Opinion I Imo Government, The Church And Imolites

IMO GOVERNMENT, THE CHURCH AND IMOLITES

        

The last time I checked, there was a perceived rift between the Imo State Government led by Governor Rochas Okorocha and the Catholic communion in the state’s capital under the leadership of Archbishop Anthony Obinna.

       

The difference seemed to have emanated penultimate month from a certain burial ceremony that held in the state, precisely Owerri North LGA. In the said event, Archbishop Obinna was reportedly spotted in the church lamenting over all the perceived ill activities being carried out by the Gov. Okorocha-led government otherwise known as the ‘Rescue Mission’ Administration.

         

In a swift reaction to the lamentations, the governor’s allies therein allegedly assaulted the clergy. It’s noteworthy that the Archbishop had afterwards publicly refuted the rumour that his person received an assault from the aides of the state’s number one citizen. Notwithstanding, the spokesman of the Owerri Catholic Archdiocese in the person of Rev. Fr. George Nwachukwu, on his own accord, insisted that his principal was actually assaulted.

         

I could not reconcile the two distinct public speeches separately given by the religious leader and his subject. The two different press statements were obvious indication that someone somewhere was trying to play prangs on the people. Please, don’t get my assertion twisted, because the truth of the matter remains that something is definitely missing somewhere.

        

However, some concerned Imolites have opined that the archbishop’s press release was not unconnected with the clergy’s intent to forestall likely societal upheaval or chaos. In other words, he might have foresaw that an uproar would ensue if he aligned with the report that he was assaulted, or even insulted, by the protégés of the Imo Governor.

        

At this point, I wish to candidly ask; who is really misinforming who? How could the archbishop clarify the people that he was never assaulted and his ally would on the other hand disqualify his boss’ notice? I’m still trying to fathom what exactly went wrong.

       

Be it as it may, I want to sincerely analyze what transpired in the church during the aforementioned burial ceremony. It was gathered that the archbishop, having aired his view, handed the microphone over to a certain politician believed to be of the extraction of the opposition political platform, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP). And the political juggernaut therein began to pour out series of criticisms targeted to the APC-led government right before the congregation as well as the lying corpse.

        

When I got the news, I didn’t hesitate to ascertain if a requiem Mass was in the long run converted to a political gathering. How could a place designated for last respect to be paid to a deceased person be eventually used for political jamboree? Honestly, if I were the person in the casket, I would have without much ado become a living being just for the purpose of descending on whosoever that derailed in the process, because such a gesture was a slap on the soul  of the deceased.

         

I won’t hesitate to declare that the governor’s supporters equally derailed on that fateful day. How could an individual in his/her right senses think of insulting an ordained man of God let alone making it public? Such attitude of theirs was an eyesore, to assert the least. Even if the archbishop wasn’t assaulted as claimed, the fact remains that there was an attempt to abuse his priesthood.

         

No matter the provocation, a conspicuous attempt to humiliate an anointed individual is enough reason to scold whosoever that thought of such an act talk less of displaying it. Anyone who fails to condemn such manner of retaliation in its entirety is actually concealing evil, hence deserves to be scolded too. The best thing they could have done at that point was to leave the scene if they were really hurt. After all, two wrongs do not make a right.

        

Nevertheless, it’s worth noting that this piece was not informed by some persons’ quest to aggravate the perceived existing rift between the church and the state’s government; rather, was necessitated by the need to mediate between the ‘warring’ parties with a view to bringing an everlasting end to the ongoing uncalled melodrama.

        

I’ve chosen to remain mute all these while because I don’t like to speak or react when many are still talking. No matter how long it took my pensive pen to react, the fact is that I cannot claim ignorance of such serious issue trending in a state in which I’m a stakeholder. It suffices to say that I’m bound to do the needful whenever such a matter comes into play; and the needful is to play the role of a mediator come rain come shine.

         

Hence, at this juncture, I’m earnestly appealing to all concerned to endeavour to sheath their sword. What Imo need right now is to face a subject matter that would usher in nothing but absolute oneness. The people of the state are already divided owing to political interests, thus we shouldn’t harbour anything that could bring further division among us. The Eastern heartland is at the moment seriously in search of harmony and peaceful coexistence among her people.

        

Everyone or any human creature is arguably an affiliate of the church. This is the reason anything that affects the church, in one way or the other, equally affects the human race. So, we wouldn’t want the church to be aggrieved with the government because we cannot cope with her ‘venom’ which she may vomit when pushed to the wall.

       

All in all, not minding who had wronged who at the burial ceremony, or so far, I enjoin the governor to swallow his pride towards ensuring that an unalloyed apology is tendered on behalf of his allies or the government in general. This is the best way a formidable harmony can be actualized among every party involved. Think about it!

 

Comrade Fred Doc Nwaozor

Executive Director, Docfred Resource Hub (DRH) - Owerri

___________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

Twitter: @mediambassador

                 

Opinion I Death Sentence For Hate Speech?

DEATH SENTENCE FOR HATE SPEECH?

         

As days unfold, it seems every political leader in Nigeria is deeply concerned about how all sorts of deviant acts would be tactically flushed out of the country’s system in its entirety. This is perhaps the reason different forms of bills pertaining to criminality or social deviance won’t cease to flood our various lawmaking chambers, both at the federal and state levels.

         

Presently, in the National Assembly (NASS), there is a certain bill lying on the floor of the hallowed chamber that’s targeted at ending every kind of ‘hate speech’, which is at the moment the order of the day mainly on the new media platform otherwise referred to as the social media. It’s being sponsored by the Spokesman of the Red Chamber, Senator Aliyu Abdullahi.

         

The bill, which seeks establishment of an ‘Independent National Commission for Hate Speech’ that would enforce hate speech laws across the country as well as advise the federal government in that regard, if passed into law, shall grant a ‘not less than five-year jail term or a fine of not less than N10 million, or both, for offences such as harassment on the grounds of ethnicity or racial contempt.

          

Among other prescriptions captured in the amazing bill, it’s further advocating that upon conviction, hate speech offenders ought to face the hangman’s noose; meaning literally that a convicted culprit shall be facing a death sentence via hanging. The particular clause that’s seeks capital punishment actually concerns hate speech that resulted in the death of someone.

        

This bill if eventually signed into law, will unequivocally be in disagreement with Section 39 (1) of the Nigerian 1999 Constitution, as amended, that allows freedom of expression. The said section empowers Nigerians to freely hold opinions as well as receive and impart ideas cum information without interference. Hence, the NASS probably is equally thinking of how to amend this very section.

         

Criminalizing an activity – free speech – that showcases the true mark of any democratic terrain is enough indication that the people we elected to represent us have abruptly turned against our collective existence. The truth is that, the so-called hate speech does not in any way deserves to be tagged a criminal act let alone warranting a death sentence.

         

It’s mind boggling that this is happening at a time every bloc across the globe, particularly the United Nations (UN), is seriously condemning prescription of capital punishment as a penalty for any kind of conviction whatsoever; at an era when rational thinkers consider such type of sentence as barbaric and archaic; at a period various civil societies are advocating life imprisonment as the greatest punishment to be served by any court of law irrespective of the nature of the offence.

        

The reason life sentence should be preferred to that of death has overtime been made clear. One might be erroneously sentenced, thus if such person is serving a life imprisonment, the judgement could be revisited in the long run when an authentic alibi, or as may be the case, is eventually tendered to the court that convicted him/her. Hence, it’s retrogressive for any legislature to advocate capital penalty at this 21^st century.

         

Besides, it’s baffling to acknowledge that till date, our revered legislators are yet to sponsor a bill that would prescribe the hangman’s noose upon conviction as regards a case involving looting. It’s indeed amusing, to assert the least, that this set of elected officers we look up to is still finding it difficult to align with our notion that looters ostensibly deserve capital punishment if convicted.

         

Why would someone who indulge in an act (looting) that could render thousands of Nigerians jobless and equally results in untimely death of several others be allowed to walk freely and boldly on the streets, but one who expresses his/her feelings or opinions toward the country’s leaders, or public servants in general, would be meant to serve a death sentence? How do we reconcile this? If your thought is as good as mine, then you will agree with me that the bill in question is simply controversial, hence doesn’t merit a second hearing let alone passing it.

        

Time has obviously arrived for us to start placing priorities in all our doings concerning governance. Our continuous misplacement of ‘scale of preference’ virtually in our everyday activity remains one of the basic reasons we often times move aback when expected to drive ahead. The collective yearnings of the people shouldn’t be shortchanged for our individual interests.

       

I’m as well using this medium to urge Nigerians as a people to be much focused whenever they are seeking governance. We ought not to allow our personal hatred for a certain public servant override our collective quest for good leadership. It’s more disturbing when realized that even the leaders seemingly don’t like themselves, thus on a daily basis, display speeches that bear hatred in the name of acting in opposition.

        

As much as I’m in support of the NASS’ dogged move to eradicate the so-called hate speech among Nigerians, it’s also worth noting that such movement isn’t meant to erode the fundamental rights of the people. Think about it!

 

Comrade Fred Nwaozor

Executive Director, Docfred Resource Hub (DRH) - Owerri

__________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

+2348028608056
Twitter: @mediambassador            

      

            

Opinion I JAMB, Ongoing Melodrama And The EFCC

JAMB, ONGOING MELODRAMA AND THE EFCC

         

In the first Nollywood play pertaining to crime titled ‘Rattle snake’, it was one of the characters named Peter that referred the protagonist, Ahanna who happened to be his bosom friend to as ‘snake’ when the latter indulged himself in a certain criminal act.

       

The sobriquet was informed by a weird behaviour displayed by Ahanna in order not to be apprehended. The play, which was reportedly based on true life story, is reckoned to be a product of one of the best scripts ever written in the Nigeria’s movie industry.

         

This arguably implies that in some occasions, a human being could act not unlike a living snake. I can’t concur less with the assertion that emanated from the movie because I’ve personally come to realize that in our respective individual endeavours, we sometimes prefer to conceal our real features; an attitude which is similar to that of a snake.

         

As I dispassionately write on the above subject matter that mentions snake, I can’t help but deeply recall the aforementioned play that was produced over twenty decades ago. In the second week of February 2018, precisely on the 10^th, the news went viral that some proceeds amounting to about N36 million were allegedly swallowed by a ‘snake’ in the office of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) situated in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.

         

It would be recalled that in the past, applicants had to purchase scratch cards from JAMB state offices and other designated centres across Nigeria, to enable them gain access to the Board’s website for either registration or to check their admission status. But the reforms newly introduced by the current JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede put an outright end to the use of scratch cards.

        

Hence, a team of auditors was recently dispatched to different state offices of the JAMB to take inventory of the sold and unsold scratch cards as well as recover whatever money that might have either been generated or squandered during the period of the sale of scratch cards. Intriguingly, on their visit to the Makurdi office, the sales clerk Mrs. Philomina Chieshe disclosed that she could not account for the aforesaid amount, which she made in previous years before the abolition of scratch cards in 2016.

         

The clerk claimed that her housemaid connived with another JAMB officer called Mrs. Joan Asen to ‘spiritually’ steal the proceeds from the vault in the accounts office. According to her, Mrs. Asen and her accomplices had confessed that they had been stealing from the proceeds through a mysterious snake that usually sneaked into the vault to swallow the money.

       

The bilious and actionable confession angered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) just as it did to other well-meaning Nigerians, hence the agency swiftly swing into action. Just  penultimate week – on Tuesday 6^th March 2018, which marked three weeks after the incident, the same Mrs. Chiesha upon the EFCC’s interrogations, eventually made a u-turn, revealing that the missing money was collected piecemeal by her coordinator Mr. Samuel Umoru.

        

She further tendered painstaking statistics, with dates, on how the withdrawals were made by her in line with the directives of the superior staff. The EFCC had reportedly verified the alleged withdrawals and afterwards arrested Mr. Umoru. At this point, it’s needless to state that every concerned Nigeria cannot wait to see how this intriguing melodrama would end, especially as it is under the control of the revered EFCC.

         

Whether the proceeds were mysteriously swallowed by a snake or embezzled by a human being, the fact remains that some snakes made away with the money. And in this case, Mrs. Chiesha ought to be regarded as a first-class ‘snake’. Of course, for her to have initially cooked up the story of a mysterious creature – be it in a sober mood or under the influence of anything whatsoever – makes her the most culpable individual in the ongoing melodrama.

         

This indicted theatre involving the JAMB does not deserve any pity in any way if the needful must be done. A holistic scrutiny needs to be conducted towards ascertaining why in the first place a ‘feat’ allegedly recorded by a human was credited to an animal. The opaque scenario must be unravelled headlong by the anti-graft agency or anybody involved. I still strongly believe that there’s more to the story than we can presently see.

         

It’s now conspicuous that corruption is seriously fighting back as was earlier alleged by the present government led by President Muhammadu Buhari. If not, how on earth could a public servant in his/her right senses anywhere in Nigeria think of squandering a whooping sum of N36m or thereabouts and when interrogated, would summon the courage to get the whole story twisted in spite of the ongoing war against graft?

         

It’s noteworthy that barely a few days after the Benue saga, yet another N26m was discovered missing in the JAMB office situated in Nasarawa State. It was gathered that the former Coordinator of the jurisdiction was responsible for the alleged embezzlement. The indicted officer whose name was simply given as Tanko, having confessed to the crime, claimed that the unsold scratch cards in his custody were burnt when he was involved in an auto crash.

        

All these, which reportedly transpired prior to the emergence of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy, are strong indications that the said financial measure fully implemented by the President Buhari’s administration in the country’s public service is a welcome development thus ought to be sustained at all cost.

        

As Prof. Oloyede’s audit team uncovers these mysterious snakes that had long been hidden in various JAMB offices, there’s a compelling need for each of them to be tactically caught with a red-hot cage by the EFCC with a view to extracting their venoms without much ado. Think about it!

 

Comrade Fred Nwaozor

Executive Director, Docfred Resource Hub (DRH) - Owerri

__________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

Twitter: @mediambassador