Daura and Otuoke couldn’t have been more
different on Wednesday. In the former, there
were celebrations for their most famous son,
Muhammadu Buhari; in the latter, disappointment
for theirs.
In Buhari’s home town in northern Katsina state,
motorbike riders and car drivers pulled stunts,
sending plumes of dust into the air, enveloping
the local ruler’s palace overlooking the square.
Veiled women ululated, young men and old cheered
in approval, drums were sounded and brooms —
Buhari’s party symbol — dangled from strings
tied to poles and spigots of cement-plastered mud
homes.
“Our joy is indescribable as a result of this
historic victory of Muhammadu Buhari, which is
why we are on the streets for the second day of
celebration,” said Lawan Shuaibu, a 29-year-old
bus driver.
The mood in beaten candidate Goodluck
Jonathan’s hometown of Otuoke in the oil-rich
south was more sombre. People were pensive as
they reflected on his defeat.
Businesses reported sluggish trade as groups of
people in twos or threes discussed the gripping
election, which Buhari won by 2.75 million votes,
in the first opposition win in Nigeria’s history.
The waiting room at the palace of the local king
— normally a hubbub of gossip and activity — was
hushed and the monarch was not in town.
A photo of Jonathan and his Vice-President
Namadi Sambo seeking votes for the just-
concluded polls hung forlornly outside.
“It was painful that our brother and son,
President Jonathan, lost the election in spite of
his good performance in office,” said Ibatu
Whoknows, a 44-year-old civil engineer.
“He is our illustrious son in whom we are well
pleased.”
– Shifting sentiment –
In both places, talk was about what, if anything,
people stood to gain from the change in president,
reflecting a patronage system that is still
widespread in Africa’s most populous nation.
But there were clear signs in the two places of
the contrasting styles of the two men in the
contest.
Jonathan’s win in 2011 was considered a boon for
the Ijaw people of Bayelsa state, leading to local
development projects and even a new university in
tiny Otuoke.
People in Daura had no such expectations, with
Buhari having pledged to treat all Nigerians
equally, eschewing favouritism for fair dealing,
regardless of tribe, religion or ethnicity.
“Buhari is the son of Daura but we don’t deceive
ourselves because Daura is his hometown that he
will treat us differently,” said resident Ahmad
Tijjani.
“Buhari never gave Daura any preferential
treatment when he was head of state or when he
was chairman of the PTF (Petroleum Trust Fund)
and I’m sure he will not do it now.”
The only project instigated by the former military
ruler was a 130-kilometre (81-mile) road to Kano,
designed to boost trade with the commercial hub
and neighbouring Niger to the north, Mali and
Libya.
In Otuoke, some vowed to fight more battles for
Jonathan, lamenting that he would not be able to
finish his “transformation” agenda started four
years ago into a second term.
But there was grudging admiration for his
magnanimous concession, congratulating Buhari
even before the final results were in, and signs of
a shift away from old rivalries of religion and
ethnicity.
“By accepting the outcome of the election, we
have shown to the world that we are truly the
‘Giant of Africa’,” said civil servant Eni Green,
41.
“Jonathan has displayed good sportsmanship by
conceding defeat. We have to accept the situation
and team up with the president-elect to move
Nigeria forward.”
“He has told us that we should not fight over the
result,” added Whoknows.
“The Niger delta people will work with Buhari for
the development of Nigeria. Buhari should carry
everybody along.”

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/04/daura-celebrates-otuoke-commiserates-after-election/

NGRS are tired of the useless/clueless/directioness/Inept/Misfortune govt.We await for the graand slam celebration on MAY 29. Otuoke/Bayelsa community shud be grateful cos their once shoeless man is coming home with thousands of diff shoes/stolen money

Pishure from Otueke pls

The kind of names they give themselves in bayelsa tho. .......wtf is "WhoKnows"?

What an Irony of life.