In fulfillment of my promise, the second part of my earlier write up “Before Trumpeta is crucified” takes centre stage again. While I tried to expatiate on the discussion I had with a fellow who expressed reservations about where I was between 2007- 2011 and if I was blind within that period, another interested person joined to task me on why my ink has started flowing when it was dry during the last dispensation. The concerned fellow who I must confess employs civility, caution and maturity in his approach to my commentaries in recent times sent a text which reads “RE: BEFORE IMO TRUMPETA IS CRUSIFIED”. U have to learn to accommodate other views. Everybody cannot join u in CRUSIFYING Rochas. U said dat some one asked u where u were between 2007 and 2011 and ur reply was dat u worked as an aid to a Speaker, bt ur reply doesn’t answer d question. Why did u not speak out against what was happening then? The truth is dat d 3 people u mentioned as the owners of this paper all worked under d previous govt, and u guys are not happy dat ur master was stopped from getting a second term in office thereby relieving u of ur appointments, and bcos of that, to take ur pound of flesh, u established a paper solely for d aim of attacking Rochas and his govt. for instance, all 5 headlines on today’s edition are centered on Okorocha and his govt. and this has always bin the case, I wonder what will become of ur paper when Okorocha leaves office”. I thanked the fellow and promised to give his reaction due attention it deserves in today’s edition. Judging from the concise manner of the text language, there is no doubt that the sender is an interested party in the present administration and a concerned person in the affairs of our dear state. That status gladdened my heart and fired my zeal to give his candid views a mention in Agwodinuju column.
Before I commence, I need to correct a wrong impression created in his opening statements where he said that I should learn to accommodate other people’s views. For readers who had monitored Agwodi nuju column, I have always given readers chance to express their views, hence my resolve to always dish out text message reactions. For emphasis, I did state in my debut that readers reaction and rejoinders are highly welcome and that prompted the decision of the editorial board of Imo Trumpeta to reserve a page titled “Right of a Reply” where readers, and contributors have the right to react on issues of contention or misrepresented subjects of discussion. And I stand to be corrected that the newspaper has reneged on this promise. As a seasoned professional, I believe that every news item, story or comment has a double face and journalism practice is a two- way traffic. While negative stories are accepted, positive ones should also have a space. And we have been able to display this in Imo Trumpeta. What may be disturbing my new-found friend in Trumpeta editorials is the continuous mention of Okorocha and Imo State government in every edition.
I have always said and will continue to repeat that politics is a media event and the press cannot be divorced from democracy. In Imo State, local tabloids cannot abandon its domain especially political, social, economic and developmental events.
Therefore, the person at the helm of affairs of the state will be the highlight of any publication. It didn’t start with the present administration and Governor Okorocha. Former first citizens of Imo State, especially ex- Governor Achike Udenwa and Ikedi Ohakim who held sway when Owerri-based independent weekly tabloids grew were also at the receiving end of media attention and public scrutiny, Okorocha and even his successor would not be an exception. My new- found friend stated that I did not answer the question when asked what I was doing between 2007 to 2011, and why I failed to speak out what happened then inspite of my response that I served the Speaker of Imo Assembly. It is worthy to note that the mother of a perfect human being has not been born yet and is also important to intimate those singing Halleluyah today that the messiah that will make Imo Better to note this. Like I said in the past in Igbo language “(Enweghi ka aga esi arunye aka na onu ike, agaghi aruta shi” there is no way you poke your finger into anus without perceiving foul odour similar to human waste I believe one cannot be perfect while leading the masses no matter how saintly the person tries to be. Even Jesus Christ, who we believe came to liberate us and died for our sins was crucified unjustly by his people. Till date, divergent views continue to trail the Christian doctrine founded by Jesus Christ. The followers are in disarray and that is why you have Catholics, Protestants (Anglican), Pentecostals, Sabbattarians, Cherubim and Seraphim etc. Apart from the different Christian fold, there are other religions and beliefs that are anti – Christ, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam etc. I cannot deny that there were no mistakes made by my principal and his collaborators when they were in office. They are human beings and infallible souls same as our dear Okorocha who by commission or omission will also make mistakes or already making mistakes in the act of government. As a public relations handler for the number three citizen of a state, the least in my schedule is to publicly condemn any of my principal’s action considered improper in the eyes of many. I was not a politician within that period. I was only a struggling journalist hunting for news before I was contracted to the new designation as “Image maker” and PR manager.
If I degenerate to be “Image damager” then I am a failure and not worthy to be given another challenging task within and outside my professional calling. Within that period too, social commentators, fire brand columnists and some worried journalists took a swipe on my principal and his colleagues for actions they consider undemocratic and in contrast to good governance. There is no need to mention names but it is necessary to state that I spent energy replying a distasteful article by my colleague and present partner in Trumpeta, Henry Ekpe, wrote during his days in Announcer newspaper before he was appointed Chief Press to the Governor (CPS) in 2009.
In his favorite Lastline column, Ekpe lashed at Imo State House of Assembly leadership and members over plate numbers adding that instead of having IMHA 1 to IMHA 27 you now have IMHA 130 to IMHA 150 meaning that the 27 honourable members of that regime have more than five official cars each.
Ekpe a very bosom pal of mine who edited Announcer within that period did not consider our cordial relationship to query my principal on the quantity of car plate numbers use. I didn’t call Ekpe names, neither threatened him on phone nor did I keep malice with him despite the fact that he was in my country home to celebrate my first son’s one year birthday with his entire family a day before the publication. Rather, I picked my pen and did my job, put a rejoinder and informed him as well tell readers that some past members of the House went away with the old members that started from 01 to 27.
Since it cannot be duplicated by FRSC regulations, the number plates was increased. I replied that besides, the Speaker, Deputy and other principal officers have extra vehicles in their convoy apart from their official staff cars. And other IMHA functionaries like me who was the CPS are entitled to official vehicles moved with official number plate (IMHA 63) My write up settled the issue. Months later, Ekpe’s status changed when he was asked to dump “attacking position” and take a place in the “defense position” of the profession as he received bashes from critics of the immediate past government. Having left the CPS position, he is back like me and the beat goes on. There is need for me to remind my friend who sent the text message with 08033337981 that if anybody will be charged and found guilty of being blind and speechless in the last dispensation, some politicians who played significant roles in the immediate past government and maintaining key positions in the present government will be the first to be jailed. The Governor, Rochas is number one in the roll call of guilty persons who were deaf and dump between 2007 and 2011. I will recall that Owelle remained one of the greatest beneficiaries of Ohakim’s benevolence. I stand to be challenged. He only opened up when election time reached. When Ohakim was made Governor, Rochas was allegedly asked to nominate a candidate for the Ideato South TC chairman position, he nominated the elder sister of same parent, Mrs Geraldine Asika (nee Okorocha).
TC chairperson, when the present Governor was asked by his predecessor to nominate a commissioner, again he fielded an inlaw, Ben Obinali, who was in-charge of Commerce and Industry. Ohakim did not stop there. He went further to make Rochas Chairman of the State Education Committee, and even went further to asphalt the road from Orlu Ideator road to his Ogboko country home when the Governor’s mother died few years ago. So why did Okorocha not speak evil of the Ohakim administration within that period he nominated people in Ohakim government. He waited until early 2011 when he sought for the governorship position to castigate the Ohakim administration. What of Okorocha’s present jokers in Okigwe Zone, respected Prof Ezeadi O Ezeadi and Dr EJK Onyewuchi were they not Ohakim crusaders? Was Ezeadi not the one reported to have lost consciousness in one public function prompting his removal as SA political? Why did they not speak out? But today they are in Okorocha’s government. What of my bosom pal Giddeon Meffor of ISOPADEC board? He was an integral part of Udenwa/ Ohakim government having served as SSA security to the Governor before appointment to the dissolved ISOPADEC board. He attended PDP “Apex leaders” meeting in Ohaji/Egbema to fine tune April 2011 election strategies. Meffor never spoke ill of Ohakim government but went berserk when PDP lost the guber title. He made several unprintable comments about Ohakim government which stunned even his followers. I can’t be part of such. This aspect also reminds me of an encounter I had with a junior colleague who I offered a ride in my car recently.
After we discussed on what is happening in the state, he cuts in to tell me that my tabloid is putting the state government on their toes, I replied that it is normal and that is what makes a government thick. That it makes a government wake up to its responsibilities and Gov Okorocha did tell owners of newspapers in the state during the last breakfast interactive session with us at the Government House to imbibe constructive criticism to enable him govern Imo well. That he is not willing to gag the press. That while we criticize, we should also expose his great works to make Imo Better. He even requested to take us round the state to asses his landmark projects. That more has not seen the light of the day till date.
After my speech, the junior colleague who writes for one of the state-based newspapers requested to ask me one question. I asked him to go ahead and he fired; what will be your reaction if Okorocha asks you to come and work for him as an appointee? I was speechless for a moment, lost conscious and nearly knocked off the road a Keke NAPEP operator who marched brake abruptly to pick a passenger.
I put up a little smile to absorb the question and told him No and Yes with reasons. He asked me to explain, I said No, that I am enjoying my private and quiet lifestyle unlike the past four years when I never rested. That nobody especially the journalists disturbs my phone number again to make inquiries and confirm this or that. My mind is at rest, no threat to my appointment. That the monetary gains and affluence could be attractive but the other side is also a burden. He became surprised and opined that he thinks that my reason would have been that Okorocha is APGA and I am PDP stock and he does not belong to my “Oga’s” camp. I told him no that it is a wrong impression. That party means nothing in accepting appointments. I asked him what was Dr Reuben Abati’s party lineage before he agreed to be President Jonathan’s media man. Does he know Abati’s relationship with Bola Tinubu, ACN Chieftain? That I have nothing against Okorocha and his APGA party and cannot be against them because of “My Oga”, I told my colleague that from the time of Nnamdi Azikiwe, what persists in politics is permanent interest not permanent party. That “My Oga” Goodluck Opiah can decide to work with Okorocha tomorrow whether I like it or not. So what will be of me if I continue to keep malice with Governor Okorocha because of party differences with the principal I served for four years, I reminded the guy that who ever believed in Imo State that after the sad reminders Senator Araraume and his followers had in the hands of Achike Udenwa in 2006/07 PDP guber candidate drama/election, the Isiebu Isiala Mbano born politician and his die- hards would reconcile with Udenwa for a common purpose three years later. I told him if he did not see Prof Maurice Iwu, Ikedi Ohakim and Araraume together at a church service recently? Why are they together now when they were political foes a year ago. let me stop here till next week because of space.
