We Used Tear-Gas When Hoodlums Infiltrated Anti-Buhari Protest In Abuja – Police

August 8, 2017

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police command has explained that its officers were forced to use canisters of tear-gas on those protesting against the none return of President Muhammadu Buhari from his medical vacation in London when it was clear that the protesters had been infiltrated by hoodlums and miscreants.

In a statement today, Tuesday by the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Anjuguri Manzah, the command said that it had no choice than to shoot tear gas canisters at the group in order to prevent breakdown of law and order, and disturbance of public peace in the nation’s capital.

The statement said that miscreants, hoodlums and other criminal elements infiltrated the protest held at Unity Fountain, Maitama, Abuja, saying: “the Police personnel intervened at the point that the concerned Nigerians Group lost control of the crowd and prevented miscreants, hoodlums and other criminal elements from hijacking the protest to cause mayhem and chaos.”

It said that a group known as “Our-Mumu-Don-Do Movement,” had carried out similar protest yesterday, Monday and were accorded necessary police presence to safe guard public peace, and protect their rights to freedom of expression, rights to peaceful Assembly and Association, and right to freedom of movement as provided for in sections 39, 40, and 41 of the 1999 constitution as amended.

“However, today, Tuesday, 8th August, the same group assembled at the same venue but allowed miscreants, hoodlums and other unruly individuals to infiltrate the protests, who started blocking the major roads adjoining the Unity fountain, obstructing traffic and preventing movements of other innocent citizens from going to their means of livelihood, and thereby exhibiting unruly behaviours and other violent acts very likely to cause the breakdown of law and order and disturbance of public peace.

“It is pertinent to state here that the FCT Police command is fully aware and recognizes the constitutional rights of every citizen including Our Mumu Dondo group to assemble and move freely in any part of the Federal Capital Territory, but the command will not allow any protest under any guise to turn violent and jeopardise the prevailing peace, law and order currently being enjoyed in the FCT.

“The command wishes to assure all residents and visitors to the territory of adequate security and protection of lives and property of everyone including those who choose to express their constitutional rights of protest with decorum.”[myad]

Ohanaeze Ndigbo Still In Shock Over Obuluzu ‘Strange’ Church Massacre

Greenbarge Reporters

August 8, 2017

The leadership of the umbrella socio political Organisation of Ndigbo, the Ohanaeze is yet to recover from shock over what it called ‘despicable and herrendous’, Sunday’s mindless massacre of innocent worshippers at St. Philip’s Catholic Church’ Ozubulu, in Ekwusego local Government Area of Anambra state.
“In Igboland and indeed the entire Christendom, the Church is known as the custodian of peace and reconciliation and not for violence and this is why the August 6 th devilish attack on the church remains shocking and strange”
In a statement, President General of the body, Chief John Nnia Nwodo emphasised that the Ohanaeze is yet to come out of the shock of the mindless and appalling crime.
According to Nnia Nwodo: “the variety of the angles emerging as the likely cause of the incident make thorough and unhindered investigation on the matter inevitable and imperative.”
He said that getting to the root of the matter is the only way to nib this type of grievous crime in the bud, saying that the body would want the Church, especially the Catholic Church, to be part of the investigation so as to get to the real genesis of the incident in particular to locate the reason for such strange sacrilegious crime in the Igboland.
He condoled with the bereaved and sympathizing with the injured, even as he admonished the people of Ozubulu, particularly the Catholic worshippers, to remain calm and await the out come of the investigations and avoid taking the law into their hands
Ohanaeze boss commended the Governor of Anambra state, Chief Willie Obiano for his timely intervention, especially on the plight of the injured in the hospital.[myad]

Lack Of Nutrition May Render 13 Percent Of Nigerian Kids With Mental Deformity – Expert

Greenbarge Reporters

August 8, 2017

A professor emeritus, Babatunde Oguntona has warned that no fewer than 13 per cent of Nigerian children risk growing up with mental deformity unless proper iodine is made part of their nutrition.
Professor Oguntona, who called on government to pay greater attention to public health, said: “if we don’t keep iodine level properly, we’ll have 13% of Nigerian children mentally deformed.”
Speaking at the weekend in Lagos at a one-day Nutrition Symposium on ‘Malnutrition, Child Development and the Media’ organised by the Media Centre Against Child Malnutrition (MeCAM), Professor Oguntona said: “imagine 13 percent of parliamentarians mentally deformed. Inadequate iodine in our food is a serious threat. You can’t talk of development when you ignore the issue of nutrition status of your people.”
He expressed displeasure over the poor way the Nigerian authorities respond to the threats of malnutrition.
Oguntona, who was a former President of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, said between 13 and 18 Nigerians children die of malnutrition and related diseases every hours and called on the media to step up advocacy on the issue.
That was even as an official of the Scaling Up Nutrition Business Network | Global Alliance on Improved Nutrition (GAIN), Ivy Ibiso KingHarry, said that the media has a duty to promote messages on nutrition, saying that it is an influencer and change agent.
She recommended that media efforts should flow from proper understanding of the science of nutrition and effective delivery of messages in language understood by common people.
She advised news men to always cross-check and scrutinize official data on malnutrition, and be consistent to build trust in their duty as gatekeepers.[myad]

Buhari Government Already Implementing Elements Of Restructuring, Osinbajo Insists

Greenbarge Reporters

August 8, 2017

President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, has made it clear that Muhammadu Buhari government believes in restructuring of the country, and has already been implementing some elements of it.
In a statement by his spokesman, Laolu Akande, in which he denied ever describing those agitating for restructuring as political jobbers, Osinbajo stressed that he believes in everybody expressing himself in the democracy Nigeria is practicing.
“The Buhari administration has been active in supporting State rights in several ways, including in fiscal matters and will continue to do so.”
The Acting President said that he too has been a supporter of State police, based on the community policing model.
He said that he had also been advocating for devolution of powers to the States and fiscal federalism.
“At no time did the Acting President say that those asking for restructuring were political jobbers looking for appointments. The video, audio tapes and full text of his speech at the National Security summit, organised last week by the Department of State Services, (DSS) are publicly available.
“While several newspapers and media outlets reported Professor Osinbajo’s said speech last Wednesday, not one of the publications made such a blatantly inaccurate claim that he said those asking for restructuring were political jobbers.
“Besides, the debate on restructuring is an important one and the calls for restructuring cover a wide range of legitimate and constitutionally valid issues. “Indeed, all Nigerians have both a right and a duty to advance their arguments on the subject.” [myad]

Danbaba Suntai And Taraba’s Travails, By Emmanuel Yawe

Yawe Emmanuel

August 8, 2017

The avalanche of the current travails of Taraba state started on June 22 with the violent outbreak of communal discord on the Mambilla Plateau.
I first visited the Mambilla Plateau in April 1982 as a cub reporter with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). For many reasons the visit has remained indelible in my memory.
Dr. Emmanuel Atanu, President Shehu Shagari’s Minister of Water Resources was on a facility tour of the Upper Benue River Basin Development Authority at the time and I was detailed to cover him. The tour began in Yola with Abubakar Hashidu the Chief Executive of the Authority who himself later became a Minister of Water Resources and later still, the elected Governor of Gombe State. We toured the major facilities from the North of Gongola to down South. From Wukari we went to Donga, speeding through Shagu, the village of my ancestors, my place of birth, which I had not seen since 1960 when the first Tiv riots broke out before Independence on October 1 of that year. I fled with my mother. Unable to find home in Shagu since then, I have been an internally displaced person since 1960. Memory number one.
We then went through Bali, Serti and then from Nguroje began the suicidal journey of climbing the Mambilla hills. It was dangerous and breathtaking. But the beauty of Mambilla was a big reward for our efforts. I have travelled to many parts of the world that have been gifted with natural beauty since that memorable visit to the Mambilla in 1982; but none can be compared with the unbelievable natural beauty of the Mambilla landscape except the Kashmir in India which I visited in 1990.
Taraba’s recent travails started when local killer squads of the Mambilla ethnic extraction from the wonderlands of Mambilla hills pounced on their Fulani neighbours and murdered them with their cattle abundantly. As sad as the senseless massacre is, it reminds me of what I have said again and again: the medieval system of cattle breeding that the Fulani have refused to abandon poses a grave danger to us all, including the Fulani. In the past few years the story has been that of Fulani cattlemen destroying farms and murdering people all over Nigeria. Now the tables have been turned and the Fulani’s are on the receiving end.
But the disadvantages of the present system of cattle breeding by wandering all over the country and even beyond are more than the type of attacks we saw on the Mambilla. In their endless trek, the Fulani are exposed to all kinds of hazards from dangerous wild beasts and unfriendly men. Their livestock are malnourished, exhausted and not in the best of circumstances to yield enough meat and bountiful milk. Modern day farmers believe with reason that if you expect the best yield from livestock, they should be confined. Murtala Nyako, the big time modern farmer and one time Governor of Adamawa, himself a Fulani man told me this much in an exclusive interview I had with him for Crystal Magazine in 2004.
As ugly as the massacre of Fulani’s on the Mambilla may seem, it has important lessons to be learnt therefrom.
Soon after the massacre on the Mambilla was the death of Silvanus Giwa, the Special Adviser to Governor Ishaku Darius on Media. I first met Silvanus Giwa in Yola in the mid 80’s where he was cutting his teeth as a pupil broadcaster with Gongola Television under its founding Chief Executive Joshua Hassan while I was the Managing Director of Gongola Press.
We were yet to get over the sudden death of Silvanus when news came that Danbaba Suntai former Governor of the State who was involved in a plane crash on 25 October 2012 and has been clinging to life has finally succumbed to death. It was a sad end to a man whose tenure as governor of Taraba had the salutary effect of peaceful communal coexistence.
I knew Danbaba Sunatai in the late 80’s when I was a senior official in the vortex of power in the Military Governor’s office in Yola the Gongola State capital while he was a Local Government potentate in Bali. When he was elected Governor in somewhat controversial circumstances in 2007, I had the singular responsibility of coordinating and stabilizing his government. With his godfather and immediate predecessor, the Rev Jolly Nyame locked up in Kuje prison and all sensitive documents of the Taraba state government impounded and locked up by Nuhu Ribadu’s EFCC, it was almost impossible for him to run his office. I was approached and I contributed my modest efforts in stabilizing him in office.
I know from my brief encounter with him then that he was passionate about providing good leadership to the State. But our collaborative efforts in the interest of Taraba did not last long. Soon on his release from prison, Jolly Nyame and Danbaba Suntai parted ways politically and I became a victim of their political squabbles.
Danbaba I also discovered had a different temperament from me. He was often impulsive and temperamental. It served him and Taraba State well especially on issues of communal discord which he handled spontaneously. But I doubted his judgment on other issues. For instance I was baffled at his decision to enroll as a student in an aviation school and indulge in frequent piloting of aircrafts all over Nigeria on graduation.
My limited understanding of the responsibilities of a governor is that any man who occupies that office should not be bothered with such mundane things as driving a car, let alone the intricate and mentally taxing art of flying an aircraft.
As news filtered into Jalingo that he was killed when he crashed his aircraft in Yola, the Taraba state capital exploded in commotion. There followed emotional outburst s for and against his reported death along religious lines: some wailed, others hailed. As Governor, Danbaba held the fate of millions of citizens in his hands. I admired his guts as he moved with speed to preempt ethnic and religious outbursts in the state. That air crash took Taraba back to its bad old days.
We have seen the worst of Taraba since his hospitalization and eventual exit from the seat of power. Wukari has been burnt so badly and has stopped burning these days because there is nothing more to burn. It is no longer a fight between the Jukun and the Tiv. It is a fight between Jukun Christians and Jukun Muslims.
Many more flash points have exploded in Taraba since that unfortunate and clearly avoidable air crash. The massacre of the Fulani on the Mambilla is a perfect example. Danbaba Suntai’s successors have proved profoundly incapable of handling the crack lines in the state.
Last week I read in the newspapers that he will be buried on the 19th of August. I pray that God consoles his family and grants those in control of state apparatus in Taraba his wisdom in handling the ethnic and religious divisions in the state. The travails of such discord in Taraba are a wrenching ordeal. I am a living witness and victim. I know what I am talking about.[myad]

APC Reminds Charly Boy That Governance Is Not The Same As Entertainment

Greenbarge Reporters

August 7, 2017

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has reminded a show biz entertainer, Charly Boy, who is threatening to lead coalition of civil society groups to protest against President Muhammadu Buhari for not returning to Nigeria from his medical vacation, that governance is not the same thing as entertainment.

In a statement by the National Secretary of the APC Youths Renaissance, Collins Edwin, the APC said that it had wanted to dismiss Charly Boy’s threat knowing that he is an incurable attention-seeker, but that because he cleverly laced his mercantile show-business in President Buhari’s health challenge, “we have decided to educate the political dissident that governance is not entertainment.”

The group said that President Buhari has just spent few days receiving medical attention but that Charly Boy “and his dubious sponsors are making senseless noise about it, what about a former American President who ruled America in the midst of greater health challenge yet Americans never gave a hoot about it.

“In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson suffered a severe stroke that left him incapacitated until the end of his presidency, yet Americans did not call for his resignation or impeachment, but here in Nigeria, we have a President who is only on a medical check-up and some group of attention-seekers are making it to look as if it is anathema.

“For Charly Boy and his sponsors to organise such protest against our darling President, we have resolved and are going to stage a counter protest that will show the world that President Muhammadu Buhari is truly loved by Nigerians despite the media gang up against him.

“We have also collected the comprehensive list of politicians within and outside the APC who are sponsoring the protest and negative publicity against Buhari and will make it public for Nigerians to see who and who is actually preventing good governance from happening in the country.” [myad]

Any Nigerian Has Constitutional Right To Protest, But Can’t Be A Distraction, Presidency

Greenbarge Reporters

August 7, 2017

The Presidency has admitted that any Nigerian has the constitutional right to protest against the government or the President, Muhammadu Buhari, but that such protest would not distract the government from its focused programmes.

“The government is busy with the reconstruction and rehabilitation of infrastructure all over the country. It is creating jobs for the unemployed. It has set its sights on the larger picture of the country’s development; investing in rail and power projects and redeeming the country’s image from the mountains of corruption scandals that have marred it.

“We will not, therefore, be distracted by this or any other groups.”

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, who made these known in a statement today,Monday, reacting to call by some protesters that ailing President Muhammadu Buhari should either return to the country or resign, said that such call is an irrational assault on the nation’s constitution.

He said that the demonstration by a few Nigerians in Abuja, is in the exercise of their freedom under the constitution, which guarantees their right to embark on peaceful protests, saying: “so long as they remain peaceful, we have no problem with them. What is democracy if citizens can’t peacefully demonstrate?

“On the second issue, demanding the President’s return, or resignation or certain explanations, I would say that they have over-stepped their bounds.

“The President has complied 100 percent with the constitution by handing over power to the Vice-President before proceeding on his vacation. He has not breached any law or the constitution by staying away from office to take care of his health.

“Equally, there is nothing like a power vacuum in the country given the competence and general harmony with which the whole government is running.

“Any such calls as being made by this or any other group represent an irrational assault on the constitution and should be ignored by well-meaning members of the public.

“The need of the hour for this country is to rid it of corruption, reform and reinvigorate the economy and to fight crime and insurgency.”

[myad]

They Did Not Include Me In Team That Visited Buhari Because I Am Talkative, Fayose Confesses

Greenbarge Reporters

August 7, 2017

The Ekiti state governor, Ayodele Fayose has now made it known that the reason the leadership of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) did not include him in the team that visited President Muhammadu Buhari in London recently was because they knew that he would speak whatever he saw.

“Why did they not take me to London? Why didn’t they take me there? They obviously knew very well that I would listen to the man and know whether his voice is clear or not. Then, I would be able to tell Nigerians the truth.”

Governor Fayose, made the confession when he spoke today, Monday, at an all-inclusive meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with other political parties, which held at Ibadan Civic Centre, Agodi Gate, Ibadan.

Fayose was completely left out on the list of governors, from the North, East, west and South South, who recently visited President Buhari in London. The list was compiled by the leadership of the umbrella body of all the governors in Nigeria, NGF.[myad]

Maimuna Aliyu, Dropped From ICPC Board Nomination, Cries Foul Play

Greenbarge Reporters

August 7, 2017

One of the two nominated members of the Board of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other offences Commission (ICPC), Maimuna Aliyu has complained of being set up by people she has been trying to expose for corrupt practices.
In a petition, released today, Monday, Maimuna said that her adversaries had ignored her move to expose corruption but were quick to go to press that she was being investigated to deny her of the appointment earlier made by the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.
In the petition, titled: NOMINATION TO THE BOARD OF ICPC. MY STORY, the complainant recalled that on 21st June, this year, she had written a petition against Aso Savings and Loans PLC, where she catalogued the several infractions, frauds and corruption of Mr. Tunde Ayeni and his protégé; Mr. Adekunle Adedigba over funds that were misappropriated.
Maimuna said that she submitted copies of the said petition in June 2017 to Directorate of State Security (DSS), Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Independent Corrupt Practices Commission and related offences (ICPC) and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
“It is interesting to note that two clear months after I submitted the petition with weighty allegations against the Aso Savings and the persons earlier mentioned, nothing has been done about it, but they were quick to go to press that I was being investigated to deny me of the appointment earlier made by the Acting President.
“No matter how long it takes; the real truth about the plundering and looting of Aso Savings and Loans PLC will be made open irrespective of the threat to my life and my family. I have been harassed and openly embarrassed as a result of this but I am resolute that the truth will vindicate me. It is important to note that being investigated does not amount to being guilty or culpable of the issues of investigation.”
Maimuna said that even when there are issues to clear, the final destination is the court of competent jurisdiction before any verdict can be passed on anyone.
She said that she found it ridiculous that whereas she had written a petition alerting the appropriate authorities of the financial malfeasances at Aso Savings and Loans, rather than take the necessary action against the company and the persons so identified, she is the one being maligned and with her dragged to the mud for flimsy reasons, lamentind: “How wrong.”
She went on to give what she called facts of the matter.
“On March 19, 2009 I was given offer of appointment as Divisional Head, Products & Markets Division on an Executive Director level. Parts of my incentives as contained in my offer letter were the following:
“The bank will give you N80,000,000 [Eighty Million Naira] 15 year mortgage, at 5 percent interest rate.
“Stock options for N40,000,000 (forty million naira] units of ASO shares [at a price to be determined when the board approves the stock option plan)
“A status and domestic car
• A premium health insurance plan with our local providers
• 2 Business class tickets
• Performance related Pay to be determined by the board.
“The first major assignment I was given was on how to recover bad loans being owed the Bank by Abuja Urban Mass Transit Company (AUMTCO) totalling N2bn (Two Billion Naira) without collateral security. The Bank presented a very hopeless situation to me and prevailed on me to use my banking experience to help the bank out.
“My initial findings revealed that the land which housed the Abuja Urban Mass Transit was actually vacant and measured about 5.02 hectares. The Managing Director at that time Mr. Hassan Usman using his technical team valued the land at N3b. Armed with this information; I approached the former FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed to allocate the land to Aso Savings in order to write off the loan.
“The former Minister called for a meeting comprising management of both the Federal Capital Territory Authority and the Aso Savings and Loans. The Aso Savings Team was led by Hassan Usman, its Managing Director as at that time. At the meeting, Aso Savings granted waiver of N500m off the total loan and also approved N250m for the AUMTCO to relocate and paid N50m to a former Minister in order for him to remove the underground tank on the said land.
“The FCT former Minister, granted Aso Savings 50% off in payment for the Certificates of Occupancy. In 2011, the MD, Mr. Hassan Usman awarded the contract for the building of the estate which initially stood at 43 housing units of 5bedroom duplexes fully detached. The figures increased to 60 units when additional 8,000meters was conceded to Aso Savings on the same land. On seeing my performance and in line with my terms of appointment which I have stated above, the Bank approved one of the properties for me while the MD, Permanent Secretary and one Abdul Muktar, a former Chairman of the Bank also got their allocations.
“When Mr. Tunde Ayeni became Chairman of the Bank, he was allegedly paid N250m in lieu of the house. And as events later unfolded, when Tunde Ayeni wanted his protégé Mr. Kunle Adedigba to assume the Managing Director of the Bank, Mr. Hassan Usman got infuriated and later catalogued all the atrocities of Mr. Tunde Ayeni which totaled N1.7b including the N250m he had collected in lieu of the house.
“Mr. Tunde Ayeni was forced to pay the N250m. This angered him hence he insisted that all beneficiaries must pay or return their allocated houses. It is instructive to note that the said house has Deed of Assignment duly signed by the Bank Secretary and Director.
“I did resign from the Bank in 2013. In 2015, two years after I had resigned following all manners of shady deals which I could no longer accommodate, Aso Savings took Police to the said house with a letter saying the occupant, who happens to be my son, was occupying the property illegally. Upon receiving news of the harassment, I wrote to Aso Savings and attached a copy of the Deed of Assignment which was duly signed by the Company Secretary Bilkisi Rimi and one Peter Longe. Meanwhile Aso Savings through her Agent Brendford were in receipt annually of N1.5m as service charge on the said property. “When Aso Savings refused to reply my enquiries, I had to seek redress in law court. As I write this, we have been in court with Aso Savings and they have been dilly-dallying on the case in order to frustrate me. I remain undaunted.
“It is worthy of note that the ICPC did a thorough investigation and saw the facts of the matter especially the approval given by the Managing Director, Hassan Usman. It was a house given to me as performance related bonus in line with the terms of my appointment and approved by the Board; aware that five of them were also beneficiaries.
“In 2015, Aso Savings petitioned me to the Police. Investigation was carried out and when Aso Savings felt unsatisfied with the findings, they petitioned me again in 2016. I was invited on two occasions but Aso Savings didn’t show up.
“The investigation was carried out by Garba Baba Umar who I understand is presently in Anambra state as Commissioner of Police. No one has called me on anything until I heard of my nomination into ICPC Board and news started flying around trying to malign me and drag my name in the mud.
“The news report pointing to a report in May 2017 indicting me is a mere fluke. All these highly placed business men who have been variously found culpable by the investigations and also angry with me for exposing them have colluded to stop my appointment for fear that they will further be exposed. That is the simple reason why they have resorted to media maligning of my person.
“Part of the earlier investigations involve land allocations in Jahi area of Abuja when the Bank was looking for ways to recover its N1b donations to the campaign funds of former President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2011 elections through Mr. Tunde Ayeni and Hassan Usman, the Managing Director. The transaction was done through Tunde Olutoyl account. It was the reason Mr. Tunde Ayeni was detained by EFCC and still being investigated till date.
“The said lands were given to me to look for customers to buy them. I contracted them out to willing middlemen who would be able to dispose them off within a short period of time. The plots were slated for N19m each but those who sold them [not me] collected N23m per plot.”
Maimuna said that she had since discovered that her life is no longer safe in the hands of Mr. Tunde Ayeni and Hassan Usman both of whom have sworn to get rid of her for exposing them.
“They will stop at nothing to drag me in and rubbish me especially once they heard my name being nominated for the ICPC appointment. The facts of the matter speak for themselves. Having petitioned all the relevant agencies in the last two months, I am surprised that they have not swung into action, but the Police that has shown unwillingness to commence investigation on my petition, was quick to allegedly issue a report concerning their previous investigation on me without nothing to show for it, yet now curiously talking about indictment. How laughable.
“While thanking the presidency for the opportunity of the nomination in the first place, I will pray that proper independent investigation be carried out by the Acting President to fathom out the real situation of things. That is the only way that proper justice would be seen to have been done. I will personally be happy to see that those who plundered Aso Savings and Loans are brought to book.”[myad]

Joe Igbokwe, Nnamdi Kanu And The Emperor’s New Clothes, By Olalekan Waheed Adigun

Greenbarge Reporters

August 7, 2017

The story is told of an Emperor whose obsession with clothes is second to none. His love for clothes was so much that he spent all his money on being well dressed. He cared less about state functions like warfare, people’s welfare, recreation, going to the theatre, or going for a ride in his carriage, except to show off his new clothes. He reportedly had a coat for every hour of the day, and instead of saying, as one might, about any other ruler, “The King’s in a meeting,” here they always said. “The Emperor’s in his dressing room.”

The interesting this about this story, writes Danish author Hans Christian Andersen, in his The Emperor’s New Clothes, is that, unknown to the Emperor, the King’s council members an equivalent of today’s cabinet, for fear of being seen as unfit for their positions, have perfected the art of making the King believe he’s always on new clothes. The members of the Council and his weavers who cannot get quality fabric, the Emperor thought he “…could tell the wise men from the fools.”

Incidentally, we have a new Emperor in town in Nigeria today. He has been referred to in different names by his most fanatical supporters. Some have described him as John the Baptist, laying the foundation for the coming of the Lord. Some ridiculous ones have even put him in the place or on equal footing with the Lord Himself. He is regarded by others as the “Supreme Leader” of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) or the Igbos. He can do no wrong. His word is Law. If he issues any “command”, such “must be obeyed” without question. This new Emperor’s name is Nnamdi Kanu who dreams of leading a nation he calls Biafra!

Kanu, like his supporters, are deluded. His supporters are the most unfortunate. They echo whatever the Emperor says like a chorus. Like Boxer in George Orwell’s Animal Farm who’s never tired of saying, “If comrade Napoleon says it, it must be right”. Boxer is about the strongest of the animals in the farm, even stronger than Napoleon himself, yet he’s one of the least intelligent. It is on the army of this mass that the Emperor derives his power. Their ignorance is his is his wisdom; their poverty, his wealth; and their death, his life; their misery, his happiness; and their loss, his gain!

Few days ago, Joe Igbokwe, one of the few Igbos that refuses to see new clothes on the Emperor published his story in obvious response to Kanu who called him a “slave”. Joe published his “rags to riches” story of how he came from his village in Nnewi to Lagos in search of better life and economic prosperity. He explains why he owed everything to Lagos and why he always appreciates the state. He served three different Governors (Tinubu, Fashola and Ambode) in high capacities even though he is Igbo, a feat even “indigenous” Lagosians cannot boast of.

Rather than his supporters to tell the Emperor he is walking naked and urge him to publish his own story, if he has any, many of them went on to tell Joe to keep quiet. Some of us fell the Emperor should simply have told us how better he is than Igbokwe. He should have told us how he graduated from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He should have told us the businesses the Emperor engaged in while he was in London. We waited patiently to hear the jobs he did before he was appointed as director of Radio Biafra. It appears we will have to wait longer to hear all these. Some things are better kept secret!

Understandably, our Emperor’s won’t give up without a fight. On Friday 4 August 2017, I read an article under the title THE GAPS IN JOE IGBOKWE’S STORY by one Onyebuchi Ememanka published online by Scan News.

When I saw the captivating title “THE GAPS…” I felt it was time to demystify Joe Igbokwe. I thought it was time to see the lies, or exaggerations made by the APC Lagos image maker. I became more excited I read the writer’s claim when he said, “For starters, I know Engr. Joe Igbokwe personally and I must say that he is a man I respect a lot.”

He went further to write, “For the seven years I spent in Lagos, I attended the same church with Igbokwe – St. Bartholomew’s Anglican Church Aguda Surulere, one of the most powerful Anglican churches in Lagos and indeed Nigeria, both in terms of the quality of membership and evangelical depth. A full time Igbo church in Lagos, St. Barth’s is in a class of its own with one of the most fiery and charismatic Pastors, The Venerable Ben Nwanekwu.”

My excitements depreciated as I went on reading Onyebuchi’s article. There were no real “Gaps in Joe Igbokwe’s Story” as the title claimed. There were no exaggerations in Joe’s story either. The writer also made no attempt(s) to introduce irrelevances into his own story when he brought in a time when Lagos PDP Gubernatorial candidate visited their Church which saw the “entire church erupted in applause when he arrived.” The question I asked myself was, What “gaps” in Joe’s story does this fill?

If Joe’s offence was that he served in APC’s government under three different political administration or that he doesn’t make much noise about “going home” like most people do, in my opinion, he committed no offence and the writer goofed. Is Joe not supposed to be an adult that has the right to freedom of association under the 1999 Constitution? Joe is the spokesman of the party in Lagos. He is the manager of a large government agency in Lagos. He lives, like many of us in Lagos. He has a job to do in Lagos, what do you want him to always say? These are no easy jobs!
For the records, I am Igbomina from Kwara state. My father moved to Lagos before Independence with nothing. By sheer efforts, he built nine houses in Lagos. His only house in Ajase-Ipo was built for his aunt. I was born in Lagos. Apart from my two-year National Diploma (ND) in Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin in 2006, I have not visited the state. Does that make me less “Igbomina”?

If the Emperor’s supporters are sincere, they should be able to tell he is naked rather than saying he has new clothes!

Olalekan Waheed Adigun is a political risk analyst and independent political strategist based in Lagos, Nigeria. Email: olalekan@olalekanadigun.com, adgorwell@gmail.com. Follow me on Twitter: @adgorwell. [myad]

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