BY DENNIS OTU 

It was a beautiful day and the sun was at its best in Africa hitting the entire landscape magnificently.  The sunray on that day was really awesome. The birds and other wonderful Creatures sang beautifully.  Unknown to many something great was about to happen on that day. This was in June some years ago. 

Suddenly, jubilation rented the air as the good news came. A baby boy  has just been born and the good news soon spread like wild fire.  Please,  meet Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly who  was given birth to on that  lovely day and whose birth has brought joy to so many people. Am really at sea as I put this piece together as I  do not know where to start from. 

Rt. Hon. (Chief) Sheriff F. O. Oborevwori, (JP),  FICMC, was born to the reputable family of Chief Samuel and Mrs. Esther Oborevwori of Osubi Town in Okpe Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria. He is the First son of the family. He had his early education at Alegbo Primary School, Effurun.  He also attended Aladja Grammar School, Aladja.  He later went on to Oghareki Grammar School, Oghareki.

He attended Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma for a full time programme, where he graduated with B.Sc. Second Class (Hons) Upper Division in Political Science. He subsequently pursued his post graduate education at the Delta State University, Abraka, where he obtained a MSc. in Political Science. 

By virtue of the high regard and confidence he commands in his community, he became the pioneer Chairman of the Osubi Community.  Following his developmental strides in Osubi Community as well as his contributions to peace and security in Osubi Community and Okpe kingdom in general, His Royal Majesty, Orhoro 1, Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, bestowed on him the Chieftaincy title, UKODO of Okpe Kingdom.

In 1996,  his people elected  him as Councilor  and was subsequently appointed the Supervisory Councilor for Works in Okpe Local Government Council. 

He  was elected member of the Delta State House of Assembly in 2015 to represent Okpe State Constituency. He was later elected Speaker of the Sixth Assembly of the Delta State House of Assembly.  He was reelected to the House for a second term in 2019 and was unanimously elected as the Speaker of the Seventh Assembly. By returning him as Speaker of the Seventh Assembly, he created a  record of becoming the first member to be so elected as Speaker in his second term in the history of the Delta State House of Assembly.    

I have been working with the  Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly,  Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori since 2017 when he became the man at the helm of affairs in the House and  in the last few years,  I have seen in him a man with uncommon passion for his job. He has a task and he is going about it diligently. I have seen in him  a leader determined to move the House in the right direction. I have seen in him these last few years  a team leader. He works round the clock. I don’t really know where he  gets  his extra strength from. The Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly  can be described  as  a  workaholic and a man with eyes for details. He has brought stability into the House and this is very good for our dear state.

The Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly is a  man with the milk of kindness flowing through his veins. He is widely known for his generosity. He is a worthy boss. 

On Friday, May 4th,  2018, he  splashed cars, buses, tricycles, sewing machines and others on his Constituents at an unprecedented Empowerment Programme.

Other items dolled out by the Speaker at the ceremony held at the Trade Fair Complex, Osubi and attended by the State  Governor, Senator Dr  Ifeanyi Okowa include, deep Freezers, hair dressing saloon Components including generator sets, grinding machines, wrappers and head ties and host of others.

He is always out to  help out.  He has helped and still helping in the education of many. In September, 2018, the Sheriff Oborevwori Foundation kicked off a Scholarship   Scheme with   an initial sum of Ten Million Naira (N10,000,000.00).

Eighty percent  of the scholarship is for  indigenes of Okpe Local Government Area and twenty percent  for non indigenes. The scholarship scheme headed by an Educationist,  Chief  (Mrs ) Esther E. Onokpasa has been running smoothly since 2018.

I join other teeming Deltans today,  Friday, June 19, 202O  to wish the  Speaker, Delta  State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori,  a respected   community leader of one of the most organized communities in Delta State;  a disciplinarian,  a core family man, a devout Christian, a modest achiever, a bridge builder, a caregiver,  a  transparent and prudent  man,  happy birthday and pray that God continue to guide and protect him and give him more strength and wisdom to carry on.  My boss,  Congratulations !

DENNIS OTU IS THE CHIEF PRESS SECRETARY TO   DELTA SPEAKER, OBOREVWORI.