MASSOB Leader, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, has said he regretted the defeat of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 presidential polls, saying that Jonathan’s defeat followed the same pattern of the Biafra – Nigeria civil war.
Speaking at the group’s special meeting yesterday in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, the MASSOB leader who was represented by Elder James Omeke, zonal leader Igboeze North Local Government Area, in a statement signed by the Deputy National Director for Information, Mazi Chris Mocha made available to Saturday Sun, explained that the Yoruba of the South West conspired with their Hausa/Fulani of the North and brought enmity between Igbo of the South East and the Igbo brothers in the Niger Delta, adding that such seed of discord sown cost us the Igbo their first attempt at Biafran independence.
“My presence today in Bayesla State has again demonstrated that blood is thicker than water. Biafra project is a project that gives us hope and anticipation. It also differentiates us from others.The massive support Ndigbo gave to Jonathan in the last election explained this fact. Ndigbo have not regretted voting for Jonathan.
“ Biafra is a project that brings us together each new day,” Uwazuruike said. He noted that the Biafra project defined Igbo and the Niger Delta (South-South) as one people.
“The project (Biafra) when mentioned frightens our enemies and stigmatises us before our oppressors,” he further noted.
Uwazuruike also said his kinsmen had suffered deprivations and massacred in their millions because of Biafra, disclosing that Jonathan’s defeat had highlighted the fact that the Biafran war fought with Nigeria has not ended.
“It was a war fought between the former Eastern Region (Biafra) and Nigeria. That was why MASSOB strongly supported the Niger Delta. This singular attitude and our reunion with the leaders of Niger Delta on Biafra has clearly brought us closer to our brothers and thus, made the struggle for Biafran independence stronger again,” he concluded.
The Sun.
By Adekoya Boladale
Don’t tell me you did not miss the days when we took turn to pass insults on the maladministration of the Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, the days when you came online and read various versions of vituperations and backlashes against the President. Those were the days when we all rushed to the social media, armed with our internet and mobile devices as early as 6:00 am. It doesn’t matter if you had the right information or if you were adequately informed . The prerequisite to get admitted into the holy cult of ‘social media influencer’ or ‘advocate’ as they call it, depends on how foully your expressions are; how well you can construct insults and make jest of Patience’s untaught statements.
I must confess, I was a culprit of the above misdemenour as well. I remember the feeling of fulfilment that rushed down one’s spine when you click the post button. But if that offerred relief, it is nothing compared to the tonnes of comments, retweets, likes and shares that follows. It is second only to that feeling you get after devouring a bowl of hot amala, ewedu, gbegiri and assorted meats in that order.
Right there in the comfort of your room or office, you get knighted into the glorious hall of social media fame. Accolades and salutations role in, ‘Sir’, ‘Brother’, ‘Boss’ becomes an automatic first title as friends and fans respond to you.
But those were the days when expressions were free, when you don’t get bullied for speaking your mind no matter how uninformed or misinformed you were. It offerred a grand illusion of Kingship and of a Presidential status, so much that you can be rest assured you won’t get traumatized by negative shot-to-die response from an army of paid angry birds’ trigger–ready to shoot you down.
Don’t get me wrong, I am not an advocate of selling your neighbor cheap for eulogization from the international communities. I believe strongly, that no matter what, Nigerians should present their country in good light to the rest of the world because truly, we have no other home than this beautiful, prosperous and blessed country. I have matured from the man I was in 2011 as a staunch supporter of Muhammadu Buhari who saw nothing good in Goodluck Jonathan or any of his ilks. I have come to realize that rather than insult public office holders we should make structural changes, constitutional amendments and make demands devoid of personalization but of common sense.
However, this is not to say we should suffer in silence to create an imaginary Eldorado.
Today, every attempt to ask questions about the state of the nation and express displeasure towards the current status quo has been met with ridiculous attacks, insulting defense and most recently, arrest, detention and incarceration.
One was the expression by a former governor of Lagos state, who chose to insult the sensibility of Nigerians with the ‘honey moon’ expression. I believe apart from politics, he is an entrepreneur and I wonder how he will feel if he spends twelve years training an employee only to discover such staff has learnt nothing throughout his training sessions. But that is not the issue for today.
Today is on how the celebrated expression of our thoughts and opinions has been gagged by physiological attacks and forced silence. It is about the governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun’s unending caging of dissenting voices and Caesarization of human rights. It is about the fear now exhibited by Nigerians on and offline to state clearly how they feel about national and public affairs.
Far from how politicians feel, expression of thoughts does more good than harm to the government. For a government with genuine intention to perform, dissenting statements act as a compass to guide policy formation and decision making. It is that peculiar voice of wisdom in the midst of sycophantic opinions and views of aides and political jobbers. It helps you as a political office holder to measure your acceptability and retract your faltering steps as it constantly reminds you of your promises before you stepped into office.
But when you pay some jobless youths and semi-youths stipends for selfish political interests (apologies to Oga Femi Pedro) what you end up fueling is a suppressed anger and vexation not expressed but nursed and nurtured for menacing aftermaths.
Today, we live in a new world, where thoughts are gagged by the fear of being labelled wailing wailers. Where five attacks take place in Maiduguri in less than 24 hours but we dare not talk about it. We dare not!
Suddenly, we have lost the will to be bereaved. You can feel pain but never must you express it. When you have no light, never must you talk about it. When you queue for fuel and buy at exorbitant rate, you must keep quiet. When you get robbed, act normal, when you have no water, bath with salt. Whatever you do, however you feel, just be silent!
Boladale is a public affairs analyst, political commentator and consultant on intra governmental affairs. He is on twitter @Adekoyabee
Former military Head of State, Retired Gen. Yakubu Gowon, on Thursday, called for support for President Muhammadu Buhari-led-government, saying administering political leadership was not an easy task.
Gowon made the call while speaking to reporters during his condolence visit to the Obafemi Awolowo family over HID Awolowo’s death at the family’s country home in Ikenne-Remo, Ogun.
The former military leader urged Nigerians to exercise patience with the present administration, adding that he had utmost confidence in the leadership qualities of Buhari to increase the country’s fortunes.
He said Nigerians should always make their demands to government known through appropriate channels, noting that positive criticism was good toward improving the nation’s socio-economic challenges.
“Whenever any government comes in, it is highly important to give it time to be able to really put things right. Nigeria is not an easy place to govern.
“I can assure you that there are as many problems as there are Nigerians in the world and everybody wants to do things in a particular way, in his own way and probably for his own interest.
“When you think of that as a leader, you ponder how you are going to get all the ideas together and do things right.
“When you have problems in a nation, it is not easy to get rid of them overnight.
“I think we have got to be patient with our president and then we have to cooperate with government to get things in order.’’
Gowon further appealed to Nigerians to always seek peace to fast-track national development and support Nigeria’s fight against insurgency by being vigilant at all times.
He said “peace in the country will lead to prosperity. We must work together for peace and a unified Nigeria, there is no two ways about it.’’ (NAN)
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is divided over fomentation by top government officials in the North-east to fill the opening made by Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, a previous national executive of the gathering. Mu’azu resigned on May 20, taking after weight that he drove the gathering to an embarrassing annihilation in the last general elections when his tenure had not terminated.
As indicated by the provisions of PDP constitution, he should be supplanted by somebody from the North-east.
Tending to newsmen toward the end of the 67th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the gathering, PDP national publicity secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh said the gathering leaders had disparate perspectives on the issue, focusing on that the NWC would liaise with the gathering initiative in the North-east to re-consider the issue.
“The NEC did not discuss the issue of Mu’azu’s replacement but there is a kind of subtle understanding that the NWC will work with the North-east in that regard. Some members raised the issue but others did not key into it same way,” he said.
Metuh also said NEC adopted the recommendations of the Post Election Review Committee headed by the Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu with amendments and approved the recommendation that the party should seek its 2019 presidential candidate from the north of Nigeria to enhance its electoral chances.
PDP acting national chairman Prince Uche Secondus said the party has practically two months to go into another round of Congresses and National Convention to elect a new set of leaders adding that there would be regular NEC meeting to discuss and approve the programmes and framework for the exercise.
The Senate has said petitions against the former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, would not stop his screening and confirmation for ministerial position.
The Senate spokesperson, Dino Melaye, said this on Thursday.
The Senate on Wednesday deferred the screening of Mr. Amaechi to Thursday, following the inability of its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions to submit report on the petition against the nominee.
A petition by the Peoples Democratic Party, senators from Rivers State had stalled his screening, earlier scheduled for Wednesday.
Mr. Melaye however said the Senate would not consider the petition since its subject is a matter before a court.
According to him, the Senate had a standing rule that matter before a court should not be examined.
“So Amaechi has got no problem,” he said.
Mr. Amaechi had appeared before the Senate ad hoc Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions on Monday.
Mr. Melaye also explained why the Senate postponed the ministerial screening to next week, saying some of the nominees were yet to submit their resumè and other documents required of them.
Premium Times.
