Richard Mofe Damijo is a household name in
Nigeria. The actor turned politician is no man of
small reckoning. In 2005 he won the African
Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading
Role but since he ventured into politics in January
2009 with his the appointment as Commissioner
for Culture and Tourism in Delta State, Nigeria,
RMD as he is fondly called disappeared from the
entertainment scene but grew in the political
arena.
In this open letter penned by Comedian Olokpa,
the rising talent highlights the strengths and
weaknesses of the man who had been
commissioner for Culture and Tourism in Delta
State for the past 7 years.
Excerpts:
Excitement on RMD’s Appointment
It’s with pains in my heart and with
disappointment that I decided to write you this
letter.
Our hopes were high when you were brought into
the Uduaghan government as Special Adviser on
entertainment and Talent development and later
commissioner for culture and Tourism about
seven years ago.
Entertainers in Delta were happy that a veteran
has come back home and also in a better position
to reposition entertainment in Delta state.
Because even before coming into government, you
have being trying all by yourself to develop
entertainment which gave birth to MADE IN
WARRI. It was a proud platform for Warri
entertainers coming together to showcase
themselves.
It became one of the most anticipated show then
in the country because that’s where you get the
real Warri comedians.
Delta Talent Quest (DTQ)
The first project you embarked on was DELTA
TALENT QUEST (DTQ). The aim was to discover
talents in Delta state and promote them and so
entertainers came out in their numbers. A special
house was built in Asaba specially for this project
just to mention how serious you took that project.
The project was broken into comedy, music,
dance and movie.
I participated in the Comedy Audition but was not
among the finally 20 comedians they picked but
my close friend Koliko qualified.
I still remember how almost all the comedians in
Delta state came out to slog it out with
themselves and be the lucky winner of a brand
new car, 1million and other benefits.
I was also privileged to attend the finals where
my friend Koliko came second with a cash gift of
500k and only that competition changed his life
up till today. The talented young man that use to
put on old clothes suddenly became a SHINE
SHINE BOBO, a young man with not even 5k in
his account suddenly saw 500k in his account..
But after all the maiden Edition of comedy,
music, dance and movie edition was done, it
became that last time DTQ was ever mentioned.
No explanation was given as to why the project
was stopped but a Top comedian recently during
a CHAT said about 300 million is still being
budgeted for that every year and part of it is now
being use to FINANCE one of the BIGGEST
CONCERTS IN WARRI. But it still remains an
allegation sha but you can’t ignore every
allegations these days most especially in
Government.
No Follow Up on the Winners
the winner of the comedy edition, I hear he now
sells bread in Sapele and no longer doing comedy
except once in a while.
The 1st runner up Koliko: The young man have
grown to be one of the most sorted after
comedian in WARRI but not NIGERIA which would
have being possible if you did some follow up.
Sir a well packaged, not too funny comedian in
Lagos collects 50k to 200k per wedding but give
all your winner of DTQ 20 to 30k for a wedding,
they will not only crack jokes, they will also dance
till the end of the marriage.
The difference between Lagos and Delta is
packaging and media exposure and I will come to
that later.
The only people that still benefit a bit are Koliko
and young chief who you something invite once
or twice to Asaba to perform. And the worst part
is that when you pay comedians coming from
Lagos at least 500K, they pay our DTQ winners
50k and someone still cut the money before it
gets to them.
So you see if there were other words I can use
other than disappointment about your tenure I will
definitely use it.
Sir you have being in this industry to know how
things works but you just sat down, collected
your salaries, bonuses plus all the CORNER
MARKINGS (only Warri boys go understand).
Low Quality TV Stations in the State
Culture and Tourism working hand in hand sir but
you neglected these things.
Sir you didn’t even bother to asked why there is
no other Television in Delta State other than DBS
and DRTV?
Why is there only DRTV in Delta state? Why no
Silverbird or other privately own TV stations just
as we have in Edo, Port-harcourt etc. Its an open
secret that government are preventing them so
that they won’t over shadow DRTV.
Ok, if that is the case, why don’t Government
upgrade DRTV to international standard? Don’t
tell me we are too poor not to afford it because
we all know that billions flow into the state every
month apart from Tax. So don’t go there.
It show there is something you are not telling us.
*SUSPICIOUS*
There’s Potential for the Movie Industry
Sir it was under your Tenure that Movie
producers starting coming to Asaba to shoot
movies and even up till now. Asaba is now the
best location right now. Some actors and
actresses have temporarily or permanently
relocated to Asaba.
But we have not being able to tap into that area.
This is a new opportunity to partner with these
people in other to expose our up and coming act.
To make them stay, Government would have build
a film village in Delta state. Sir, Udu L.G.A where
you come from have enough land to do and that
would have being a major achievement for you
and the government.
Udu people would have being grateful for that.
That would have fit into the much talked about
DELTA STATE BEYOND OIL but you blew off that
chance.
No Tourist Attractions in Delta State
All through your time in office, you could not
initiate any Carnival Celebration.
Just like we have the Calabar Carnival, a Warri
Carnival would have make sense. That would
have changed the face of Warri for ever. Oh, I
guess you forgot. if different streets in Warri can
host peaceful Carnival at night with fun fair, then
Delta State Government could have done better.
I was watch your interview on Channels recently
in TRAVEL GUILD. You were talking about Delta
State Tourist Potential and Location but in reality
there is no tourist Center here.
Like in Calabar, We have TINAPA, OBUDU CATTLE
RANCH among other Tourist Destination put
together by Government.
As far as OBUDU CATTLE RANCH people still
travel from different part of the country just to
relax. President Goodluck Jonathan at a point
went there to relax.
Sir can you point anywhere in Delta State you can
go and relax? Not to talk about the Governor. It’s
a shame that 7 years after.
The Delta Leisure and Mandela Garden you spoke
about are just on paper and you won’t be around
to see it come to reality because after your tenure
you will going back to Nollywood.
If you want to enjoy, you can travel round the
world enjoying tourist site but there’s none in
your state.
Sir I was watching the CD of WARRI AGAIN
concert and I saw you laughing and enjoying
yourself seriously. But sir, why don’t you pause
and think for once why there are not much Warri
comedians performing?
Have you bothered to ask why they only provide
two slots out of over 400 based Warri
comedians?
Speaking ‘The Truth’
Its a pity I come from a country where if you dare
speak the truth, you are label as a REBEL but we
owe it as a duty to speak out so that people
should start doing the right thing. Even as we
share the National cake, we should remember the
Cake is for everybody.
Sir if you think all what have said is just my own
personal opinion, send some neutral persons into
the street, you will be shocked with the kind of
feed back you will get.
The End.

such a pity , when i see all this things, I become persuaded to step into the matters of Nation, and give them a change for the better. were it under my leadership, people like him would have sat up or removed. )

I commend this young man for this write up.
Seriously there are lot of issues and ideas raised in this article.
If RMD is available to see this, he should at least act on it if possible call a town hall like meeting and talk to these guys. The space in entertainment and sports is too large and productive, if properly harness will reduce our high rate of unemployment in Nigeria.
We need to act in this country and accept criticism.
Regardsp.

And Who Is Gonna Read This Long Story? Definately Not Me

Wow I read it all.

Eeyaa.....I feel ur Pain bro..

With social media, everyone has a voice. With everyone demanding accountability, the performance of the next 4 years will be greater than that of the last 8 years.

Great write up.

Nawa ooo too long naa

Quite a long letter but worth reading. It is a shame and disappointment that perons who the masses look up to, to understand thier pains and challenges, are the same persons that will turn a blind eye when the are in the position to put a smile on the face of the masses. If all he wrote in that letter is true, then its a a dissapointment that RMD is just like most Nigerian 'polithiefians' who will always siphon funds meant for the public.

zyphr:
Quite a long letter but worth reading. It is a shame and disappointment that perons who the masses look up to, to understand thier pains and challenges, are the same persons that will turn a blind eye when the are in the position to put a smile on the face of the masses. If all he wrote in that letter is true, then its a a dissapointment that RMD is just like most Nigerian 'polithiefians' who will always siphon funds meant for the public.

bro in as much I feel the pain of the Op. It tink u are too judgmental n too hard on RMD, lets see maybe this write up gets to him so he can defend himself.

Thats the truth.

Even desmond will do worse.

Yeahreen:
And Who Is Gonna Read This Long Story? Definately Not Me

Dont be such a dumb ass. several v valid points were raised in dat letter! Buh u wudnt kno now, wud u? Cos u refused to read it. I like his presentation, he was v honest, mature n respectful in his approach. If only RMD cud read dis n reply to the issues raised, cos there are always atleast 2sides to every matta.

I don't want to believe ya stupid. So refusing to read an extremely long post warrants u to call some1 a dumb ass on social media..do u av sense @all..dat u av a mobile fone doesn't warrant yuh to talk trash as yuh wish..

makarios911:


Dont be such a dumb ass. several v valid points were raised in dat letter! Buh u wudnt kno now, wud u? Cos u refused to read it. I like his presentation, he was v honest, mature n respectful in his approach. If only RMD cud read dis n reply to the issues raised, cos there are always atleast 2sides to every matta.

Yeahreen:
I don't want to believe ya stupid. So refusing to read an extremely long post warrants u to call some1 a dumb ass on social media..do u av sense @all..dat u av a mobile fone doesn't warrant yuh to talk trash as yuh wish..

I didnt call u a dumb ass, I was only admonishing u not to be one. Tis nobody's fault if u hv the attention span of a 6month old, if u didnt want to read OP's post u didnt hv to comment on the thread, "even a fool wen he kips silent is considered wise". N I dont expect u to understand dat owning a mobile fone isn't luxury anymo.

Abeg try grow up.

Hmmn, sad RMD didn't live up to the expectations we had of him. He actually served in a corrupt system and it's not easy in such a system but it seems he didn't have the courage to make the change.

Yeahreen:
And Who Is Gonna Read This Long Story? Definately Not Me

If u wanto hide anything from an African put it in a book

I also didn't call u stu*pid..Read the post again if u didn't comprehend it the 1st tym. U shld also try to mind ur business..u av no ryt to mention at me..if u want to make ur contribution, u can do that without mentioning at me.
*it obvious ya d one that needs to grow Up here*

makarios911:


I didnt call u a dumb ass, I was only admonishing u not to be one. Tis nobody's fault if u hv the attention span of a 6month old, if u didnt want to read OP's post u didnt hv to comment on the thread, "even a fool wen he kips silent is considered wise". N I dont expect u to understand dat owning a mobile fone isn't luxury anymo.

Abeg try grow up.

cc ; lalasticlala ishilove seun

Wendy80:


If u wanto hide anything from an African put it in a book

As much as I dislike dat saying some folks make it diff to argue otherwise with their insufferable ignorance. "long story" indeed, how shallow.

It's gud you said african!

Wendy80:


If u wanto hide anything from an African put it in a book