–
First and foremost I am disappointed by your everlasting criticisms
which have become so popular in recent times. Not long ago you
invested a positive wave of venomous criticisms in respect of what you
personally referred to as “the unconstitutionality of the advisory
council established by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2010 and voiced
caution against government unreservedly opening its doors to United
States intelligence”.
It is most ludicrous and insulting to our collective intelligence for
a “cold-impotent-ash” to bestride the world like a colossus. I can
see this as something silly, virtual nonsense, intellectual rot. I
love to inform you that the United States is intelligent to know that
Nigerians educated in America are Americans in the way they do certain
things. President Goodluck Jonathan is not responsible for the influx
or concentration of United States intelligence in Nigeria.
You should have known that wherever there is American Embassy the
Central Intelligent Agency (CIA) is not far from the structure. All
nations have in their respective embassies a mutual link with their
various national intelligent agencies. Intelligence is a credential
for the successful development of diplomatic alliance.
Most of your statements in the world media are contradictory, self
poisoning and thereafter, back to the sender. The American Congress
including your sympathizer when you were in prison, Edward Kennedy Jr.
was dumbfounded when you voiced caution against Government
unreservedly opening its doors to United States intelligence.
Remember, United State Intelligence is all over the world.
What of the Middle East? Who invited them? Sometimes they walk into
a country when there is genocide, terrorism and human rights violation
without invitation. American actions are derived from her foreign
policy to liberate mankind from want, ignorance and slavery.
Sometimes this is done in collaboration with the United Nations (UN).
Reflecting your imprisonment by General Ibrahim Babangida and
Professor Jubril Aminu, is it morally justifiable as someone who
studied in America to fly a blow at the CIA and condemn US role in the
fight against global terrorism? I will lend you eyes to see clearly
that your spontaneous utterances are thoughtless and absurd.
Your humorous analysis…in-depth in scope in respect of the ongoing
scandal of “Church Gift” to President Jonathan by the Italian Gitto
General Construction Company. You said, “That the President of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria, infact personally solicited for the face
lifting of his village Church.
I will not be surprised if President Jonathan’s “Boy Friday”, Reuben
Abati, jumps up to “educate” us that the press “misquoted” or lifted
“out of context” what President Jonathan actually said at the
dedication ceremony of the church project”. Again, “I am totally
ashamed as a devout Anglican (105 years of family Anglicanism) for the
clergy of the said church to ever attempt to defend the clearly
indefensible with any decent person. A moral rot.
This is a clear and good example of how some of our contemporary
so-called servants of God, Clergy, corrupt the faith with the
expediency of material advantage. Any wonder why some of the
contemporary churches have lost their high moral ground and so can no
longer give the expected exemplary moral leadership.
There are even several reports of “Pastors” or “Prophets” praying for
armed robbers to rob well so as to give donations or gifts to their
“Churches”. I sometimes wish for the visitation of the Old Testament
God. I honestly do”. Let me say that it is a serious crime to
assault our Western Christian style of life and try to change it into
something else. You have done something so virtual nonsense and
vampire.
Nigerians have sealed their ears. Old age and “old – jokes” have no
input in the Nigeria of our time. You must be a renegade. Not a true
Anglican. Christians are expected to organize fund raising to build
the churches and help the poor and needy in the society. In some
countries, government and its officials including philanthropists and
humanitarians assist the clergy in building the house of God. I will
send my greetings to any organization, government or individual that
is interested in the word of God. Christians all over the world are
on the watch-out. Moslem leaders have built uncountable mosques.
Hindus and Buddhists have done the same. Do they criticized
themselves?
What is wrong if an Italian company assisted Christians in Nigeria to
face lift a church building? You wanted the clergy to say “No”. Why?
You have fallen short of the glory of God and there will be a
visitation of God of the Old Testament. Works of righteousness are
not evil.
You as an Anglican – a Professor, former Commissioner and Minister,
what remarkable contributions have you made to ensure that Christians
are properly taken care of ? Christians are shocked. The pain you
inflicted on them is been received with sorrow and grief. The Bishop
of Port Harcourt you know very well, the clergy, orphanages home of
the aged and the rehabilitation centres had no food to eat, no drugs,
no clothes, no care, no funds, no money to build new Cathedrals when
you were a Commissioner/Minister of the Federal Republic.
The churches built by Europeans long ago were damaged. The wealthy
Christians were exceptionally greedy, selfish, proud and unkind and no
renovations were made. Why must you say helping in the work of God is
a “bribe” or a “personal gift” to President Jonathan and not the
church?
I believe that you were confused when this was said. There is a way
that looked like good and right unto man but the end thereof is the
way that led to death. It is unreasonable and “wolf-like” to condemn
the Holy Ghost fathers when there is no genuine reason to do so unless
there is intention at the back of your mind to throw them into shame
and abuse.
You also condemn our Ijaw compatriots who see nothing wrong with any
of Jonathan’s actions, or antagonize other Nigerians with silly
counter – productive baseless geo-ethnic slurs, I say be wary. These
are essentially bunches of revolving professional sycophants with no
marrow-deep loyalties and emerge like mushrooms on field conveniently
adorning themselves with all sorts of acronyms.
They are pure and simple time-servers”. This is wrong. Is there any
sufficient reason to persuade the Ijaws not to support their brother
and son when an overwhelming majority of Nigerian citizens great and
small voted for him and are solidly behind him? It is not an offence
if we are called mushroom sycophants because of our son who is the
first President from the South/ South geo-political zone? I promise
you we will continue to support him under rain and sun.
It is also insensitive to publicize the words of Asari Dokubo who said
something like an “Ibo President come 2015” at Ojukwu’s funeral but
later says 2015 “Jonathan or no other”. This is also wrong in its
entirety. Intelligent critics don’t rely on statements made by
warriors during a crisis situation because such statements may have a
short period of survival and should not be taken as sacrosanct.
NATIONAL SECURITY
On national Security, you exalted President Goodluck Jonathan as a
leader who “has conscience. So he should know the honourable thing to
do under the circumstance. That is, honourably leave Aso Rock to save
the Presidency from desecration”. This is a low-down thing to do.
That’s not the way a human being behaves. Anyone would think you were
speaking to a dumb beast.
It’s wicked to want to shame the President. Are you better than Dr.
Goodluck Jonathan and his wife? Doesn’t the same pride as a former
Minister flow in your vein? What a petty way to behave! How petty to
expend so much energy. You have acted like the kraken from internal
exile (Ibadan, not Port Harcourt Okrika or Yenagoa).
Except the National Assembly and the Electorate, no individual has
what it takes to cause the resignation of an elected president.
Instead of reconciling with your brothers and sisters – the Ijaws, you
represent the interest of Boko Haram by extending the call for
Goodluck’s resignation.
No doubt you were illuminated by a self-propelled anger, envy,
hatred, greed and jealousy. May the Lord forgive what you said. Dogs
are said to have frightened monkeys on tree-tops with delicate barking
and the animals jumped down to be eaten by the dogs. I would advise
you to educate all Nigerians if not our President has no
constitutional right to step down.
Also on security you confirmed that “President Goodluck Jonathan
scored less than two percent. Nigeria has the worst security situation
now. Nigeria is more insecure today than any other time in our
history”. This assessment is one sided. It does not assert a
critical and documentary analysis of Nigeria’s security situation from
independence.
I prove you wrong. What happened in Nigeria between 1966 and 1971?
Was there any security in 1976 when General Murtala Mohammed was
assassinated? Was there any security when Afenefere, Bakassi Boys,
MOSOP, MOSIEND and several militant groups were violently demanding
for political freedom, social equality and economic security? Was
there security when the Nigerian Civil War came into being? Is this
the first time in Nigerian history when Moslems and Christians started
killing one another? Join me to assess this analysis and see if
“Nigeria is more insecure today than any other time in our history”.
ON BAYELSA STATE COAT OF ARMS OR RESIGNATION
You urged President Goodluck Jonathan to reject the introduction of a
coat of arms for Bayelsa State. And that “if the President fails to
condemn the coat of arms, he should resign because it means he cannot
defend the constitution”. You described the legislation of the coat
of arms and anthem for a federating state as “the declaration of
secession”. That “the Bayelsa State Government action is worse than
the attempt by the late Emeka Odumegu-Ojukwu to secede Biafra from
Nigeria”.
You noted that by legalizing the two state symbols, Governor Seriake
Dickson has violated the constitution he swore to defend.” You also
added that “President Goodluck Jonathan, on whose influence Dickson
got to office should condemn the action. Failure to do so is
tantamount to violating the constitution”.
You were surprised that “notable Nigerians and groups have not spoken
against the Bayelsa State treason”. Nigeria is a glorious heritage
with taste and likes of diverse proportions. It is nonsensical to
feed the literary world with mushroom instead of beef. The
constitution permits the fullest attainment of our utmost desires
within the provisions of the concurrent list. Sometimes, you are
totally dislocated with our constitution.
Nigerian Elites have disassociated themselves from the angle from
whence your mischievous conclusion was gathered as laws made by a
State Assembly are not considered as an attempt to secede in respect
of the fact that if such laws are inconsistent with the laws of the
federation, the constitution will prevail and the laws enacted by the
state will be deemed null and void.
It is ungodly to dial a mouse code when there is no upheaval unless
you desire that the people should concentrate on sabotage or
secession. Governor Dickson is right when he explained that his
“administration’s decision to have the symbols and songs was because
of our belief in true federalism as a cardinal cornerstone of Nigerian
Nationhood and it is in exercise of our inalienable rights as a
federating unit”. He added that “this is a right, which we cannot be
denied of, since several other states with the same rights have
equally exercised them”.
What of Cross Rivers, Ondo, Ekiti, Lagos, Osun, Niger,Ogun and other
states that have their coat of arms and flags? Why have you described
that of Bayelsa State as the “height of political rascality” or
preparations towards secession? You are as healthy as a living human
being and I thought you felt faint for loving Bayelsa so much but now
I can see that you are the arch-traitor, destroyer and a stooge.
I want you to believe that you are a Demagogue and a rabble rouser.
You once sensitized the Niger Delta youths to violently demand for
their rights. You told our people that the Niger Delta Oil is
controlled by the Kaduna Mafia while we have no food to eat. You also
made a frightful statement when delivering as guest lecturer in memory
of Late General Murtala Mohammed at Kano that “It is written in the
holy Koran that somebody from another tribe should not be a Governor
of another state unless there is no one qualified to be Governor in
that state”.
This statement in your book titled” Philosophical Essays: Reflections
on the Good life” edited by Chief Amakiri, so angered the Ijaws that
they condemned all military Governors that served in Old Rivers State
including Zamani Lekwot and Suleiman Saidu. They wanted somebody from
Rivers State to be the Governor immediately.
The illustrations in the book are pictures and rough cartoons of
Karate, Kunfu and Shaolin Masters kicking and dribbling one another in
so many styles associated with gymnastics. It is clear that you are
proud of being a capricious beneficiary of a superstitious process of
divine intervention. When you were imprisoned, nemesis caught up with
those responsible. Justice Gusau was dismissed. Chief Prosecutor,
Adebale, was shuffled out of the Justice Ministry. The Permanent
Secretary retired. Ibrahim Babangida and Jubril Aminu are waiting
their turn.
Finally, the Okrikas have voted themselves into existence as a people.
Jonathan’s wife is from Okrika. There exist a state of competition,
hatred and discrimination between the Kalabaris and the Okrikas who
are immediate neighbours in Rivers State. There was eclipse in
Kalabari land when an Okrika woman became Nigeria’s first lady.
Remember, the wound and pain will remain deep in their hearts until
they break through an opportunity that would transcend the glory of
the Okrikas. Telling President Goodluck Jonathan to resign means
telling the enemy (Patience Jonathan) to come down from the high
place. The Okrika Community is not happy with Tam David – West for
urging their daughter’s husband to step down immediately.
In conclusion, you have not served any civilian government as a
professor except military regimes. Don’t pose as the most intelligent
scholar in Africa South of the Sahara. You were unconscious of
certain intelligent implications inherent in the making of a military
constitution.
You were a member of the fifty-person constitution drafting committee
for the Federal Military Government of late General Murtala Mohammed.
Later the Army sent you to jail when you were found guilty of
corruption.
Let me say that you should not criticize the President or Bayelsans
with the intention to make them stupid in a country like Nigeria where
we produce more than 75% of the nation’s income.
Wait for part three (3) series in no distance time.
–
Chief Jones Abiri, JP
Veteran Journalist & Public Affairs Analyst based in Yenagoa.
+234(0)8037509913, Email:cji34459@gmail.com
