Oko Emmanuel Ogar|1 November 2015|12:30am
Before the literary conjugality of pen and paper in the scripting of this highly intrinsic opinionated views of mine; many particles have gained excited energy. Recently, I mean past events with particular
reference at the happenings surrounding the statutory ministerial slots for the federating states as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria as Amended in 2011 as well as the minister-designate from our most beloved state, Cross River.
With absolute pain, I have
struggled to read through posts and comments by some ill-informed “internet rats” as puts by Agba
Jalingo as they wittingly displayed what late Dr. Chuba Okadigbo would demagogically describes as
the ranting of an ant on social platforms all in an attempt of smearing the towering meteoric rising of Chief Okoi Obono-Obla.
My concern hinges on the tripod of solidarity, truth and the prevailing will of justice.
Fore mostly, my conscience would not give me rest if I allow truth to
stagger gaily before the feet of falsehood. As a comrade, in the spirit and virtues of chivalry, I
believe that; it is neither safe nor prudent to do anything against my incorruptible conscience and that an injury to one is an injury to all.
As I write, I see the showers and heaps of ill-wishes rained and thrown on the person of Chief
Obla by some political chaps to reduce him before the estimation of his friends and well-wishers. I am
very pained by this ignorance they call youthful exuberance currently being abused by supposedly
young intellectuals. Young people should adhere to Edward Goose’s admonition of never to mind whom
they praise, but to be careful of whom they blame. Celebrating that their prayers have been answered
by the mere exclusion of Chief Obla’s name on the ministerial lists before the senate is an indication of
political vendetta which Obla wasn’t and wouldn’t be part of.
As I stand footedly to maintain: my points of reactions are not riding on the wheel of political tie; party or religious affiliation; or on consanguineous affinity but on standing always on the side of truth.
The man in question, I haven’t met him before. I have read write-ups about him on local and national
dailies. Even on Facebook, he is not my friend. I always take delight in reading his expositing analytical commentary on local, national and global matters that are usually laced with raw facts. Whenever I read such of his epistolary write-ups, I deliberately conserve my comment(s) for many reasons.
The said reserved comments are today adding up as the building blocks for this work.
Winston Churchill while addressing his fellow compatriots—English men and women in Buckingham Palace, he said and I quote:
“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak, courage is also what it takes to sit down and
listen”. Having sat and listened, courageously, I am standing to speak; not to speak for Chief Obla
because I have not been retained neither by him nor his associates to put forward a rebuttal. As I had
earlier maintained, resting would be far from me if I allow truth to be distorted, I would like to speak.
To speak what? That I must stand with anybody that stand right, stand with him while he is right and
part with him when he goes wrong.
According to Abraham Lincoln, “No man ever got lost on a straight road”. The other day, sorry few years ago when the leader of the nation and our state government were trying to put dust on our eyes by
playing selfish politics with Bakassi Peninsula (76 oil wells), we all saw that the people in power were
making the road rough. Many persons out of the 2,888,966 million Cross Riverians didn’t vent a word
due to their ulterior motives. Few were speaking from the both side of their mouths because they were trying to observe political table manner. The very fewer Cross Riverians that were chorusing the
bitter truth had Obla in their midst championing that agitation even till now. During when it seems as if everybody was coerced to be drinking from the spring and fountain of one party system in the state, Obla endured the pang of
thirst even if it means to cross the desert or forest just to fetch from the general stream. When the people seemed politically sedated and became apolitical due to the lethargic effect it had on them, he was there to ginger the resuscitate the sagging morale of the people by continually hammering on the new ray of hope.
When the mentioning of Buhari’s name almost amounted to
treasonable felony in the state and people speaking for Buhari were considered as fools, he kept on
committing the crime and agreeing to be a fool because he didn’t allow his conscience to lag behind
his actions. O! How do you call an ebullient man that has traversed the nooks and cranny of the country
from Lagos to Kano; and Imo to Yenagoa a Facebook campaign chairman and minister of propaganda?
On many occasions, he was lured and enticed to join them in feasting on the people’s commonwealth. He stubbornly refused because he
never bargained his conscience with the devil in power. And, then someone in his or her senses
would call him a betrayal! Haba! That is not fair at all. Those that think so must have had twisted
minds; they must have constituted themselves into the clique of Brutus and Cascas with unmixed
bellicosities on the centre-piece of their minds. Nonetheless, let Carcas brings the dagger, let Brutus handles it; it shall only cut themselves into slices.
I have questions for these people who are building castle where ignorance is bliss. How many of them or their principals were or are audacious enough to take up the gauntlet in championing civil course in our state? Answer(s) please! Would Jezebel’s rod not put them on their heels? No! No! Brothers, you
ought to have looked very well before you begin to leap, that would have spared you the heap of coal
piling on your heads. Seriously, it is unimaginable and very hazardous for younger people to plant seed of hate towards a man
who has sunk in his intellectual and material resources for the defense of human rights. As a lawyer, he has raised his voice aloud to
demonstrate a deep and abiding affection for those whose desires have been shortened by
circumstances resulting from government and private organizational policies.
In other land and climes where respect and honour are virtues, persons of his caliber are reverenced. Unfortunately, it is disheartening that in our land
they are cut into pieces by the sharp edge of evil tongues. Agreeable, in African tradition, custom and
mythology, it is a sign of insubordination for a younger person to advice the older when such is not solicited. Nevertheless, I understand that it is very difficult by the vicissitude of this moment to
keep mute. Therefore, I deeply appreciate the opportunities before me by this medium. Whereas, with your indulgence, I wish to hide under this privilege to say that Chief Obla should not be deterred by this current distractions. Don’t be
weary in well doing because in due season and set time the harvest shall be ripe and bountiful. History
has recorded that those whose name have been etched on the solid plate of the peoples’ consciences are people with unrepentant altitude to succumb to attacks and distractions. The purest gold you do know suffers a lot of processes in the furnace. The darkest moment of
the night is just an inch to dawn.
The children of the world are very wise in their thinking and calculation —having sensed blessings ahead of you, they would
do all they could to kick you off the track. I see that you have maintained golden silence; very good of you. Let no refutation come from you until the crown is put on your head. I just gathered that the name he has made for
himself did not come from the political circle. It is as a result of dint of industriousness, tenacity and
faith in God. Don’t be shaken, go ahead. Those for you outnumbers those against you. Whom the Lord
has blessed, no one can curse. Whom the Lord be for, nobody can be against him.
I, on behalf of my would-be wife and unborn children join our voices to that of your numerous well-wishers to congratulate you in advance for
your bigger and better appointment{s}. Cheers!
Did I say that I hate Chief Okoi Obono-Obla? Sorry o! I was masticating two palm kernel nuts. The error could have evolved from that metabolic process.
Oko Emmanuel Ogar
Is a Public Affairs Analyst & Social Commentator
