I have tried to exercise restraints from commenting on the ongoing crisis at Obigbo, Rivers State. I chose this part of restraint for two main reasons.
Firstly, I am an Igbo man, a proud one for that matter. So, I didnt want to sound emotional or be seen as biased in my opinion on the matter. The Igbo are one of the finest species of people God endowed this Earth with. The Igbos have brought several honour and glory to this country. Any endeavor that is based on qualification, merit, determination, and performance, the Igbos have always taken the lead – academics, sports, entertainment, trade/commerce, business, medicine, law etc. The only areas we have been found wanting are in the areas of our internal politics, appointments and recruitments into Federal establishments. The reason for this is not far fetched. The Nigerian political system is highly tribalized and ethnicized. Qualification, merit and performance are the least criteria considered in our leadership recruitment process.
The second reason why I have exercised restraint is that I live in Rivers State and I am a witness to the quality projects Governor Wike have executed and is still executing across the state. I have also seen the way he comes out in defence of his people in the face any perceived oppression from the Federal Government. He is a man of his own – strongwill, resilient, bold, outspoken, and not subservient. These are qualities I personally like in a man, especially one that is a leader. Often, I wish my own state Governor can just be half as courageous and bold as Wike or even execute a quarter of the quality projects Wike is doing in Rivers State.
However, despite the above qualities I admire in Wike, he possesses two dangerous attributes that a democratic leader should not have. One, is that Nyesom Nwike is a very high handed person. He is despotic, tyrannical and directorial. He is averse to dissenting opinions and sees himself as an emperor who should not be challenged. To me, he is worse than PMB in this regard. I can excuse PMB because of his military background. But, all his post graduation life, Wike has been in power under democracy and he is this despotic. Imagine if he has a military background like PMB. He sure would have been a combination of Idi Amin and Adulf Hitler. Second, Wike is uncouth and his approach to governance is raw and crude. He lacks the calm deposition and Spirit expected of 21 century leader.
Nigeria has experienced two major crises this year – the Covid-19 pandemic and the #endsars protests. In each of these two crises, Governor Wike’s handling of it brought additional untold hardship on the same people he claims he is protecting. During the Covid-19 National lockdown, it was only in Wike’s Rivers State that the state government had open confrontations with Federal agencies. In his Mr ‘know all” style, he impounded aircrafts, seized security vehicles and arrested oil company and health workers who were on essential duties. He even went as far as pulling down hotels and other private properties, all in the name implementing Covid-19 protocols. His own lockdown was so severe that people groaned in pains, hunger and untold hardship. Up till now some major markets in Port Harcourt – Oil mill and Slaughter are still shutdown, not minding the hardship those whose livelihood depend on those markets are passing through.
The #EndSARS protest was a national issue. The crises that followed the Lekki killing was a spontaneous reaction that cut across the country. Government lost control of the situation and anarchy took over the whole place. The well intended and peaceful protesters scattered and probably went home for their safety. Hoodlums, miscreants, vandals, vagabonds and street urchins took over the entire nation, looting, destroying and burning down both public and private property and in some cases, killing innocent persons. Security forces, especially all over the country were at the receiving ends of hungry and angry youths. Police stations all over the country became targets and police officers were also not safe, either.
In the midst of this National pandamoniom, it is only in Rivers State that Governor Wike and his police commissioner were able to carry out investigations and unraveled the persons and groups that were responsible for the Carnage in the state within 24 hours. This is very curious. And I ask, when did the Nigeria police become so swift, efficient and effective in investigations. Could this be a case of putting the cart before horse, solving mathematics from the answer to the question or better still calling a dog a bad name just to have a reason to kill it. We have many cases of unending investigations of high profile killings across the country – Marshall Harry, Funso Williams, Bola Ige, even the unknown soldiers that killed Fele’s mother, Mrs Fumilayo Ransome Kuti.
My own brother Daniel Nwankwo died in mysterious circumstances, while serving in the Nigeria Police and up till today, no words have come out from the Police as per his whereabout. There have been several killings in different parts of the country including Rivers State – Southern Kaduna, Benue, Jos, Enugu, have all come under attacks by suspected Fulani herdsmen. Yet, no arrest is made and investigations into these mass murders have always been shredded in secrecy. It therefore, becomes very curious and suspicious when the same police in conjunction with a state could within 24 hours came up with specific name of a group (IPOB) that carried mayhem in Obigbo.
A leader’s speeches and words are expected to be seasoned with salt, soothing to calm fray nerves and reduce tensions among warring factions. But, in the of case Nyesom Wike, both his voice and words are always hurting, aggressive and corosive. His first approach to issues is to escalate, rather than deescalate. His broadcast in the wake of the crisis was like fuel poured in a small flame, which gave it the energy to explode beyond control. I watched him on AIT yesterday struggling to exonerate himself from the extrajudicial killings going on in Obigbo.
On one hand, he claims he’s not the Commander in Chief and that the both the police and the military are not under his control. On the other hand, he directs the same security forces that are under his control to go and fish out IPOB members and deal with them. Mr. Governor, how can you direct the same persons you claim are not under your control? Are you not aware that your directives have given the security forces the leaverage to hide under and commit more heinous crimes against the same people you brag you are protecting? When a father sends his son to go and steal, the boy does the stealing with so much boldness and confidence and can even kill anybody that stands on his way, simply because he has the backing of his father.
As for Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB, I don’t want to even talk about him. Nnamdi Kanu is not a state actor. He has no mandate to protect anybody’s life and property. He and the likes of Abubakar Shakau, Asari Dokubo, Tompolo, etc are just opportunists. They take advantage of the leadership deficiency we have in the society. Nature abhors vacuum and it is this Laguna that exists in leadership that has given room for characters like Nnamdi Kanu to usuro the platform to shine. Humans are like flocks of sheep and they will always follow whoever they feel protects their interests. There is a huge trust deficit between leadership and followership in Nigeria, especially Igbo land.
Some of the characters that have usurped leadership positions in the country and South East in particular cannot even qualify for class monitors or course reps in saner climes. So, if our leaders want characters like Nnamdi Kanu to loose relevance and leave the stage for them, it is very simple. Up your ante, identify with your people, make life easier for the people, provide infrastructure, social amenities, affordable housing, education, heakthcare employment opportunities, good and friendly business environment, protect lives and properties, pay salaries and pension promptly and regularly.
In the words of Jesus in Matthew 10, “A good Shepherd knows his sheep and the sheep know him”. Be a good Shepherd to your people and they’ll not have to listen Nnamdi Kanu and his likes.Do I in any way approve of Nnamdi Kanu and his inciting and instigating comments? Far be it! Am I a member of IPOB? Capital NO! Do I believe in the Biafran ideology? Like most Igbos, yes to some extent. Biafra has become an ideology in the hearts of most Igbos, including those in power today. You cannot use brut force to fight an ideology. You use a superior ideology or philosophy. Unfortunately, the Nigerian State is not ready for dialogue. The Nigeria State is averse to intellectual discourse. We believe in the use of Brut force. Yet, there is no problem bedeviling us we have been able to solve with it.
Let us join hands to condemn the profiling and killing of Igbos in Obigbo. It might be Obigbo today. Tomorrow, it might be your town, village or neighborhood.
MC Nwankwo is a Bible Scholar, Sociologists and a Social Commentator.