A Niger Delta group, Coalition Against Bad Governance (CABG) has appealed to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to fulfill his promise to a 32-year-old Ijaw youth writer and author, Prince Meshack Bebenimibo, over the publication of his numerous unpublished books.
The group expressed surprise that the Vice President was yet to attend to the needs of the young and promising author, six years after the promise was made during Osinbajo’s visit to Gbaramatu kingdom to douse the raging tension resulting from the activities of militant groups in the region.
At a rally to encourage the author over the weekend, CABG promised to be with Bebenimibo to ensure he fulfills his dream of becoming a great author coming from the region. “We will be with you at this hour so your spirit won’t be dampened. We will assist you to make your dreams come through”, it said.
In a statement by its Coordinator, Raphael Ikika; Secretary, Akren Selekowei; and Public Relations Officer, Bisin Richard, the group pleaded with the Vice President and other well-meaning Nigerians to come to the aide of the writer.
An overwhelmed Bebenimibo, who was surprised about the organisation of the rally for his support in his quest to become a famous author, thanked CABG for their concerns and promised not to disappoint the confidence reposed in him.
He assured the group that the Vice President would come to his aide as promised, attributing the delay to his busy schedule in the recent times.
“I am sure the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will fulfill his promise to assist in the publication of my unpublished books. He is my father and I do know that father’s don’t discourage but encourage his children when they are doing well or have the potentials to do well. I hope to hear from the Vice President soon”, he assured the group.
Bebenimibo recounted how he met the Vice President and introduced some of his motivational publications and unpublished scripts to him and his promise to assist in making his dreams to come through.
He said that, during his visit to Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State in 2017, to douse brewing tension in the Niger Delta region, Osinbajo promised to assist him with the publications of the unpublished scripts.
Bebenimibo lamented that five years after the promise, he was yet to hear from the Vice President’s offic,e while his scripts remain unpublished adding “though I received a letter from the Presidency in 2018, I followed up with instructions contained, but nothing came out of my efforts”.
Bebenimibo, who has written and published over three books including Disappointment to Appointment, Self Discovery in Nation Building and Battles of Life, said further: “On 16th January 2017, I met with the VP during the his peace keeping and fact-finding visit to the Niger Delta Region, particularly at Kurutie Community, the temporary site of the Nigerian Maritime University in Gbaramatu Kingdom, in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State.
“I approached the VP and expressed my passion and desires to him. And how I needed the support or empowerment of the VP in the actualisation of my dreams of remodelling and reorienting the minds of Nigerians, particularly the youths.
“I told His Excellency about my written books and how I desire to impact lives positively with my talent as a motivational writer. After expressing myself and my vision to the VP responded by appreciating my passion and desire and as such, promised to empower me, in order to bring to light my burning desire, in remodelling and reorienting the minds of the Nigerian youths and other Nigerians in extension, with books.
“I am using this opportunity again to appeal to the VP, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, to as a father, please fulfill his promise of assistance to enable me realise my passion and desire to use books to impact on fellow youths in Niger Delta, Nigeria and the world as a whole”.
