“In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” – George Orwell
“Never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion against injustice and lying and greed. If people all over the world…would do this, it would change the earth.” – William Faulkner
“Never judge a man by the words of an outsider or by his own words alone”, my father has always admonished me. In an era when the power of the pen can bring down a powerful man and lift up an irrelevant man to the sky, we owe ourselves self restraint never to wield such power without a dose of conscience.
If there is any governor who has been maligned in the media, the Guinness World record for that will unarguably go to Gov. T.A Orji. Even people who have never been to Abia State use his as a yardstick for failure in governance. His only good image rating can be traced to his Special Adviser on E-Governance and Strategy, Nnaji Obed, a friend and a brother who have successfully used the Social Media to boost his boss rating. But then, he is just one of such genius who cannot be everywhere when the matter of his boss is being discussed.
Loading ...It thus became necessary when the Governor agreed to gather some of the most vocal cyber warriors on Facebook Ville and Twitter Ville as well as bloggers to render his stewardship over the years. It was a daunting task no doubt assembling brilliant men and women who have been at the forefront of the negative media campaign against Orji. But again, that is one of the rules of power; using your supposed enemies for your gains.
May I at this junction state that whatever I will pen down here will be the most sincere and honest write up on the governor, state and his service. Even as I write, the governor or his aides have not paid a dime into any of my bank accounts to do image laundering, neither have I been rewarded by his political opponents to smear him as this may turn out to. To God and service to humanity will this flow from the chambers of my assessment. While I speak for myself, I do also do know that some of the young men that were part of the historic journey cannot be bought over with the fattest of cheques.
Abusidiqu will not sell his conscience for TA, neither will Chinedu Ekeke who once wrote on the danger of Daily Champion Newspaper giving their ‘Man of the year’ to the governor whom he described as a serial failure. The Wale Odunsi I met and Ayourb that I discussed with will rather take TA to the cleaners than eulogise him; as such their voices can’t be bought. How about Kiki Ileowo, Segun Dada and Ediong of the Nigeria Newsdesk fame? These dudes will call a spade a spade no matter how much you pay them. Chukwudi Iwuchukwu I dare say is never a friend of the governor and this was an opportunity to tell the world that all he had written on him are truth; so forget about saying he has been bribed. Give it to Mark, Olori Supergal and the Ekekee crew; on this they will do the necessary not the needful.
The journey begins. Right inside the not so magnificent building which house the Abia State Government House emanates the gentle artificial cool breeze. With musical blues serenading the atmosphere gently from the speakers; one word captured it as the guests sloped in – ‘Welcome Home’.
Friends, it was the banquet hall where the smiling Chief Servant (not fake one of Niger State), Theodore Ahamefula Orji was playing host to some of Nigeria popular bloggers and social media influencers, to scrutinize his 7 and half years legacy. Then he walked into the hall. The National Anthem played and I looked at him nakedly; he sang perfectly along, not like some of our Mini9sters who cannot recite it. Give it to him, he is patriotic.
Ahamefula, they rightly named him, meaning, ‘May my name not get lost’. Will his name get lost after his eight years as the Captain of the Abia Vessel? Yours truly who have told you the truth all these years will once again strip TA Orji politically bare based on firsthand experience of the one week tour of the State. “Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.” ― Aldous Huxley
These little things matter…
Stay Tuned…
Fejiro Oliver, Managing Editor of Daily Voice NG and Media Consultant can be reached on +2348022050733, +2348160067613 or secretsreporters@gmail.com. Engage him on twitter on @fejirooliver86
