Open Letter to High Chief Government Ekpemupolo Tompolo—On Power, Presence, and the Danger of Overexposure

By PASSMAN AKPOS

Dear High Chief Ekpemupolo,

There is power in mystery. There is strength in silence. And sometimes, true leadership does not roar in the open but moves through the shadows, shaping destinies from behind the curtain. You, Tompolo, have long been a symbol of that rare, almost mythical force

not fully seen, but deeply felt. Revered. Feared. Respected. Misunderstood. Your absence from public view once gave you a stature no press conference could ever grant.

But now, the tides seem to be shifting.

Recently, we have seen you gracing public functions

most notably at the Asaba Government House in Delta State today. While it is every citizen’s right to engage in the civic and political process, for you, such visibility comes with a different kind of weight and risk. The more frequently you step into the public eye, the more you risk losing what made your presence so potent in the first place: the power of secrecy, the authority of imagination.

The Danger of Being Seen Too Often

Tompolo, let us not be naïve. Nigeria is not a country where raw influence is left unchecked for long. The more visible you become, the more vulnerable you are to political schemes, rivalries, and media manipulations. Your once-untouchable image is now being slowly repackaged not by you, but by those who would benefit from turning your legend into just another politician’s shadow.

And when that happens, the opposition will come not just politically, but personally. History has a cruel rhythm in Nigeria, especially for men of your stature. Let us not forget what led you to go into hiding years ago. It was not the people that came for you; it was the system. A system that feels threatened when an independent force dares to rise too high, too free, and too untamed.

You survived it once. Do not walk blindly back into its trap.

To Be Revered is Not to Be Forgotten

Let no one deceive you into thinking that invisibility is irrelevance. The most feared names are the ones rarely spoken aloud. The most respected leaders are often those whose words are few but whose impact is undeniable. Your name, Tompolo, still echoes in boardrooms, creeks, bunkers, and barracks —not because you’re always seen, but because you’re never forgotten.

In the Niger Delta, you represent more than yourself. You are a vessel of a collective yearning for dignity, justice, and power. That responsibility demands strategy, not sentiment. Humility, not popularity. Vision, not vanity.

A Word to Those Around You

To the brothers and advisers in your circle: do not push him into the spotlight if it will only cast shadows on all that has been built. Not every applause is genuine. Not every handshake is clean. Your duty is to protect the essence of what Tompolo represents, not expose it to the slow erosion of public consumption.

In Closing

High Chief, sometimes it is better to be seen and humiliated than never to be seen and endlessly praised. But in your case, it may be wiser still — to remain the mystery they cannot decode, the name they dare not provoke, the idea they cannot kill.

There is still power in that path. Let them chase your shadow while you move in silence.

The river does not shout, yet it shapes the land.

With utmost respect,

I’m PASSMAN AKPOS

(The militant with a pen)/Tarakirivoice Editorial team