I detest being distracted during Holy Mass on Sundays. As a devout Catholic, I begin the week by attending the Sunday mass services. Part of my biddings during the mass is either to switch off my phone or put it in vibration, to avoid unwarranted distraction that will enable me concentrate with the mass rituals. However, Sunday the 21st of October, 2012, was an exception as I broke the rule. While the Holy Mass was underway with the priest ready for the liturgy of the Eucharist, my phone which was in “silenced” vibrated. I allowed it to end without caring who called. They vibration continued for minutes until I slightly dipped my fingers inside my pocket to bring out the phone. In the process of assessing the five missed calls from a bosom pal based in the London who always called to get latest information or confirm any interesting story about our dear Imo state, his text message which read “what happened in Enugu, I read that Owelle punched Gov Obi’s aide over seat. Is it true? entered my inbox. I was surprised. I simply replied that I was in the church and will discuss with him later if I have further details because I was not aware of the incident as I was not in Enugu and does not move with the Governor’s convoy to functions. He replied if that I should confirm from the Governor’s media aides since I am a practicing journalist. Worried by his desperation I stepped out of the church boundary for us to discuss. When I engaged him on phone conversation he did not allow us exchange our usual banters and traditional greetings before informing me that the social network and online news reports are awash with the story of the Enugu altercation. My London-based friend pretends to be apolitical but his quest to be abreast with daily political and social developments in Imo state indicates that he is a partisan stakeholder. Since I am his chief information officer at home and a journalist, he never ceases to confirm any issue with me. In his desperation to know what transpired at Chief Alex Ekwueme’s 80th birthday celebration, he requested me to find out the true position of things with regards to the Enugu show. I informed him that I am cautious about online news as some are syndicated and fabricated items posted by hatchet writers for selfish purposes. And I take such news stories with a pinch of salt. I reminded my friend that based on an online report. Tribune newspapers, one of the foremost National dailies in the country goofed when it reported some years ago that the immediate past Governor Ikedi Ohakim was arrested in London for money laundering. Later, it was discovered that the story was farce and the Ibadan-based newspaper went ahead to apologize to the former Governor even as Ohakim dragged the publishing outfit to court for libel. My friend went further to disclose that many online websites including Punch newspaper ran the Enugu story. He said that the name of the reporter, those involved and a graphic detail of the incident was mentioned in the reports. He reiterated the need for me to confirm from Government House, Owerri. While assuring him that I will make further inquirers on the matter, I reminded him that those in charge of Governor Okorocha’s image and media aides are not proactive and responsive in the course of discharging their duties and attempting to get their reactions would be futile. I went further to intimate him that instead of creating a rosy relationship with media operators in the state for effective “damage control” process, Okorocha’s media team are protagonists of the infamous “vengeance mission” searching for the imaginary “enemy press” within the media sector. At that point, I digressed to inform him that the Special Assistant to the Governor on Print Media, Ebere Uzoukwa is my friend. I was the secretary of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, Imo state Chapter, when he was admitted into our fold. We became instant friends, shared great moments, called each other pet names and flocked together in the news hunting business until I was appointed Chief Press Secretary, CPS to Speaker in 2007. The relationship continued. But things went sour after he was appointed SA Print Media to Okorocha. While I congratulated him and attended his reception after inauguration at his Orji, Owerri North home with my partners in Trumpeta, the birth of Trumpeta changed the tide and my jolly good fellow, Uzoukwa, now brands me as an enemy because am applying the ethics of the profession. I also told my London-based friend that calls I put across to Uzoukwa for certain confirmations about government operations were ignored and unattended to. And that several requests to have our correspondent cover Government House activities, as other local tabloids have, was severally rebuffed. Before, I could finish my explanations, text messages about the Enugu infamous act emptied into my phone inbox. Again, a search in my newspaper’s email box showed a refutal to the story where the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Chinedu Offor, via online news debunked the story. At that point, I knew that something must have happened and there is no smoke without fire.
However, the purpose of this commentary is not to tell what happened in Enugu, how it happened or whether what happened as reported by the media was true or false. I also don’t have the intention to state that the position of Okorocha’s aide is the true account of the Enugushow-of-shame. I am only concerned about the exposure of number one citizen of Imo state to such Ija Igboro and the circumstances leading to the inglorious scenario. Ija Igboro is a Yoruba word that literally means open or street fight. And in the area of Lagos where I grew up, Ija Igboro is for street urchins and social miscreants called “Area Boys” who can throw caution away and engage in free-for-all.
Undoubtedly, it is an infradig for an Executive Governor of the state to be mentioned in seat-dragging business at an explosive function where one of the revered personalities in Igbo
.and was being honoured. Irrespective of the watery “damage control” measure applied by the state government to douse the controversy raised by the news break, Government House officials especially the protocol and security departments owe Imo people and indeed the general public explanations and reasons why Owelle and the entire Imo citizenry would be embarrassed by such negative report. Despite Imo Government House denials, what took place as reported by the media houses was a typical Ija Igboro. Why would those in charge of Okorocha’s itinerary allow our number one citizen get close to such skirmishes? Who is to be blamed for the brouhaha?
Even as the Imo State Government has not publicly axed any official for the mix-up, it is pertinent to state that the protocol department should be held responsible. Except the matter is investigated and handled by Okorocha government, more indecent scenes are underway. I am aware that the Governor moves based on manifest arranged by the protocol department of the Government House. The manifest contains the movement schedule of His Excellency. Apart from notifying the organizers of the event, the Protocol department moves in advance to not only access the venue but also make preliminary arrangements for the arrival of the Governor. Part of the preliminary arrangements is to get a convenient seat at a designated area, inspect the seat and ensure no impediments to the number one citizen of the state in terms of seat arrangement. The advance protocol team which comprises security operatives is also expected to be on ground and secure the marked seat for the Governor before for his arrival. On arrival, the advance protocol will continue to contact the Governor’s convoy for further directives until he is conveniently seated in the reserved position.
This brings us to the issue of what transpired at the event and the following questions which those concerned in Government House, Owerri, should answer. Was the Chief Alex Ekwueme birthday organizers informed about the coming of Owelle Rochas Okorocha by the protocol unit to make seat reservations for the Imo State Governor? And if yes, what was the advance protocol team doing or why did they not be in Enuguto secure the reserved seat before the Governor arrived? Even if there was a reserved seat for the Imo Governor, who inspected it to ensure there was no explosive underneath waiting to bow off His Excellency on arrival? If an aide to Governor Obi was reported to be guarding a seat that was reserved for his principal, which aide to Owelle guarded his seat at the elevated pavilion? Who among Okorocha’s numerous aides managed to secure a seat for him before the reported “punching” incident and the Governor’s intervention? Until these salient questions are adequately answered and attended to, the bickering resulting from the EnuguIja Igboro will continue to haunt those involved.
