Opinion I Ending Drug Abuse In Imo

THE QUEST TO END DRUG ABUSE IN IMO

       

The last time I painstakingly checked, intake of hard drugs and other related substances had been formally recognized as an illicit act in Imo State, the Eastern Heartland. Hence, there was apparently a strong and impassionate move to end the behaviour which was described as societal menace.   

       

The Executive Governor of the state in the person of Chief Rochas Okorocha made this known on Tuesday, 16^th January 2018 during his New Year meeting with the stakeholders of the ruling party – the All Progressives Congress (APC). According to the number-one citizen, drug abuse which is now found among the greater percentage of productive youths in the state and Nigeria in general, had become a great concern to the Rescue Mission government, hence the need for him and his team to act fast towards eradicating the cankerworm.

        

In view of the aforementioned worry, the governor therein – precisely at the Imo International Conference Centre (IICC), the venue of the event – outrightly set up an ad-hoc committee to handle the situation. The team, which is headed by a woman, has a Deputy Chairman in charge of each senatorial zone in the state. Aside inaugurating the committee, which was described as long overdue, the people present at the occasion applauded the governor for finding a lady worthy to super head its activities.

        

Consequently, the state’s House of Assembly led by Acho Ihim disclosed its readiness to back the governor on his seeming candid quest to clamp down on the derailed homosapiens. The legislators in their view opined that such manner of attitude deserved no pity or mercy, hence the need to decisively end it before it ends the state’s existence. Owing to their understanding, they unanimously agreed to tender a bill in that regard with a view to passing the said social crusade and the penalties accruable to defaulters into law.

       

The least I would say over the government’s intent to initiate a war against all forms of drug abuse in the state is that, it is a welcome development. I was told by my beloved dad that the best and fastest way to terminate the future of an upcoming young man is to expose him to hard drugs. In my father’s opinion, intake or consumption of illicit drugs “does absolutely nothing good to the body of any man than to keep him/her busy doing nothing”. The octogenarian may not be a philosopher by profession but I grew up to see him as one.

      

However, each time I perceive such pronouncement as was made by Chief Okorocha, the first thing I invariably try to ascertain is the sincerity and determination that accompanies it. It’s not anymore news that overtime several governments at all levels had come up with such mantra but eventually ended up doing virtually nothing.

      

Even as the Assembly has drummed its support for the cause, the question remains; how prepared are the lawmakers to treat the forthcoming bill as a priority? You never can tell if the bill would take over a calendar year to be passed into law let alone assenting to it by the executive arm. In other words, the House must be willing to consider its scale of preference for such an anticipated laudable law to see the light of the day.

      

So, if the Okorocha–led administration is truly desirous to kick against drug abuse, the political will must be worn like a clothe. And mind you; you cannot aptly end the consumption of any substance if there’s no action taken to stop the dealers or distributors from doing so. It suffices to say that, firstly, the government needs to checkmate how those unwanted substances enter into the state on a daily basis.

        

Also, if there’s anywhere they are produced in the state, there must be measure to ensure that they are distributed only to the quarters where their need is not illegal. It’s noteworthy that most of the substances in question are essential raw materials needed in the day-to-day manufacturing of some vital products required for our everyday use; but when taken raw, it becomes a problem to the human system.

       

It is needless to state that they were not originally provided to be consumed raw by any individual regardless of his or her physical ability. The primary intent of coming up with such substances was to make use of them in various production firms such as breweries, distilleries, and pharmaceutical companies, among others.  

      

On the other hand, my dad equally told me that the best thing that would happen to a man is to have a good job; and to a woman, a good husband. This analogy implies that a young man occupied with a good job would always be mentally busy doing something meaningful, thus wouldn’t have the time to indulge in other uncalled activities or mingle with bad companies. I concur explicitly with this theory.

       

Against this backdrop, successive governments are requested to endeavour to ensure that their teeming subjects are meaningfully occupied, job wise. All over the globe, there is nowhere it is the responsibility of any government to create jobs for the overall citizens. But it is the statutory duty of every government to create enabling environment that would spur the citizenry to become useful to themselves, and that of Imo wouldn’t be an exception.

       

Creation of enabling environment simply means providing those necessary facilities or social amenities that would encourage people to invest their hard earned monies as well as enable talented individuals to commercialize their respective patents with ease. When prospective private investors invest in the state, several Imolites cum residents would be greatly opportune to be gainfully employed.

       

It is therefore needless to assert that the Imo government must, in addition to ensuring that drug abuse is drastically alleviated within the four corners of the state, endeavour to wholly do the needful in respect of governance. Think about it!

 

 Comrade FDN Nwaozor

Executive Director, Docfred Resource Hub - Owerri

____________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

Twitter: @mediambassador      

 

Opinion I Averting Reprisals Over Herdsmen Massacres

AVERTING REPRISALS OVER HERDSMEN MASSACRES

       

The popular saying that warns ‘make hay while the Sun shines’ would only be considered reasonable and rational when there’s still hay left in the bushes as well as every arena where it’s usually found. Of course, you can only be conscientized to grab something on time when the stuff in question is still available.

        

For years now, several communities across Nigeria had been subjected to an untold hardship and seemingly perpetual torture by the so-called Fulani herdsmen. I can’t forget in a hurry that virtually all the states in Nigeria have tasted at least a bit of this venom at one time or the other. The aforesaid set of farmers, rather than acting as guests while breeding their livestock, end up constituting evitable nuisance in their various host communities.

       

This domineering and nonchalant idiosyncrasy of these armed herdsmen who parade themselves with unspeakable ammunitions and weapons has overtime been arguably overlooked by the government and other concerned authorities. Two years ago, precisely on Monday 25^th April 2016, a certain group of herdsmen unleashed an astonishing terror on the people of Nimbo Community in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area (LGA) of Enugu State; an attack that ushered in an unimagined massacre. In the said crisis, reportedly scores feared dead, countless persons maimed, about a hundred residents injured, several houses cum churches razed, thereby rendering over two thousand dwellers homeless.

        

Though the incident may have come and gone, it’s imperative to acknowledge that the peril it inflicted on the living victims is unarguably an experience they will all live to recall. Myself, each time I recollect that a certain community in Enugu State sometime in the history of this country woke one morning only to be brutally taken unawares by a group of total strangers, I invariably take solace in the ‘notion’ that it could be a mere dream.

       

As if that wasn’t enough, that of Nimbo never marked the end of the crisis as we anticipated; rather, it transcended to other states. Recently, it seemed Benue State had abruptly become the headquarters of the cruel herdsmen. Before now, no week that came on board we wouldn’t hear that a certain part of the state had been attacked by them.

         

The last time I checked, the herdsmen imbroglio was occurring ubiquitously in the country that it required only a severe and drastic measure towards addressing it. Relocating the office of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to Benue State might be a step in solving the menace but can never be the complete remedy to it. First, the Federal Government (FG) must be very sincere about how it goes about this. If the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) could be proscribed by the government, I wonder why this set of militias operating in disguise as herdsmen should be spared.

        

It is also appalling that till date, the Presidency is yet to address the Nigerian state concerning a situation that has eaten deep into our bone marrow. It’s worth noting that the continuous silence of Mr. President signals a great danger to the teeming Nigerians that are looking up to his person.

      

However, it’s noteworthy that it isn’t all the herdsmen that are brutal. The vandals are some of them who unnecessarily intend to unleash terror on their host communities, probably owing to one or two frivolous reasons. To this end, the bad eggs must be fished out via the effort of the leadership of the herdsmen’s coalition, and thereafter brought to book. The relevant law enforcement agents ought to take this step very seriously. Nigerians aren’t just yearning for mere arrest but to adequately prosecute these suspected terrors in our midst.

         

I’m strongly of the view that the best way to holistically solve any existing anomaly is to duly ascertain its fundamental cause(s), and this very one isn’t exceptional. Hence, I enjoin the apt authorities such as the Police, in collaboration with other relevant agencies, to embark on a rigorous finding with a view to ensuring that they ascertain the prime origin of the ongoing state of unrest. In addition, governments at all levels should variously set up committees to look into this aspect.

       

Town hall meetings equally ought to be randomly scheduled to sensitize the general public on their civic responsibilities in this regard as well as to give the affected host communities a sense of belonging. We must note that we can’t completely unravel this state of quagmire without employing Community Policing, which would be thoroughly effective and efficient only if the entire dwellers are carried along. We mustn’t take any action without involving the potential victims of the mayhem.

       

There’s also need for us, especially the security agents, to headlong stop inserting ‘Fulani’ whenever we intend to speak or write on anything pertaining to the herdsmen; we must take into cognizance that anyone could be a herdsman regardless of his/her place of origin. Besides, anyone who intends to hurt you might come in disguise as anything; needless to reiterate that someone or a group that had been longing to terrorize you, may decide to hide under the guise of herdsmen. Thus, we must be thoroughly guided on how we go about the so called Fulani herdsmen.

       

Among all, henceforth Cattle owners need to be mandated to own ranches within their respective jurisdictions, so that, their herdsmen would desist from defacing the outlook of our various major roads cum farms as it is invariably found whenever they migrate with their cattle. In other words, grazing or colony cannot remedy the plight.

        

I can’t round off this critique without reminding the various governments on the need to embark on a massive compensation programme that would touch the lives of all the families affected from the onset across the federation. Let’s make hay while the Sun shines now it (hay) is still available in the various bushes. Think about it!

 

Comrade FDN Nwaozor

Executive Director, Docfred Resource Hub - Owerri

__________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

Twitter: @mediambassador            

        

 

Opinion I Aftermath of the Imo Royal Fathers' Election

AFTERMATH OF THE IMO ROYAL FATHERS’ ELECTION

      

The last time I checked, the long awaited election among the overall royal fathers in Imo State had eventually been conducted. It took place on Thursday, 17^th January 2018. Prior to the exercise, Imolites couldn’t wait to embrace the scheduled date, and were equally filled with mixed feelings as regards what the outcome would be.

      

The election was meant to usher in the substantive leadership of the revered Imo Traditional Rulers’ Council, an umbrella body of all the royal fathers in the state. It suffices to say that, since the election had already taken place, the substantive Chairman of the association alongside its other officials had emerged.

        

Let’s quickly go back to history. It would be recalled that before the election, the Chairman of the body in the person of Eze Samuel Ohiri became the leader via appointment. The moment the Executive Governor of the state Chief Rochas Okorocha came on board in 2011, he outrightly dissolved the then Executive Council (EXCO) of the union, stating that their tenure had elapsed.

        

At the time, the union was led by Eze Cletus Ilomuanya who is now dethroned by the Okorocha-led government. Upon the dissolution, the governor appointed Eze Ohiri to man the affairs of the body. Since that gesture occurred till last Thursday, it’s noteworthy that that very leadership selected by Governor Okorocha – that could best be described as interim – had been in charge of the union’s day-to-day activity.

        

From the moment the drama happened, Imo as a people were clamouring for an election to be conducted among the traditional custodians towards ensuring that a substantive leader was produced. According to them, the anticipated exercise would enable the association to duly function as an independent body compared to when its leadership emerged through mere appointment.

      

We were promised the election would take place sometime last year being 2017. We patiently waited, hoping the election would be conducted based on the promise but at the end, nothing that looks like election was witnessed. Probably, the proposed exercise was marred by contingencies. Owing to the lapse, Imolites began to mutter once again that it was unfair for an apolitical union like the Imo Council of Traditional Rulers to share similar fate with the state’s Local Government Areas (LGAs) that were yet to enjoy elections since the emergence of the Rescue Mission Administration.

       

Based on their argument, the lacuna experienced by the LGAs could be overlook as a result of the fact that it had to do with political matters. But for a socio-cultural body to suffer from same condition was uncalled for and unacceptable, to assert the least. Such a scenario made the concerned citizens to inadvertently become lachrymose.

        

Perhaps in the spirit of 2018, or in the spirit of a new odyssey, or in the spirit of a New Year resolution, the long awaited election was finally conducted. When we were notified of the new date, everyone remained jittery and sceptical, thinking it might still be a mirage just like the previous ones, though we were consoled by the fact that a stronger plan was outlined for the awaited exercise. It’s therefore needless to state that Imolites are at the moment deeply elated that the body eventually witnessed an election as its constitution stipulates.

       

It’s worth noting that the election had three contestants for the chairmanship position namely, Eze Oliver Ohanwe, Eze Samuel Ohiri and Eze Chidume Okoro. Among these three, courtesy demanded that one person would emerge the winner of the race. After all said and done, Eze Ohiri, who had been the interim chairman of the body for over six years, still emerged victorious. This implies that constitutionally, he would continue to lead the union for the next five years.

        

However, I’m not here to occasion an argument or criticism but to let the entire royal fathers understand what is expected of them at this time the election had been successfully conducted as planned. If I failed to tell them what I feel, my conscience shall remain restless unabated.

       

Before the election, I told them that issues related to it must not be treated as political. In other words, I made them realized that the election was expected to usher in the leadership of a socio-cultural group, and not socio-political platform. My candid words meant that since culture and politics are like two parallel lines that have no meeting point, they needed to tread with caution before and during the election.

       

Now that the election had truly come and gone, and a winner produced, we ought to be more concerned about way forward. It’s not anymore news that after any election irrespective of its nature, grievances must be harboured in some quarters whilst some would be seen jubilating; hence, that of the Imo royal fathers wouldn’t be an exception. I’m trying to say that I can’t be explicitly convinced that every member of that union is currently pleased over the conduct cum outcome of the election.

       

Against this backdrop, I want to use this medium to sincerely appeal to the aggrieved ones to sheath their sword with a view to coming together as an indivisible family. We cannot fold our arms and watch them argue or quarrel over electoral issues because certainly such an altercation would bring a division among them. And acknowledging that division would negatively affect the state either directly or indirectly, we forbid such occurrence.

       

These traditional custodians must comprehend that everyone is keenly watching them at such a critical time like this, hence the need for them to respect their grey hairs. If there is any dirty lily they have within them, it must be buried therein, thus shouldn’t be exposed to the public. The state cannot afford to see anyone of them go to court over an electoral case or any other matter whatsoever. The new leaders on their part must equally extend an olive branch to everyone, particularly their co-contestants.

       

Inter alia, as the new leadership assumes duty, I enjoin them to passionately look into one particular anomaly I have observed among the royal fathers. A situation whereby a traditional ruler would reside abroad thereby allowing his palace to be manned by his Prime Minister or Secretary is really an aberration that must be put to stop in earnest. It’s no longer news that most of our royal fathers only go home when there is a serious case to settle among his warring kinsmen. Funnily enough, sometimes the dwellers in dispute would be invited to the city where the ruler resides towards settling the case in question.

       

So as I congratulate the newly emerged leadership of the union, I equally want them to know that it’s high time they understood the reason they are called traditional rulers with a view to saving their respective autonomous communities from any form of collapse or crisis. Think about it!

 

 

Comrade FDN Nwaozor

Executive Director, Docfred Resource Hub - Owerri

____________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

Twitter: @mediambassador