Hon. Festus Ovie Agas is a trail blazer who has served in different leadership roles at various levels of governance in the state, without blemish. Over the years, Ovie Agas had by dint of hard work and discipline, established himself with a flawless leadership style laced with superb spirit, which has endeared him to many Deltans home and abroad.
An astute lawyer and communicator, Ovie Agas has portrayed every sense of responsibility. His strength in character, which is invisible, yet not hidden, has made him a phenomenon to reckon with in every quarter of power in the Big heart state, Delta. His comportment and excellent human relation skills have carved a niche for him as a man of the people and one of the most reliable political ally of political gladiators in Delta. Little wonder he has served meritoriously in different capacities in Delta State. In no particular order, he worked with the Delta State Government as Director-General of the Direct Labour Agency during the first tenure of Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan.
He was the pioneer Director General of the Okowa Campaign Organisation and remained focused and committed to the success of Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa at the primaries and election proper. He has also served as the Secretary to Delta State Government; Chief Strategist to the Governor of Delta State and now Chief of Staff to the Governor. A calculative leader, Agas, is a native of Oteri-Ughelli, who attended St. Paul’s Primary School, Ughelli where he got his First School Certificate in 1970. He got admitted into Urhobo College Effurun in 1971 and graduated in 1975 with a good grade. He did his Higher School Certificate (HSC), at Government College Ughelli and subsequently got admitted into the University of Lagos, where he graduated with honours in mass-communication, Second Class Upper Division in 1982.
After his youth service, he started his working career with the Delta State Complex Aladja where he served in the public affairs department of the company for several years before he resigned and joined partisan politics in 1999.
He contested as a candidate of the PDP for the seat of Ughelli Constituency and was elected overwhelmingly into the State of Assembly in 1999. Hon. Agas was elected Deputy Speaker of the House in 2002 by distinguished members in recognition of his leadership qualities. When he was the Deputy Speaker in the State House of Assembly, Ovie struck peaceful executive-legislature relations in Delta state. As the Secretary to the Delta State Government (SSG), Agas’ wealth of experience both in the private sector and government came to bear on the administration of Delta.
As the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Agas maintained and sustained a most fruitful relationship with the House as well as the general public throughout his tenure.
During the period he was serving as an Honourable Member, he squeezed out time to pick up a Law Degree from the Delta State University and was subsequently called to the Nigeria Bar. It is no longer news that many non-political groups have been drumming up support and throwing their weights behind Hon. Ovie Agas, as the contest for the ticket of Delta State governorship race 2023 gathers momentum. This is because Ovie Agas’ core competences in strong leadership and execution skills, has come to play in the course of serving the public’s interest in Delta State. As an appointee whose name keeps popping up as a recurring decimal, Ovie Agas has sustained his contributions to humanity by developing ideas that have led to efficiency and effectiveness of governance and sustainable development of the state.
He has had remarkable years working very hard for the people of Delta and Nigeria, and in recognition of his outstanding contributions to Delta. He has deployed his uncommon experience as the Chief Strategist to Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, into his current portfolio, Chief of Staff to the Governor. It is apparent that Agas would continue in the steads of his predecessor if given the opportunity to serve his people. He would build on his outstanding contributions to the socio-economic and political growth of Delta state.
Ovie Agas, is an consummate journalist, lawyer and politician who had a distinguished career in the private and public sectors spanning over 35 years will deliver the dividends of democracy to the people of Delta State by bringing his wealth of experience to play if he mounts the seat of governor of Delta State. No doubt, his unblemished loyalty to ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party and Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has stood the test of time and it will be fair for the party to give him the opportunity to be their flag bearer.
Olamide Adeniji is a member of the editorial team of TheScript Newspaper
