“I never knew that writing on Amaechi as a man ahead of his time can be this tasking and assiduous. I have tried to x-ray this enigma in this regard on the areas of his feats as the first Nigerian to assume office as a State Governor in Nigeria while on self exile and the only Nigerian to have been a two time Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly and chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Houses of Assembly in Nigeria. Two-time Governor of Rivers State for eight years and two- time chairman, Governors’ Forum a feat not common in any country and yet these seem not to be enough in presenting him as a man ahead of his time.
I have tried in part one of this treatise to present how this man succeeded in making Port Harcourt the Book Festival and UNESCO World Book capital City for the year 2014, making her the 14th city in the world to be selected as World Book Capital and the first in Black Africa beating 10 other great cities that include Oxford in England and Moscow in Russia.
I have tried to assess the feats of this uncommon transformer as the only Nigerian leader to have initiated the setting up of one of the largest metropolitan areas in Nigeria when he embarked upon the construction of the Greater Port Harcourt City covering about eight local Government Areas of Rivers State; still it seems I have not started to write on what made this man to be a man ahead of his time. Having dealt with his feats in the areas of education revolution, the sewage challenge in Rivers State and how he plotted the unseating of a sitting and very powerful President in Africa, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan of PDP with all the powers of incumbency, NNPC, CBN, INEC, highly rated corrupt Political and Religious leaders with all the Security organs/apparatus in his pocket, yet people are still asking me if Amaechi truly is a man ahead of his time…” - EZE.
Amaechi: The Man Ahead Of His Time and His Audacity (2)
By Eze Chukwuemeka Eze
Preamble
Since the publication of the first part of this treatise, which I entitled, Amaechi: The Man Ahead Of His Time And His Audacity (1), that took the world by storm, I have not rested. There had been numerous e-mails, text messages, phone-calls from people who read the first segment of this epochal treatise, pleading for the concluding part of this insightful article that truly exposed the vision, feats, mission and true nature of Rt. Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, CON; erstwhile governor of Rivers State and incumbent Minister of Transportation. Most importantly, this great son of Nigeria, whose love and zeal for his fatherland is legendary, is a man noted for his honesty, visionary, egalitarianism, radicalism, boldness, fearlessness, pragmatism, inventiveness, ingenuity, respected, loved and only hated by those who doesn’t like his principles and high-level reasoning and operation that on many occasions defies human logic and understanding. To most of his admirers, he is accepted as the Lion of Niger Delta Politics.
Two-time Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly, from 1999-2007; chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Houses of Assembly in Nigeria (1999 – 2000); governor of Rivers State (2007 – 2015); two- time chairman, Governors’ Forum from 2011 to 2015. Amaechi is a winner of several awards, including the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) and currently the Minister of Transportation of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.’
Reactions/Testimonies
Though reactions from those who read the first part of this treatise are so numerous, but I’ll highlight just a few:
Uzomah, writing from Port Harcourt, stated: “Eze, I read the article you wrote on Hon Rotimi Amaechi as the ‘Man ahead of his times’, and must commend you for such an amazing and insightful article. The article is not only interesting, but a profound truth about this unassuming personality. Pls, kindly forward the second section of the article to me as soon as it is ready. I can’t rest until I read all about this great man and the factors that made him to be ahead of his time. May God grant you more grace and wisdom in all your efforts. Thanks.”
In my reply to Uzomah, I apologised to him and others for the delay in releasing the second part of this treatise. I confessed to him that writing on Amaechi not only gives me a lot of joy, but I must be on top of my game to do the type of job expected on such an ‘institution.’ In fulfilment of this pledge, I hereby release to the public the second section of this treatise, which I know will put Amaechi in the class of leaders where he rightly belongs.
The second reaction came from a renowned social critic and publisher, Monday Wehere, who said: “Chief Eze Chukwuemeka, from today you will be known, called and addressed as Prof Chief-Eze Chukwuemeka Eze (Image Laundry). You are creative and intelligent. Jokes apart, I like the way you handle the pen on matters relating to Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi (CRA), but stop running down ‘Mr Project’ (Wike). Just concentrate on building CRA with the power of pen. Continue with your good job. (Wehere)”
In my reply to this great mind, I thanked him for finding time to read my opinion on what made Amaechi to be a man ahead of his time and assured Wehere that I am not running down Wike, only that he has tasked himself to mis-present facts on CRA and that places on me the task to present the facts the way it was/is, for the public to judge. Though, what Wehere and others that share his opinion that I am running down Governor Wike, do not know is that Governor Wike is my close friend and associate. In short, his love for me is overwhelming that made him to recommend me for various high positions during the tenure of Amaechi as governor of Rivers State. This, notwithstanding, one of my principles in life is to guide against injustice and protect the just, which is why I align with Amaechi in this struggle, knowing that Wike is vilifying him unjustly. This position was rightly captured by Nsirimovu, another great mind from Rivers State, a notable social critic and publisher in his reaction. He stated: “Eze, that is wonderful! Good one for the records.
Out of all the reactions, the one that truly captured my attention was the text from Chief Godie Ikechi, a respected politician and opinion leader, according to him: “Chief Eze, you have always been consistent and committed to whatever you do, and I am not surprised of what you are doing for Amaechi and All Progressives Congress (APC). But seriously, come oooh, wetin Amaechi actually give you to chop that you disturb the nation on him on daily basis like this?”
This view, I am sure, captures the view of a lot of people, because to them, one is not expected to do most of the things that I do without being heavily enticed or rewarded financially. As much as I can’t deny that Amaechi have been good to me, but most of the things are borne out of a sincere desire to help out a true friend that is in need. In my reply to Chief Ikechi, I told him: “Chief Ikechi, my Oga! I am sad that I am not even doing much to free this innocent man’s name from the mud being poured on him on daily basis by those he once risked his life to set up in higher places. To me, to describe Amaechi as a brother and friend, is to down-play whatever that it is that holds us together, as it is only God that knows the bond between us. And God actually is the force behind all that I do in his case. I pray every day for a new insight to prove to him that not all those he once helped are betrayers.”
To Hon Ken a notable politician from Omuma Local Govt Area of Rivers State, “Chief Eze, thanks and thanks for all that you are doing on our behalf, you are too much, carry go nothing do you. Great progressive, Great! Always up to date. Remain steadfast; God will continue to bless you. Amen while to Mr Samuel Ekpe a friend and brother from Akwa Ibom State, “Chief more oil to your elbows. You’re too much. Have no other words to qualify your publication!!!! More Grace !!!!”
The reaction that made me to cry was the text from Pastor John Soberekon a respected man of God from Rivers State and according to him, “Chief, Man can not reward all the efforts you are putting into the course you believe in. Only God can repay you and I am sure that He will. He that said that “the labourer is worthy of his wages” cannot do otherwise. Keep doing it Sir, we support and pray for you”. Pst John.
I don’t know what else to say but to appeal to all those who are chanced to read this treatise to assist me to ensure that the feats of Amaechi are not destroyed because of politics.
Amaechi: The Man Ahead Of His Time and His Audacity (1)
Before, I go further; let me highlight some of the key areas I postulated in the first part of this attempt to enable new readers of this to have a true grip of the issues at hand.
I stated that what led to my embarking upon this study and expository was the gathering of the political associates of Amaechi under the auspices of the Conscious Reformers Assembly (CRA), in collaboration with some other associations in Port Harcourt on June 17, 2017 to honour Amaechi on his 52nd birthday lecture/symposium, entitled Amaechi: The Man Ahead of His Times. But, not minding the efforts of both the organisers, the great views postulated by the guest speakers, their views and positions were neither properly and widely published as expected of such a great event, and as one of the authorities on Rivers State politics, particularly with biasness on the issue of who Amaechi truly is, I have to attempt to unmask and present to the world the issues that actually make Amaechi ‘a man ahead of his time’ in the proper perspective, which warranted this treatise. This attempt also was to correct the erroneous impression being put across, mostly by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains, with Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, as the major culprit; that Amaechi’s eight years as governor of Rivers State was totally a waste.
In the first part of the treatise, I stated that the names of this man who rose from obscurity and state-imposed persecutions to limelight played significant roles in shaping his political fortunes. I stated that Chibuike, which means ‘God is all Powerful’ and Rotimi, an abridged version of Oluwadurotimi, meaning ‘the Lord stands by me’, while Amaechi means ‘who knows tomorrow?
In the first section, I presented the following areas that made Amaechi to be the man ahead of his time –
His celebrated Supreme Court ruling
Explaining this great feat better, my good friend, Ken O. Olumati, a legal counsel based in Port Harcourt, in an article he titled, ‘Amaechi’s Debt to the Law’ captured what Amaechi has done to improve the judiciary in Nigeria. He stated: “It is noteworthy that the various decisions of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal in Governor Amaechi’s case were reported in Parts 1040 and 1065 of the Nigeria Weekly Law Reports. In Part 1065 alone contains six decisions on Amaechi’s case; three by the Supreme Court and three by the Court of Appeal. This, in itself, underscores the significance of Amaechi’s battles through the courts. Few cases have enjoyed similar attention in the annals of Nigeria’s legal institution. Some of them include the case between Amodu Tijani V Secretary, Southern Nigeria, and the late Oba Oyekan’s legal battle for the Obaship of Lagos in the 1950’s, which went as far as Her Majesty’s Privy Council, before a clear winner was installed. In recent memory, the case of the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi against the Nigeria Bar Association, as well as his numerous court battles against the military government of former (military) president, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida.”
Greater Port Harcourt City
Amaechi’s creation of the Port Harcourt Mega City, to decongest the city and building of one of the best modern stadiums and other edifices only obtainable in modern cities of Europe, placed him truly as a man ahead of his time. Amaechi’s Greater Port Harcourt was to spread to eight local government areas, including Port Harcourt, Okrika, Obio-Akpor, Ikwerre, Oyigbo, Ogu-Bolo, Etche and Eleme with total population estimated at 2,000,000 as at 2009, making it one of the largest metropolitan areas in Nigeria.
Port Harcourt as UNESCO World Book Capital 2014
Port Harcourt - the capital of Rivers State of Nigeria, under the watch of Amaechi - was declared World Book Capital City 2014. UNESCO moved by the revolutionary feats of Amaechi in the education sector, crowned Port Harcourt the 2014 World Book Capital City in April 2014, beating 10 other great cities that include Oxford in England and Moscow in Russia. For this to be achieved against all odds and challenges simply demonstrates that Amaechi was a visionary and focused leader who has received accolades in this regard by world leaders.
For full details on the Part A of this treatise, read any of these media links - http://nigeriamasterweb.com/Masterweb/breakingnews-15717-amaechi-man-ahead-his-time-and-his-audacity or https://newsdiaryonline.com/amaechi-man-ahead-time-audacity-1/
Amaechi: The Man Ahead of His Time and His Audacity (2)
After due clearance from the Holy Spirit who authors most of my write-ups, it gives me a lot of joy to present before you my friends, brothers, sisters and associates, the second segment of this treatise: Amaechi: The Man Ahead Of His Time And His Audacity (2).
At this juncture, it becomes imperative to highlight some of the other sections that placed this great revolutionist as a man ahead of his time.
- Unseating a sitting President, a feat that positions Amaechi as a unique leader in Nigeria
Late Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia’s famous words: “Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted, the indifference of those who should have known better, the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most that has made it possible for evil to triumph.” It is in fear of this truism that made Amaechi to defer the norms and even the security of his life when he decided to lead the removal of a sitting President who has all the powers to do and undo so far the politics of Nigeria is concern.
When on 9th September, 2013 my appointment as the National Publicity Secretary of the New PDP was announced to Nigerians the only brief I received was the 30 minutes encounter I had with this enigma they call Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. During that encounter he kept repeating that whenever General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.) accept to fly the flag of the emergent mega opposition political party in the country, the unseating of President Goodluck Jonathan and PDP would become a reality. I was deeply impressed by his strong belief in General Buhari. It was based on this that I went boldly into the field and with the cooperation of the G7 Governors and other leaders of the New PDP then, we were able to dismantle what was the famous and largest political party in Africa.
At the time five out of the seven Governors joined APC formally and during the APC Convention, Amaechi and with the help of others, General Buhari was duly elected as the flag bearer of APC. In appreciation of his key role in making Buhari the Presidential Candidate, he was duly appointed to head the Campaign of Buhari and his feat in ensuring that Buhari was duly elected as the President of Nigeria will forever resonate in the country’s history.
Many people may not appreciate the risk; this enigma of a man took in salvaging Nigeria from the hands of looters whose intention was to loot the common patrimony of our nation with impunity. With the high level of corruption exposed by most of the key actors in Jonathan’s administration, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi need to be celebrated almost on daily basis as a man that truly is ahead of his time.
The Unique Solution to the Sewage Challenge in Port Harcourt By Amaechi
According to Dr. Ogu Emejuru, Amaechi’s SA on Environmental Health during Amaechi’s tenure as Rivers State Governor in a text to me appropriately captured how Amaechi handled the sewage challenge in Rivers State in these words, “Chief Eze, in your efforts to educate the world on some of the feats of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi erstwhile Governor of Rivers State and incumbent Minister of Transportation, I have to remind you NEVER to forget the 1.3 billion Naira Sewage and Biogas plant that was built in Eagle Island. The plant one of its kind in the country and produced fertilizer and biogas used to power the premises. We processed more than 40 trucks of sewage daily. In fact we worked very closely with the Port Harcourt sewage association they clamored for more plants to be situated in other parts of the State. This plant was commissioned with fanfare amongst the Eagle Island community by the great late G. U. Ake just before the election in the presence of the former Commissioner of Water Resources who was very instrumental in founding the Port Harcourt Water Corporation. Amaechi had a vision for a clean environment and part of that vision was trusting me and asking me to establish that plant. In fact the World Bank made several visits to the plant and actually is using it as a template for further work in the state to establish more plants. The plant is now an important asset of the Port Harcourt Water Corporation in Rumuola. As with all things in our politics, I get reports that the plant has almost broken down completely to the disappointment of World Bank officials who visited there weeks ago. Amaechi was an ENVIRONMENTALIST and as a paediatrician, I understand the importance of a clean environment in the health of our vulnerable children. We should not forget that part of Governor Amaechi’s legacy”. If this doesn’t demonstrate a man ahead of his time then I do wonder what exactly we are talking about.
Educational Revolution in Rivers State under Amaechi
On assumption of office in 2007, the Amaechi-led government declared a state of emergency on the education sector and completely took over the payment of salaries of primary school and junior secondary school teachers, hitherto the statuary function of local governments, to ensure that education takes its rightful place in the scheme of things. This intervention cost the state government N800 million monthly, to pay salaries of primary school teachers. To further strengthen and ensure qualitative education in the state, ex-governor Amaechi signed into law five bills brought for his assent by the State House of Assembly. Among them are the Rivers State Universal Basic Education Amendment Bill 2012 and the Rivers State Senior Secondary Schools’ Board Bill 2012. The then governor was upbeat while signing into law these bills, including the one on social services levy recently passed by the Rivers State House of Assembly. The government targeted building 700 model primary schools with 350 completed – each with 20 classrooms costing about N116 million each and equipped with ICT facility, modern library, science laboratory, football field, basketball pitch, volleyball pitch and nursery playground. These model primary schools were built to the standard of the United Nations as obtainable in developed parts of the world.
Another giant step taken by the Amaechi administration in the educational development of Rivers State was the construction of new 20-classroom blocks’ model primary school, to commemorate the status of Port Harcourt as the current World Book Capital. Known as World Capital City Model Primary School, the edifice is located in Port Harcourt Township and was already furnished and operational with commencement of classes for the 2014/2015 school year. In addition to classrooms and teachers’ offices, the model school is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities like demonstration science laboratory, library, ICT, sick-bays and reception class. The former commissioner of education, Barr Alice Lawrence-Nemi stated that construction of the 20-classroom blocks was necessitated to address the issue of out-of-school children in the state. The state government embarked on this project to ensure that every child in the state has easy access to the free education policy of the Amaechi-led administration. The project is in line with the Education for All (EFA) and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) vision of providing access to all children of school age by the year 2015. Samples of the 20-classroom blocks are built in all the 23 local government areas of the state, which include demonstration science laboratories aimed at giving children the opportunity to visualise what they are being taught in class. The introduction of laboratories is in line with the new national curriculum, which allows children from four years and above to be exposed to science education early so as to better understand science courses in the future. The demonstration class is where the teacher demonstrates for the pupils what they are learning. It makes teaching and learning easier for the teacher and the pupils.
“Also Home Economics will be demonstrated in the Lab. The essence is to teach the pupils the basic ways of cooking, personal hygiene and general home-keeping. The schools are well equipped with books and e-books. The State Government is using the medium to promote reading culture among pupils and students. Every school has reading period and pupils are made to pick a book. Each pupil will summarise the book during book reviews at the end of the period.
Throwing more light on his feats in the educational sector of the State, Amaechi stated, “our educational system witnessed transformation in infrastructure and service delivery. Although constrained by the reduction of our revenue by more than half, our administration is proud of undeniable successes in our educational sector such as infrastructure revolution: Building and equipping over 311 world class primary schools and five model secondary schools; The retraining and recertification of teachers with the involvement of the British Council in Port Harcourt; Total elimination of strikes and disruptions by takeover of payment of salaries of primary school teachers amounting to about N2bn per month; Recruitment of 13,210 teachers; Establishment of the Quality Assurance Agency; Introduction of Free Education up to secondary school level; Abolition of all fees in schools; Annual oversees scholarships in strategic branches of knowledge; Establishment of skills acquisition institutions to draw attention to self-employment and entrepreneurship; and above all, the outsourcing of management of schools in the state.
The icing on the cake perhaps is the transformation of the UST from 79th to best state university in Nigeria and 12th over all best. There is also the establishment of a university of education.
As part of the Administration’s deliberate academic growth policy, we sent our children to schools overseas, while working on improving our facilities in the state. Back home, we sent others to rated secondary schools and universities. We are proud of our achievements in the education sector; and are equally proud of our children who proved that given conducive locale, they could compete with the world’s best and brightest. We have given over 3000 scholarships to our deserving children within and outside the country. Even with mounting pressure and competing interests made the education of our children a priority as indeed it should be. N800,000 ( Eight hundred million Naira) has been released to the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency in this light to enable it pay down some of its obligations to our scholars.
Abbey Writes Amaechi in Appreciation of the Scholarship that Made Him What He Is by Today
Dr. Samuel Jonah Abbey one of the beneficiaries of Amaechi’s policy on education wrote and I quote, “It is with a deep sense of gratitude and appreciation that I write to humbly say thank you for making me what I am today. The background story might be too long for you to read Sir, considering your busy schedule.
Sir, I had lots of aspirations as a child but the demise of my parents almost crumbled the skyline of my world. As an orphan, I completed my first degree in Civil engineering with upper class in 2010 at the University of Portharcourt.
My horizons were then broadened when I heard about your overseas scholarship scheme during your term as the executive governor of Rivers state. Sir, the transparency of your administration gave me the opportunity to be assessed and awarded the RSSDA scholarship on merit to pursue MSc Civil Engineering in the UK.
I successfully completed my MSc with Distinction in 2013 and today your Excellency Sir, I have completed my PhD in Civil Engineering, Coventry University, UK and now addressed as Dr. Samuel Jonah Abbey.
Sir, I just want to say thank you so much for giving my life a meaning. Thank you so much. My entire family are ever grateful to you. May God bless you richly and protect you. May God shield you on every step and remain your pillar. May he protect your entire family in Jesus name, Amen. I will keep praying for you. God bless you my hero.”
Sadly, Governor Nyesom Wike the incumbent Governor of Rivers State not only stopped the scholarship scheme of the Amaechi’s administration, sacked the 13,250 Teachers employed by Amaechi and discarded all the great schools built by the Amaechi’s administration. He has so destroyed education in Rivers State that he has embarked upon vendetta against all the owners of private schools in Rivers State that over 1,500 private schools have been marked out for demolition in the State.
Conclusion
I never knew that writing on Amaechi as a man ahead of his time can be this tasking and assiduous. I have tried to x-ray this enigma in this regard on the areas of his feats as the first Nigerian to assume office as a State Governor in Nigeria while on self exile and the only Nigerian to have been a two time Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly and chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Houses of Assembly in Nigeria. Two-time Governor of Rivers State for eight years and two- time chairman, Governors’ Forum a feat not common in any country and yet these seem not to be enough in presenting him as a man ahead of his time.
I have tried in part one of this treatise to present how this man succeeded in making Port Harcourt the Book Festival and UNESCO World Book capital City for the year 2014, making her the 14th city in the world to be selected as World Book Capital and the first in Black Africa beating 10 other great cities that include Oxford in England and Moscow in Russia.
I have tried to assess the feats of this uncommon transformer as the only Nigerian leader to have initiated the setting up of one of the largest metropolitan areas in Nigeria when he embarked upon the construction of the Greater Port Harcourt City covering about eight local Government Areas of Rivers State; still it seems I have not started to write on what made this man to be a man ahead of his time. Having dealt with his feats in the areas of education revolution, the sewage challenge in Rivers State and how he plotted the unseating of a sitting and very powerful President in Africa, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan of PDP with all the powers of incumbency, NNPC, CBN, INEC, highly rated corrupt Political and Religious leaders with all the Security organs/apparatus in his pocket, yet people are still asking me if Amaechi truly is a man ahead of his time.
Yes, you may say that I have nothing else to write but wait for the part three of this treatise that will deal on how this man curbed insecurity in Rivers State and for a whole year in 2010 there was no single armed robbery incident in Rivers State, as a foresighted man, he imitated the Monorail magic in Nigeria, his feats in the Agricultural, health sectors, his prudent management of public finance and how he managed to survive the onslaught of Dr Jonathan, Dame Patience Jonathan, Joseph Mbu then Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Nyesom Wike and Federal Government agencies and you can then tell me if Amaechi is or not a man ahead of his time.
Eze Chukwuemeka Eze is a Media Consultant based in Port Harcourt and can be reached through: [email protected]
Fellow Nigerians, please, take note of the title of my column this week. I did not say Nigerians are dying. That is stale news, as well as an understatement. My focus is that the country called Nigeria is dying. I do not know what sort of security briefing President Muhammadu Buhari, regularly or periodically, receives from his obviously reticent and incompetent security team. I doubt it includes the fact that Nigeria is speeding towards a monumental collapse, unless a miracle, or something drastic is done to stop this supersonic drift towards perdition. It might even be that the President does not receive any or proper security details, either because he does not want to hear or worse still, he assumes all is well. Whichever way one contemplates these last two scenarios, it is a calamity indeed.
Believe me, I’m not writing as a wailing wailer, or as a Prophet of doom. I am not writing as a clairvoyant or a seer. I merely write as a realist. The symptoms of a failed nation are just too palpable to be missed or ignored by a reasonable people. I am not talking about a State which has failed because of social and economic policies that even the authors and protagonists cannot decipher or fathom. This nation is on the precipice because its leaders are playing Russian Roulette with the security of Africa’s biggest and most important country. It is all now a matter of guesswork, that the gun is loaded, but the way we are going it is looking like every chamber is now full and not just one. Whatever shot you fire is bound to be the killer shot. Our leaders clearly know this but are in such an inebriated state that they have become oblivious, impervious and immune to all the danger signals.
I know power makes people blind. It intoxicates, addles the mind and takes full possession of the powerful, especially if they want to play God. This is why I’m shocked that some Nigerians are already daydreaming about becoming President in 2023, when they have no guarantee that Nigeria will still be alive by then. Or maybe I should not be surprised because what better can one expect from this bungling class of crass elements. The usual leading contenders, as typical of this confounding breed of persons, are pretending that all is well, although they know much better having been the contributors to, and cause, of the problem. They must not be seen to be criticizing the rudderless, directionless and visionless government of President Buhari lest they are marked down as enemies of the President. They know that elections are never held here, stricto sensu. What we have is a selection process with the hapless people being trundled out to deceive the unsuspecting international observers who can’t believe that what they are seeing is possible even in a Banana Republic. Simply put, elections are largely controlled from the very top, where the omnipotent President holds sway, and the outcome of the selection process is dictated by his whims and caprices.
If nobody has yet told the President, then he must hear this somehow. Our security situation is more than dire and grim. It is now catastrophic. Nigerians are now being killed, kidnapped and raped in places that used to know only peace. The orgy of banditry has since moved from the core North and middle belt to Yorubaland, previously considered a safe haven. The tales are unbelievably horrid and terrible. The situation in Ondo State is so critical that the Governor Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) has now cried out that the “Fulani bandits” must move out of his State within seven days. I salute him for having the courage to say it as it is, being a member of the same party as our most reluctant President who seems unabashedly unaware of the bloody forays and operations perpetrated by some of his kinsmen in far-flung territories and domains outside their traditional space. The Governor obviously cried out in utter exasperation, frustration and, perhaps, fear. I knew him as a die-hard Buharist. But only a bastard would sit arms akimbo and watch his mother or daughter being raped by some monsters and say or do nothing! That is the situation in which Arakunrin Akeredolu has more or less found himself. As with the President, he has discovered, albeit tragically, that family comes first. Nobody will watch over yours, when theirs is also threatened by the same fate. As the Yorubas will say, “a ki so ori olori, ki awodi gbe t’eni lo”!
Osun State has virtually become a major theatre of war involving series of killings and kidnappings. I don’t know if the Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, has been as vociferous as Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), but I am sure he is slowly being driven to come to the same conclusion. Akeredolu has nothing against the Fulani. There are many great and peaceful Fulani living in different parts of Nigeria. Some generations of Fulani people have fully integrated in those communities outside their sphere of influence without anyone raising eyebrows. But these bloodthirsty wanderers and vagrants, who are said to have meandered their ways from outside Nigeria, must be flushed out and ruthlessly dealt with regardless of whether the current President of Nigeria is their godfather, avuncular mentor, swami or whatever he represents to them.
The situation in Oyo State is just as scary. I have read the account from no less a personage than the highly respected and revered Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, another die-hard Buharist who now appears ready to part ways with Buhari if necessary. I have had the opportunity of sitting with Iku Baba Yeye, as we fondly call him, and I know how disappointed this esteemed traditional ruler is that the Federal Government has refused to act speedily and decisively on the matter of the gross insecurity ravaging and destroying the country. I was not surprised to receive his lengthy letter to the President days ago which I hope Buhari found time to read, or someone found the opportunity to read to him. I won’t bother to talk about very reserved and highly respectable and regarded Northern Leaders led by the spiritual monarch, The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, a cosmopolitan and cerebral leader I have come to love and adulate so much for his simplicity and forthrightness. Virtually every part of the nation is haemorrhaging to death while the Federal Government is watching helplessly and hopelessly!
The Alaafin has done well by properly documenting some of the dastardly acts of these merciless bandits and his public missive to our President, Muhammadu Buhari excerpts of which are worth repeating on these pages because the letter is one for posterity whatever fate befalls the entity presently known as Nigeria and whichever way the country goes in the end:
“In recent times however, I am worried about the security situation in the country, especially in the South West geo-political zone, nay the entire Yoruba-speaking area of the country including KWARA, Kogi, and Edo States.
“This has to do with the incessant and increasing menace of Fulani herdsmen that have laid siege in almost all the highways of Yorubaland. Whether in Owo, AKURE, Ilesanmi/Ife-Ibadan Road or Ibarapa zone and Ijebu area of Ogun State, the story is the same.
“I have held series of consultations with opinion moulders and eminent Yoruba leaders across board about the menace of these cattle herdsmen with such assault like raping of our women and on some occasions in the presence of their husbands. That is apart from massive destruction of our agricultural lands; which ultimately points to imminent starvation…
“After due consultations with Yoruba leaders… we are worried by the audacity of these lawless people in effecting their illegal acts in broad daylight on our usually bushy highways without any arm of security being able to do anything…
“Now, we cannot even talk of parading suspects, when in actual sense, no major arrests have been made in this part of the country. Without arrests we cannot talk of their facing of the law.
“Unfortunately, and painfully indeed, in the face of the apparent helplessness of our security agencies, where do we go from here?”
It is at the wake of this manifest frustration of our people that our people have found it unavoidable, even though reluctantly to resort to alternative measures to safeguard their lives and property… Today, it is not merely infraction in the course of doing business, but blatant and criminal violation of the constitutional right to life and liberty of innocent citizens of Yoruba land. A few publicly known instances will suffice.
Certain individuals were kidnapped along Erio-Aromoko Road, Ekiti State. They were tortured and exposed to danger in the forest for upward of two weeks.
These victims included the Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ikole Branch, Adeola Adebayo, whose decomposing body was eventually found after a ransom price of four million Naira had been paid.
Two officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps, both Yoruba, were picked up along Ilesa-Akure highway. In the process of this kidnap, an unnamed individual died.
Musibau Adetumbi, a legal practitioner based in Ibadan, was going to attend an Appeal Court session in Akure when he was kidnapped along Ilesa-Akure highway. Professor Adegbehingbe, a surgeon at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife was abducted along Ibadan-Ile-Ife highway. Dr. Muslim Omoleke, the Administrative Secretary of the National Electoral Commission was kidnapped around Ilesa, Osun State.
Mr Ayo Oladele, an employee of Guinness Nigeria, and an Old Student of Christ School, Ado-Ekiti, was abducted and taken away and lately, Dayo Adewole, son of a member of your 2015-2019 executive council and Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole was kidnapped on his farm at Iroko, a village along Ibadan-Oyo Road…
As ugly as the picture above seems to be, the people of Yoruba land have remained generally peaceful and have resisted concerted efforts to push them into civil disobedience or adopting self-help mechanisms to protect themselves…
I am therefore writing to you, as a concerned stakeholder in your administration, to alert you and demonstrate to you, the urgency of the need to quickly respond to these and other issues concerning Yoruba land….
There is a general impression among opposition group that you are not known to take decisive and proactive steps in many matters of national interest and that you are not usually too disturbed about the gale of insecurity in Yoruba land…
As no major arrest of Fulani pseudo herdsmen has been made till date in Yoruba land, suspects cannot be paraded, let alone arraigned…
I am aware that members of the Odua People’s Congress scattered all over the world are already being mobilized to stand in the defence of their land and are ready, willing and able to raise an army of volunteers as was done in 1968 by the Agbekoya…”
These are pearly words of wisdom and advice from a monarch who is practically deified in Yoruba land. The President has been stridently admonished and strongly advised in forceful, resounding and vibrating language which is reverberating all over the polity. Effectively, Alaafin Adeyemi is saying that enough is enough and that things will get pretty unpleasant and nasty, pretty soon, unless the President wakes up from his deep, almost comatose, slumber and does the needful by a wholesale revamp and reshaping of our security architecture and thereby protect his fellow Nigerian citizens. The President swore to uphold our Constitution, it is about time that he started upholding that oath by acting like a patriotic Nigerian and safeguarding all his people and preserving their property.
On a similar note, I have been watching the videos of a militant Yoruba man, named Sunday Igboho, from Oyo State and what I see is raw determination to unleash mayhem, if need be, to protect his kinsmen from the brigands and mosstroopers trampling on them and their rights. The views Igboho expresses are symptomatic and reflective of the views of most of Yoruba land. He is the latest Yoruba hero for his fearlessness.
I hope and pray that President Buhari would appreciate this authentic security briefing from The Alaafin, one of Africa’s most important custodians of tradition and culture and resist the temptation of sending his trigger-happy military against the people of Oyo State. They are obviously ready for a full-scale showdown and battle in order to redeem their manhood against the rampaging kidnappers, rapists, raiders and corsairs. I foresee a civil war and bloodbath if action is not taken soon.
May this cup pass over us…
Chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and erstwhile National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) Chief Eze Chumwuemeka, has expressed discomfort at the continued lamentations of the People’s Democratic Party over the recent movement of Gov. Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State from the badly perforated umbrella that has lost the strength and capacity to maintain its relevance and shield members from the rains, to the progressives family.
In a statement made available to media houses, the party Chief restated that it remains within the exclusive preserve of every member of a political party to pitch tent with another political association where his genuine grievances, especially those affecting public interests are not properly addressed, noting that the unnecessary blabbing of the opposition party on the issue is a gross display of deliberate iconoclasm.
Excerpts from the statement read “I have watched with utter disbelief and nostalgia the naked and macabre dance by some PDP bigwigs since Engr. Dave Nwaze Umahi, the Executive Governor of Ebonyi State and South East Chairman of Governors Forum decided to join forces with the ruling party at the centre, the All Progressives Congress, (APC) in order to give political direction to Ndi Igbo”.
“By his defection to the APC, Governor Umahi, has proven that he is politically ahead of his peers and especially, considering his developmental strides in turning Ebonyi State, a once neglected and underdeveloped State in Nigeria into the most developed State in the country”
The APC chieftain averred that the infrastructural revolution ignited by his administration in Ebonyi state is a very critical tool and determinant factor in governance and justifies his defection from the crippling and sinking People Democratic Party to the progressives family. He said Umahi’s movement has suddenly ignited the daily babbling of misguided leaders of the PDP who have now resorted to acts of ill will in a bid to distract the performing Governor from his determination to make the difference in governance.
Chief Eze said Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State kick-started the attacks on the erstwhile exceptional leader of PDP in the South East for defecting to APC and after shouting himself hoarse, the embattled and soon to be sacked National Chairman of PDP, Chief Uche Secondus followed suit with the wrong perception that calling Governor Umahi unprintable names will will win him favour to sustain his office.
Furthermore, Kola Ologbondiyan, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP in the ensuing efforts to disparage Umahi launched a similar attack, although he got lost on what to say.
The party stalwart said every true progressive and Nigerian patriot will derive pleasure to learn what vacuum the defection of Governor Umahi has created in the opposition PDP, stressing that with the excruciating pain suffered by the PDP following his exit, the battered umbrella political organization seems to have lost relevance and direction.
The latest and most laughable of all the lamentations is the one that came from one funny but irrelevant fellow who claims to be the Publicity Secretary of the collapsed PDP in Ebonyi State, Mr. Silas Onu, who in an effort to justify the monthly peanuts he gets, attempted to disparage the image of Governor Umahi, but only succeeded in making a fool out of himself.
In his futile effort, he stated that the PDP is threatening to write US, UK governments alleging that Umahi is plotting to kill some of the PDP bigwigs in the State.
Addressing a press conference on Abuja the Publicity Secretary of the chapter, Silas Onu, raised alarm that the present holiday season may be the bloodiest in the state’s history in view of the stockpiling of arms in the state.
“The British High Commission, Canadian High Commissioner and the Ambassador of the United States of America are called upon to take a special interest in Ebonyi State as the government have continually resorted to uncivilized methods for political engagements.
“Our petitions will be sent to all High Commissions and Embassies to draw attention towards this inhumane leadership style that cares less about human lives.
While also noting that the lives of the opponents of the governor are being threatened, he said the arms stockpile discovered in Abakaliki market should be properly investigated, noting: “The location of the interception is not a coincidence as no other authority have access into that market apart from the State government.
Taking the laughable lamentation of the PDP higher, the Acting National Vice Chairman of PDP, South-east Zone, Chief Ali Odefa alleged that it has uncovered plans by the State Government to assassinate members of the party that will include the former President of the Senate, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, former Governor of the State, Senator Sam Egwu, Senator Obinna Ogba amongst others
Eze condemned Mr. Fred Udogu, PDP Ebonyi Chairman for all the futile efforts to portray the Governor in bad light few who days ago petitioned the new Commissioner of Police, Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies in the state just because he is asked to return the vehicle given to him by the State Government as a onetime functionary of the State Government is uncalled for.
Clearing the issue of the assumed threat on the life of the PDP State Chairman, Chief Emegha the commissioner for internal security stated that the vehicle which Mr. Udeogu is asked to return was allotted to him as the chairman of the capital territory Board. Now when he is relieved from his duties, did he supposed to go with the official vehicle meant for the commission?”
Eze asked does this issue amounts to threat to life and call for the unwarranted noise been peddled about by this mischievous fellow aimed at tarnishing the image of a God fearing Governor, Eze queried. He pleaded that, “we should try to play politics with morality and fear of God if we are to be taken serious as leaders”.
Eze described all of the allegations as destitute of reality, merely intended to distract the efforts of the Governor to provide leadership to the people of his State as Governor Umahi had no intention of harming any son or daughter of Ebonyi and as God will have it Ebonyi stands as the safest State during the yuletide period in the entire country.
He called on the leaders of the PDP to go back to the drawing board and review the architectural design of the party to spot the defects and find ways of fixing and repositioning the dwindling fortunes of the party and desist from politics of smear campaign and spurious allegations, stressing that such carriages will yield them no results.
If they think that the only solution to their litany of problems is to continue to raise unsubstantiated allegations against an Apostle of God who detests campaign of calumny and all forms of actions that contradict acceptable standard of human behavior, then their efforts must be exercises in futility.
While sympathizing with the PDP and its leadership for losing such a great asset and high ranking political leader like Umahi, Eze admonished the party to come to terms and accept the reality of the fact that the departure of Umahi from the PDP signifies an imminent collapse of the party in the South East.
Chief Eze said the PDP has failed abysmally in providing answers to the genuine concerns that prompted Umahi’s exit from the party which among others include the total neglect of the South East during her sixteen years of misrule in Nigeria, stressing that the administration of President Buhari has achieved so much not just for Ebonyi State but the entire South East region including the Second Niger Bridge, the Enugu International Airport, Onitsha to Enugu, Port Harcourt to Enugu and several other federal projects littered across the region.
Eze applauded Umahi for his bold step which has earned him the Poster Boy of the politics of South East and one of the revelations of the current political dispensation.
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