HON. BEN IGBAKPA: THE MAN, THE POLITICIAN, AND HIS IMPECCABLE ETHICAL PRINCIPLES

Not many people appear readily positive, good-tempered, and accessible. So much have been said and written on "the secret of success" as well as "the secret of successful people". When you examine the characters of very successful people, you can learn what truly makes them triumphant and what fulfilment really mean to them.

Hon. Ben Igbakpa is a successful person. Born in a little-known village (Ovade) in Oghara, Delta State, he rose against odds to become a very respectable individual, and indeed a honourable politician. Nevertheless, his current social status have not caused him to assume himself as an "alpha and omega", nor has it derailed him from being an inspiration to everyone who have ever come in contact with him.

From my association with him, he has taught me that before we delight on the ideas of 'who we are', we must first consider the reality of 'what we are'. It is also not a question of where we come from, but which way we decide to take in our journey through life, because we are first and foremost human beings who are naturally unlimited free-roaming and guided by personal principles. All we eventually become and the meaning we make out of our lives and what people eventually remember us for, must be guided by our personal rules of behaviour.

For Hon. Igbakpa, the most decisive aspect of life is not accumulating wealth, being prominent, or being perfect. It is about being lawful, humble, selfless and being able to touch the lives of other people positively.

Hon. Igbakpa is a man who considers politics as a means to ensuring judicious management of government resources, and the enforcement of good governance to improve the lives of people; not a means of controlling people themselves. He has the skills-set and experience to make any system work in accordance with the expectations of the people.

As the people of Ethiope Federal Constituency continue to yearn for a representative readily fine-tuned to the universally acceptable principle of good governance and accountability, the personal humane principles and ethical political considerations of Hon Ben Rollands Igbakpa, are necessary for the actualisation of the dreams of the good and expectant people of Ethiope Federal Constituency.