Ex-Convict and former Delta state governor,
Chief James Onanefe Ibori has denied he stole
public funds and believes he was maligned by
those who said he stole, saying “I am not a
thief, I cannot be a thief”.
The former Governor said the biggest pain he felt
over his travails was the suffering his people had
to go through on account of his absence.
Speaking at a special thanksgiving service
organised in his honour by his immediate
community; the Oghara Kingdom, and held at the
First Baptist Church, Oghara, Chief Ibori also
said his only testimony and joy now is the fact
that he is alive and back to be with his people.
According to the former governor, who exhibited
his overwhelming joy by dazzling the huge crowd
of politicians, clergy, traditional rulers and other
enthusiasts who had graced the event, with
dances, he had deduced that the intents of those
who were behind his travails was to separate
him from his people.
He, however said he had no doubt that he would
return home as he had put everything on God
and believed that the God he trusted would
stand by him.
“Today I have decided to speak for myself, I am
not a thief, I cannot be a thief. Today is the day
they say I should give testimony to God. For
those that know me, you know that my entire life
is a testimony itself and I have said it over and
over again that my life is fashioned by God,
directed by God, sealed, acknowledged, blessed
by God and I believe that since the day I was
born.
“Like the Arch Bishop said, when this whole
commotion started, what was most painful to
me was the pain and suffering that my people
were going through.
“It has nothing to do with me as a person
because for some reasons like I said to you, I
drew my strength from God and somehow, I
knew that God would stand by me. I knew that
one day, and this day would come.
“I am indeed very pleased that I can now stand
before you and look at your faces, faces that I
have missed and those of you that have indeed
suffered the pains of my absence. It has nothing
to do with me.
“So, when I reflect, it gives me joy that all your
prayers, God has answered. All your support and
solidarity with me all through this period, it is
indeed not what I can begin to say. Like what
our former chief of staff, Francis Agboroh said it
is “ungbikuable”.
“If I am to give testimony of my journey you will
not leave here. The only testimony that I have is
the fact that I am back and alive in your midst.
And again I say that I never had any doubt in my
mind that I would get back home.
“When I looked at how things were going, I
discovered that they want to separate me from
you people. They want me to go to the corner
where I won’t be seen. That’s how I see it. At a
point I called my elder brother (Former Governor
Uduaghan) it is how I can get home is what I
am about to do now. It was a pragmatic
decision.
“I am happy to be home with my people. There
is nobody that can battle with the Lord. Urhobo
adage says there is time for everything
(okemutie). A day will come when I will tell my
story and every one of you will hear me. Today
is to thank God”, Ibori said.
Ex-Convict and former Delta state governor,
Chief James Onanefe Ibori has denied he stole
public funds and believes he was maligned by
those who said he stole, saying “I am not a
thief, I cannot be a thief”.
The former Governor said the biggest pain he felt
over his travails was the suffering his people had
to go through on account of his absence.
Speaking at a special thanksgiving service
organised in his honour by his immediate
community; the Oghara Kingdom, and held at the
First Baptist Church, Oghara, Chief Ibori also
said his only testimony and joy now is the fact
that he is alive and back to be with his people.
According to the former governor, who exhibited
his overwhelming joy by dazzling the huge crowd
of politicians, clergy, traditional rulers and other
enthusiasts who had graced the event, with
dances, he had deduced that the intents of those
who were behind his travails was to separate
him from his people.
He, however said he had no doubt that he would
return home as he had put everything on God
and believed that the God he trusted would
stand by him.
“Today I have decided to speak for myself, I am
not a thief, I cannot be a thief. Today is the day
they say I should give testimony to God. For
those that know me, you know that my entire life
is a testimony itself and I have said it over and
over again that my life is fashioned by God,
directed by God, sealed, acknowledged, blessed
by God and I believe that since the day I was
born.
“Like the Arch Bishop said, when this whole
commotion started, what was most painful to
me was the pain and suffering that my people
were going through.
“It has nothing to do with me as a person
because for some reasons like I said to you, I
drew my strength from God and somehow, I
knew that God would stand by me. I knew that
one day, and this day would come.
“I am indeed very pleased that I can now stand
before you and look at your faces, faces that I
have missed and those of you that have indeed
suffered the pains of my absence. It has nothing
to do with me.
“So, when I reflect, it gives me joy that all your
prayers, God has answered. All your support and
solidarity with me all through this period, it is
indeed not what I can begin to say. Like what
our former chief of staff, Francis Agboroh said it
is “ungbikuable”.
“If I am to give testimony of my journey you will
not leave here. The only testimony that I have is
the fact that I am back and alive in your midst.
And again I say that I never had any doubt in my
mind that I would get back home.
“When I looked at how things were going, I
discovered that they want to separate me from
you people. They want me to go to the corner
where I won’t be seen. That’s how I see it. At a
point I called my elder brother (Former Governor
Uduaghan) it is how I can get home is what I
am about to do now. It was a pragmatic
decision.
“I am happy to be home with my people. There
is nobody that can battle with the Lord. Urhobo
adage says there is time for everything
(okemutie). A day will come when I will tell my
story and every one of you will hear me. Today
is to thank God”, Ibori said.
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