AYIRI EMAMI WRITES AGAIN ON THE STATE OF THE NATION
*CONDEMNS IMPEACHMENT THREATS AGAINST PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN INSISTS ABUJA BLAST NOT CARRIED OUT BY POLITICIANS
*ASKS GBAGI TO CONCENTRATE ON NATIONAL ASSIGNMENT
Firstly, I condemn the call on President Goodluck Jonathan to resign or be impeached by the Northern Leaders and Elders over the Independence Day Bomb Blast in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory. However, the call on Mr President to either resign or be impeached is unacceptable.
But it is unfair on the part of the Presidential spokeman Mr Ima Niboro, to lash out at thye Northern Leaders and I am of strong opinion that Mr Niboro should apologise to them.
Despite my consistent support for zoning in the Peoples Democratic Party which ceded the presidential ticket of the party to the northern axis of the country in the 2011 elections I am opposed to move to compel Mr. President to resign or be impeached.
I do not stand to gain anything personal in my crusade for an egalitarian society but my concern is for the stability, growth and development of the country and the Niger Delta region in particular. I am looking far ahead into the future and beyond myopic ethnic sentiment as being expressed by some detractors. But my greatest worry is the regular patterns of the use of threat of violence in the response to my publication by some of my brothers from neigbouring ethnic group in Delta State.
All my articles are issue – oriented, devoid of bias and ethnic sentiment but instead of addressing far reaching national issues raised in my publications, particularly on oppression, marginalization and injustice meted to my people, my detractors opted to attacked my person and my ethnic group and threatened to truncate the prevailing peace in Delta State particularly in the coastal axis of the state.
It is also sad to note that my sincere advice and wise counseling to Mr. President on the amicable resolution of the political quagmire had been misinterpreted and deliberately distorted by those who think that the wicked act of destroying me is a password to gain favour and patronage in the Presidency and government circle. The job of slaughtering me on the altar of political convenience became easier because of my ethnic background as an Itsekiri man.
For instance a lot of people have read muopic reasons for my criticism of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs but suffice it to say at this point that the outcome of the planned tour of the ongoing development projects by the Minsiter, Mr Godsday Orubebe, in the region would reveal the areas hugely serviced and patronized by the ministry to the utter neglect of other major oil producing coastal ethnic groups in the region.
We are watching if there is any projrct in Itsekiri and Ilaje areas of the Niger Delat for the minister to inspect. Nigerian will,therefore, be in a position to decide if my cries are legitimate or not.
Although, I am not willing to join issues with some faceless individuals and groups signing frivolous publications against me but let me quickly point out that I am proud of the Itsekiri ethnic nationality to which I belong to by the divine wisdom of the Almighty God. We as Itsekiri are God – fearing, law – abiding, respectful and very accomdating with one culture, language and gighly revered monarch. And that makes me proud to be an Itsekiri and I owe nobody any apology for this. My detractors are only being envious of the grace that God continues to shower on the Itsekiri people, despite their location in a hostile and unfriendly environment. The Itsekiri are very patriotic, caring and loving but we cannot stand oppression and marginalization. We cannot be taken for granted by anyone.
howver, I disagree with Mr. President on his position that the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta was not responsible for the criminal act.
It was interesting to listen to the President of the Ijaw Youth Council, Mr. Miaebiye Kuromiema, speaking on the bomb blast on the Channels Television on October 2, a day after the blasts, when he asserted that the MEND was not responsible for the explosions. He admitted that the action might have been carried out by some disgruntled elements of MEND. Mr Kuromiema has inadvertently admitted that there are some loot soldiers of MEND who are angry with some MEND’s leaders and they could carry out the action to ridicule their leaders and the Presidency.
RECENT MSIADVENTURE OF THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR EDUCATION, CHIEF KENNETH GBAGI.
It is unfortunate that the Minister of state for Education, Chief Kenneth Gbagi, has consistently mounted pressure on unwilling boxers in the person of former Governor James Ibori, and his successor, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan into the rings by his comments and actions that has so far attracted more scathing comment than commendations. I am particularly worried that Chief Gbagi, is seeking relevance in the government beyond the execution of the tasks given to him by Mr. President in the Federal Ministry of education, it is unbecoming of a minister to assume that the only way for him to be relevant in government is by disparaging well respected and accomplished statement like Chief Ibori and the constituted authority in Delta state are represented by Governor Uduaghan, on the oages of newspaper.
How can any right thinking person accuse Governor Uduaghan of paying lip service to the Jonathan Presidency in 2011? It is unfortunate that Governor Uduaghan, who is the driving force of the Jonathan Presidency in the south- Southand who is being vilified by his kinsmen for his undiluted commitment to the Jonathan Presidentcy in 2011 could unjustly maligned by the Minister that he is working for the emergence another presidential aspirant on the banner of the People Democratic Party.
I am worried that Chief Gbagi and others are still being hunted by Ibori, whom they connived to send on exile apparently to take the centre stage in Delta state in the countdown towards the 2011 elections. It only shows that whether Chief Ibori is Nigeria or not, as former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida once remarked about the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, he remains the issue in Nigerian politics.
It is clear that people like Gbagi are still being threatened by Chief Ibori from far away Dubai but there is nothing they could do to harm man, who is destined for greater height and being prepared for future national assignment. Today, eminent citizens from all over the world, particulary from the nooks and corners of Nigeria, visit Chief Ibori in Dubai in appreciation and acknowledegment of his selfless service to Delta state in particular and Nigeria as a whole and his sterling leadership qualities. Let Chief Gbagi be restricted to the neigbouring Okere Prison, warri and watch if any body will bothered to visit him. Must chief Gbagi and his co-travellers kill their brother in desperation to seek relevance in government.
Least I forget, why is Chief gbagi dragging our highly respected Chief Fred Brown into his needless battle with Chief Ibori and governor Uduaghan? He should allow
the old man to be because Chief Brume is not likely to make himself available and willing tool to be dragged along by a drowning man. It is also unlikely ythat Chief Brume has appointed Chief Gbagi, a lawyer, as his solicitor, the minister should not cry more than the bereaved. Why is the minister dragging the Urhobo ethnic nationality into the battle? I need to remind him that he is not synonymous with the Urhobo ethnic gropu and cannot claim to be a better Urhobo man than either Chief Ibori or Governor Uduaghan.
Why must he blame Chief Ibori and Governor Uduaghan for his business misfortune? Does it sound reasonable to accuse Chief Ibori and Governor Uduaghan for the sour relationship with the people and companies involved in business deals with him?
I appeal to the Minister, who is my brother to leave Chief Ibori and Governor Uduaghan alone because undying blackmailing persecution of his brothers and fellow deltans are not the best approaches to impress his employer and seek relevance in government circle.
Since the time available to president Goodluck Jonathan to make appreciable impacts in the lives of Nigerians is very short, Chief Gbagi should channel his energies and time and join forces with his senior ministers to salvage the nation’s decaying educational system in line with his oath of office. The minister should be aware that there is no time to waste and energy to dissipate on trivial political conflict and rancour.
The minister should be told that Nigerians would evaluate and appraise him at the end of his tenure by state of the Nigerian educational system and not by the progress he recorded in the fratricidal struggle with his brothers and kinsmen
Long live Delta State
Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Signed: AYIRI EMAMI
orphanage homes
Friday, October 15, 2010
ABUJA BOMB BLAST AND ITS AFTERMATE MATTERS ARISING
ABUJA BOMB BLAST AND ITS AFTERMATE MATTERS ARISING
BY
AYIRI EMAMI
FIRST, let me join Mr. President and millions of other well meaning Nigerians in condoling the families of all those killed and severely wound by the October 1, 2010 dastardly bomb blast, it was indeed a bad outing for the nation that stands condemned by all right thinking persons. The action is whole heartedly barbaric and I condemn it strongly in its entirety.
But again, we must Endeavour to trace where this obnoxious act of bombing took its roots and what went wrong then and that is what the nation is today paying dearly for because it was an action that could have been nipped in the bud.
When the Warri crisis starts like a child play in Delta State in March 1997 and Itsekiri were being massacred like chicken and their villages devasted and reduced to rubbles with Itsekiri crying for help, nobody listen to them. The Ijaw war machines rode roughshod over the Itsekiri nation with all Nigerian feeling unconcerned. That was the painful and pathetic situation the itsekiri people found themselves ourselves for good 7- years until Almighty god came to our rescue. It was as if there was no government in place.
Today, all Nigerians are painfully savouring the inpleasant, painful, inordinate and insatiable desires of a section of the ijaw agenda of annexation and perhaps, cessation as represented by MEND action in the numerous bomb attacks, including the Independence Day disgrace to the entire country on October 1, 2010.
As a person, I whole heartedly condemned the bomb blast as barbaric. And for MEND to gleefully claim repsonsiblity for the dastardly action, speaks volume of their intention especially when it is noted that no Ijaw notable personality has cried out to condemn MEND.
Again, it is highly regrettable that government officials are saying that those died in the bomb blast died in the service of the nation. The truth of the matter is that they were killed by a terrorist group. Whose members should be fished out and persecuted. Their action shows that Nigeria is unsafe and the security system ineffective and comatose.
The president should stop chasing shadow as to who are the perpetrators are. They have identified themselves and are still doing so on foreign TV stations across the globe. They are the president’d brother and he knows it.
What is needed now is the will to outrightly apprehend these hoodlums abd make them face the wrath of the law.
With due respect to Ijaw nation, I wish to say that what MEND is doing amounts to blackmailing all Nigerians into submission. And it is this blackmail that brought president Goodluck Jonathan to the Presidency and the highest office in the country. But the question remains; now that they have gotten the Presidency, what else do they want that they are throwing bombs and killing innocent Nigerians and causing unwanted pains to families? These unbecoming actions are sign of the devastation Nigerians are set to witness in the years ahead unless a strong leader emerges to put an end to these shenanigans.
One wonders what the situation would be if President Jonathan do not clinch the PDP presidential ticket and, worst still if he fails to win the election no matter on which political party platform in 2011.
For the purpose of reminder, it would be apt to recall the various act of economic sabotage to the our common wealth during the incarceration of MEND leader, Mr. Henry Okah until government was forced to release him from detention in spite of his criminal activities.
I have the conviction that the Abuja bomb blast has no political under tone. If former Governor James Ibori is from the Ijaw nation, economic sabotage would have forced the government to release him unconditionally. But because his people do not throw bombs, he is currently gnashing his teeths in detention with nobody caring a hoot.
I remain vehemently committed to my conviction that the bomb blst would continue unabated during and after the forth coming elections.
My greatest concern for now is that those claiming responsibilities for all those criminal acts fished out and punished according to the law so that we can have some of peace, security and safety in our country.
But I doubt if this is achievable because the President is both an umpire and participant in the political chess game of the 2011 election.
In fact, can we even talk of credible, free and fair election in the circumstances we find ourselves today? The level of insecurity in the country demand a strong Presidentcy that would be able to take decisive action to contain destructive tendencies that threatens the unity, stability and economic interest of the country, the features that are sine-qua-non for the nation to move forward.
This bring me to the amnesty issue where those who took up arms against the Federal Government and killed innocent citizens are today being rewarded bountifully with millions in cash and contract award while those who ensured peace, stability and ethnic harmony are not being accorded any form of governmental patronage.
It is very painful to note that the government’s action in rewarding violence through the amnesty package is capable of attracting more idle hands from the barrage of jobless youths in the region into crimes. Consequently, government at all levels is advised to, in the interest of justice and fairness, to urgently design a welfare package that would accommodate the interest of the peace lovers in the Niger Delta region
Long live Federal Republic of Nigeria
Mr. Ayiri Emami
BY
AYIRI EMAMI
FIRST, let me join Mr. President and millions of other well meaning Nigerians in condoling the families of all those killed and severely wound by the October 1, 2010 dastardly bomb blast, it was indeed a bad outing for the nation that stands condemned by all right thinking persons. The action is whole heartedly barbaric and I condemn it strongly in its entirety.
But again, we must Endeavour to trace where this obnoxious act of bombing took its roots and what went wrong then and that is what the nation is today paying dearly for because it was an action that could have been nipped in the bud.
When the Warri crisis starts like a child play in Delta State in March 1997 and Itsekiri were being massacred like chicken and their villages devasted and reduced to rubbles with Itsekiri crying for help, nobody listen to them. The Ijaw war machines rode roughshod over the Itsekiri nation with all Nigerian feeling unconcerned. That was the painful and pathetic situation the itsekiri people found themselves ourselves for good 7- years until Almighty god came to our rescue. It was as if there was no government in place.
Today, all Nigerians are painfully savouring the inpleasant, painful, inordinate and insatiable desires of a section of the ijaw agenda of annexation and perhaps, cessation as represented by MEND action in the numerous bomb attacks, including the Independence Day disgrace to the entire country on October 1, 2010.
As a person, I whole heartedly condemned the bomb blast as barbaric. And for MEND to gleefully claim repsonsiblity for the dastardly action, speaks volume of their intention especially when it is noted that no Ijaw notable personality has cried out to condemn MEND.
Again, it is highly regrettable that government officials are saying that those died in the bomb blast died in the service of the nation. The truth of the matter is that they were killed by a terrorist group. Whose members should be fished out and persecuted. Their action shows that Nigeria is unsafe and the security system ineffective and comatose.
The president should stop chasing shadow as to who are the perpetrators are. They have identified themselves and are still doing so on foreign TV stations across the globe. They are the president’d brother and he knows it.
What is needed now is the will to outrightly apprehend these hoodlums abd make them face the wrath of the law.
With due respect to Ijaw nation, I wish to say that what MEND is doing amounts to blackmailing all Nigerians into submission. And it is this blackmail that brought president Goodluck Jonathan to the Presidency and the highest office in the country. But the question remains; now that they have gotten the Presidency, what else do they want that they are throwing bombs and killing innocent Nigerians and causing unwanted pains to families? These unbecoming actions are sign of the devastation Nigerians are set to witness in the years ahead unless a strong leader emerges to put an end to these shenanigans.
One wonders what the situation would be if President Jonathan do not clinch the PDP presidential ticket and, worst still if he fails to win the election no matter on which political party platform in 2011.
For the purpose of reminder, it would be apt to recall the various act of economic sabotage to the our common wealth during the incarceration of MEND leader, Mr. Henry Okah until government was forced to release him from detention in spite of his criminal activities.
I have the conviction that the Abuja bomb blast has no political under tone. If former Governor James Ibori is from the Ijaw nation, economic sabotage would have forced the government to release him unconditionally. But because his people do not throw bombs, he is currently gnashing his teeths in detention with nobody caring a hoot.
I remain vehemently committed to my conviction that the bomb blst would continue unabated during and after the forth coming elections.
My greatest concern for now is that those claiming responsibilities for all those criminal acts fished out and punished according to the law so that we can have some of peace, security and safety in our country.
But I doubt if this is achievable because the President is both an umpire and participant in the political chess game of the 2011 election.
In fact, can we even talk of credible, free and fair election in the circumstances we find ourselves today? The level of insecurity in the country demand a strong Presidentcy that would be able to take decisive action to contain destructive tendencies that threatens the unity, stability and economic interest of the country, the features that are sine-qua-non for the nation to move forward.
This bring me to the amnesty issue where those who took up arms against the Federal Government and killed innocent citizens are today being rewarded bountifully with millions in cash and contract award while those who ensured peace, stability and ethnic harmony are not being accorded any form of governmental patronage.
It is very painful to note that the government’s action in rewarding violence through the amnesty package is capable of attracting more idle hands from the barrage of jobless youths in the region into crimes. Consequently, government at all levels is advised to, in the interest of justice and fairness, to urgently design a welfare package that would accommodate the interest of the peace lovers in the Niger Delta region
Long live Federal Republic of Nigeria
Mr. Ayiri Emami
AYIRI EMAMI’S 5OTH INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY MESSAGE
AYIRI EMAMI’S 5OTH INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY MESSAGE
AYIRI EMAMI URGE NIGERIANS TO SPARE THOUGHTS AND PRAY FOR CHIEF JAMES ONANEFE IBORI.
I rejoice with Nigerians from all walks of life, regardless of the ethnic configuration on the 50th Independence Anniversary of Nigeria as a nation, today, October 1, 2010.
While Nigerians celebrate and click glasses today ostensibly to mark the auspicious occasion of the independence of our great country, the leading light on the African continent, I have decided to adopt a low profile approach substantially due to the travails of my leader and mentor, Chief James Onanefe Ibori, a former governor of Delta State and the icon of the nation’s political landscape and the belief that there was nothing to celebrate about the 50th anniversary of nationhood due to the pervasive poverty, hunger, deprivation and the nauseating underdevelopment ravaging all faces of our national life.
Particularly as a person from the Niger Delta, I feel very oppressed and traumatized that Chief Ibori, a leader of substance in the Niger Delta, who recorded monumental achievements during his steadwardship and operated a transparently accountable administration in Delta State for eight years , has been undeservedly forced on self exile while we are spending huge money, which ought to be earmarked for development strides, to mark the 50th Independence Anniversary.
For me as a citizen, I have not seen any reason to celebrate Nigeria at 50. Our situation could be compared to that of a 50 – year – old man who had nothing to show for his 50 years of existence. But whether he had nothing or not he has his own way of celebrating his birthday and that is what Nigeria is doing right now. Despite that Nigeria as a nation is wobbling and fumbling in the past 50 years as evident by the comatose nature of basic infrastructures needed by Nigerians to live decent lives, the power that be have decided to celebrate Nigeria at 50, apparently to afford some high profile Nigerians the opportunity to make pecuniary gains.
But I saddened by what is going on now because to see one of our leader, the man who fought for resource control in the Niger – Delta, - though there were others, like Ken Saro – Wiwa, Adako Boro, Nana of Itsekiri, Chief Alfred Rewane and others – Chief Ibori and a former Governor of Bayela State, Chief D.S.P. Alamieyeseigha, fought and brought the struggle for resources control on the front burnerof national discourse, is a national tragedy. It is regrettable to note that Chief Ibori is today suffering somewhere and nobody seems to bother. All you hear today is about personal interest as about 80 percent of our politicians are out there in pursuit of their personal interests.
To this end, as Nigerians, especially those of the Niger delta stock celebrate today, I implore them to spare a thought and pray for Chief Ibori, who rendered selfless and people – oriented programmes for Delta State in particular and Niger Delta as well as Nigeria in general in eight years, for his safe return to the country.
The travail of Chief Ibori was compelled me to support the position of the literary giant and Bobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, that all we have to celebrate as a nation in 50 years are corruption and kidnapping. To me, our respected scholar and states man should have included poverty, oppression, wickedness and so on. I totally agree with the position canvassed by Soyinka recently in Port – Harcourt.
President Goodluck Jonathan was seemingly a harbinger of hopes when he came into power but the hopes have been dashed by the development in the past five months. Those who nursed hopes about the ability of Jonathan to deliver the goods did not spare a thought that there is no difference between President Goodluck and the late despotic Gen. Sanni Abacha Administration acted a familiar script originated by the Abacha Administration apparently to dismantle and crush eminent and accomplished Nigerians Like Chief Ibori, Raymond Dokpesi and peter Odili. It is instructive to note that the same people who supported GoodluckJonathan when he was struggling to wrestle power from the late President Umaru Yar’Adua under the aegis of Reformed Group, are being hunted and persecuted today because of their new disposition and position about the political development in the country. The government has suddenly woken up from slumber and realized that they are they are tax evaders.
My advice as a Niger Delta to my brothers and sisters in the region is that they should keep to the agreement on zoning in the Peoples Democratic Party. Even the Bible FROWNS at unkempt promises and agreements. The Bible advocates that we have tobe credible. You need to develop a thoroughly researched manifesto before you could be persuaded to run for any elective office. People will not just call you to run unless you must have the intention. For instance my people in Warri Federal Constituency have called me to run for the seat of Warri Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives but I have decided not run in the interest of the Itsekiri people. I cannot create more problems within the Itsekiri ethnic nationality because it was apparent that those people that want me to run have one problem or the other with the incumbent, Mr. Daniel Reyenieju, and they feel that the only way they could fight him is through me.
I have dropped my aspiration in the overall interest of my people and the nation. There is no doubt that I am eminently qualified to run against him.
Zoning or no zoning, we all know the truth, and it is causing a lot of problems in the country. People are always asking me why I am against President Goodluck Jonathan and that is for one reason. I am not impressed that the first thing he had to do when he came into office is to fight some of the leaders who spearhead the struggle for resource control and self – determination in the Niger Delta. People like Chief james Ibori were hunted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and London Metropolitan Police, in the name of corruption to desert the country in desperation to realize the self – seeking aspiration of those presently at the helm of affairs I the country.
My advice is that we should stop killing and pursuing one another and our 83 – years leaders should relocate from the boys quarter’s in Aso Rock to their country home in the Niger Delta, where they can best serve the interests of their people and serve as meaningful bridge between the people and the Presidency.
I may have sympathy with the North for the presidential slot of the people Democratic Party in the 2011 elections due to the prevailing zoning arrangement in the party but I don’t have preference for a particular aspirant from the Northern belt of the country. More importantly, former President Ibrahim Babangida, appeared to have diminished his chances by his recent comment that the Nigerian youth was not qualified to lead the country.
That make me biter in my heart. What age was he when he became the president of this country? What age was General Gowon when he became the president of this country? The youths are angry with IBB for making that statement. I am advising the NORTH to get a credible candidate to vie for the presidency on its behalf in accordance with the zoning arrangement of the PDP in the 2011 elections.
As for the chairman of the Independent National Electoral commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, he misfired from day one when he told Nigerians that if given the needed funds he would perfect and conclude all necessary arrangement to conduct afree and credible election in 2011 forgetting that the problems in INEC is hydra headed and cannot be solved even in three years time as the commission has no structure or foundation to conduct free and fair elections.
I am pained when I recall the speed with which funds where approved by the National Assembly an d approval given to same for the commission in other to make it look as if Prof. Jega can perform magic. After collecting the huge sume, he has just realized that he need more time and has requested for two months but was graciously given three months. We hope he would ask for a postponement of the entire election in due course.
My pain derive from the fact that if such speed were deployed in approving funds for the development of the long neglected Niger Delta region it would have developed beyond any body’s imagination by now. The people of oil – rich Ugborodo community that plays host to Chevron, SPDC, NNPC and so on have being crying to high heaven because the place is daily being washed away by the Atlantic the Atlantic Ocean, but the government has refuse to listen to them after so many years. It is indeed very painful.
May I therefore use this Independence anniversary message to advise Prof. Jega to embark on house cleansing exercise and weed out the bad eggs from the system. It is worrisome that Jega is presiding over INEC where somebody’ sister, who is a top official of the commission, is not fighting for the interest of the country rather she is fighting for the interest of his elder brother, insisting that the Delta State Executive Committee of the PDP must be dissolved.
As Nigerian celebrate today, I urge the government to strengthen the security. That is why I am saying that if President Goodluck Jonathan is not is not contesting he would have been a good referee. But now that he is the referee in the football match he is playing in and we are saying we need change, there is no way there could be a change because President Jonathan may not be prepared to preside over his failure in the 2011 presidential election. But I believed that Mr. President has been compromise because of his personal interest. He has no say in anything. I conclude, very sadly indeed, that we are going to be where we are today for the next 50 years
Signed:
MR. AYIRI EMAMI
NIGER DELTA YOUTH LEADER AND RIGHTS ACTIVIST
Posted
AYIRI EMAMI URGE NIGERIANS TO SPARE THOUGHTS AND PRAY FOR CHIEF JAMES ONANEFE IBORI.
I rejoice with Nigerians from all walks of life, regardless of the ethnic configuration on the 50th Independence Anniversary of Nigeria as a nation, today, October 1, 2010.
While Nigerians celebrate and click glasses today ostensibly to mark the auspicious occasion of the independence of our great country, the leading light on the African continent, I have decided to adopt a low profile approach substantially due to the travails of my leader and mentor, Chief James Onanefe Ibori, a former governor of Delta State and the icon of the nation’s political landscape and the belief that there was nothing to celebrate about the 50th anniversary of nationhood due to the pervasive poverty, hunger, deprivation and the nauseating underdevelopment ravaging all faces of our national life.
Particularly as a person from the Niger Delta, I feel very oppressed and traumatized that Chief Ibori, a leader of substance in the Niger Delta, who recorded monumental achievements during his steadwardship and operated a transparently accountable administration in Delta State for eight years , has been undeservedly forced on self exile while we are spending huge money, which ought to be earmarked for development strides, to mark the 50th Independence Anniversary.
For me as a citizen, I have not seen any reason to celebrate Nigeria at 50. Our situation could be compared to that of a 50 – year – old man who had nothing to show for his 50 years of existence. But whether he had nothing or not he has his own way of celebrating his birthday and that is what Nigeria is doing right now. Despite that Nigeria as a nation is wobbling and fumbling in the past 50 years as evident by the comatose nature of basic infrastructures needed by Nigerians to live decent lives, the power that be have decided to celebrate Nigeria at 50, apparently to afford some high profile Nigerians the opportunity to make pecuniary gains.
But I saddened by what is going on now because to see one of our leader, the man who fought for resource control in the Niger – Delta, - though there were others, like Ken Saro – Wiwa, Adako Boro, Nana of Itsekiri, Chief Alfred Rewane and others – Chief Ibori and a former Governor of Bayela State, Chief D.S.P. Alamieyeseigha, fought and brought the struggle for resources control on the front burnerof national discourse, is a national tragedy. It is regrettable to note that Chief Ibori is today suffering somewhere and nobody seems to bother. All you hear today is about personal interest as about 80 percent of our politicians are out there in pursuit of their personal interests.
To this end, as Nigerians, especially those of the Niger delta stock celebrate today, I implore them to spare a thought and pray for Chief Ibori, who rendered selfless and people – oriented programmes for Delta State in particular and Niger Delta as well as Nigeria in general in eight years, for his safe return to the country.
The travail of Chief Ibori was compelled me to support the position of the literary giant and Bobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, that all we have to celebrate as a nation in 50 years are corruption and kidnapping. To me, our respected scholar and states man should have included poverty, oppression, wickedness and so on. I totally agree with the position canvassed by Soyinka recently in Port – Harcourt.
President Goodluck Jonathan was seemingly a harbinger of hopes when he came into power but the hopes have been dashed by the development in the past five months. Those who nursed hopes about the ability of Jonathan to deliver the goods did not spare a thought that there is no difference between President Goodluck and the late despotic Gen. Sanni Abacha Administration acted a familiar script originated by the Abacha Administration apparently to dismantle and crush eminent and accomplished Nigerians Like Chief Ibori, Raymond Dokpesi and peter Odili. It is instructive to note that the same people who supported GoodluckJonathan when he was struggling to wrestle power from the late President Umaru Yar’Adua under the aegis of Reformed Group, are being hunted and persecuted today because of their new disposition and position about the political development in the country. The government has suddenly woken up from slumber and realized that they are they are tax evaders.
My advice as a Niger Delta to my brothers and sisters in the region is that they should keep to the agreement on zoning in the Peoples Democratic Party. Even the Bible FROWNS at unkempt promises and agreements. The Bible advocates that we have tobe credible. You need to develop a thoroughly researched manifesto before you could be persuaded to run for any elective office. People will not just call you to run unless you must have the intention. For instance my people in Warri Federal Constituency have called me to run for the seat of Warri Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives but I have decided not run in the interest of the Itsekiri people. I cannot create more problems within the Itsekiri ethnic nationality because it was apparent that those people that want me to run have one problem or the other with the incumbent, Mr. Daniel Reyenieju, and they feel that the only way they could fight him is through me.
I have dropped my aspiration in the overall interest of my people and the nation. There is no doubt that I am eminently qualified to run against him.
Zoning or no zoning, we all know the truth, and it is causing a lot of problems in the country. People are always asking me why I am against President Goodluck Jonathan and that is for one reason. I am not impressed that the first thing he had to do when he came into office is to fight some of the leaders who spearhead the struggle for resource control and self – determination in the Niger Delta. People like Chief james Ibori were hunted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and London Metropolitan Police, in the name of corruption to desert the country in desperation to realize the self – seeking aspiration of those presently at the helm of affairs I the country.
My advice is that we should stop killing and pursuing one another and our 83 – years leaders should relocate from the boys quarter’s in Aso Rock to their country home in the Niger Delta, where they can best serve the interests of their people and serve as meaningful bridge between the people and the Presidency.
I may have sympathy with the North for the presidential slot of the people Democratic Party in the 2011 elections due to the prevailing zoning arrangement in the party but I don’t have preference for a particular aspirant from the Northern belt of the country. More importantly, former President Ibrahim Babangida, appeared to have diminished his chances by his recent comment that the Nigerian youth was not qualified to lead the country.
That make me biter in my heart. What age was he when he became the president of this country? What age was General Gowon when he became the president of this country? The youths are angry with IBB for making that statement. I am advising the NORTH to get a credible candidate to vie for the presidency on its behalf in accordance with the zoning arrangement of the PDP in the 2011 elections.
As for the chairman of the Independent National Electoral commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, he misfired from day one when he told Nigerians that if given the needed funds he would perfect and conclude all necessary arrangement to conduct afree and credible election in 2011 forgetting that the problems in INEC is hydra headed and cannot be solved even in three years time as the commission has no structure or foundation to conduct free and fair elections.
I am pained when I recall the speed with which funds where approved by the National Assembly an d approval given to same for the commission in other to make it look as if Prof. Jega can perform magic. After collecting the huge sume, he has just realized that he need more time and has requested for two months but was graciously given three months. We hope he would ask for a postponement of the entire election in due course.
My pain derive from the fact that if such speed were deployed in approving funds for the development of the long neglected Niger Delta region it would have developed beyond any body’s imagination by now. The people of oil – rich Ugborodo community that plays host to Chevron, SPDC, NNPC and so on have being crying to high heaven because the place is daily being washed away by the Atlantic the Atlantic Ocean, but the government has refuse to listen to them after so many years. It is indeed very painful.
May I therefore use this Independence anniversary message to advise Prof. Jega to embark on house cleansing exercise and weed out the bad eggs from the system. It is worrisome that Jega is presiding over INEC where somebody’ sister, who is a top official of the commission, is not fighting for the interest of the country rather she is fighting for the interest of his elder brother, insisting that the Delta State Executive Committee of the PDP must be dissolved.
As Nigerian celebrate today, I urge the government to strengthen the security. That is why I am saying that if President Goodluck Jonathan is not is not contesting he would have been a good referee. But now that he is the referee in the football match he is playing in and we are saying we need change, there is no way there could be a change because President Jonathan may not be prepared to preside over his failure in the 2011 presidential election. But I believed that Mr. President has been compromise because of his personal interest. He has no say in anything. I conclude, very sadly indeed, that we are going to be where we are today for the next 50 years
Signed:
MR. AYIRI EMAMI
NIGER DELTA YOUTH LEADER AND RIGHTS ACTIVIST
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