Opinion I Reviewing OBJ's Epistle To PMB

REVIEWING OBJ’S EPISTLE TO PMB

        

I grew up to learn from my darling mum that the best way and manner to express your feelings towards someone was to write him or her. The amazon would invariably back-up the theory by saying, ‘if you intend to make your words seem stronger, present the letter in a hand-written form’. It appears, nowadays, open letters have inadvertently replaced the hand-written mode.

        

I woke up in the early morning of Wednesday, 24^th January 2018 to see an open epistle to President Muhammadu Buhari painstakingly written by erstwhile president, Olusegun obasanjo. It’s noteworthy that such an attitude has ostensibly become synonymous with the latter who perhaps comprehends that writing a sitting president is more powerful than engaging him on a one-on-one meeting.

        

I didn’t waste time to digest the 23-paragraph letter, which bore a matter of deep concern. The epistle was in summary mainly targeted to advise Mr. President not to seek re-election come 2019, having in a lengthy statement expressed that the Buhari-led administration and the All Progressives Congress (APC) had failed Nigerians.

        

The second paragraph of the epistle captioned that ‘lack of national cohesion and poor management of internal political dynamics and widening inequality are very much with us today’. I could explicitly agree that there’s an element of fact in this clause even though it appears a bit contradictory.

        

Of course, proscribing the existence of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) but harbouring the activities of the so-called herdsmen across the lengths and breadth of the federation is arguably enough reason for anyone to assert that this administration is an advocate of inequality; read my lips.

        

What could better be described as an inequality than a situation where some people were being massacred on a daily basis by their fellow citizens, yet the Presidency never considered it consequential to address the state of the nation; than a situation whereby the North-East rehabilitation is ongoing whilst that of Ogoni land, or Nimbo of Enugu, is yet to know its fate?

      

The fourth paragraph wholly stated that ‘our situation in the last decade or so had shown that we are not good enough at home’. This is equally true. Over the years, particularly in recent times, Nigeria has proven to the global community that she is always good in playing a leading role toward settling any socio-political crisis occurring in the Diaspora. But pathetically, she seems usually weak when it calls for handling issues happening within her territory. This is unequivocally an aberration.

       

The sixth paragraph of the letter opined that ‘the situation that made Nigerians to vote massively to get my brother Jonathan off the horse is playing itself out again’. I partly disagree with this perception. To the best of my knowledge, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan was whisked out as the president of Nigeria mainly owing to his seeming weak approach towards tackling some prevailing societal issues like terrorism and corruption that were then the order of the day in the country.

       

I thus beg to disabuse Chief Obasanjo of the notion that terrorism and corruption had not been fought headlong since President Buhari assumed duty. The aforementioned cankerworms may have not been completely defeated by the present administration, it’s worth noting that a lot has really been achieved thus far.

       

For instance, initiation cum sustenance of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and the Bank Verification Number (BVN), to check excesses among public servants as well as the lingered impunity of money lauders and fraudsters, respectively, are good reasons to fete cap for Buhari in the area of fighting corruption.

      

The open epistle also accused President Buhari of patronizing nepotism. I wholeheartedly concur. Mr. President’s appointments so far were clear indications of his excess love for a certain set of individuals or groups in the country, which is contrary to what is expected of a man meant to be a true nationalist.

       

Chief Obasanjo rounded off by appealing to the president to consider ‘a deserved rest at this point in time and at this age’ having reminded him of his current health status. Without mincing words, it is only a sycophant or selfish-minded individual that would encourage Buhari to seek for re-election. He needn’t be reminded that he truly deserves a holistic rest after May 29, 2019 to enable him function aptly as a statesman and patriotic Nigerian.

       

However, Nigerians – I in particular – expected the writer to commence such an epistle with an apology over his failure to tactically address the country’s economy while he was riding the horse. It’s only an insane person that would believe that power inability, substandard education and poor health services aren’t Nigeria’s major economic plight, yet the Obasanjo-led government never solved any of these despite the whooping funds expended on the menace. Isn’t it then ideal to tell Chief Obasanjo that the porous foundation he laid remains the prime reason the structure has refused to be solid?

       

Funnily enough, the Federal Government (FG) has reacted to the letter via the Information Minister Alhaji Lai Mohammed, saying the former president may not have noticed the ‘numerous achievements’ of the current administration as a result of his tight schedule. One may wonder what kind of busy time would make a rational being not realize when his country is progressing socio-economically. Think about it!

 

Comrade FDN Nwaozor

 Executive Director, Docfred Resource Hub - Owerri

__________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

Twitter: @mediambassador            

 

           

 

ShortStory I Shocking U-Turn (II)

SHOCKING  U-TURN (II)

       As days unfolded, the 28-year-old engineer, Dubem who was his parents’ only male child alongside his 25-year-old fiancée Ebere – a psychologist – who was at the time serving her fatherland as the country’s academic custom requested, kept pondering over what could have informed the abrupt U-turn displayed by his father, Mr. Ike Ubochi.

        On his part, the maiden’s dad, Mr. Elu Okoro who had vowed never to approach the purportedly aggrieved man towards ascertaining the actual cause of his grievance, was ostensibly the bitterest creature on the mother Earth as the uncalled malice continued unabated.

        “Oh my God!” Mr. Ubochi’s wife, Nneka soliloquized as she was seated lonely on her matrimonial bed in the evening on a Friday. “Who has bewitched my husband?” She supplemented.

         “Nobody has bewitched your husband.” Mr. Ubochi who just returned from his private office responded as he walked into the room.

          He had aptly presumed what was troubling her mind, thus needn’t a soothsayer to expatiate her moment of anguish.

          Mrs. Nneka who was startled by the interruption, hurriedly looked up only to observe her hubby’s presence; it was about 5:00pm. “You are welcome.” She managed to utter, still seated on the bed.

         “Why are you eating up yourself over nothing?” Mr. Ubochi queried as he calmly dropped his briefcase on the bed.

           The mother of three looked up to him, surprised. “Over nothing..?” She argued.

        “Of course,” he said, stood still. “Is there any cause for alarm?”

        “Why are you saying this?” she roared. “A man who loves and adores a girl suddenly turned around and began behaving strangely.” she asserted, paused. “And you are here telling me there is no cause for alarm.”

         Mr. Ubochi tenderly sat closely to her. “So,” he uttered. “Do you want to know what prompted the sudden change?”

         Nneka fixed her gaze on his. “My dear husband,” she said. “I absolutely deserve to know why that innocent girl deserves such treatment.” She passionately opined.

       “Okay, if you must know,” quoth Mr. Ubochi. “That girl cannot marry my son because she is Osu.” He frankly notified, paused. “None of my children will settle down with an Osu.”

         An Osu in some parts of Igboland and its environs is one who is traditionally regarded as an outcast, thus does not deserve to associate with other members of his/her immediate or wider society let alone getting married to them.

         “Osu?” echoed Mrs. Nneka who had been a pious woman as regards Christianity.

         “Yes, if you must know.”

           She abruptly felt disappointed. “So this is all about Osu, right?”

         “You don’t believe in Osu?’ He verified, became marvelled.

         “If you were not my husband, I would have walked out on you right now.” she informed with alacrity. “How can someone like you who always sit at the front of the church be talking about Osu at this twenty first century?”

          “Will you shut up, woman!” he ranted. “What do you know about tradition?”

          “It is even more appalling that you are a member of the knighthood.”

          “And so?” he argued. “What does the knighthood got to do with this?”

          Mrs. Nneka shook her head. “You amuse me, my dear husband.”

         “Me, amuse you?” he said, placing his right hand on his chest. “Woman, you better watch your tongue.”

          “Isn’t it clear that…” Nneka continued.

            Before she could land, Dubem who had been eavesdropping the conversation fiercely stepped into the room whose door was widely open except the curtain. “So dad, this is it right?” He roared as soon as he dashed in.

           The couple was startled. “This is what?’ Mr. Ike Ubochi managed to respond.

        “So, this is all about Osu?” Dubem supplemented.

          The couple, particularly the man of the house became mute, though Mrs. Nneka was apparently gladdened that the issue was no longer concealed.

        “So because of Osu,” Dubem proceeded. “You have been witch-hunting that poor girl?” he said, gesticulating. “That innocent girl, Ebere?” he added, still standing right before them.

          Mr. Ubochi remained speechless as he stylishly glanced at his wife who was still seated closely to him.

         “You have forgotten that you have two daughters who are yet to get married.” he furiously reminded. “So if you continue with this kind of belief, who would marry them?’

         “Will you shut up, Dubem?’ Mr. Ubochi interrupted fiercely. “How dare you put up such question before your father?” he said, paused. “So you have grown so wild, right?”

          “You caused it, dad,” replied the distressed dude. “You caused it.” He added in a jiffy.

          “Dubem, is okay.” his mum urged calmly. “You can excuse us.” She supplemented, looking strongly into his eyes.

           On hearing the motherly voice, he submissively looked at her, quickly turned his back on the couple and dashed out.

          “You see what you have caused?” Nneka reaffirmed, stylishly glancing at the man of the house.

          “Enough of this, please..!” Mr. Ubochi said frowning, stood up from the bed and dashed out too.

           Days later, Mr. Ike Ubochi was invited by his church’s priest on the subject matter. The clergy had been informed by Dubem who ran to him the following day after the altercation between him and his dad.

          “Sir Ike Ubochi,” the priest called as they were seated in his office.

          “Yes, pastor.” The knight responded.

          “It is annoying that after all we have preached in this church concerning the so-called Osu,” the Anglican priest rode on. “People like you are still talking about it.”

         “So pastor,” quoth the guest, surprised. “My son reported me to you?”

        “That is not the issue,” the priest countered. “If you were in his shoes, you would do the same.” he said, paused. “This is a very serious matter, sir Ike.”

         The guest became dumbfounded at this point, looking at the tiled floor.

        “Please, I don’t want to hear this again.” The clergy proceeded. “Go and reconcile with that innocent girl.” He enjoined succinctly.

          Weeks on as God would have it, Engr. Dubem Ubochi successfully led Miss Ebere Okoro down the aisle. Before this period, the father of the former had peacefully jettisoned all his charges against the latter having heeded the church’s counsel. It was conspicuously a moment of jubilation for both families.

         Years down the line, the couple remained happily married with promising kids.

         The rest is history, please.    

 

FDN Nwaozor

Executive Director, Docfred Resource Hub - Owerri

___________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

Twitter: @mediambassador            

 

          

          

                    

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