mixed reactions have continued to trail the celebration as many believe the ex-governor doesn’t merit all the celebration after being convicted and tarnishing the image of the country, but some are of the opinion that he deserves all the accolades as he was instrumental to the development of the state.