Our Reporter, Delta state
If there is any community that may have been deeply favoured in a way of attracting development to its domain through the socio network (Face book), then, Umeh community, Isoko South local government area of Delta state is that community.
It would be recalled that the people of Umeh kingdom, had sometime late last year, 2011 raised an alarm on a socio net work, the face book with an account name “UMEH NEED ROAD” created by an illustrious son of the kingdom, Barrister Duncan Afahokor calling and displaying the bad state of its road that has been neglected by successive government but barely few days, the state Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Ewetan Uduaghan surprised his numerous critics by paying an unscheduled shocking and on the spot assessment visit to the kingdom aimed at bring succour to the people.
The governor’s visit sparked off an uncontrollable jubilation in the kingdom when both the young and old came out in their hundreds to welcome and behold their governor whom they described as action and listening amiable governor.
According to the state governor, in his quest to develop the Agricultural sector in the state, announced to the people of Umeh that the development of the road leading to their various farmlands would soon undergo construction. The Governor emphasized that a good road from these farms to various places in the state would boost the economy.
For many, it was a dream come through and beginning of better things to come to the aged long kingdom that has been abandoned and neglected by its past representatives namely, Mr. Johnson Erijo who has represented the Isoko South constituency 11 in the state house of Assembly for the third time without anything to show for its representation rather than amass wealth for himself to the detriment of the people, Mr. Leo Ogor Okuweh a third timer in the National Assembly as well as the former council boss, Mr. Askia Ogieh, described as the worst chairman the people ever had who could not attract anything to this kingdom that contributed to their election through their votes. Also, Mr. Silas Bouwe who hails from the kingdom had also represented the constituency in the state Assembly.
In keeping to his words and promises, Governor Uduaghan, without mincing words awarded the Umeh road to a competent SETRACO construction company with a whopping contract sum of N3billion which according to agreement would be completed within 18 months.
When this reporter visited the site, work has commenced with the presence of earth moving equipment seen bulldozing and grading the road.
The Umeh Need Road face book page, since last year has become the only uncensored, fast, uninterrupted, means through which the Umeh people and indeed the entire Isoko nation communicate with Governor Uduaghan is gaining momentum just unlike in those days when the people have to fill forms or write letters to the governor before their demands are met.
At a time the people of Isoko became disappointed following the way and manner their representatives were posing and treating them whenever the need arises to meet the governor one on one to discus, but since the inception of the page, several perceived crude and self centered politicians in the area have not known peace, reasons been that their ego has been depleted and the era of using the name of governor to pose, deceiving the people with “The governor said this, the governor said that” when actually the governor never said anything. Since the disappearance of this wicked era in the land which has rendered these set of politicians useless and jobless, they (Politicians) have devised a means of issuing threats to members of this noble group that has bought over the heart of the governor in recent times.
In a bid to instill decorum, respect, law and order amongst others into the forum and after a wider consultation by the Administrator of the group, Barrister Duncan Afahokor, a seven man drafting committee with advisers to make rules for the effective management and administration of the group was set up with Barrister Afor Irogbo as Chairman and Barrister Paul Onoriode Emerhana as secretary.
Without wasting much time, the committee swung into action and at the end of which they came out with the following rules and regulations to guide members’ activities.
“WHEREAS the Umeh Need Road (UNR) forum is formed essentially to address the infrastructural problems in Umeh, Isoko and Delta State. It is the belief of the subscribers to this forum that governance can be made easier through social network to obviate the bottleneck that is inherent in the running of affairs of government. Again, no individual, community, tribe, state/nation can achieve any meaningful growth and development in isolation. This forum therefore seeks to create an avenue to brainstorm and tackle our ever increasing challenges in the society. It is imperative to make Rules for the conduct of members of this forum as comments made by some of our members fall below the standard expected of a forum of this nature. Therefore, in the exercise of the powers conferred on this committee, it hereby makes a DRAFT of the Rules for the conduct of members of this forum.”
RULE 1: MEMBERSHIP IDENTITY
(i) Membership of the forum is open.
(ii) Members must have well updated facebook disclosing their true identities, to wit: sex, home town, occupation, personal photograph and at least 3 names of members of the forum that know that member. Failure to comply with this rule will lead to the deletion of all comments made by that user identity.
(iii) Where it is alleged that an account is fake, such user identity will be referred to an adhoc committee to be set up by the administrator as soon as such issue is raised.
(iv) The adhoc committee shall cause to investigate the genuineness or otherwise of such user identity. Where the user identity is found not to be genuine by the committee, the administrator shall report to the entire forum the findings of the ad hoc committee to the entire forum with the purpose of seeking the consent and approval of the forum before any removal of such member from the forum.
(v) The number of vote needed to delete a member from the forum upon the findings of the committee shall be simple majority of members who comment on the ad hoc committees request for removal. Comment for and against the removal of an alleged fake member shall be valid for one clear day upon which comments for and against will be counted.
(vi) The adhoc committee shall comprise the administrator and 2 other members to be nominated by a simple majority comment from a post by the administrator calling for nominator of ad hoc committee members. Such post shall elapse after one (1) clear day from time of post.
RULE 2: HOW TO ADDRESS MEMBERS AND NON-MEMBERS OF THE FORUM.
(i) Members and Non-members of the forum are to be addressed by their titles e.g Mr, Mrs, Chief, Barr, Dr, Hon etc. An elderly member must be accorded his/her due respect when referring to him/her in our comments. Contravention of this rule shall attract warning and if repeatedly done, shall attract suspension for two weeks and deletion of comments made by that user identity.
(ii) All post must be opened and closed with greetings.
(iii) The use of social media languages is acceptable provided such words are not abusive or vulgar.
RULE 3: USE OF LANGUAGE:
(i) There shall be no use of abusive, vulgar, disrespectful and distasteful words on forumite(s) or non forumite(s) and where a forumite raises an issue(s) seen to be controversial, the issue(s) so raised shall be dealt with without an attack on the personality of the forumite.
(ii) The administrator of the forum shall at any time notify the forum to appoint an adhoc committee comprising himself and other 2 members to determine words used that constitute abusive, vulgar, disrespectful and distasteful.
(iii) A member can draw the attention of the forum to foul use of words by a member and the committee referred to in sub (i) above may consider the appropriateness or otherwise of the use of such words. Where the use of foul language has been referred to the said committee, it shall not be subject to debate by members. Contravention of sub(i) of this rule shall attract deletion of such comments, warning, apology to be rendered to forum and the person whom those words where used on, suspension of that member and the removal of the member as the case may be. The committee referred above shall determine the appropriate sanction. (iii) Commendation/praises should be done with modesty and without repetition of same continuously.
(iv) Without prejudice to sub (i) of this rule, truth contained in the comment(s) of a member may be an absolute defence.
RULE 4: ISSUES/TOPIC FOR DISCOURSE:
(i) Issues to be discussed are those bordering on the development of Isoko, Delta State and Nigeria. The issues can be socio-economic, political and cultural. The debate shall be robust with decent use of language.
(ii) Comments not related to the above issues may be deleted.
RULE 5. In this rule “Ad hoc Committee” shall mean a body of not less than 3 members of UNR of a temporary nature with a specific assignment. “One clear day” shall mean 24hour from the time a post was first made. “Post” shall mean the lead write up that opened the discussion. “Comment” shall mean sub-post under the lead post. “Social media language” shall mean slang and phrases developed as a means of communication in social media e.g @ (at),lol (laugh out loud),YB (yes boss), NTT (na true talk), NBST (no be small thing) etc. “Vulgar/ abusive words” shall mean words targeted to bring down the social standing and complex of a forumite.
DISCLAIMER. The comments and views of members of this forum are personal. Consequently Umeh Need Road shall not be responsible and cannot be liable for such statements and or any form of inaccuracies or impersonation.
As at the time of this report, the house has adopted the rules drafted out by the committee as encomiums continued to pour on them for a job well done and with this, the forum is now set to operate as an indivisible entity.
Meanwhile, governor Uduaghan will be holding a town hall meeting with the forum comes Friday, February, 24, 2012 at the Umeh primary school play ground were issues bothering on the development of Isoko nation shall top the agenda.
