Lamentations for CLO

Recent events in the Civil Liberties Organization (CLO), Nigeria’s foremost human rights body, are, to say the least, shameful. (Photo shows Ayo Obe, one time President of CLO)

Otherwise, how can any sane person justify a situation whereby an insignificant number of Board members, led by Chairman of South West Zone, Igho Ighariwe, throw provisions of CLO’s constitution overboard only to resort to violence and anarchy?

Why should this band of lawless Igho-led board members, in order to, by hook or crook means, reinstate Lanre Nosaze, one time Acting Executive Director, back to office, act in such a barbaric manner as to procure a police siege of CLO headquarters in Lagos in the course of which the incumbent Acting ED, Ibuchukwu Ezike, was rough-handled and dehumanized? And, since when did CLO, as a rights group, start deploying police and thugs towards resolving conflicts in its fold?

Let me recall that the immediate cause of the current crisis began with the unconstitutional suspension of the President, Titus Mann, by some members of the Board. Titus Mann was neither given fair hearing to react to the seeming trumped-up charges against him, nor was he present at the meeting of his purported suspension. More heart-rending is the fact that President Mann had intimated the board that he was seriously sick, and could not attend the meeting, yet the Igho-led ‘brigands’ insisted on sending him to the hangman’s noose irrespective of calls for caution from the likes of me.

To demonstrate its love for lawlessness, this group, having tried in vain in coaxing Uche Wisdom Durueke, Vice President, to preside over the removal of his President, forced him to step aside to enable them take their long awaited pound of flesh on the President.

Thus with Durueke out of the way, Igho unconstitutionally assumed the position of Acting President of CLO, and went ahead to preside over the meeting in the process of which they, of course, achieved their set unconstitutional objects.

And in a subsequent illegal meeting, Igho-led group purportedly directed Ezike, incumbent Acting ED, to revert to his earlier position while pronouncing the reinstatement of Lanre Nosaze as ED.

They did not stop at this. They went ahead to forcefully take over the CLO secretariat in Lagos, unleashing the Nigeria police on both Ezike and the staff.

Perhaps, Igho and his group have short memories. During the last CLO Convention in Jigawa state, it was the same group that protested the presence of policemen deployed to ensure that the event was peaceful. But now that they want to usurp positions in the organization, they are harassing CLO membership across the country with their police connections.

It is to my knowledge that the South West Zone held a meeting wherein they removed Igho as their Chairman. Although as a stickler to due process and compliance with constitutional provisions, I think it is the National Convention that will ratify his removal. But common sense dictates that Igho, living in glass houses, should stop throwing stones. That is, he should avoid further unconstitutional activities in the face of this Vote of No Confidence by his own zone.

I keep on wondering why a Zonal Chairman will suddenly start addressing himself as Acting President while the Vice President of the organization is still alive and in office. It is certain that Igho is aware that CLO constitution prescribes that the Vice President should take over in the absence of the President.

Put differently, assuming the so-called suspension of the President, Mann, pending outcome of investigations of the issues in contention holds sway, what constitutional provision authorizes Igho to usurp the functions of the Vice President?

Another conundrum: CLO constitution has procedures for appointment of ED, and those procedures had always been methodically followed. It is yet uncertain the criteria that led to the hurried reinstatement of Nosaze as ED by Igho-led board.

I am sure that Igho and his fellow ‘coupists’ vividly recall that Nosaze’s petition is still pending before the National Convention, the highest decision making organ of CLO. The petition was, as a matter of fact, not deliberated upon during the Jigawa convention because the matter was still in court. What this means is that Nosaze’s petition would become ripe for determination as soon as the case is dispensed with in court.

To the best of my knowledge, Nosaze’s suit challenging his dismissal as ED was thrown out by the court, and he neither appealed against the court’s ruling nor filed a fresh suit against the board’s action. Therefore, since the convention holds soon, why couldn’t Igho and his ‘musketeers’ exercise just a little patience for the Convention to take a decision on the matter?

The only plausible explanation is that Igho and his clique have their sponsor/s that has/have vowed to pull down CLO. I do not know what anyone or group would gain by using some warped-minded board members to destroy CLO, but I am hereby warning Igho, incidentally my professional colleague and friend, and his ‘bed fellows’ to be careful the way they are going about their avowed mission to destroy. They should better know that their rights end where other people’s begin.

It is not as if we (the rest of the Board members) cannot be lawless like them (or even more), but some of us realize the need for CLO to exist. Is it not unfortunate that even those who, without CLO, would not have gotten jobs elsewhere are part of this move to kill the organization? I wonder where such people will now work when they succeed in their infamous mission.

Let me, at this juncture, register my disappointment with Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), who, at the expense of both his life and personal comfort, set up CLO to fight the military junta that pocketed the Nigerian nation and her people in the 1980s. Agbakoba’s CLO, largely, led to the ouster of the military from governance, as well as subsequent enthronement of civil rule under which we can now relatively operate freely.
Agbakoba has, despite several promptings, continued to look the other way while his brain child (CLO) continues to boil. Is Agbakoba waiting for CLO to die before he intervenes to rescue the situation?

It is my candid opinion that Agbakoba is what he is today because of his exploits as CLO’s founder and first President. So, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) should stop pretending that what happens in CLO is none of his business. It is!

Lest Agbakoba does not know what to do in the circumstance, I join others to advise him to immediately convene a meeting of CLO stake-holders and seek ways of pouring oil in this troubled water. Let me assure this senior citizen, Agbakoba (my brother), that if he waits a little longer before stepping into this brouhaha, then, it will, sooner than later, be nun-Dimities to CLO, the progenitor of human rights organization, at least, in the West African sub-region. I rest my case!

Scripted by: Uba Aham
(Chairman, Southeast Zone & Member, CLO Board of Governors)

The Etiabas are ‘Thieves’, ‘Hypocrites’

Senior Special Assistant to Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State on Media and Publicity, like other political appointees of Governor Peter Obi, until he resigned, served briefly under Dame Virgy Etiaba when the Governor was unconstitutionally impeached. He was re-appointed into the same post by Governor Peter Obi when he came back from his unconstitutional impeachment. In this interview, he profusely speaks on the Government of Mr. Peter Obi, why he resigned under Etiaba and other issues. (Photos show left Obienyem, down left, Dame Virgy Etiaba, Deputy Governor; down right Emeka Etiaba, Etiaba's son) Excerpts:

May we meet you Sir?

Well, what do I say other than that my name is Valentine Obienyem, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Peter Obi on Media and Publicity.

How has it been working under Governor Peter Obi?

I have been lucky when it comes to working under people. I was the Personal Assistant to Dr. Okey Ikechukwu, a first rate brain. Under him, I cut my journalistic teeth. He is so intelligent that even if a moron were to work under him, he must at least manage to absorb some intelligence by osmosis.

I have worked under Mallam Abubakar Jijiwa, the current Direct General of Voice of Nigeria, the man who actually loaned me to the Governor. Again, a man of high intelligence and one of the most humane and understanding of men I have ever met.

I must say that working under these two great Nigerians prepared me adequately to work under Governor Peter Obi in every way.

And you ask me, what it has been working with the Governor. I can shout it from the rooftops that with him, I am like a student, while he is like a towering university. I am learning everyday under him. I cherish his subtle pertinacity, stubbornness when it comes to principles, prudence in the management of resources. I have been able to learn to see realities from higher perspective from him. All in all, I can say that working under him – the travels, the opportunity to meet people of all shades and his insistence that one must do the right things at the right time will ensure that I will remain indebted to him.

People complain that he is frugal and tight-fisted. How do you cope with him considering these attributes?

This question is like describing a man who blocked a moving vehicle and got crushed as brave, when he only demonstrated his bravado, foolhardiness. Our people should learn to differentiate between words. Peter Obi I know and work for is not tight-fisted or frugal, he is simply prudent. People should not mistake prudence or parsimony for being wasteful. Let me give you an example. Mr A and B both have One million Naira, Mr A used his to buy drinks for his friends and froliced from town to town, while Mr B invested his and is reaping from the investment. It is wrong to say that Mr B is frugal, because he used the money wisely. Those past Governors of the State that shared money could not provide the type of infrastructure the Governor is providing today. He is developing all sectors and is even turning the State into an Eldorado. Eldorado in no metaphorical terms.

But some people say he is not doing anything?

Who are those people?

The opposition.

I am glad you said the opposition. What are their grouses? They are simply wailing on the ground because the Governor has stubbornly insisted that he would not share the State’s money to them. Not that the Governor does not empower people, he does, only that he says you must add value to the State and get paid for that. What our people want is to be given money when they have not done anything. If you look around, all those crying that he has not done this or that are all those that feel he stopped their honeymoon with the money belonging to the State, including those that their honey moon lasted for three months.

While they shout he has not done anything, the reality on ground shows that he has done more than what the previous Governors of the State did added together. Some people get annoyed when we say this, but that is the truth and I am infinitely ready to challenge any person who says the contrary in any manner, especially through debate.

Could you tell us some of those things?

These things are so clear that one can reel them off the tips of one’s tongue. There is no area or sector that the Governor is not exceptional. If I want to be frank with you, I may tell you that we are doing a lot to improve on sanitation and security. But don’t forget that we are discussing a State where the Governor has has cleared refuse that accumulated for over 10 years in some parts of the State. Even with the present state of sanitation, it is an improvement on what it used to be and it will continue to improve.

In the area of Institution of Government, in three years he has completed a magnificent secretariat. He is doing the second phase. He has built a new governor’s lodge at Onitsha and has provided official vehicles to many categories of workers in the State.

Though the State is having the effect of the influx of militants from the Niger Delta, Governor Obi administration is relatively the number one in terms of support to the police in the country today. When other States of same income were donating twenty petrol vehicles to their State’s police commands, he has donated about hundred, not just to the police, but to other security agencies in the State – the army, the civil defense, road safety etc.

Just last week, the State took delivery of two Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC).

Why is security situation still bad in the State?

It is not as bad as it is painted. There is nothing that happens in Anambra that do not happen in other part of Eastern Nigeria and many times magnified in the Niger Delta. Our problem is that we have a deadly opposition without conscience. Now they cannot puncture the Governor in terms of delivery in any area, they now resort to raising claims over security and are attempting to impugn on his integrity as they try doing with the 250 Million Naira saga.

I can go on and on and tell you what the man is doing. In the area of Health, he has done excellently. You need to visit the Amaku General Hospital and see the eight buildings he erected in the Hospital preparatory to turning it into a teaching hospital. You need to visit Umueri hospital he built from the scratch, the Umunze Cottage Hospital. As I speak, he is renovating 15 selected hospitals from across the State, some of which are Ossamalla, Enugu-Ukwu, Okija, Umuchu and so on.

Talking about health sector, let us always bear in mind that when he became Governor, no health institution in the State was accredited, today Onitsha General Hospital, School of Health Technology, Obosi; School of Nursing and midwifery and more are all accredited after massive provision of infrastructure. I will give you an example, at school of Nursing and Midwifery, he built a Demonstration Block, Hostel blocks, classroom blocks, a giant auditorium. At the School of Health Technology, he provided, among others, classroom blocks, hostels, a clinic and a giant 200-bed hostel. Besides all these, the State is awaiting delivery of ten 40-ft containers loaded with all manner of hospital equipment to be shared to hospitals. Not done, he offers support to missionary health institutions in the State to serve the people of the State better. Recently, he gave them 20 Million Naira each.

Another area we must congratulate the Governor is on education. If you visit our State University and other higher institutions, you would not believe it is possible to provide the type of infrastructure he has provided in them in three years.

At the State University, one talks about the giant Faculty of Law, Mass Communication, Social Sciences, biological Sciences buildings, the library and the new classroom blocks.

In our secondary schools, don’t it sound incredible that he has been able to equip over 100 secondary schools in the State with laboratory equipment, computers, and other amenities.

What else? In roads Obi has done over 360kms of roads, not just roads, the roads were properly designed and masterfully executed to last. Even in Local Governments that past Governors avoided constructing roads because of their terrain, like Anambra West, he is building roads in them. He has disvirgined many virgin roads in the State, such as the road to Liru and the road to Amaokpala from Awgbu.

In the history of governance in Nigeria, Anambra State has become a State where Government was able to recoup over 70% of the money it invested on a project – Onitsha Business Park and ploughed it back into the building of another business park.

This is a State where the Governor is facing abandoned projects with the same seriousness as he pursues new projects. There is no project site you visit today in the State that work is not going on.

This is a State that started the ANIDS Transport Scheme with 90 vehicles, without a kobo from the State. Within three months of operations 20 more vehicles have been bought from the money realized from the 90.

The is Governor that is building the first library in the State named after Prof. Kenneth Dike, the last being the Onitsha Central Library built since 1966.

If you go to the Government lodge, you will see that 100 transformers are packed there ready to be distributed to communities with electricity problems.

One cannot exhaust what Governor Obi is doing, no page of the papers can adequately explain them, it is only through visiting these projects, “eye marking” them that these projects may be properly appreciated.

Permit us to take you back to those you said you worked under and ask why you did not mention Dame Virgy Etiaba

The three names I mentioned are not the only ones I worked under, there are others I would not want to mention, because they can give one psychic encumbrances.

Is Etiaba one of them?

Not just one of them, she is the first of those I hate to remember that I worked under, yes, I hate to remember that, but I also appreciate that the opportunity of working under her allowed me to observe the worst aspect of humanity. It was a disaster working under her but it has its own lessons.

May we share in some of those lessons?

I will rather be comfortably discussing the Governor’s projects than discuss a subject that makes one shed tears in remembering that such a character was once inflicted on the State.

We only want to share the lessons with you for our own edification

Working under Dame Virgy Etiaba is a lesson on how mischievous human beings can be. Working under her is a lesson on how wicked human being can be. Working under her is a lesson on how perfidious human being can be. Working under her is a lesson of what politics is without any tinge of morality. Working under her is a lesson on what some of those that govern States do with our money. Working under her is a lesson that sometimes those that are satanic call God’s name more than the righteous. Working under her is a lesson on what a State will be when governed by dunces that do not know their left from their right. Working under her is a lesson on the dangers of giving jobs that are above people’s mental capacities to execute them. Working under her showed me the true colour of betrayal. If you read the Story of Alexander the Great, you will shudder at the indignities he suffered for his love for power and working under Etiaba confirms that men can really do anything when they are desperate for power.

Are you saying that Madam Etiaba is a dunce?

That is for want of worse word to describe her. I worked as her Special Assistant; I know what I am saying. In fact, apart from expressing my solidarity and belief in Peter Obi, part of the reasons while I resigned under her was that I saw myself retarding rather than advancing. Just as one can acquire intelligence by osmosis from intelligent people, one can also acquire stupidity and idiocy from those with such unbearable qualities if you do not extricate yourself from them. There are however other reasons why I resigned from her.

Could you tell us those reasons?

When it became clear that they were part of those that impeached Governor Peter Obi as Chairman of APGA, Chief Victor Umeh authoritatively revealed, I had to resign. In fact, I started nursing resignation the moment she dismissed Barr. Peter Afuba, the then Attorney General of the State for filing in court, on behalf of the Government, what would aid the Governor to come back to office after his unconstitutional impeachment. It became clear they were fighting Governor Peter Obi.

Beyond the foregoing, her Government paid the legal bill of the lawyers the then House of Assembly hired to fight against Governor Obi’s coming back. Do you know that the Governor instituted many cases against the impeachment, and he needed many lawyers? One of the lawyers to handle one of the cases was paid double the amount the Governor agreed to pay him by the Government not to handle the case all in the bid to stop the Governor from coming back.

I remember one day I was in court to witness Obi’s case against impeachment. It had become unbearable to the Etiabas and some of those working under her, that one of them sent somebody to ask me if I were the only person sympathetic to Governor Obi. At that time, miscreants were actually funded to protest against Obi’s continued court case, begging him to allow Dame Virty Etiaba to continue.

In a bid to mount a robust hate campaign against Governor Obi, she gave appointment to all those that felt marginalized by Governor Obi.

The Government of the day felt so uncomfortable that Governor Obi remained in Anambra State after the impeachment that they wrote countless letters to the EFCC to hound him out of town. In the calculation of the Government of the day, if Obi were out of the country he would not follow his case diligently.

While the Governor was making efforts to come back, those close to the Government called me for a meeting. At that meeting, one of Etiaba’s sons was there. I was given Five Million Naira (N5m), which they said was for my family. They brought another Twenty Million Naira and said I should go to Lagos as Etiaba’s Assistant on Media and get the Media to mount serious campaign of calumny against the Governor. I told them I would not take the money home, that they should keep it till morning for security reasons. I knew they were planning to use me against the Governor, because at that time those that were enjoying the fruits of impeachment were ever ready to give to those still supporting Governor Obi anything to turn them against him. The next morning, I submitted my letter of resignation.

Before my resignation, they even sent emissaries to some of us counseling us that loyalty is 100%, that is to say that working for Etiaba that we should completely forget about Peter Obi. They also promised us 406 cars, but when they sensed that our heart and minds were still with Gov. Obi, they gave others excluding us. Beyond this, as I said before, working under Etiaba was affecting me adversely. I was simply working with a dunce.

Why are you so uncharitable to her?

It is only a person who does not follow what one of her children says about the governor that will say I am uncharitable to her.

How do you mean?

I do not know how to dissimulate things. Of course, you know that Etiaba was just the de jure Governor before the courts pronounced her an illegality that never existed. Her son, Emeka was the actual Governor. I remember on one occasion she had a meeting with the Director General of Nigerian Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru. They discussed about training opportunities for Anambra State. The DG requested that she should write to NIPPS on the matter. When the DG left, she called me to draft the letter; expectedly I asked her to give me the points, but she said she had forgotten what she discussed with the DG. She gave me the DG’s phone number to call him to brief me. Things like this did not happen once, it happened severally. This is why they now drafted one of her sons to always be by her side at all times. She does not have a mind of her own; she is being controlled by her children.

On another occasion, organizations that entered into strategic partnership to help the State visited the State and were thoroughly embarrassed by her. I give you an example, when the UN-Habitat people drawing the structure plan for Awka, Onitsha and Nnewi came, she said she did not know what structure plan was. That was why the project stopped until Obi came back. I told her she should be reading files of such projects before the people visited, but her reply was that Emeka who should be doing that for her was always busy. Indeed, he was very busy.

How busy?

The young man abandoned his legal profession and was living at the Governor’s Lodge, Amawbia. Ask anybody that had anything to do with the Government House at that time and the person will tell you how dull it was. It was only Dame Etiaba and her friends that were coming to the office to chat and drink. The real action was at the lodge, where Emeka ruled like an unchecked despot. He treated the files and Commissioners and other officials of the Government reported to him reverently. He did all the appointments. On many occasions, the mother did not even know those appointed. Her only duty was to read their names and direct whoever is responsible to sign their letters. Only what he did was to write a piece of paper and attach it to the files, which were sent to her mother to copy into the files proper and sign. This ritual soon became tedious for her that they had to hire somebody who learnt her writing, did the copying for her to sign.

You are painting the Etiaba Administration dark. Does it mean that there was nothing she did very well?

The only thing I can say that went on very well and smoothly was the exchange of Ghana-must-go bags. If you have conscience, you would not stay in the office for a day, because while Emeka treated files, received reverence from Commissioners at the lodge and parleyed with contractors, his mother was in the office receiving visitors and displaying her profound ignorance about everything, Ghana-must-go was always on the move. I think they did that one very well.


She dodged events in order not to display her ignorance. Those that she must attend, like the presentation of the 2007 Budget, she could not even understand the figures in the budget. As a sign of his mental capacity, she did not, throughout the time I worked for her, make any form of input in speeches written for her.


Does this exchange of Ghana-must-go account to about 40 billion said to be missing from the State treasury?

I have seen some people try to prove that whopping amount was not missing by calculating the State’s monthly income. They forget to tell us that Governor Obi recovered Billions of Anambra money from many sources. While the impeachment lasted, it was bazaar in Government House. I think that Politician who saw politics as “come and Chop” was describing Etiaba’s era without knowing that.

Again, to create the image of an action woman, she flagged off many roads without paying mobilization to the contractors. Her era marked the era when contractors without shovels were given multi billion Naira road contracts in the State. When Obi came back, he had hectic time trying to clear the mess that she created.

As the Governor, His Excellency Mr. Peter Obi evaluated claims of past contracts done and not paid for thoroughly, but as the Illegal Governor, she paid at will simply to make those people hate Governor Peter Obi and see him as uncharitable.

If you remember, that was the time the Source magazine had her on the cover page as Mama Christmas. She was just signing vouchers even when she did not know how much the State had. The then Accountant General, Mrs Obinwa at a point refused to release money, insisting that if she continued that way, that the State would soon go bankrupt.

Sir, but what you are saying is different from what the Etiabas want us to believe

What do they want us to believe?

They say that they cooperated with the Governor and voluntarily handed over to him after the judgement of the Court of Appeal.

All I can tell you is that men lie most when they govern States. 99 percent of their account of the impeachment, the squandering of the treasury are all lies. I have told you their efforts to frustrate His Excellency from coming back. Even when the Court of Appeal gave its judgment, they refused His Excellency from entering the premises of the Government House to take over. It was when Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu and Chief Victor Umeh came that the Governor gate crashed into the Government House, otherwise they would have left him and go for inspection, which was what she had put on her track suit to do, so that by the time she would come back, Abuja would have perfected plans to thwart the handover.

Even shortly before the handover, they got in touch with Abuja and told them that Ezeigbo Gburugburu, Chief Umeh and His Excellency had come with over 2,000 thugs trying to force her out of office. By the time the Police sent to stop the event could come, the handover had already been done.

How far does Etiaba work cordially with the Governor now?

You know the Governor, his patience is legendary. In the midst of this madness around him, he remains calm. It appeared that after the impeachment, the woman now sees herself as the Governor. With her children, they do not respect the Governor again. Today, EXCO meeting would still be on and the progress of that meeting reported on the net. Other Commissioners confirm that she continually send text messages while the meeting is on. She has gone to occasions where she was announced as representing the Governor only for her to say she was not representing anybody. At a point, some people suggested it was senility or something dangerously close to that.

Are you blaming her or her children for this turn of event?

All I can tell you is that she is enjoying every bit of it. Her impossible mission is to scatter the Government and that is why she is increasingly being unhappy with herself. If you do psychoanalysis of the action of some of her children, you will agree that in spite of material comfort, one of them is not happy with himself, he wounds himself in the name of being unhappy with the Governor. I do not know what the Governor did to merit this. One good analyst describes that person in question as psychopathic. I think the evils he did against the Gov. is pursuing him. Thank God the Governor is also rebuilding some psychiatric hospitals in the State should the madness go out of hand.

Would you react to some of the things Emeka Etiaba say against His Excellency?

I even read his interview where he was referring to me obliquely. My position remain the same, I cannot bandy words with him to avoid abuse, which is becoming his pastime. Look at what he says about the national Chairman of APGA, Chief Victor Umeh on the pages of the newspapers. The laughable thing is that he tells lies about people, but when you tell the truth about him, he will rush to court or threaten court action as if he is the only lawyer in Igbo land. I have thoroughly studied him and I think he is a good specimen for gauging the incipient signs of under 50 depression.

Will Governor Obi contest with Dame Virgy Etiaba again?

A deity that request sex from his male devotee is only planning to kill him for asking him what he has not got. Obi would rather retire from politics than do it with the likes of his Deputy again. Anybody suggesting that woman to him again is that Deity demanding sex from a male devotee.

Sir, finally how prepared is Obi for 2010?

When we reach the bridge, we shall cross it. But evaluating the strength of those that are say they are contesting, I think the Governr should go home and sleep. As we approach the election by each passing day, some of these people would have realized that elections are much more than shopping for endorsement or dropping of people’s names.

Lamentations for a Fallen Giant

“The history of liberty is a history of resistance” (Thomas Woodrow, 1812).

Freedom of any kind (political, economical, health and freedom from all kinds of oppression) is an expensive project. It does not come easy. There is always a price to pay for freedom. During the Second World War, the allies incurred a heavy cost to defeat Adolf Hitler’s third Reich. A country like Russia lost over 27 million people.

This is both the military and civilians. In a single attack ( Pearl Harbor ) American lost over 3684 solders. United Kingdom lost over 400,000 people. In total, the allied forces lost over 60 million people (both military and civilians). The financial cost of this war cannot be quantified. This was the price paid to free Europe and the rest of the world.

During the colonial era, Nigerian nationalist incurred a cost to achieve independence for Nigeria . Starting from Herbert Macauley, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Enahoro, Tafawa Belewa, Okotie Eboh, Aminu Kano, etc made both personal and financial sacrifices to liberate Nigeria from the British colonial rule. In South Africa, Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in jail in order for South Africans to be free from apartheid. So many South Africans died in the struggle against apartheid. In Zimbabwe, people like Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo had to wage guerrilla warfare before the British colonial masters were able to grant them independence.


During the military era in Nigeria , many people paid a costly price for speaking against military dictatorship. Gani Fawehinmi was arrested, detained, and sent to jail several times for criticism of military dictatorship. He was beaten several times by the government agents. His international passport was seized on many occasions.

Dele Giwa was killed through a letter bomb. Femi Falana was sent to jail for voicing against tyrannical rule. Olisa Agbakoba was interrogated several times by the police. Late Dr Beko Ransome Kuti, late Ken Saro Wiwa, Chief Frank Ovie Kokori, Chima Ubani, Mr Abdul Oroh, Tunji Abayomi, Sylvester Odion-Akhaine, Mallam Shehu Sani, Prof Wole Soyinka, Omoyele Sowore etc had at one time or the other paid a price for speaking out against military dictatorship in Nigeria.

During the struggle to actualize the victory of June 12 1993 presidential election, many Nigerians died in the riots that ensued. Kudirat Abiola was assassinated on June 4 1996, by the government agents. Abiola himself died in detention. The country was plunged into a political crisis, the magnitude of which was unprecedented. NADECO opposed the Abacha regime and other oppressive governments. They suffered loses both financial, material and brutal torture in some cases. G 34(group of 34 eminent Nigerians) added their voices for Abacha to hand over power to civilians. But the truth is that, without the prices paid by these heroes and heroines, Nigeria would have been worst than it is today. Therefore their efforts yielded positive results.

When Obasanjo was campaigning for both his first and second terms in office, many Nigerians donated money to his campaign machinery. Former governor of Abia State claimed publicly to have given Obasanjo $1 million dollars before the 1999 elections that brought Obasanjo back to power. Dangote also donated money to Obasanjo campaign organization. People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has organized fund raising events several times. Even though the use their money to subvert the will of the people. They use their money to rig elections. It’s also a price paid by some people but on a negative way.

The whole idea of this article is to highlight to patriotic Nigerians that there would more prices to pay to get Nigeria on the right track. I am also aware that so many Nigerians want change. Change is possible in Nigeria but we have to work hard to get that change. There is no democracy yet in Nigeria which means that, there is no political freedom as well. This makes it imperative for us to gear up and pay whatever price it requires to get us to the promise land. It also means that we should resist all forms of bad governance and speak out against such.

I will like to remind fellow Nigerians that no one will save our country except us. Quoting John Maxwell, “the only person that can stop you from becoming what God intends for your life is you”. There are a lot Nigerians can do to help our great country bounce back to the right track. The Nigerian people have got so much power individually. These our political oppressors do not want us to realize.

I wish to suggest few ways Nigerians can take their destinies by their hands. Please look for a genuine civil society group, or form your own group and the join the campaign clamoring for political changes. Form alliances with existing political groups/civil societies groups. Identify yourself or your group with honest Nigerians. Support credible Nigerians to acquire political power. Ask the civil society groups or any sincere political group to assign you role to undertake. Be an active participant.

Make token donations to these civil society groups. If our political oppressors can donate millions of naira to the PDP in order to capture power through undemocratic means. We the other ordinary Nigerians should be able to donate our token to the civil societies, NGO’s, political groups, etc to use in checking the political oppressors. Justice can be expensive to obtain especially within the Nigerian system.

No amount will be too small to donate to genuine political groups in order for them to continue the struggle to better Nigeria. When President Obama was campaigning for elections, his campaign organization accepted even $1 dollar donation from people. Some groups in Nigeria headed by Mrs. Ndi Okereke (DG Nigerian Stock Exchange) raised money for Obama campaign, but it was declined. In addition to this, about 30% of Obama campaign team was Nigerians. If Nigerians can do this for Obama, then they can do more for their motherland. Before the 1991 Gulf war, all the Palestinians working in Saudi Arabia had their taxes sent to the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) headquarters for their liberation struggle.


There will be no gain without a pain. There will be no political freedom without a political struggle. The Nigeria ’s political environment requires more positive sacrifices from us. There will be no full democratic governance in Nigeria without complete resistance to corrupt and inefficient system that we have in Nigeria. Our sacrifices will enhance the demand for our rights (good governance) and not to beg for them. We need to fight for our rights (democracy, good governance, etc) and not plead for them. May God bless Nigeria!


Scripted by: Chinedu Vincent Akuta

An activist and leader of “Support Option A4 Group” Leicester-UK

akutachinedu@yahoo.com

http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com/

Institute of Scandals

Students of Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu, on Friday 19, staged on a protest against interference in their election slated for that day. The students’ anger was that Professor Edwin Onyeneje’s management of the institution insisted on installing her preferred candidates as leaders of the Students’ Union as opposed to a free and fair election. (Photo shows Governor Sullivan Chime, Governor of Enugu state and Visitor to IMT)

But the interference charge is just one out of several scandals currently dogging Onyeneje’s management of the famous institute. IMT evolved from Anambra State University of Science and Technology (ASUTECH) following the carving out of Enugu from the old Anambra state in 1991.

At the moment, a policy on course allocation threatens to tear the institution to shreds. This policy, in the main, directs that lecturers be confined to teach courses they studied in their first degrees. What this policy, which the affected lecturers describe as ‘strange’, implies is that lecturers are assigned only courses that bear the same name with the ones written on their first degree certificates.

The affected lecturers, numbering about 30, complain that the policy has rendered them redundant, and has, as a result, affected sound academic delivery in the citadel-of-learning. They, also, complain that the policy generates ‘so much tension, bitterness and rancor among the staff’.

In a petition, dated May 11, 2009, the affected workers call on the Governing Council of the institution to prevail on the Rector to ‘rescind the implementation of the policy so as to minimize institutional decay and workplace conflict’.

In another petition to the state government, the workers urge Governor Sullivan Chime to direct Onyeneje’s management to drop the policy and revert to the status quo.

Notable among the affected staff is Okorie Onovo, Chief Lecturer/Deputy Registrar! Onovo, a Chartered Accountant, was one time Acting Rector of the institute.

The affected lecturers contend that, apart from implementation of the policy being selective, it never followed due process.

‘We state with confidence that this so-called policy was not articulated in any paper for deliberation at any of the organs of our administrative processes. It was not tabled for discussion at any Departmental or School Board. It was never presented to the Academic Board (our highest policy formulating organ on all matters relating to academics) for consideration. We are aware that the matter has not been deliberated upon or decided by Council (the body that ratifies all policies for the good administration of the institute)”, the petition submits.

Another roiling scandal in the centre-of-learning is Onyeneje’s appointment as Rector in the first instance. Onyeneje’s traducers argue that his appointment, November last year, was irregular, and devoid of due process.

This contention, partly, derives from provisions of the law establishing IMT, which, among other things, prescribes that ‘The Governor may, after consultation with the Council, in his discretion appoint a fit and proper person to be Rector,…’

There was no Council as at the time of Onyeneje’s appointment, as a result of which Governor Chime failed to appoint him in consultation with Council as prescribed by Section 20 (1) of IMT law. Claims abound in the state that, by the nature of his appointment, Onyeneje usurped the rectory of the institution, exploiting his relationship with the family of Governor Chime.

In particular, Professor Onyeneje allegedly got installed Rector by Jide Chime, younger brother to Governor Chime far and above more qualified candidates. KlinReports was told that Onyeneje’s qualification for the job was his having been a ‘caretaker’ to some buildings owned by the Chimes. And before his dust-raising appointment, Onyeneje, it was learnt, was an administrative staff of Institute of Ecumenical Studies, Emene (near Enugu). Institute of Ecumenical Studies is a privately owned tertiary institution.

Findings show that the position of Rector was, in line with the principle of equitable distribution of positions in Enugu state, exclusively zoned to Enugu East Senatorial Zone, that is, the Nkanus. As a matter of fact, four candidates from Nkanuland were interviewed for the plum post. But Onyeneje was, in a sudden twist, announced as Rector, thereby leaving both the Nkanus and their candidates in quandary.

Presently, there are allegations that Enugu North and East senatorial zones of the state are being marginalized in employment, appointments and promotions in the institution. In other words, Onyeneje’s management is accused of causing disequilibrium in the personnel status of the school, a situation which has led to workers of Udi, Ezeagu extraction (Enugu West) out-populating those from the two other zones of North and East put together. Both Onyeneje and the Chimes are, particularly, from Udi community in Enugu West Senatorial zone.

Available statistics indicate that out of 826 workforce of IMT, Enugu West alone has 432. Enugu East, the highest in population, and the senatorial zone of origin of Senators Jim Nwobodos, Chimaroke and Ken Nnamanis among others, has a paltry 129.

Perhaps, more shocking is the discovery that, even in Enugu West Zone, Udi, the home of both the Governor and Rector, has a staggering number of 257 staff. And Udi and Ezeagu, put together, have 370 employees.

This scenario becomes clearer when put side by side with the total number of employees from the three council areas of Awgu, Aninri and Oji River respectively. Of note, also, is that the four largest council areas of Nsukka, Enugu East, Igboeze North and Enugu North, put together, have just 162 employees. The deduction from the foregoing is that Enugu West zone alone has more than half the entire workforce of IMT.

Despite alleged dominance of the West zone (which is even the least populated among the three zones of the state), Onyeneje’s accusers say he continues to employ more of his people into the institution: “The Rector of the school is secretly employing only his Udi and Ezeagu people without any interviews, yet we hear there is embargo on employment”.

Specifically, out of 19 newly employed staff, 15 are said to come from Enugu West, two from Enugu North and none from East zone. As regards headship of departments, Enugu West has 23 (70%), Enugu North, seven (21%) and Enugu East, six (03%). Statistics of principal officers, also, indicate that Enugu West has nine (56%), Enugu North and East, three each (19%).

There is, also, a claim that IMT is the only government establishment in Enugu state that has refused to re-absorb workers that were disengaged between 1999 and 2001 despite the pronouncement of Chime government recalling all disengaged workers in the state.

The scandals seem endless. Onyeneje’s management allegedly constructed the institution’s entrance gate with over N20 million! It is alleged that the gate project which did not follow due process was personally executed by Basil Offor, Administrative Secretary of school, of course, in collusion with Rector Onyeneje. Onyeneje and Offor are Udi kinsmen, and are said to enjoy blood relationship. In particular, many describe Offor as the institute’s defacto Rector, as the Rector reportedly has little or no time to run IMT.

The gate project is currently a subject of a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The petition, dated April 28, 2009, and signed by one Ozoani Chiagozie (for Committee on Justice, Prudence and Fair-play), claims that Offor, between March 16 and 17, ‘collected the sum of Twenty Million Naira (20 Million) part-payment for the construction of the gate’.

Entitled, ‘Institute of Management and Technology’s Management-Corruption Epitomized-A Need for Urgent Intervention’, the petition which vehemently challenges Offor’s qualification for the Administrative Secretary post he occupies, also, alleges that the Rector, in collaboration with the Registrar, approved more than N10 million for Offor to procure three official cars, including the vehicle assigned to the council chairman, Dr. Leonard Ugwu.

Accusing Onyeneje rectory of admission fraud, using Offor, the petitioner calls on the crimes commission to quickly intervene to save the institution from total collapse. Although the signatory to the petition appears unreal, EFCC is said to have already commenced investigations into the allegations against the institute’s management.

The easy reference to the relationship between the Rector, Onyeneje, and Chime government is, as it were, given impetus by Onyeneje’s headship of Total Mandate, a pro-Chime political outfit. Onyeneje chairs Chime’s Total Mandate, and he is, at the same time, Rector of IMT, a situation which, his critics argue, distracts him from effective running of the school, as a result of which he has reportedly relinquished his functions to Offor, the Administrative Secretary.

However, Onyeneje waves the bouquet of allegations against his management aside, saying his accusers are merely bringing state politics into the institution.

Onyeneje denies that his administration discriminates, in recruitments, appointments and promotions against staff from the two other senatorial zones of Enugu North and East.

To buttress this, he maintains: “I tell you personally, I came in here- my office of rectory, you can go and ask: 95 percent of them are from Nsukka, for instance. 95 percent of the staff in the rectory are from Nsukka. Till today, my personal driver is an Nsukka man. My domestic driver is an Nsukka man. My security, two of them, one is from Nsukka. So, sometimes I do not understand why people just peddle some rumors”.

The Rector goes further to submit that out of ten deputy registrars in the school, eight come from Nsukka (Enugu North) while Enugu West and East has one each. He adds that all the key administrative offices in the institution are headed by Nsukka people, including the personnel.

“I want to tell you that there is no way somebody in this state who has a correct sense of history can begin to, not up to two years I assumed office, say that I have created disequilibrium in the staff structure.”, Onyeneje thunders.

On the issue of recall of sacked staff, the Rector explains that he had taken the matter to the state government, and that, as soon as he gets any directive from the government to that effect, he would take action. He debunks the notion that his management refused to recall the disengaged workers, challenging his traducers to come forward with evidence.

Onyeneje, also, insists that the recent policy on course allocation in the institution followed due process, adding that what his administration had done was directed by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).

The Rector notes that the problem had existed before his assumption of office, but that the concerned staff, on each occasion, frustrated it implementation. Onyeneje, also, dismisses the notion of redundancy, and assures that the institution would continue to pay affected staff their salaries. As it were, the Rector promises that complaints arising from implementation of the policy are being looked into by a committee set up to that effect, and assures that the matter would, soon, be resolved.

Onyeneje, equally, denies that his administration used N10 million to construct the entrance gate. Unknown to the Rector, there is this other version of the allegation that the gate gulped much more than the sum, from where N20 million was paid to Offor as part payment.

“There is no sane head who will believe and even imagine that a gate of that nature would be done with the sum of N10 million”, Onyeneje quips.

But what seemed like a snag is that Onyeneje, for inexplicable reasons, refuses to disclose the actual cost of the contract, retorting: “Is it their business? “

Another explanation of Onyeneje was that the Total Mandate, which he administers alongside IMT, is not a political party, but an association of like minds.

“I have no apologies. I have no apologies. I cannot because people are pursuing their selfish ends and deny a relationship with His Excellency”, the embattled Rector intones.

For now, the allegations against Onyeneje management of the institute continue to stream in. Will the Professor-turned Rector pull through the murky waters of academic politics? Or will he be submerged in the tornado? Time will tell!

Speak out & Save Nigeria!

“Change comes not from the top down, but from the ground up, and few are closer to the people than our churches, synagogues, temples and mosques” ( Barack Obama , US President).

This article is the second of its kind. The first was entitled: ‘Religious Organizations as Catalyst for Change, published on my blog http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com and other Nigerian dailies‘. The whole essence of this article is to highlight the importance and roles our Nigerian leaders of faith can play to get Nigerians out of our present political situation.

Examples below indicate how influential, leaders of faith can be. I want Nigerian leaders of faith groups and organizations to draw inspiration and strength from what their colleagues have done elsewhere around the world. I pray they replicate same in Nigeria or even more.

Leaders of faith organizations (men and women) have risen to defend the masses at times of great political turmoil. I will start with the late Pope John Paul II. The late Pope John Paul II engaged himself in an undercover resistance against the German occupation of Poland. He and a former archbishop of Krakow (late Cardinal Sapieha) ran a secret organization that helped the Jews escape from the Nazis. Later, when he became the Pope, he spoke against contraception, abortion, and scientific intervention in the process of human reproduction. He stood against homosexuality and same sex marriages while being a strong critic of divorce. He spoke against capitalism and Marxism and called for a new economic order. His actions helped to undermine communism in the former Soviet Republics.

Late Pope John Paul II exercised so much influence around the globe and world leaders listened to him. He always campaigned for the release of political prisoners. He did in Cuba and Fidel Castro released many. He influenced policies around the world and met almost all the world leaders while he was alive. The current Pope Benedict XVI called for a two state solution the moment he arrived Israel on 11th May 2009 .

In 1953 when Fidel Castro failed in his first attempt to start his revolution, he was declared wanted dead or alive by the General Batista regime. In fact he was to be shot, except that Catholic Archbishop Perez Serantes prevailed on the authorities to save his life and that of his remaining colleagues (fidelistas) who were still alive.

Again in 1956 when Fidel Castro was making his second attempt to start his revolution, his rebel army was almost completely annihilated. It was a Seventh Day Adventist preacher named Argelio Rosabal that gathered his fellow Adventists and told them that Fidel and his group must be saved. He provided support with which Fidel Castro and his group survived.

Dalai Lama: The spiritual head and leader of the Tibet has been deeply involved in the political struggle for the liberation of Tibet from Chinese occupation. The present Dalai Lama has taken the case of Tibet to all over the world. He has literally put Tibet on world spot light, campaigning for independence of Tibet . Presently he is involved with Prince Charles (Princes of Wales) on a recent film/video release to highlight the plight of the rainforests

In May 2006, the Archbishop of Canterbury (Dr Rowan Williams), Catholic Archbishop of Westminster (Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor) and the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth, Dr Jonathan Sacks protested against the proposed legislation to allow assisted dying for the terminally ill people in the United Kingdom. At another point the Archbishop of Canterbury caused uproar by calling for the introduction of some elements of sharia law in the UK.

The Anglican Bishop of York in the UK (Dr John Sentamu) publicly called for the overthrow of President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe . He made the call on 8th December 2008. Both Archbishop of Canterbury (Dr Rowan Williams) and Anglican Bishop of York (Dr John Sentamu) asked the British public not to vote for the British National Party (BNP) on the 4th June 2009 election.

Still in the United Kingdom , the Christian Party and Christian Peoples Alliance were campaigning seriously for votes for the European Parliamentary elections. Their campaign message was that political parties need not run only a political campaign, but a spiritual and moral one. The leader of the Christian party in the UK is Revd George Hargreaves.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu played active roles during the South African struggle against apartheid. When Mandela was in prison he spoke against the oppressive regimes. He won a Nobel peace prize in 1984 for all his efforts. When Mandela was president of South Africa , he was chosen to chair the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate crimes committed by both sides during the apartheid era. He was also called to chair a similar truth and reconciliation commission in North Ireland . Bishop Tutu advocated the use of force to remove President Mugabe of Zimbabwe .

Reverend Father Aristide Jean-Bertrand spoke out against human rights abuses in Haiti . He survived several assassination attempts and entered politics as the leader of National Front for Change and Democracy. On 16th December 1990 he won a presidential election and was sworn in as President on 7th February 1991 .

Rev Martin Luther King was a Baptist priest who became a major figure in the US Civil Rights Movement. His speech (I have a dream) was credited with prompting the 1964 Civil Rights Act in America. He won a Nobel Peace Prize on 14th October 1964 .

The late Mother Teresa was a Roman Catholic nun. She worked all her life to save the poor and dying of Calcutta in India . She won a Nobel peace prize in 1979. By the time she died, her organization and affiliated groups had more than 200 different operations in over 25 counties around the world. She influenced policies to favour the poor people of India .

In Nigeria the Christian Association of Nigeria urged Christians to go out and vote en masse during the 1993 presidential elections. Nigerian leaders of faith organizations have tried in the past.

It is worth commending that the following clerics have made a mark in Nigerian politics, Olubunmi Cardinal Okogie, Most Revd Peter Jasper Akinola, Archbishop John Onaiyekan, Bishop Gbonigi, Rev. Adebiyi of NADECO, the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Mathew Hassan Kukah, Fr George Ehusani, Rev Chris Okotie (ex presidential candidate) etc. Thisday newspapers (online version) of Sunday 7th June 2009, reported that Pastor Kumuyi (Founder of Deeper Life Christian Ministry) urged the federal government to adopt a new approach in solving the Niger Delta Crisis.

This write-up is an appeal, a call, an invitation and a save our soul (S.O.S.) Message for more leaders of faith to get more involved with the politics of Nigeria. They are in an advantaged position to mobilize Nigerians for political changes.

The situation requires their active intervention as it has been done by their colleagues in some parts of the world. They need to speak out loud and possibly shout since our leaders appear to be deaf. The deplorable political situation matters a lot to Nigerians. Not speaking out is dangerous.

Quoting Martin Luther King “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter”.

During my last visit to Nigeria (January 2009), I realized that most people have lost hope in our political system. Most of the people I spoke with have handed over every thing to God. Being a Christian, I believe that God will do to Nigerians what he did to the Israelites when they were under Egyptian rule. God will certainly raise a Moses amongst us. But if our political system is dirty, let everyone join in the cleaning process. We need righteous leaders, because “righteousness exalts a nation” (Proverbs 14:34 )

Religious organizations are closer to the people than the government. They are more in touch with people who have been inflicted with pains and misery of bad governance. They will provide tremendous support base if they join the struggle for the Nigerian political reform process. Politics and governance are too serious a business to be left in the hands of politicians, let alone the Nigerian politicians. Am sure many Nigerians will share my views. A vacuum exists in the Nigerian political arena to be filled by the leaders of faith organization. Alternatively they should join voices and actions with other groups to agitate for political reforms or let them raise righteous leaders for our country.

There is nothing wrong if our faith organizations should provide spiritual and political support to Nigerians. The costs of bad policies or bad leadership will be borne by all including the faith leaders. Therefore, your efforts are highly needed in the match to reform the Nigerian political process. May God bless Nigeria.


Scripted by: Chinedu Vincent Akuta
An activist and leader of “Support Option A4 Group” Leicester-UK
akutachinedu@yahoo.com
http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com/

Rumpus in Ebonyi Judiciary

Ojemba Isu-Oko, a Chief Magistrate in Ebonyi state judiciary, is presently on an indefinite suspension. Isu-Oko‘s sin was his alleged irregular court proceedings in charge number MAB/203C/2009 entitled: ‘Commissioner of Police Vs. Igwe Chijioke’. The case came before Isu-Oko on May 11 this year. (Picture shows Justice Alloy Nwankwo, Chief Judge, Ebonyi state)

In particular, the case involves Chijioke Simon Igwe, younger brother to the wife of the state’s Chief Judge, Justice Alloy Nwankwo. Chijioke, equally a staff of the state Customary Court of Appeal, allegedly, at gun point, raped a 15 year old girl in Abakiliki metropolis. And Chief Magistrate Isu-Oko, in open court, announced withdrawal of the two count charge of rape and threat to life against Chijioke.

The State Judicial Service Commission (JSC), headed by CJ Nwankwo, in a subsequent Press Release dated May 15, 2009 and signed by U.N.O Nweze, Secretary, noted that Isu-Oko had, curiously, withdrawn the case, even when he had earlier written his ruling on it. Isu-Oko’s earlier and, arguably, more appropriate ruling was that his court lacked jurisdiction over the matter, in which case he was expected to have remanded the accused in prison custody pending a legal opinion from the state Director of Public Prosecution. The embattled Chief Magistrate, therefore, remains on suspension while the Judicial Service Commission investigates his alleged misconduct, which it describes as a big embarrassment to the state judiciary and, by extension, Martin Elechi government in the state. Public Service Rules prescribes dismissal from service for cases of misconduct.

Although Isu-Oko had, in an earlier meeting of magistrates convened by the Chief Judge over the matter, admitted that his action was a judicial slip and, subsequently, tendered an apology to that effect, a new twist crept into the saga with his later official denial that he willfully withdrew the rape case. In a response to a letter issued him by the JSC on the matter, dated May 14, 2009, Isu-Oko claimed that his strange action in court was informed by oral directives which he received, through intermediaries, from the office of the Chief Registrar, succinctly, asking him not to go ahead with the matter.

Two court clerks, mentioned as Mrs Oyim and H. Otu, had, while the matter was called up for plea, reportedly whispered into the ears of Isu-Oko that the Chief Judge, Nwankwo, was interested in the matter, the accused rapist (Chijioke Igwe) being his brother-in-law. Chief Registrar of the State Judiciary, Mrs. Stella Onuorah, allegedly conveyed the CJ’s feelings through the court clerks. Chief Magistrate Isu-Oko submitted that it was in a bid to obey instructions from the CJ that he was compelled to ‘commit the judicial blunder’.

It was learnt that a later attempt, as directed by the Chief Registrar, to re-arrest the accused led to a merciless beating of the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) by some court staff believed to be his relations. The IPO’s assailants were listed as Mrs. Onyekachi Nweke, Emeka Igwe and Uche Igwe.

As it were, father of the rape victim, on May 11, fired a petition to Governor Elechi and Speaker of the state Assembly, Barrister Augustine Nwankwegu, calling for their intervention in the matter to ensure justice. The victim’s father, in the petition, particularly, accused wife of the Chief Judge, Mrs. Lilian Nwankwo, of exploiting the office of her husband to mastermind the decision of Chief Magistrate Isu-Oko to commit such a miscarriage of justice. But Mrs. Nwankwo denied this allegation.

The petition, copied to Chief Barrister Jossy Eze, Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, as well as other members of the state Judicial Service Commission (JSC), including Cyril Ekuma Nkama, Uche Alo, Ezeogo Egbo and Pastor Alloy Ogah is entitled, “Illegal Withdrawal of Rape/Threat to Live Charges against Chijioke Simon Igwe by Ebonyi state Judiciary”.

The allegation of shielding accused Chijioke Igwe is just one out of other scandals Justice Nwankwo, who has been on the saddle as Chief Judge for the past seven years, is grappling with at the moment. Nwankwo’s accusers say that ‘ghost workers and prisoners are now in the payroll of the state judiciary‘. The prisoners, in particular, allegedly receive salaries on monthly basis even more than two years after they were committed to prison custody for capital offences ranging from murder, armed robbery and conspiracy.

For instance, two relations of the Chief Judge, Nonso Charles Nwafor and Innocent Ezeoke, who are facing armed robbery and murder charges respectively, were said to have been paid their salaries up to the month of April this year without interdiction as prescribed by public service rules.

Part of the accusation was that Nwafor, a staff of the state judiciary, who is standing trial for conspiracy and armed robbery since October last year, was granted bail by the CJ’s court in suspicious circumstances. Nwafor is said to have, since, resumed duties. Rather than his interdiction, it was alleged that Nwafor was posted to Umuogharu Customary Court in the district. Nwafor is reportedly yet to report for work at the court, but has been earning his salaries promptly.

On the other hand, Ezeoke, the second accused, also a judiciary staff, was committed to prison for murdering his uncle over a year ago. Nwankwo‘s traducers allege that, although Ezeoke is in custody awaiting trial, his monthly salary, like that of Nwafor, still runs courtesy of their relationship with CJ Nwankwo.

In the category of ghost workers, four relations of the wife of CJ Nwankwo, including Uchenna Igwe, Chijioke Igwe, Emeka Igwe and Onyekachi Igwe are said to earn salaries without coming to work. Onyekachi, a Political Science student of Ebonyi State University, is, particularly, said to have been deployed to a non-existent CJ’s library as a cover for her to run her full time university program.

Yet, another worker in the state Judicial Service Commission, Miss Stella Nweke, is said to be a full time Nursing Science student of Ebonyi State University, but allegedly serves as a ‘tourist guide’ or ‘guard’ for Justice Nwankwo whenever he is on tour.

In the same vein, Mrs. Peace Azubuike, a staff of the state high court allegedly carries out her business and full time university program while earning her salaries on-line from Port-Harcourt, Rivers state.

In a seeming reaction over these accusations, Elechi’s government warns that government would deal decisively with all those involved in the mess. According to a news bulletin credited to the state owned radio, Ebonyi State Broadcasting Service (EBBS), Francis Alu, the state Head of Service, noted that civil service rules stipulate that government workers undergoing court trial must, first, be interdicted while their departments must communicate the Head of Service office, attaching the charge sheet (s) with which such officers were arraigned.

The Head of Service, according to the bulletin, pointed out that it was fraudulent for heads of government departments to continue to treat full time students as workers and pay them salaries and other entitlements with government funds.

“Such practices are not acceptable to Ebonyi state government, and head of government departments in such acts will face the full weight of law”, the bulletin quoted the Head of Service as saying.

As it were, the Chief Judge, Nwankwo, copiously debunks all the allegations against his administration, waving them aside as mischievous plots to bring the state judiciary to ridicule. The CJ responds to the charges through the Executive Secretary of the state Judicial Service Commission, Nweze.

Nweze explains that Chief Magistrate Isu-Oko’s suspension is to give way for proper investigation into his alleged irregular proceedings in court which had, obviously, brought serious embarrassments to the state. Nweze clarifies that the only person that has the constitutional powers to withdraw a case in court is the Attorney-General of the state who, he says, can enter a nolle prosequi (no case) in a matter pending before the court.

Nweze debunks the allegation that CJ Nwankwo is interested in Chijioke Igwe’s rape case because of his extended relationship with him, maintaining that CJ Nwankwo was not even in town on the fateful day. Nweze adds that, even at that, Isu-Oko ought to have discharged his lawful duties based on laid down procedures without fear or favor.

Nweze, similarly, denied Chief Judge’s knowledge of physical assault on any Investigating Police Officer (IPO), saying the CJ would have taken necessary actions if such an incident was reported to him.

The commission’s scribe discloses that the accused rapist has, since, been re-arrested and, accordingly, remanded in custody pending proper trial, adding that CJ Nwankwo, because of his intolerance for crimes, never intervened in the matter throughout the one month the police investigated it before bringing it to the court.

Nweze, also, denied existence of ghost workers in the state judiciary, adding that there had always been periodic staff audit that would have uncovered such workers. On the allegation that some staff are studying on full time basis in the universities, and still receive their salaries, Nweze explains that if there are such instances, they are in conformity with the Work and Study Policy of the state government.

This policy was introduced by the past administration of Dr. Sam Egwu in the state as a result of the educational backwardness of the state. The explanation is that workers in the state judiciary and elsewhere have, as a result, been exploiting this policy to improve their knowledge for advancement of their careers. These study programs, according to Nweze, duly receive authorization from the JSC.

The JSC scribe, similarly, debunked the allegation that staff undergoing trial for alleged crimes are still being retained in service. Nweze explains, with proofs to the magazine, that all the mentioned accused judiciary staff, including even the most recent, Igwe Chijioke, had been duly interdicted from service. Interdicted staff are entitled to half salaries pending determination of their cases. If convicted, the concerned staff is dismissed from service. But if acquitted, he/she is reinstated, with the remaining half salaries paid.

Nweze said the allegation of impunity and high-handedness against CJ Nwankwo is just a blackmail by disgruntled elements to run down the person of Justice Nwankwo, hitherto, a member of the revered National Judicial Council (NJC). He, also, quickly adds that nobody, as alleged, serves as a tour guide of the CJ, asserting that Nwankwo has advanced above this prim kind of primordial description of his person.

Nweze thus intones: “I am telling you that Justice Alloy Nwankwo is the best Chief Judge in Nigeria. He has provided a lot of welfare packages to the state judiciary staff, including parcels of land, vehicles for judges and magistrates and other cadres of workers among others. The packages, both to the senior and junior judiciary workers, are endless! All these baseless and unfounded allegations are just meant to smear his reputation which labored for long years to build both as lawyer and as a first class Chief Judge in Nigeria”.

At the centre of these controversies was, of course, alleged rape of the teenage girl by Igwe. Meanwhile, the victim’s father threatens to invite the NJC into the matter. Will this matter be dispassionately dispensed with? Or will it linger? The answer lies in the womb of time.

A rainbow coalition against kidnappers

“Kidnap in Abia state would in the nearest future reduce to an extent whereby N5,000 would be demanded for ransom.”

This jocular comment by a social commentator reflects the deplorable level at which kidnap in Abia, ‘God’s Own State’, has been reduced. (Pics show left, Governor Theodore Orji of Abia state and left, Comrade Uche Chukwumerije, representing Abia North District in the senate)

Kidnapping has become a daily occurrence in the state such that, in some communities, kidnappers now write to people (both young and old) whose relations live overseas to get ransom ready for them.

Very recently, a horde of kidnappers abducted two expatriates with Zerock Construction Company along New Umuahia Road, Aba, the commercial town of Abia.

In the process, two mobile policemen were reportedly killed. A few days earlier, Enyinnaya Abaribe, Senator representing Abia South District and his convoy were ambushed at Obikabia junction, along the same New Umuahia Road. Though Senator Abaribe escaped death in the bloody attack, his police orderly was felled by the kidnappers’ bullets.

A lecturer with Abia State Polytechnic was found in the boot of the Toyota Camry car used by the kidnappers. The kidnap situation has compelled Abia state government to search for solutions to the problem, one of which is the law passed by the state legislature making it a capital offence.

Because of the ugly trend, an anti terrorist squad comprising the military and police officers now station at the former Obingwa council area headquarters, Mgboko.

But despite heavy military presence in the state, including the Nigeria Navy Finance and Logistics School, Owerrinta and the joint police armed patrol team, as well as the state vigilante services (AVS), crime rate in the state still soars.

The alarming nature of this trend compelled national assembly legislators of Abia origin to meet with the state Governor, Chief Theodore Orji, in Abuja to brain-storm over the issue. The legislators included Nnenna Ukeje, Eziuche Ubani, Uche Chukwumereije and Chinenye Ike amongst others.

A major decision taken at the meeting was that every community in the state would constitute a legal vigilante outfit, aimed at combating crime within their locality. It was, also, resolved that any traditional ruler in whose domain crime, especially, kidnap persists would be deposed. The meeting proposed to invite the Joint Task Force (JTF) to the state to fish out the criminals. Another important resolution by the conclave was the closure of routes which have been serving as escape routes for the hoodlums.

Although these measures sound promising, analysts doubt their feasibility. There are arguments that, rather then reduce crime, crime has continued to grow in leaps and bounds in the state.

A public affairs analyst contends that the formation of vigilante groups may escalate the situation, “One of the factors that gave rise to high crime rate in the state was the recent arms build up recorded in the state during the 2003 and 2007 general elections. The activities of one Mr. Uchenna Amanze (alias Utu) which affected most communities in the Abia South Zone was also fingered.

‘The government should be careful when it proposes formation of vigilante outfits by communities because you cannot entrust the security of a place in the hands of people without visible means of livelihood to avoid the vigilante outfit members becoming the criminals themselves”.

To another analyst, the importation of Joint Task Force might worsen the situation, as the rights of innocent citizens could be violated. He cites instances whereby military personnel who have come to occupy rather than rescue have subjected the rights of citizens to dehumanizing treatments. The Niger Delta case is a case in point.

Not a few have wondered why Senator Abaribe and Hon. Ubani had, before now, not found it worthwhile to address the situation in their Obingwa council area home except now that one of them, Abaribe, is involved.

Tension in Ebonyi community

Tension now runs high in Ezza-Ezillo, Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi, following the insistence of Martin Elechi government in the state to relocate the villagers to Egu-Echara, a virgin location in the state. (Picture shows Chief Martin Elechi, Governor of Ebonyi state)

Governor Elechi had, in a radio phone in program in Unity FM and Ebonyi State Broadcasting Service (EBBS) respectively on May 28, reiterated his decision to forcefully relocate the people.

Governor Elechi had, last year, October, directed the relocation of Ezza-Ezillo people from their present location. The Ezillos and their brother Ezza-Ezillos have been at war over ownership of some portions of land in the community.

Solomon Ogbuewu Nwankwo, one of the leaders of Ezza-Ezillo, said it is Elechi’s insistence on evicting the people despite their plethora of petitions and appeals to that effect that has heightened tension among the people. The Ezza-Ezillos and their counsel have, over time, sent petitions to several quarters, including the Presidency and the Senate President, David Mark.

For instance, on October 23 last year, counsel to the community, petitioned President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua over the plot of Elechi government to forcefully displace his clients from their ancestral home. There have, also, been similar petitions from the community over the matter. One of the petitions to President Yar’Adua, dated March 23, 2009, was copied to the Senate President, Speaker, Federal House of Representatives, as well as Human Rights Commission.

Reacting to the said letter, Senate President Mark said that the petition has been referred to the Chairman, Senate Committee on States and Local Government for further action.

Importantly, there is a pending suit over the matter, numbered HAB/21/2009 and filed on April 18, 2009 at the Ebonyi State High Court, Abakaliki. The suit, involving Chief Paul Ogbule and 3 others Vs Governor of Ebonyi State & 3 others, is challenging the state government’s resolution to relocate the Ezza-Ezillos to Egu-Echara. The suit asks the court to declare the directive as illegal and unconstitutional.

Ezza-Ezillos, further, allege that their people are not allowed access to their homes whereas there is free movement for their Ezillo counterparts. The people blame this harassment and intimidation on the new crop of soldiers drafted to the place recently from Garki Enugu.

“Whereas there is absolute movement of people in Ezillo, our women going out of our community are always obstructed by the soldiers. The soldiers often remind them of their fate, which is their imminent relocation. It is not fair. The soldiers who should be keeping peace in the area are taking sides, acting the scripts of the state government. People coming into our land have no access any longer. The situation is terrible,” the community laments.

End of Road for Anambra Kidnappers

It’s end of the road for kidnappers ravaging ‘Light of the Nation’ state of Anambra.

The latest exploit of the kidnappers was abduction of an industrialist popularly called ‘Pokobros’ in Awka, the state capital.

Several persons, including the industrialist’s wife and a Divisional Police Officer (DPO), were shot in the kidnappers’ operation. The DPO, reportedly posted new to the state, was, in particular, killed.

Consequent the foregoing, Governor Peter Obi, recently, launched a 60 months operation to stamp out kidnap and other violent crimes in the state.

The joint effort of Obi’s government and the armed forces in the state has already yielded fruits, as several of the alleged dare-devil kidnappers have been nabbed.

From the photographs up left, the kidnappers, if convicted, should be counting their days on earth, as the punishment for the offence of kidnap in the state is death. The law, passed by the state House of Assembly, a few months ago is already in force.

In addition, a four man kidnap gang was, days back, smashed by the State Security Services in the couse of which four-year old Sopuruchukwu Orji was rescued. 

Parading the suspects before Governor Obi and newsmen at the headquarters of the SSS, Amawbia, the State Director of the Agency, Joseph Opatimehim, said the suspects, students of Imo State University, were arrested in Owerri. 

 Also arrested was a teacher from Ideal Mind Foundation School, Awada, Miss Uju Agada from Awka-Etiti who allowed the prime suspect, Stephen Ebuka Ajaorogu, a 300 level Law student of the university to pick the child out of the classroom without following standing school instruction and without necessary clearance. 

Opatimehim said his agency, also, had in custody a female student suspect who assisted the kidnappers in purchasing food and other items. 

Narrating the incident, the SSS boss explained that last week, Monday, the 23 year old Stephen Ebuka Ajaorogu who hails from a wealthy and royal family in Imo state picked up 4 year old Sopuruchukwu from Ideal Mind Foundation School, Awada and took him to his hostel in Owerri where he told his school mates that the boy is the child of his elder sister who quarreled with the husband and has asked him to take care of the child. 

Mr. Opatimehim said the Prime suspect later called the father of the child, Mr. Orji from Ozubulu and demanded a ransom of ten million and threatened to use the child for ritual if he failed to pay. 

He disclosed that Mr. Ajaorogu is also suspected to have taken part in the kidnap of a popular business mogul from the State. 

Mr. Opatimehim stated that the Agency is investigating the level of complicity of the school teacher and other suspects in the crime and enjoined parents to be conscious of the company their children keep, assuring that they will not relent in ridding the state of hoodlums. 

  

The father of the child, Mr. Eric Orji thanked Governor Obi and the SSS from rescuing his child. 

  

The teacher suspect Miss Agada who said she had been in the school for six years admitted releasing the child to the suspect but claimed that she was sick on that day and did not quite know what she was doing. 

the Prime suspect, Mr. Ajaorogu admitted kidnapping the child and making a demand for ten million naira.  

Meanwhile, Governor Peter Obi has called on the good Nigerian who provided the information that lead to the arrest of the suspects to come immediately to the Government House Awka to collect a reward of two million naira as promised by the state government.  

Governor Obi said the arrest of the suspects has confirm that crimes in the State are perpetrated by external sources.  

The Governor made it clear that all involved will face the full weight of the law and stated that government has taken all necessary measures to secure life and property.  

He commended the Agency for it gallant and efficient operation and assured that government will continue to give the necessary support and encouragement. 

Nigeria, Country of Corruption!

“The United Nations (UN) says Nigerian kleptocrats have milked the nation to the tune of about $100 billion dollars through various acts of grand corruption, the cost of which it lamented by far exceeded the damage caused by any other single crime” (Daily Sun, Wednesday, December 3, 2008 page 9). (Photo shows President Umaru Yar'Adua)

“The greatest incitement to crime is the hope of escaping punishment” (Marcus Cicero). As far as Nigeria is concerned, we should think not what we can do to corruption but think of what corruption can do to Nigeria and Nigerians.

I have made the above statement because of the level of corruption and the sequential reports of corrupt practices in Nigeria. On the average, there are new cases of corruption reported weekly on the Nigerian dailies. The rates are very alarming. I am also 99 percent sure that many cases of corruption do not make headlines mainly because they go unnoticed by the press or the law enforcement agents.

For the purposes of space and time, I will examine few cases of corruption in last 12 months to buttress my point. I will start with the power probe.

The National Assembly reveled that $16 billion dollars was invested in power sector without anything to show for it. This investment was made without any single megawatt being added to the national grid. To make matters worse was that some contractors didn’t even know the sites. Talk less of doing any job. Where is this money? Am sure $1 billion out of this amount can build about 3 new refineries. $1 billion should be enough to do a second Niger bridge across River Niger . $1 billion can build a low cost housing estate in Lagos or elsewhere in the country. $1 billion can build a well equipped hospital in Nigeria thereby stopping our government officials from flying abroad all the time for medical attention. $1 billion can be used to create jobs for at lease 10,000 Nigerians. $1 billion can provide maximum security prisons where corrupt people can be sent to. The list of what the money can do is endless.

Towards the end of March 2009, Nigerian dailies reported that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested 2 Comptrollers of Customs over an alleged complicity in a 3 billion naira customs duty scam, involving the controversial Vaswani brothers. The Vaswani brothers are the owners of Stallion Group. Their head office is in Victoria Island Lagos.

Then came the Halliburton $150 million dollars bribe money traced to Zurich . The total amount was $180 million dollars, which means that $30 million dollars is yet to be traced or found. This bribe was paid to facilitate the award of $6 billion dollars LNG contracts. My argument is that the $6 billion which was the quoted contract sum would be about 20 times the initial costs of the project. The federal government should conduct more enquiries and ascertain how much the original cost of the contracts should have been. This is with the view to knowing how much was actually stolen.

At the heat of the Halliburton bribe money discovery, President Yar’Adua promised the nation that once he has a response, he will make public the names of the culprits and take appropriate action. As part of taking his action, he inaugurated the Okiro Panel. The committee has eight weeks to submit its report. We are waiting and watching how it will go. To be fair and to achieve a balance, the president should name every person involved in corruption henceforth. A good starting point will be to name those behind $16 billion dollar unaccounted resources invested in the power sector. Until he does this, many Nigerians will tend to believe the accusations made by Mallam Nasir el-Rufai that the federal government is insincere in the fight against corruption.

Guardian newspapers of Wednesday, 22nd April 2009 online version reported about the African Petroleum (AP) Plc’s share price manipulation scam that made AP to suffer over N240 billion losses. The culprit in this case was named as Mr Eugene Anenih, the managing director of Nova Finance and Securities Limited.

As if there was a competition, the following day being Thursday, 23rd April 2009 , Thisday newspapers online version reported that the suspended chairman of the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) with six other commissioners were being charged for fraud of N1.5 billion naira.

Thisday newspapers of 7th May 2009 online version reported that 3 house members including a serving senator of the country are on the run over a N6 billion naira rural electrification contract scam. The same paper reported about officials of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) arrested over N1.7 billion naira contract scam. Thisday newspaper of 8th May 2009 online version reported the story of N250 million bribe scandal given over the Ekiti re-run elections.

Guardian newspapers of Wednesday 13th May 2009 online version reported an allegation made by the special adviser on petroleum to President, (Dr Emmanuel Egbogah). He alleged that some members of the national assembly have taken bribes from some oil firms to truncate the federal government’s reforms in the petroleum sector. The amount was not mentioned.

Just recently, Nigerian dailies reported about the arrest of one Mr. Ejike Onwosugbolu who was carrying N250 million naira cash on three suit cases. On interrogation, he confessed that the money belonged to the present Anambra State governor (Peter Obi). Nigerians are waiting for what the EFCC will do about this case.

“The greatest incitement to crime is the hope of escaping punishment”(Marcus Cicero). Corruption has prospered in Nigeria mainly because corrupt government/private officials have a way of escaping punishment. It also shows the mindset of these evil people. Quoting former Justice Oputa, “Nothing will happen in our nation, in our society which did not first happen in our minds. If wrong is rampant, if indiscipline is rife, if corruption is the order of the day, we have to search our individual minds for that is where it all starts”.

Prevention is better than cure. My simple advice to the authorities in Nigeria should be to fashion out a preventive strategy against corruption. Secondly the authorities should consider making corruption a capital offence. We can borrow a leaf from China on the best way to fight corruption. The political parties were the indicted national assembly members are from, should take disciplinary actions against them. But before then let them refund their loot to the people of Nigeria .

Corruption is every where in the world, but the difference is how various countries approach it. When the expenses scandal involving British MP’s became open in the United Kingdom , the Tory leader (David Cameron) ordered senior conservatives to pay back thousands of pounds to the tax payers. The Tory leader humiliated several members of the shadow cabinet by naming them one by one on the national television. He ordered all the people involved to return the total amount claimed. He apologised to the nation for the actions of his party members. In same way, the Nigerian parties were the corrupt national assembly members are from should apologize to Nigerians.

America is also another to place to look out for how to deal with corrupt people. A good example should be Madoff who master minded one of the biggest fraud in history. He was sentenced to 150 years in prison. Nigerian authorities can do same at home if the federal government is true to its fight against corruption. If no tough measures are taken, corruption will continue to win the battle against corruption. May God bless Nigeria .

Scripted by: Chinedu Vincent Akuta An activist and leader of “Support Option A4 Group” Leicester-UK akutachinedu@yahoo.com http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com/