The President General of notable Niger Delta socio-cultural group, the Orashi National Congress, (ONC), Emeni Ibe, has commended social media activist, VeryDarkMan (VDM), for personally visiting and inspecting the alleged dilapidated Community Secondary School in Odiokwu, located in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Ambassador Ibe described the visit as a welcome development following the controversy surrounding the condition of the school and the alleged assault of a young woman from the community, Uchechi Ogadinma, who had earlier raised concerns about the poor state of the facility on social media.
According to him, the situation at the school has drawn national attention after Ogadinma exposed the deplorable learning environment, which she said had been neglected for years. The allegation later escalated into a public dispute involving the council chairman, Eugene Cheta Epelle, who has denied claims that he assaulted the young woman.
Ibe noted that the inspection by VeryDarkMan helped to draw further attention to the condition of the school, which he described as an “eyesore” despite the monthly allocations and internally generated revenue available to the local government.
The Orashi leader also pointed out that the community holds significance within Rivers State, noting that it is both the hometown of the council chairman and an in-law community to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
While reacting to the unfolding events, Ambassador Ibe expressed appreciation to Nigerian music star Burna Boy for reportedly pledging to take full responsibility for the renovation of the school.
He described the intervention as commendable and urged relevant authorities to ensure that educational facilities across rural communities receive the necessary attention and development.
Ibe added that the situation should serve as a reminder of the importance of accountability in governance and the need for leaders at all levels to prioritize the welfare and educational environment of their communities.