By Aderogba George
Former Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo, says the Niger Delta remains Nigeria’s key to prosperity.
He said the region is a “hidden treasure” whose vast resources have been underutilised due to years of poor leadership.
Adebayo spoke in Abuja on Friday at the unveiling of ‘The Hidden Treasures: An Exposition on the Rich Resources and Opportunities of the Niger Delta’.
It was written by Mr Chris Iyovwaye, Chairman of the Wellmann Group of Companies.
He said the region’s wealth requires deliberate effort to uncover, adding that “every treasure requires digging”.
He noted that decades of ineffective leadership have left much of the Niger Delta’s potential unexploited.
Adebayo said that with enterprise and determination, every part of the Niger Delta is “teeming with human and material resources; solid, liquid, semi-solid, and gaseous”.
He stressed that no indigene should consider themselves poor.
He identified three pathways to unlocking the region’s potential, including individual initiative, community action, and government intervention.
He also said his family had benefited from the region for over a century, joking that he found personal fortune through marriage.
Adebayo urged Nigerians to value the country’s endowments, stressing that Nigeria’s diversity was structured by God to leave no room for excuses for underdevelopment.
He claimed the region’s wealth exceeds many developed nations.
He said the Niger Delta’s wealth is “18 times all the productivity of America since 1776”, noting that everything the United States has achieved is a fraction of what is immediately available locally.
The former presidential candidate warned against leaders focused on surface wealth, rent-seeking, or ceding national assets to foreign interests.
He traced the region’s significance from the Royal Niger Company to Oloibiri oil discovery.
He said the people are the Niger Delta’s most valuable resource; intelligent, welcoming, compassionate, and culturally rich and stressed that no national political agenda can ignore the region’s electoral significance.
“Anyone who has run for president in the last 26 years knows that without friends in the Niger Delta, the journey is short,” he said.
Earlier, Maj.-Gen. Ike Nwachukwu, chairman of the event, said Nigeria should not fear restructuring.
He noted that all regions have resources to sustain themselves and should invest in their respective economic potentials without delay.
On insecurity, Nwachukwu, also a former Foreign Affairs minister, urged Nigerians to give the military full support, saying the armed forces are capable and committed to protecting the nation’s territorial integrity.
Also, constitutional lawyer, Prof. Mike Ozekhome, described the book as “an economic goldmine” offering practical guidance to reposition key sectors and implement reforms.
He was represented by Prof. Ezekiel Abalagba, Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Delta.
He said the Niger Delta must shift from extractive dependence to productive ambition.
“Transparent governance and improved infrastructure; including roads, waterways, power, and digital connectivity are essential for broad-based development”.
Ozekhome stressed economic diversification beyond crude oil, advocating investment in agriculture, fisheries, manufacturing, petrochemicals, and technology.
He also called for environmental restoration and human capital development, including research funding and vocational training.
He urged Niger Delta states to harmonise development strategies, stressing that coordinated action would accelerate prosperity and strengthen the region’s contribution to national growth and long-term economic stability.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan, represented by his Chief of Staff, Dr Mike Ogiadome, described the Niger Delta as the country’s economic hub and said it should be fully developed, including a deep-sea port to attract investment.
Jonathan recommended the book to industrialists and foreign investors as a guide to the region’s opportunities and potential.
He noted that structured investment could accelerate industrial growth and regional development.
Giving an insight on the book, Iyovwaye said the Niger Delta story has often been misrepresented.
“This book explores the region’s vast potential, challenges of underdevelopment, and strategies for using its people and resources to drive national prosperity.
“It offers insights to guide policymakers, investors, and communities toward unlocking the region’s hidden wealth”.
Iyovwaye added that the book shares his inspiration and vision for a sustainable and prosperous Niger Delta. (NAN)
Edited by Tosin Kolade
