By Prof Steve A. Okecha
“Intention without action is
an insult to those who
expect the best from you.”
-ANDY ANDREWS
Mister Senator, I love you, but I vehemently detest your ways and style. For personal reasons, I have never called you by name, because I hate to engage in an intellectual duel with you.
A few of your aides have repeatedly and remorselessly opined that you are God-sent to redeem Delta North. Really? Sent by which God? Certainly, not our God who creates wise men and wise women. Your creator, Mr Senator, needs to be defined by your aides.
You have chased all the mosquitoes out of Africa. So you and your aides say. But, mosquitoes are everywhere in Delta North and Idumuje-Ugboko.
You have single-handedly introduced one common currency for Africa. Meaning what? Which currency? In a dreamland?
You have assured us that a campus of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna [NDA], will be established in Kwale, in our community. Hear, hear. I hear you. Remember that the NDA is a federal university. This means that there will be two federal universities in Kwale. Up Kwale!
Initially, you and your aides gave the impression that Anioma state alone would be created by fiat, bypassing the Constitution. Now, you and your team are beginning to realise that a referendum is inevitable.
We are told by your sycophants that you are a superman and a superstar. We are still waiting for you to perform the anticipated feats. Remember, khaki no be leather.
Mister Senator, one had expected from you a long ago, a display of intellectualism, rationalism, purposefulness, mission, vision and unparalleled commitment. But, baku daya, none of such things.
We are surprised and shocked, that you are not bothered by the unruly behaviour of many of your aides, better described, as wild patrol dogs and hooligans. To be frank, they have, unfortunately, done incalculable and immeasurable damage to your image. To your good self. Some of your aides are evil djjins.
Your aides are a colony of beggars and parasites, most of whom are from Ukwuani-Ndosumili land. They are advanced almajirai: unguarded, uncouth and raw. When the cloud clears in 2026, the weed and tramadol boys will search for cassava farms to cultivate. The lazy, lousy lawyers will hang around court premises, to charge and bail: debasing the noble profession.
You studied law and history, probably European history, at Keele University in the United Kingdom. You have no grasp of Delta North history, let alone African history. The history of Delta North being dished out by you and your aides is FABU – mere fiction. Listen to professional historians [I am not one of them], and do not depend on quack storytellers.
You and your aides are not sociologists, not anthropologists, not biographers, not chronologists, not archivists, not historiographers, not antiquarians. You should, therefore, not distort and dabble into Delta North history.
You, strangely, appear to condone indiscipline and indecency. This explains why some of your aides compete to outshine one another in insulting elders and accomplished intellectuals.
Recently, you outsmarted yourself by attempting to lodge Anioma state in both South-South and South-East simultaneously. Of course, it backfired. You knew that it was not possible. Your attempt to get us hoodwinked flopped tragically.
We heard that Ukwuani delegates for the Senate public hearing on state creation, would be conveniently helicoptered to Enugu. They, instead, went to Enugu by bus. They were stranded there, as there was no appropriate arrangement made for them to return home. They were in disarray, confused. We viewed them swearing and cursing on YouTube. What a misadventure!
Mister Senator, the way you are carrying on, you may soon be neither here nor there. Tell us, do you want to continue fighting for unrealisable Anioma state, or do you want to return to the Senate in 2027? Please stay with us in Delta State. I hope and pray that Ohaneze Ndigbo does not lure you to the Southeast with a cheap senatorial slot in one of the Igbo states, now that they are your kit and kin.
London-Paris Club Debt Refunds. A number of our Whatsapp platforms were awash, some days ago, with your involvement in the Paris Club Debt Refunds. Your disciples have said that you led the legal battle that recovered over 10 billion US Dollars for states and 3.2 billion US Dollars for 774 LGAs in Nigeria.
Yes, you played an important role in the refunds. But, it was not your sole effort; OTHER foreign expert consultants were also involved. You were paid a fee for the job well done; you did not render any pro bono service to Nigeria. Thanks to Obasanjo and Okonjo-Iweala, who created the enabling environment for the execution of the project.
Let me simplify the situation: you had a job; you did it; and, you were duly paid. Why, then, has your involvement in the debt refunds become a political campaign issue? Did your involvement in the project improve your performance in the Senate? We cannot be fooled anymore. Enough is enough.
Your initial admirers are sad and disappointed that you have abandoned the representation of Delta North in the Red Chamber for optics and showingoffness. I am one of those disappointed.
I learned about the four cardinal points in the primary school: East, West, North and South. Geographically, Delta State was part of Western Nigeria, while beyond the Niger bridge at Asaba, was Eastern Nigeria. I am a scientist, and a critical thinker. Mister Senator, you want a state to be created in Western Nigeria to make up for the shortfall in Eastern Nigeria. Does it make sense?
Your argument is NOT convincing. You want an additional state to be created in South-South to be part of the South-East. This is abracadabra; it is most embarrassing. Barefaced illogicality. One does not require a bachelor’s degree in Basic Reasoning to be able to see clearly the incongruity, laughableness and contradiction.
You have said recently, “I represent Anioma state.” There is NO such state in Nigeria. You have also said that, Anioma state would be signed, sealed and delivered to you. You are certainly operating outside Nigeria. State creation is not a ONE-MAN affair.
About the Author
