The People of the Waterfronts never forgo their weekly deliberations in their Parliamentary Hall. Was it not said that if hunters have learnt to shoot without aiming, the birds too must learn to fly without perching? The People of the City have so bastardized the art of governance that the ship of state may soon run aground if all concerned people keep quiet. The People of the Waterfronts have therefore resolved to meet weekly trying to find out the reasons behind the seemingly directionless acts of the People of the City.
Some people have advocated revolutions. But revolutions are not what you plan for. They spring up instantaneously. Some said there has to be a Jerry Rawlings. They should know that Jerry Rawlings was not coaxed into doing what he did. There must be an inner conviction and the people must be ripe for it. This is a great nation and so we must act accordingly. A man must be worthy of his title or it would be expunged from him. If the nation wants to remain the giant it assumed to be, then it must have giant thoughts and giant ideas to match its status. However, the behaviours of the People of the City run contrary to all these and so the People of the Waterfronts, after their nightly fishing expeditions, must find time to meet in the day so as no to be caught sleeping in a catastrophe.
Angaladikibo, the Watcher of the Mangroves, sat quietly like others, in the Parliamentary Hall, waiting for the appointed time to begin deliberations. Not one with an idle mind, he turned to the Mangroves for comfort. He gazed at them intently and they as usual, opened his mind to so many things, particularly, the silly ways of the People of the City. He has never seen or heard of a set of people that are so inconsistent like the politicians among the People of the City. Because they get away with even murder, they change their words and policies according to their whims and caprices. They knew that when their tenure expires, no one could call them to question and they would quietly enjoy their loots. This is why they behave in such directionless manners.
“Take the simple drama, sorry simple case of Otedola and Lawan Farouk,” the mind of Angaladikibo rumbled on. “It is a clear case that the president could easily use to prove to the masses that corruption has been declared a taboo in the nation. It is the singular act of corruption that has led the nation to deteriorate into this pathetic level. In the midst of the ocean, we wash our faces with spittle. In the abundance of oil, we live in darkness and tumble over dilapidated roads. The Femi Otedola and Lawan Farouk case is a simple case of bribery. The giver, Otedola, has admitted publicly that he gave out $620,000 to Farouk to ensure the removal of his company’s name from the list of companies that obtained the fuel subsidy without importing fuel. He said he was made to give the bribe by Farouk and that he contacted the security agents and the money marked before being transferred to Farouk. The men of the State Security Services, SSS, said to be involved in the operations are still alive. What stops the police from verifying that?
“Now, take the other side. Lawan Farouk after initially denying taking the bribe later admitted that he took it and that it was Otedola that made the offer. He said he took it as evidence that he was bribed. Yet, curiously, he went ahead to effect the purpose of the bribe, which was the removal of Otedola’s company name from the list of indicted companies. So what stops the police from going ahead to prosecute him, since he admitted collecting the money and the reason for collecting the money effected? If it is true that he collected the money as evidence of being bribed, why effect the change? Why are security agents not intimated of the reason he was collecting the money? If as some people argue, that since it was a sting operation, Farouk should have been apprehended as he was receiving the money, the question to ask is, if they had done that, what will be the evidence that he took the money to effect the removal of the company’s name? It is the act of the removal of the name of the company that established the fact that he received the money for that purpose.
“Now, let us look at the antics of the members of the House of Representatives which Farouk belongs to. Yes, they have the right to decide, as the House Committee of Ethics has insisted, whether to hold their sittings on the issue in camera or private. But, this is hardly an issue to insist on right. Their members are involved in the issue and so they are very much involved also. You can not be a judge in your own case. If Oteldola insisted that it must be a public sitting, it should be an opportunity for them to prove their impartiality by obliging him. He was quoted to have said, “I have nothing to hide and will speak on this issue when this investigation is conducted in a very transparent manner and the press a well as the general public are allowed to be present at the sittings of the committee from the beginning of its investigation to its conclusion. If this is true, then there is no reason for the Ethics Committee to insist on sitting in camera. There is no reason for the chairman of the Committee, Hon. Gamba Musa, to react by shouting it out that, ‘He insulted us. He was just laughing. It was very stupid of him. I must say that. He came and told us that he is not hungry, that he can do without Nigeria. Are we hungry? He is full of himself.” This is just a side attraction. The man does not have confidence in them to be impartial. They just must obey him. Besides, even Lawan stated that he was ready for an open hearing of the investigation as he has 50 questions to ask Otedola. So, why not oblige them?”
The abrupt standing up of the Oldman of the Waterfronts terminated the ramblings of the mind of Angaladikibo. Like a programmed machine, the Oldman of the Waterfronts never fails to perform his duties at the dot of the appointed time.
He lifted up the bottle of the local white brew with his left hand, while his right hand picked up the little glass cup. He filled it and began his call on the ancestors to take charge of the deliberations.
“Odumodu, great ancestor of the People of Waterfronts, the times are hard and we must call on you to assist us. The ways of the People of the City are confusing. Trying to advise them is like pouring water on the back of a duck. It does not touch their inner core. Take, drink and direct us.
“Otumo-Ogugu, Favourite of the Maidens, he who goes in and out of the Maidens, take, drink and assist us. We need the combined efforts of you our ancestors, to withstand the torments of the People of the City.
“Osokolo, another Favourite of the Maidens, he who pursues the Maidens out of the Waterfronts, also take and drink and join your co-ancestors to redirect the straying footsteps of the People of the City.”
The Oldman of the Waterfronts quickly ended his libation by filling the little glass cup again and swallowing all at a gulp. The bottle of the local white brew and the little glass cup went round and they all took one full glass each.
Okolobo, he of the Creeks, got up to speak immediately the bottle of the local white brew and the little glass cup returned to the table.
“People of the Waterfronts, I greet you. I do not have much to contribute today. I just want to say it is not impossible to protect Plateau State from the constant killings. Just hear what a man who lost his wife in the most recent attack of nine villages and the killing of 22, said. He said, ‘I don’t see the value of soldiers said to be posted to restore peace. This is frustrating. We sent distress calls to the Special Task Force since 4am after our escape, but the soldiers never came until the attackers achieved what they wanted. Can you imagine the STF helicopter came to Barkin Ladi by 9.30am, long after the attackers had finished their business and fled?”
“People of the Waterfronts, I believe that if soldiers sent to protect a place, to protect the people, fail to carry out their duties are punished, the killing would stop.
“People of Waterfronts, I agree with an Enugu Monarch, Igwe Mike Chime who stated that nothing happens in the north without the knowledge of the traditional rulers. This means that their cooperation is vital to stopping the menace of the Islamic sect, Boko Harram. The Igwe said, they may be afraid to speak out because of fear of being attacked! He suggested that the President should invite the northern traditional rulers to a meeting and hand over the Boko Haram issue to them. He said they should be warned if they fail to divulge information that would lead to the end of the menace, they would be held responsible and that they should be given adequate protection. “If they are adequately protected, I am sure they will open up. I am sure that there is nothing going on in their communities they don’t know. The youths causing the mayhem are livings with them. I strongly, believe the Seriki’s and Emirs know the people doing this terrible disservice to the nation,” he added.
“People of the Waterfronts, the President must take this advice seriously. Book Haram has been putting knife into the unity of the nation. Just imagine that the very reason for the establishment of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, is being defeated, as corps members and their parents have resisted postings to some parts of the north. Something must be done urgently to curb the menace of the sect before the unity threads are cut loose with the bombings of churches and the subsequent rejection of postings by corps members. The graduates want to be corps members not corpses.”
As Okolobo, he of the Creeks, took his seat, the Oldman of the Waterfronts filled the little glass cup, gazed at it and swallowed the content. The bottle of the local white brew and the little glass cup went round the Parliamentary Hall again.
By Kenneth Amabipi
0803 668 7846
Email: kennymaps@yahoo.co.uk
