Some Nigerians on Thursday expressed
displeasure with the celebration of the
release of James Ibori, a former Delta
Governor, from a prison in London.

The told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in
Lagos that such celebration was
condemnable, unfortunate and uncalled for.
The former governor of Delta was on
Wednesday released from prison in London,
U.K. He was jailed in 2012, two years after he
was arrested by the Interpol in Dubai, the
United Arab Emirates, where he was hiding
after fleeing Nigeria.

He was sentenced to 13 years in prison by
Southwark Crown Court on April 17, 2012
after pleading guilty to 10-count charge of
money laundering and conspiracy to defraud.
In spite of his guilty plea and conviction for
corruption, his kinsmen at Oghara and other
Urhobo communities in the Delta, however,
turned the affair to a carnival as they lined
up major streets dancing.

There was wild jubilation in Delta following
the news of the release of the former
governor.
A retired teacher, Mr Augustine, said it was
unfortunate that some Nigerians celebrated
criminals and those who contributed to the
bad situation of the country.

“It’s a shame that we are celebrating those
who had contributed the increased
unemployment rate in the country, lack of
healthcare services, dwindling standard of
education and failed democracy among other
challenges.

“Until we start to change our ways and
mindset, we will continue to wallow in our
problems in the nation,’’ Igwe said.
In his views, Mr Sesan Adeleye, a
businessman, said such jubilation showed
that politicians had successfully brainwashed
some citizens with ill-gotten wealth.
“The problem of some Nigerians is a clear
case of poverty of the mind. We value wealth
so much. They are not even bothered about
why he went to prison.

“They are already waiting for him to come
back so that he can continue to distribute ill-
gotten money to them.

“They don’t even care that the money stolen
was meant for their welfare and
development,’’ he said.
Also, Dr Edewede Iyamu, a private physician,
told NAN that the celebration over Ibori’s
release was uncalled for as he also
contributed to the pervasively poor and
under developed state of the Niger Delta.
“Those from Niger Delta continue to blame
the Federal Government for the challenges
confronting their region, whereas, people
like Ibori should be held responsible.
“It is sad that people from that region are
now celebrating him,’’ she said.

A Lagos-based legal practitioner, Mr
Adekunle Aribisala, said something must be
done to stop the celebration of criminality in
the country as it was becoming rampant.
Aribisala also expressed worry that it would
not be easy for the Western community to
release the money in question — 18 million
Pounds — to the Nigerian government.

“We had the same situation when Chief Bode
George and Mr Hamza Al-Mustapha were
released too, now it’s Ibori. I feel really
ashamed as a Nigerian.

“We do not need people like that in our
society any longer. They need to be isolated
so they don’t corrupt more people,’’ he said.
In her opinion, Alhaja Aisha Jelil, a civil
servant, said the future of the youth who
were being used by politicians called for
concern.

“We seem to have lost our values in this
society, I wonder what the future holds for
our future generations. They are celebrating
Ibori because they consider him a hero and a
role mode,’’ she said.

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