Oedipus Rex, that Greek mythology which has been popularised by Sophocles and Nigeria’s Ola Rotimi, presents to us a king who has demonstrated abundantly that a ruler cannot command everything. In that play, we are dealing with a contrast between the supreme will of the gods and the vain attempts of mankind to escape the evil that threatens them. Destined by the gods to kill his father and marry his mother, all of Oedipus’efforts to avoid that prophecy only reveal his own impotence as a human being. But most importantly, the lesson we learn from the tragedy is that the leader is not all-knowing. Even as king or president, your knowledge is limited and incomplete, so you should listen. Listen to the people.
Today (August 7) is the seventh day Nigerians have taken to the streets demanding for an end to bad governance which has brought about hunger,poverty and disease in the land.
It’s rather sad and unfortunate that we have found ourselves in this ugly situation because the on- going protests could have been avoided. But more worrisome is the fact that the first day of the protests was hijacked by some looters in states like Kano and Jigawa leading to mayhem and wanton destruction of lives and property. Again, the protests wore another face after the Presidential speech on Sunday 4th July 2024. As a matter of fact, one can say with considerable justification that the Presidential speech merely infuriated most Nigerians. In that speech, President Tinubu didn’t talk to us as Nigerian citizens. All through his speech, the President was very condescending talking at us and not to us.
There was a huge contrast in Tinubu’s speech on Sunday. During his Presidential campaign, Tinubu spoke to every Nigerian, including farmers, and in a language they would understand. But on Sunday, President Tinubu speech was meant only for a particular class of people.
In his speech, the President was merely saying things instead of doing things. He was reeling off figures and talking about billions of Naira that we already know were a far cry from reality. He gave some of us a good laugh when he mentioned billions of Naira for student’s loan in Nigeria. For some of us working with Nigerian students we know that that statement was the grossest falsehood.
For example, it is the duty and social responsibility of any government to provide education for all its citizens. Advanced countries like US, France, Germany and UK have been able to do away with illiteracy because they have made education their priority. Even, small Communist countries like Cuba have trained scientists who have acquired the capacity to change sugar cane into a basis for motor fuel. Today, small Cuba can boast of a vibrant health-care system because it has invested in Education. Israel, is the third biggest rice producing nation in the world today because Israeli Professors in the faculty of Agriculture discovered what is called ‘drift irrigation ‘, a technology with the capacity to transform arid land into fertile soil. Big Nigeria with all its thick, green vegetation from Sokoto to Port Harcourt, imports 740 trucks of rice to be distributed among the 36 states in the country. This is shameful and ridiculous.
In the second place, it is preposterous and asinine to give loans to poor students who have no hope of getting employment after graduation. How would a graduate repay a loan when he/she is jobless and the mother is frying akara (akwese or beans cake) by the road side?
Again, the Presidential speech was full of rhetoric bordering on micro and macro economics jargon unknown even to some Professors of Economics.
Angered by such brazen show of insensitivity some Nigerians began to fly the Russian flag especially in Northern and North Central Nigeria. I must concede that the act of flying a foreign flag in Nigeria is unpatriotic and retrogressive. But any careful observer would agree that such an act is a subtle invitation for Russia to sponsor the Nigerian Army to seize power the same way it has done in neighbouring countries like Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso. But the truth remains that underlying all these is hunger, frustration, poverty and desperation.
After the Presidential speech the Governors of Plateau and Kaduna imposed a curfew on their states when it became apparent that the anger of the hungry protesters had become uncontrollable.
Besides, there are two other things that could not miss the eye of even the most indifferent spectator during the protests. The first is the brutality of the Nigerian Army and police. The two manhandled and molested armless protesters and killed some Nigerian citizens during the protests.
As a matter of fact, it became apparent that the military was in charge of the affairs of the nation at some point. What with threats of arrest and punishment coming from the Nigerian Army’s helmsman. For good three days, the President was visibly absent and we citizens were just scared that perhaps in no distant time martial music would replace the chants and demands of the protesters.
The second is that, more than ever before, the protests have revealed the intolerable gap that exists between the rulers and the ruled.While thousands of Nigerians were on the streets demanding for better conditions of life, some Nigerian politicians flew abroad with their immediate families for fear that they may be attacked by the protesters. At the same time,others in Nigeria remained in their cocoons and sanctuaries with their wives enjoying chicken and champagne. For our leaders, the protesters were just a hungry and disgruntled lot asking for bread and what they call in Nigerian parlance ‘pure water’. No where was disparity illustrated with more completeness than in Benin where hungry protesters had a good time when they stumbled over a truck fully loaded with rice.
But all these could have been avoided if only we had a listening President.
The protesters gave the Nigerian government good notice. Besides, the protesters have a constitutional right to make their demands. Lamentably, we have a leadership that is insensitive. Our leaders are only interested in gallivanting the globe to purchase property in almost all the leading state capital cities of the world while their citizens die everyday at home for a general lack of basic amenities.
I am done. It remains for me to end where I started. President Tinubu should learn from the tragedy that befelled Oedipus in Greek mythology. President Tinubu must realise that despite his wisdom and elevated office, he is only a human being.
Four more days for the protests and the four days are still pregnant. What will the four days deliver: baby or monster?
***Doki, a Professor of Comparative Literature, is Head, Department of English, University of Jos
ENDS***
[07/08, 6:39 pm] Friday Olokor: Land Dispute: We don’t need your intervention, Delta community rejects Ned Nwoko
Indigenes of Ogbeozoma community, Okpanam in Oshimili North Local Government Area has warned Senator Ned Nwoko representing Delta North Senatorial District in the National Assembly to stay away from their land dispute with the people of Akpoma saying his purported intervention is laced with mischief.
They requested that he should refrain from further misleading and contemptuous publication on the matter.
Lawyer to the community and lead counsel for the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Ifeanyi Ejiofor, made the demands in a letter to Ned Nwoko, obtained by journalists in Abuja.
He said, “We are Solicitors to the Ogbeozoma community, hereinafter referred to as “Our Client”, and on whose behalf and definite instruction, we respectfully wish to issue the following clarification and respectfully request that you refrain from further misleading the general public regarding your purported intervention in the aforementioned matter.
Background:
“Ogbeozoma Community (our client) is in Okpanam in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State. Without prejudice to series of subsisting litigations pending before courts of competent jurisdiction, which are all extantly challenging seeming acts of trespass by those you have shown to be advocating their overt interest; it is important to clarify the situation for discerning members of the public, particularly unsuspecting vendors and buyers, who may be misled by the said media outing into transacting on any part of our client’s land.
“The Distinguished Senator, is respectfully invited to note the following:
“There are two subsisting pending court cases before the Delta State High Court; wherein the persons you purport to be presiding over a meeting at their interest, are all active parties; and wherein proceedings had fully commenced. They are:
I. OBI DR. VICTOR NWOKOBIA & 2ORS (for themselves and as representing members of Ogbeozoma Community of Okpanam) V. MR. AGBA ARINZE & 2ORS (for themselves and as representing members of Akpoma Quarters of Iselle-Azagba) in Suit No: HCI/23/2021, Holding before Iselle-Uku Judicial Division, Onicha-Ugbo, Delta State.
II. EKWE OGIDI INTEGRATED RESOURCES LTD V. FRED AJUDUAH & 5 ORS, also pending before the same court at the same Judicial Division in Suit No: HCI/6/2024.
“In May 2024, our client’s community was invaded at the wee hours of the night by deadly thugs, which investigation later revealed, were procured by Mr. Chinedu Okeke alias Ekwe Ogidi. During this unprovoked bloody attack on our client’s peaceful community, four able bodied young men, were gruesomely murdered by the invading assailants. Today, the corpses of these young men are still deposited in the mortuary while the Police investigation is expeditiously going on. They have not been buried to date.
“While investigations into the bloody attack on our client’s peaceful community which resulted in the murder of these innocent citizens were going on; a publication dated 9th July 2024 in the “POINTER” Newspapers, was attributed to your office, to which our client had since published a rejoinder to the apparent falsehood conveyed through the insidious publication. Our client’s rejoinder further requested your distinguished office to refrain from misleading the general public.
“Specifically, on the 22nd day of July 2024, Mr. Chinedu Okeke alias Ekwe Ogidi procured and led another gang of thugs heavily armed to the teeth with all forms of prohibited firearms, and consequently invaded our client’s community, at the wee hours of the night. The thugs ably led by Mr. Chinedu Okeke alias Ekwe Ogidi, laid siege on our client’s community from about 1:00 am till 3:30 am and consequently unleashed devastating havoc/mayhem on our client’s community, as properties worth billions of naira were destroyed. However, luck ran out for some of the invading criminal gang members, as the personal driver to Ekwe Ogidi and his personal assistant were apprehended along with two Hilux vans and a caterpillar they procured for their destructive mission. The Policemen responding to our client’s SOS arrested three other men in police uniforms who were among the invading gang and were fully kitted in police uniforms and heavily armed with AK-47s.
“It will interest the Distinguished Senator to note that one of the Policemen who gallantly came on the rescue mission, was fatally shot by the Ekwe Ogidi-led gang and the young man is still battling for survival in an undisclosed hospital in Asaba.
Thankfully, in response to our petition, the Inspector General of Police has directed for an immediate investigation of this dastardly act, and investigation is currently ongoing, as Ekwe Ogidi’s personal driver and others so far arrested have made useful statements to the Police on the activities of the gangs led by Ekwe Ogidi.
“In view of the heinous activities of Ekwe Ogidi and his gangs above highlighted, our client was therefore taken aback by the publication under reference dated 6th August 2024. In as much as our client may carefully wish to avoid interpreting the said publication as a clear ploy to derail the Police investigation into the activities of Mr. Chinedu Okeke who had since shunned several invitations, or an act of manifest shielding of an offender(s); it is their respectful request that you should not be involved in a conspiracy capable of interfering with legitimate Police investigations.
“The Distinguished Senator is to note further that on the intervention of the Executive Governor of Delta State, a Committee headed by the Deputy Governor was set up to mediate in the land dispute between our client and Iselle-Azagba Quarters. Notwithstanding this commendable intervention by His Excellency Rt. Hon. Sheriff Francis Oboreveori, which is progressively yielding the desired results; Mr. Chinedu Okeke in clear desecration and disregard to the authority of the State Governor, continued to unleash terror on our client’s peaceful community.
“May the Distinguished Senator be reminded that the above Committee set up by the Executive Governor of Delta State, to mediate the land dispute between our client and Iselle-Azagba Quarters, is the only Committee known to our client with the authority of the State and permission of the court to intervene in the matter. Your purported Committee is unknown to our client and exists only on the pages of newspapers and the imagination of Ekwe Ogidi who is presently desperately seeking a safe haven in your abode.
“The Distinguished Senator should appropriately counsel Mr. Chinedu Okeke, on the need to immediately turn himself in, to the Police to clear the allegations against him, which border on serious and heinous crimes.
Prayers and Conclusion:
“Our client reiterates their firm belief in the Rule of Law and confidence in the state’s authority to arrive at a just resolution of issues in dispute, otherwise, the court will proceed with the hearing of the cases.
“Investigation by the Police on the gruesome murders of four young men, the brutal shooting of our client’s youth leader in the person of Mr. Chinedu Ofuani, an indigene of Ogbeozoma, and the fatal shooting of a Police Sergent should be allowed to proceed uninterrupted, as the offences being investigated border on heinous crimes of capital punishment.
“It is against the backdrop of the foregoing serious situation, that we most respectfully urge you, Sir, to refrain from further engaging in misleading publications capable of portraying your esteemed office in a bad light and projecting you as among those who are promoting the nefarious activities of Mr. Chinedu Okeke alias Ekwe Ogidi, in our client’s community.
“In anticipation of your cooperation in this regard, may the Distinguished Senator accept the assurances of our deepest regards.”
