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TELL MAGAZINE RECENTLY DID AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH CHIEF JEPHTHAH ON A NUMBER OF ISSUES. EXCERPTS…

James Jephthah, Chairman Niger Delta Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee and Member, National Committee is one man who literally picked himself up from the initial setback in life and pushed his way to success.

At 48, Jephthah, founder, Managing Director and Chief Executive officer, Octopus Clan Nigeria , Fondly called the ‘Swamp Giant ‘ , holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics, from the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and Master’s degree in Financial Economics from the University of Abuja, is an astute businessman and an unrepentant philanthropist. Jephthah is committed to touching the lives of the under-privileged in his community, the Niger Delta and Nigeria as a whole.

But he often shy about reeling out his philanthropic activities. “This is an area i don’t like discussing because it borders on people’s lives. But i can tell you that i invest a lot in God’s kingdom, the only place investment is secured. I also give scholarship to students some of whom i don’t even know”, he said when asked about philanthropy.

However, there is something he did that is very dear to his heart among many others.” The one that I can say that is dear to me is the water and electricity I provided for Katampe 1 and 2 communities in Mpape in FCT Abuja, because right from birth of these communities, they have not had electricity and portable water and these communities are not in the Niger Delta, “ he said as a man who is close to his people, it was therefore not surprising when late president Umaru Musa Yar’Adua , in collaboration with governments of Niger Delta state, inaugurated the Niger Delta Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee to find a lasting solution to the festering Niger Delta crisis and Jephthah was one of those saddled with the responsibility . Jephthah was prepared for the task. He is at home in the creeks; he was able to tackle cases of hostage taking, pipeline vandalism and other forms of social vices by militant groups in the area through dialogues. He did this assignment diligently to the admiration of all, hence the government was able to significantly eradicate all forms of militia activities in the Niger Delta, thereby creating a new image and allowing business of flourish in the oil-rich region. In one fell swoop, he came out with 32 militants out of 40 in 2009 leaving out a few of them.

He is a community relations consultant to SPDC (SHELL) and NAOC (Agip) oil companies .

Indeed, Jephthah is one man who is practically made of honors. On November 15, 2009, he was named as Peace Ambassador by the United Nations Positive Livelihood Award Centre, UN-POLAC, for championing the cause of peace and for his efforts in restoring peace and ending militancy in the Niger Delta. By July 23, 2010, Jephthah became recipient of the prestigious Eliss Island Medal of Honour Award in the United States.  Jephthah holds this award dearly as he is the first African to be so honoured since the award was established in 1986. He is therefore , listed in the American Congressional record for his involvement in the actualization of the existing peace and acceptance of the federal government Amnesty program for ex-militants in the Niger Delta region, especially having instrumental to the release of many Americans held hosting the Niger Delta by the militants.
With this award, Jephthah joins six past American presidents, Congressmen, poets, Nobel Prize winners, and other who had exemplified hard work, promoted peace initiative and self-employment among the people of the world. For his strong commitment to equal rights, social justice and good governance in Nigeria ‘s Delta region , The Huston – Tillotson University , United states, nominated him as a distinguished candidate for Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, L.H.D.  Steven Edmond, Dean, School of Business Technology, of the university, stated that Jephthah was nominated because of his tremendous contributions towards ensuring peace and prosperity in Bayelsa state and the entire Niger Delta region.

A man with a large heart, “The Swamp Giant” as Jephthah was also recognized for his provision of educational scholarships and youth leadership conference opportunities to countless Nigerian students. All these deeds
Huston-Tillotson University, United States, nominated him as a distinguished candidate for Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humane letters, I.H.D. Steven Edmond, Dean, School of Business Technology, of the university, stated that Jephthah was nominated because of his tremendous contributions towards ensuring peace and prosperity in Bayelsa State and the entire Niger Delta region.

A man with a large heart, ‘the Swamp Giant’ as Jephthah was also recognized for his provision of educational scholarships and youth leadership conference opportunities to countless Nigerian students. All these deeds of humanity, according to Edmond, “exemplify the Huston-Tillotson University ideals of service and the goals of maximizing human potential that are the core of this university’s mission.

And it could not have been otherwise, Jephthah takes care of over 250 widows in Gombe, Gombe State by reaching out to them financially every month. A lover of education, Jephthah also gives scholarships to indigent but brilliant students in Bayelsa State and Niger Delta in particular. His benevolence also extends to churches, as he believes God has blessed him to be a blessing unto others especially the children of God. He, therefore, extends this to several churches from different denominations.

Happily married to delectable Blessing, with two sets of twins-two boys and two girls- Jephthah, who loves swimming, table tennis and draft, is not relenting in his efforts at helping the poor, having experienced both sides of life at 48. in this interview, he looks back at his achievements in life so far, his philanthropy and he is grateful to Timpre Sylva, Bayelsa State governor and Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria’s President. Excerpts:

Have you ever worked under any establishment before venturing into private business and what experience did you derive from it?

My first job was with the National Library of Nigeria. I attended an interview as a clerical officer with my five credits including English and Mathematics but ended up employed as a security guard. In the course of doing my security job I was also made to cut grass and clean the compound every day. This job afforded me the little money I needed to pursue my education in the university. The experience is enormous. I became more focused, humble and patient. It afforded me the opportunity to set a goal and work towards it.

It also brought me closer to God because looking back at my family background and finding myself as a gateman was incredible. I became a laughing stock, my ego was brutalized but I came out stronger. Today, I know that God was preparing me for greater challenges.What prepared you for the role you played in the Niger Delta?

I think this is my destiny. First is my experience and exposure in the creeks as a result of the exploits of my company in the oil activities. Second is the fact that in 2006 when Dr. Goodluck Jonathan was governor of Bayelsa State, he gave me the responsibility to oversee the activities of the restive youths in Bayelsa State. Third is the respect, trust and confidence I have earned in the creeks over the years.

Did you have any experience in resolving conflicts?

I am a Justice of the Peace and a member of the Association of Professional negotiators and mediators of Nigeria, and you know that we are trained to use alternative dispute resolution techniques to settle disputes. I am also a leader in my community and as a leader I am used to settlement of disputes.

What was your experience in negotiating with the militants?

It was really a very risky venture. There were times they will threaten to shoot me if I don’t give them certain amount of money. Other times they will force me to join their boat for patrol and the risky aspect of this patrol is that if their boat runs into a JTF Patrol boat a shootout will ensure and there will be dead bodies, but in all these, God delivered me.

What method did you adopt to do the assignment?

There was no particular method but as a professional negotiator and mediator I am armed with a lot of alternative dispute resolution techniques, one of which is the hybrid process.

Looking back, were there instances where things almost went out of hands during negotiations with the militants?

Yes, you know some of them are not educated and some of them are criminals who do not want any dialogue. To them, this is their way of life so any reconciliation portends danger to them, so they were always looking for any slight excuse to disrupt the process.

How were you able to encourage a large number of militants to drop their arms?

It took months for me to convince them of the gains of Amnesty and coupled with he respect, confidence and trust they reposed in me over the years. They too are not too comfortable in living in the creeks.

Looking at the Boko Haram crisis, what approach do you think the federal government should use in handling them?

The best weapon to use is dialogue. I have never seen adverse effects of a sincere dialogue. If dialogue fails, then other measures can be employed.

The Niger Delta crisis seems to have abated but there is Boko Haram in the North, MASSOB in the South-east, what do you think the future portends for Nigeria?

These are trying times for this country and I strongly believe that Nigeria will come out better, stronger and more united and have respect for each other’s geopolitical zone. I sympathize with Mr. President for the numerous problems he is facing right from the time he acted as the president till now but because he is a destiny child, destined by God Almighty to rule this country he will be triumphant at the end of the day.

One of your strongest points is the fact that you negotiated the Amnesty programme in the Niger Delta. Apart from that, what other things would you like to be remembered for?

Honesty, humility, hard work, perseverance and philanthropy

Each time you look back at the current situation in the Niger Delta, how do you feel?

I feel happy and partially fulfilled although we are not yet there because infrastructural development is not a one day thing. It takes time to put these things on ground. I strongly believe that when the true story of the amnesty will be written the name Chief James Jephthah will be written in one of the paragraphs.

Tell us about your philanthropic activities and which one would you say is dearest to your heart?

This is an area I don’t like discussing because it borders on people’s lives. But I can tell you that I invest a lot in God’s kingdom, the only place investment is secured. I also give scholarship to students some of whom I don’t even know. Having identified Nigeria’s major problem as leadership, I have for the past three years sent about eight students from the various institutions to undertake leadership training in various countries abroad. Right now, precisely on the 28th of July 2011, I am sending twelve students to Dublin in the Republic of Ireland for a leadership training exercise. I am also in partnership with Houston-Tillotson University in the USA to sponsor six Nigerian youths per year to attend Houston-Tillotson Entrepreneurship camp. But the one that I can say that is dear to me is the water and electricity I provided for Katampe 1 and 2 communities in Mpape in FCT Abuja, because right from the birth of these communities, they have not had electricity and portable water and these communities are not in the Niger Delta.

What is your message to the people of the Niger Delta?

My message to the people of Niger Delta is to be patient and believe in the current leadership of this country. I can’t conclude this interview without mentioning the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and the Executive Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva. President Goodluck Jonathan, as I earlier mentioned, gave me an appointment in 2006 to liaise with the militants. He was then the Executive Governor of Bayelsa State. He later on in 2007 while serving as Vice President to late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua inaugurated the national body of the Niger Delta Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee, which I am also a member. The Executive Governor of Bayelsa State appointed me as the Chairman of the Bayelsa State Chapter and I was involved in the day-to-day activities of the committee. He gave us all the things we needed to accomplish this project and personally visited some of the camps to have first hand information.

Blessing James-Jephthah [Interview]

Meeting Blessing James-Jephthah, wife of chairman, wife of chairman, Niger Delta and Conflict Resolution Committee, Bayelsa State, one might be taken aback by her simplicity, and gap-toothed smile. Not with her hair closely cropped to the skin, she is not your regular woman about town, even as beautiful and charming as she is.

A business Studies graduate from the Polytechnic, Calabar, Cross River State, Mrs. James- Jephthah is a woman of many parts. A wife, mother, businesswoman and philanthropist. In fashion, which is her first love, she excels. Today, she has made name for herself in the fashion world, devoting her time to making people look good.

She got married to her husband whom she described as a bridge builder in 1999 after several years of courtship. And 11 years on, the love is still strong. The mother of four (two sets of twins to be precise) says she put God first in all her affairs because it is only Him that has been the guiding light in their family. According to her, “We all know how dangerous my husband’s assignment to the restoration of peace in the Niger Delta region is. You know that not everyone would be happy with him. So, we both seek the face of God before he embarks on those journeys,” Mrs. James-Jephthah is also described as the backbone of her husband who has stood by him through thick and thin. She had also partnered her husband in almost all his human capacity development and philanthropic works.

A silent-giver, she takes it upon herself to visit orphanages and motherless babies’ homes (even before she got married) to donate food items, clothing, among other materials. Apart from her love for fashion, her next hobby is cooking. As she puts it, nobody comes to her house without eating.

In this interview to commemorate her husband’s 48th birthday; her prayer is that God should grant him long life and good health to continue to serve the masses, to ensure peace in the Niger Delta region and the country at large. Excerpts:

How did you meet your husband?

I met Chief James Jephthah, my loving and amiable husband, in 1996 then as an undergraduate in Cross River State during one of my holidays. Thereafter, the relationship started and in 1999. We got married after my national Youth Corps Service programme. And today, we have four children, two boys and two girls (two sets of twins).

How will you describe your husband?

He is a loving and humble man; kind-hearted, caring and warm. He has always been there for the people, he is also peace-loving but with a lion’s heart; very courageous. My husband is a bridge builder. He is blunt; he calls a spade a spade. He doesn’t mince words. He is a very humble man who believes everyone is equal and he hates to see people suffering and that is why he is constantly among the grassroots to get across to the ordinary man on the street. He loves the Niger Delta and Nigeria so dearly. He doesn’t mince words. And in spite of his busy schedule, he still has time for his family.

How do you support your husband?

As a wife and mother, I am very prayerful because that is the only way to put difficult situations behind you. As a matter of fact, I always put my family in prayer and there is nothing I do that I don’t put before God first.
We all know how dangerous his assignment to the restoration of peace in the Niger Delta region is. You know that not everyone would be happy with him. So we both seek the face of God before he embarks on those journeys.

I also pray for his businesses. This has indeed opened more doors. Thus, we have been able to overcome all trials and challenges.

Apart from prayers, what else do you do to support your husband?

My husband is involved in many philanthropic activities and I support him all the way. He is providing scholarships to indigent but brilliant students, he is building a church in one of the northern states and I have been very supportive in this respect. I also visit motherless babies’ homes and orphanages and give them whatever I have. I don’t make noise about it. The best place to invest is in the orphanage.

Do you have an NGO?

I don’t have any; neither do I belong to any such group. My emphasis is on visiting orphanages.

What do you do for a living?

I am a businesswoman and my passion is making people look good. My love for fashion has been there even in my days in higher institution, I make my friends and course mates look good and now I have taken it to a higher level. My joy is bringing smiles to my clients. Some people don’t really know what will make them look good. But by the time I finish my work on them, they come back to say thank you. It gives me great joy to make people look good. The joy of life is where you cannot distinguish between work and play. It’s important to love what you do.

You look beautiful despite your cropped hair; what is the secret?

I have been carrying this low-cut for the past 10 years and I’m very comfortable with it. I encourage every woman to look good. Doing this entails minding the food you eat, keeping fit for your husband and doing a lot of exercise! For example, I have a gym in my house, which I use during weekends.

How do you unwind?

I spend my leisure time with my family. I discuss with my husband, and have fun as a family. I also try to catch up on pending family matters.

Do you attend parties or functions?

No, I don’t attend public functions, unless it is necessary, especially if I am invited by my clients to their events.

What are your hobbies?

They are cooking and fashion. Nobody comes to my house without eating. As busy as I am, I still cook for my husband. I also love to feed people. That is how much I love to cook. And I have taken my love for fashion to another level.

What is your birthday message to your husband?

I pray God to grant him long life to continue to serve the underprivileged and the Niger Delta people and Nigeria in general. I pray he lives up to 120 years in good health and sound mind. My husband has been through many tough times, I want God to bless and reward him for all he has been through.