How Governor Uduaghan Adopted a Bus Conductor Japhet Omene would never forget , August 19, 2009. It was the day of his instant departure from poverty. Japhet was a Secondary School (SS1) student of Alegbo Secondary School Effurun, who made ends meet by working as a commercial bus conductor during holidays. But day came when Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan met Japhet and his story changed. It appeared destiny arranged for the Governor and Japhet to meet at an interactive meeting at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) Conference Centre, Effurun, where the governor had gone to assure the people of Delta Central of speedy development of the area. Japhet Omene Aware of the usual over zealousness of the security officials, the governor had stopped at the entrance of the premise to ensure that all who wanted to be part of the meeting were allowed in. That was when his eyes caught the poor Japhet. Moved by compassion, Governor Uduaghan, on the spot, adopted the then 17-year old Japhet Omene as his son to the joy of the people. Now, 22 years old Japhet, with the help of his adopted father (Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan) has graduated from secondary and is currently studying History and International Relations at Bowen University, Ogun State. Japhet Omene is a native of Mosogar in Ethiope West Area, Delta State. His parents had him and his sister in Lagos. But the family had to relocate to Delta State to find a better living condition. Life was hard and rough for Japhet and his family until God sent the governor to their rescue. “Despite the tough condition,” says Japhet, “I vowed that I would not do anything dubious.” Narrating how he met the governor at the gate of the meeting venue, Japhet said: “that morning, when I left my house I went to the garage where I worked as a bus conductor. It was there I heard that the Governor was coming to the town hall meeting to hear what Deltans had to say about his administration. Immediately I got the information, I left the garage and headed to the venue of the meeting. On my way, a commercial motorcyclist carried me for free to the venue. That assistance made it possible for me to meet the Governor at the gate of the venue, addressing those who could not gain access into the hall. “The Governor on seeing me,” continued Japhet, “beckoned on me to come. Seeing my physical appearance, the Governor knew that all was not well with me, and seeing that I was the only teenager among the crowd, he decided to ask me some questions like: “what are you doing here when you are supposed to be in school?” I told him all was not well with my family, and that I work as a bus conductor. On hearing that, he told me to come with him to the hall. There, we sat down together. The Governor, in his characteristic way of providing better living condition for people of the state, changed my fortune right from that moment.” Asked whether he had anticipate he would meet such a fantastic luck in life, Japhet said he had dreams in which his life turned around, and that some men of God had prophesied so to him, but he never knew it would come in such a wonderful manner. He says the whole thing still feels like a dream. There is no basis for comparison between life now and before for Japhet. The Governor gave his mother a two-bedroom flat in Effurun and opened a trading business for her. For humility and some personal reasons, Japhet does not disclose his identity as a Governor’s Godson to his friends in school. So people see him as ordinary citizen. “I try to be like every other person and hide whatever the Governor is doing for me. I try to be carful and show discipline. I try to live my life in a way that will not bring shame to the Governor,” he says. On his aspiration in life, Japhet says he would like to be like the Governor. “I want to become a politician after my studies.” He described the governor, his benefactor, as “somebody that is passionate about the common man. He cares about the plight of people. I want him to keep doing the good work, and I promise to make him proud.” Japhet vowed to work hard to impact on the life of others, just as the governor has impacted on his life. For Japhet’s mother, Beauty Omene, a petty trader before the governor came into her life, words cannot express her gratitude to the governor who adopted not only her son, but the family, sent Japhet to one of the best universities in Nigeria, and set up a business for her. “We were hopeless. We were living from hand to mouth…” She said she never dreamed that life would turn out so for them. Sharing how the governor set up a business for her, Mrs. Beauty said: “After my son met him, about two days later, the Governor sent for me to come and see him at his Ogunu Road House; that was where he discussed my business with me and even hired a two bed room flat for me and furnished the house for me. Since then, he has been taking care of my family. In fact, during Christmas period, he usually sends something to us to make sure we too celebrate.”
Posted on: Sun, 31 Aug 2014 02:20:35 +0000
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