The People of the Waterfronts are not happy. They have a good reason for that. The reason is not that a popular flyover at the Airforce Base Bus stop on Port Harcourt-Aba expressway, constructed barely six years ago with billions of taxpayers money collapsed. The bridge was constructed in 2006, during the tenure of Dr. Peter Odili, as governor of Rivers State and commissioned by former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Despite the efforts of the present governor, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, using concrete barriers to close the faulty part of the bridge, closing traffic in that part, after, according to the Rivers State commissioner for Works, Chief Victor Giadom, conducting deep soil investigation on the bridge and discovering, through a report submitted three months ago, that it was faulty. They were not sad, although it is a good reason to be sad, because gunmen who would fill forms as either Christians or Muslims, not heathens, invaded the home of a Civil Defence Officer, shooting him, his wife, two children and a physically challenged, in Kano state. According to reports, “Four of them came on two motorcycles and entered the house. They put all the four people (victims in a room and shot them dead.” This is happening in a country where almost everyone says he is either a Christian or a Muslim.
The People of the Waterfronts are not sad because a thing of joy like the national award had to be done amidst tight security at Abuja, where 149 eminent Nigerians were to be honoured. Each of the awardees has been restricted to only two guests, when it should be a time for jubilation, that people who have supposedly helped the nation in one way or the other were to be honoured. There sadness did not arise from the news that no fewer than 25 bodies were washed ashore after flood ravaged the north, on Benue River at the weekend. Flooding has been an annual occurrence for several years in the City. They are also not sad because several pilferers of our national treasury could not be tried because, according to the National Judicial Policy Committee, the number of judges are inadequate and there are no properly trained investigators and prosecutors. The looting can go ahead until we have enough trained personnel to prosecute them.
The People of the Waterfronts were not sad over all the despicable acts of the People of the City, because it has been a regular pattern and according to wise elders, what cannot be cured must be endured. So the People of the Waterfronts roll along with the punch because they know that it is he who paddles against the tide that suffers. They lick their wounds in silence, knowing that the wheel of God grinds slowly, but surely.
The People of the Waterfronts were sad and wore heavy faces as they strolled into the Parliamentary Hall of the People of the Waterfronts for their weekly deliberation, because their daughter, the First Lady, wife of the Goodluck fame, the great grand son of Odumodu, great ancestors of the People of the Waterfronts, is sick. They silently prayed for her good health. However, they felt sad for another reason also. They felt it was unreasonable to hide the fact that she was sick. She is human and all humans are liable to fall sick. The issue should not have been left for rumour mongers to spread their news. It should have been announced publicly that she was sick. Yes, because she is now a public figure. There should be no shame, there should be no embarrassment. That you are a president or wife of the president does not give you immunity against sickness or even death. Late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was an example. So why the hide and seek game? At a time, the People of the Waterfronts were not sure whether she was sick or just rumour. Some even said she had died. All these, because the authorities concerned did not learn from the drama of Yar’Adua’s death.
The Oldman of the Waterfronts got up. It was time to report to the ancestors the silly ways of the People of the City. He stretched his left hand and picked up the bottle of the local white brew, while his right hand picked up the little glass cup, permanent companion of the bottle of the local white brew and filled it.
“Odumodu,” he began, “he who reveals himself at every promontory to your descendants, the People of the Waterfronts, dweller at the domain between the land and the sea, take and drink. The First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, is sick. It is human to be sick. We plead that she recovers quickly. There is much work for her to do and we would not like sickness to prevent her from them. When fire burns a man’s leg or hands or any other part of his body, it is his mouth that cries and shouts for help. We open our mouths and solicit for your help, Odumodu. Let her get well quick and carry out her duties as the First Lady of the nation.
“Otumo-Ogugu, Favourite of the Maidens, he who goes in and out of the Maidens, take, drink and join your co-ancestor, Odumodu, to find ways to re-direct the straying footsteps of the People of the City. We are sad today not because of their shenanigans, we are tired of them, but because of the illness of our first lady. We wish her well. You the ancestors, should do everything necessary to see her through.
“Osokolo, another Favourite of the Maidens, he who pursues the Maidens out of the Waterfronts, reminding them of their domestic duties, take and drink. What can we do without you the ancestor? Join your co-ancestors and restore the health of our First Lady, wife of the Goodluck fame, the great grand son of Odumodu.”
The Oldman of the Waterfronts ended his libation and refilled the little glass cup. He swallowed all and allowed the little glass cup to go round the hall.
Okolobo, he of the creeks, raised up his hand, indicating his intention to speak. He was allowed.
“People of the Waterfronts, I greet you all. Let me first of all recognize your determination to meet regularly in this Parliamentary Hall despite the numerous stumbling blocks placed by the People of the City through their misuse of our general purse. It takes determined and focused mind to go through the hassles of life created by the People of the City, to survive. I am glad you have escaped that entrapments and are still meeting regularly. No regular power supply, no portable water, go-slow everywhere caused by dilapidated roads, blocked gutters causing flood whenever the rains fall, despite the huge revenue accruing, yet you are able to walk through these and meet regularly.
May I first of all express my gratitude to the Almighty that our dear First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, will soon be discharged from the hospital, having gone through an operation, as they stated, successfully. We wish her quick recovery. She is the wife of the Great grand son of Odumodu, he of the Goodluck fame and we know that Odumodu would hasten her quick recovery. We wish her quick recovery.
“People of the Waterfronts, actually, I stand here to tell you about the debate on state police issue, but I was so saddened by the news of the illness of the First Lady that I could not go ahead to speak on that. The People of the City have exhausted the treasury. They have enriched themselves so much to the detriment of the masses and so they need protection which they felt a state police cold provide.
“Ordinarily, you may say they have a good reason for a state police that would be controlled by the governors of each state. There are killings, destructions, kidnappings everywhere and the police controlled by the federal government seemed helpless. In fact, many states provide armoured cars, arms and ammunition, uniforms and even allowances to the police in a bid to encourage them to perform better. A situation where the owner of the household will depend on someone far away to control the guard securing the house is absurd. Yet, what is the guarantee that these governors are not seeking for a state police to witch-hunt others and protect themselves? Why have they not provided remedies, I mean adequate laws, to ensure the masses that the police would not be used negatively, since he who pays the piper dictates the tune?
“People of the Waterfronts, he who comes to equity, the learned men say, must come with clean hands. They must convince the People first. Please Grandpa, my throat is dry.
The Oldman of the Waterfronts refilled the little glass cup, swallowed all and allowed the bottle of the local white brew and the little glass cup to go round. ###
By Kenneth Amabipi
0803 668 7846
Email: kennymaps@yahoo.co.uk
