James Ibori, former
governor of Delta state, says the biggest concern he had while serving a jail
sentence in the UK was how his people were coping in his absence.
Speaking in his hometown of Oghara during a
special thanksgiving service organised in his honour, Ibori said those behind
his travails had the intention of keeping him away from his people.
He appreciated his supporters for the love shown
to him, saying he had always known that “a day like this would come”.
“Today I have decided to speak for myself. I am
not a thief, I cannot be a thief,” he said.
“Today is the day they say I should give
testimony to God, for those who 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.
“When I looked at how things were going, I
discovered that they wanted to separate me from you people. They wanted me to
go to the corner where I won’t be seen.
“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 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 who have indeed suffered the pains of my
absence.”
Ibori, who said he lacked words to express his
feelings, added that God answered the prayers of those who wish him well.
“When I reflect, it gives me joy that all your
prayers, God has answered. I thank you for all your support and solidarity with
me all through this period,” he said.
“It is indeed not what I can begin to say. 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.
“I am happy to be home with my people. There is
nobody that can battle with the Lord. An Urhobo adage says there is time for
everything. A day will come when I will tell my story and every one of you will
hear me, but for today, it is just to thank God.”
-The Cable
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