Akpojene Still Alive

By GODDAY ODIDI

On September 15, 2013, Chief Dr Gregory Oke Akpojene (MON), Chairman Akpojene Farms Ltd and the Otor- Igho born renowned Agriculturalist were alleged of callous confession which was heralded by some suspected scrupulous persons in Isokoland. It was even alleged that the great Chief Akpojene who has received over 50 national and international awards and remains one of the biggest Farmers in African continent has confessed and died.

It is sad that nobody in Nigeria has provided any evidence of Chief Akpojene's alleged confession than spreading unsympathetic rumors against the person of our enviable father, leader and philanthropist, Chief Oke Akpojene, the former Isoko Development Union (IDU) President-General. Akpojene's personality cannot be easily dragged into the mud like that without a second thought. The 77-year-old agriculturalist of Isoko nation must not be relegated to the background by some certain related persons of Akpojene who felt they could destroy the enviable legacies set by our great farmer of the 21stcentury.

Chief Gregory Akpojene was the former executive chairman of Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State from 1st December 1979 to 28th February 1982 and has been into both subsistence and mechanized farming for over 47years and retired meritoriously as a school teacher with honesty. Today, Uloho Co-operative Society and ICB Global Microfinance Bank cannot easily erase High Chief Akpojene's name because his financial contribution has added economical value to these two noble community financial institutions. His humanitarian services in Isoko are worthy to be emulated by those that know the worth of selfless services to the society. High Chief Akpojene never sojourned out of Isokoland but remained a determined farmer to the core. In 2012, Akpojene was kidnapped and released with the sum of #7million and the Delta State Government immediately deployed security operatives to Otor- Igho to protect him.

How Akpojene can died unnoticed without the Federal and State governments presence. Those rumor mongers must be put to shame. Chief Akpojene only had a partial stroke not confession and still alive monitoring his chains of businesses in Isoko. He has made several efforts to make sure Akpojene Research Institute and Akpojene University of Agriculture are sited at Otor- Igho in the nearest future. What a great leader of Isoko nation? He is a man that believes on agricultural entrepreneurship that is why his first son, the Managing Director of Akpojene Farms Ltd is presently pursuing his doctoral degree to bring more innovations to the company. Akpojene remains a household name in Isoko. Those that run away from him during his trying period should know that Akpojene never confessed any evil act, only God will vindicate the perpetrators of this act.