Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has hailed the actions of Ejiro Otarigho, a tanker driver, who drove a burning tanker from danger zone to avert what could have been a tragic fire incident in Agbarho, Delta state.
In a telephone conversation with the driver late Sunday, Omo-Agege who doubles as the governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) in next year’s gubernatorial election in Delta state, described Otarigho as a hero.
He stressed that but for Otarigho’s courage, a major fire disaster which would have claimed several lives and property could have happened in his senatorial district.
Agbarho, a community in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, is in Delta Central Senatorial District, where the lawmaker represents at the National Assembly.
The incident which took place at the weekend, happened when the tanker driver drove the burning truck for 25 minutes from a densely populated area to Agbarho River where the tanker was completely razed by the inferno.
The act was captured by onlookers and had gone viral.
In a telephone conversation with the driver, Senator Omo-Agege commended him for his uncommon courage of averting what could have been a devastating tanker explosion in Urhoboland.
“By your action, you have saved a lot of our people who could have died from this accident. It is not everyone that will have the courage to do what you just did.
“By this singular act, you saved Agbarho community from major disaster. And we are very proud of you. To me, you have become a hero to our people. And I’m sure a lot of people will be looking up to you right now. So you have every right to feel like a hero. I am very proud of you,” he said.
Responding, Ejiro thanked the DSP for personally reaching out to him.
According to him, some of his family members, friends and colleagues had expressed concern that people of note had yet to reach out to him since the incident occured last Friday.
He described the call by the Deputy President of the Senate as a healing balm.
His words, “For a man like the Deputy Senate President to put a call to me at this crucial time, I am very happy about that. Hearing from him alone shows that he identifies with the people.
“People have been complaining that nobody cares. That if I’d allowed people die they would have been coming to see the dead. But now I am very happy that the Deputy President of the Senate could speak to me”.
