Exactly in 1973, the National Youths Service Corp (NYSC) scheme was introduced with a view to promoting national development, unity and patriotism among Nigerian Youths who had graduated from Nigerian Universities. Some remarkable changes have since taken place with regard to those qualified for the scheme.
Firstly, in about the fourth year of its inception, the NYSC programme was expanded to incorporate graduates of the Colleges of Technology, Monotechnics and Polytechnics. Later, holders of the National Certificate of Education (NCE) joined in the programme.
Although there was initially some controversy over the allowances to be paid to this new group of NYSC members, matters were soon ironed out. The products of the Universities, the educational and “technical” institutions have since been cooperating in furthering the aims and objectives of the programme. This programme has since too been extended to Nigerian graduates from abroad. The next major change was the decision to remove the age ceiling placed on those who could become NYSC members. From the apex age of thirty, the scheme was thrown open to graduates from every institutions of higher learning irrespective of age. Exemption could only depend on poor health or infirmity of the graduate.
However, a good many of the NYSC members, actual and potential, need to do more to internalize the scheme’s ideal of integration. It serves no useful purpose for potential members to keep making efforts at influencing their postings. NYSC officials themselves must vigorously discourage this tendency. The Federal, State and Local Government authorities on their parts should not worsen matters by exposing corps members to the vagaries of corruption. Situations where corpers connive with officers of their primary and secondary assignment for “job-cover up” while engaging in another thing altogether defeats the essence of the scheme. It needs to be reminded officials of the scheme and corps members particularly women that it is a great risk for pregnant mothers to engage in the rigorous exercises of the scheme hence the exclusion of pregnant women from the scheme. But sometimes, they “bulldoze” their way through.
The recent backsliding movement of the Federal Government on the scheme makes one suspect the programme as singing the Nunc Dimitis. Other wise, what could be the rationale behind the Federal Government decision to exclude NCE holders from the programme? In the year 2000 or thereabout, the programme suffered another blow when ban was placed on people over 30 years even though Nigerians and their penchant for age-declaration could be a leeway to beating the ban. Feelers from the NYSC secretariat show that from 2008, the scheme is to have three badges of corpers; Sep/Oct, Feb/March and June/July. In 2003/2004, badge “B” corps members were restricted to teaching. The notice could be to sift the chaff from the grain as many of the graduates, in Nigeria despite their certificates are hollow with academics bareness coupled with the unwillingness of many private sector firms to accept these corpers due to hard times. Much as these measures could help savage the scheme from being dragged to the mire, the scheme needs to be refocused if the real human values of it is anticipated and to be tapped.
It was Booker Taliafero Washington who postulated that, “no nation will prosper till it learns that there is as much dignity in tilling the field as in writing a poem”. Again, one Augolan proverb has it that “it is useless preaching to a hungry man”. When Nigerians are dying of hunger while our farmlands are yearning for workers, why these able-bodied youths should be denied of this gainful “one year compulsory employment” calls for a rethink on the part of the Federal Government. Apart from helping to feed the nation’s population, products of these farms could be exported. Cassava-starch, Garri and Yam highly needed in Europe are potential foreign exchange earners thereby diversifying the revenue base of Nigeria from monoeconomy. This all-embracing farm should have fish-ponds, snail-cages, poultry etc depending on the area. All these will help the corpers more, than theorizing it in endless and fruitless seminars, workshops and “talkshops” in the camp. Talking, after all, does not fill the basket in the farm according to President Benjamin Nkapa of Tanzania. Definitely, tilling the land does. For this line of thought to become a reality, at least one agricultural farm should be set up in all the senatorial zones of the country. A situation where people of productive age and trained to be so, scoop gutters in the township, sweep pathways, lanes and streets above all fill potholes on our high ways worse still discuss idly in the Local Government Secretariat every Friday in the name of Community Development Service make nonsense of the name. This has invariably called for the restructuring of the scheme so that the service periods will synchronize with our cropping or farming season.
Furthermore, this anniversary provides an opportunity for the NYSC Directorate to ensure efficiently in the co-ordination of the primary and secondary assignment through improved liaison with the various communities and employers of corps member. The supply of singlets, trousers, canvasses and other equipment to corps members has now become a problem perhaps due to economic crunch. But with this new direction, the scheme would not only be self-supporting but also a revenue earner for government besides paving way for new career opportunity for the corps members. Most importantly, the real essence of the scheme will be achieved to the utmost thus distancing and safeguarding it from frustration and failure.
“Bravo Ajuwaya” Happy Anniversary and may the years of the programme be long.
Mr. Ezennaya writes for the World Igbo Times Magazine, London.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Did Ernest Okonkwo Die with the League Football Commentary? By Sixtus Chibueze Ezennaya
“The lanky ebony black goal-hungry Ranger is ranging alone in the goal area of the Water Corporation Football Club of Ibadan. Can the one-man riot squad make it four for Rangers. A hatrick ie one, two, three goals are already in his kitty. Ifeanyi Chukwu means nothing is insurmountable to God. Four goals are also not beyond the ability of Ifeanyi Chukwu Onyedika. It is a goal… Goal number four for the indomitable Rangers International Football Club of Enugu, all scored by Ifeanyi Chukwu Onyedika”. Guess who was running the commentary. That was the commentaries of Ernest Okonkwo while pairing with Tolu Fatoyimbo in the Radio Nigeria Ibadan commentaries on the last match of the 1981 National Division One Footbal League match at Ibadan. Incidentally, that was the match that sent Water Corporation to the lower division in fact into oblivion.
In those old days, every Saturday, Nigerians glue to their radios for league football commentaries to ease off weeklong tension. Nowadays it is no longer so. Who is responsible for this deprivation of weekend happiness? An investigation showed that the commercialization of everything in Nigeria is responsible. Could it be true that as there is no free lunch in Europe, there is no longer “free” programme in our radio stations? Is the insinuation that Igboman loves money now being copied verbatim by the Nigerian government? When I now listen to league football commentaries every Saturday from BBC, Radio Cameroun, Radio Accra, I begin to wonder if these radio stations do not know the value of money or commercialization. When a nincompoop learnt how to chew stick, even broom for sweeping the room, is not spared. Nigeria and commercialization of radio programs.
Perhaps, what is most fascinating and endearing about football commentary, is the ability of the commentators to give accurate analysis of the second to second, minute to minute account of the proceedings. Ernest Okonkwo for example, had a unique football commentary style, which enabled him to use the appropriate qualifying adjectives for his characters. He coined names like Emmanuel “Man Mountain” Okala, Aloysius “Blockbuster” Atuegbu, Christian “ Chairman” Chukwu, “Mathematical” Segun Odegbani, Kelechi “Caterpiller” Emetole, “Midfield Maestro” Mudashiru Lawal, “Justice” Adokiye Amasiemeka, Uwem “Harmattan” Ekerika, Sylvanus “Quicksilver “Okpala, “Commander” Louis Igwilo, Sylvester “Bahama” Oparanozie, Benedict “Surugede” Ugwu, Idowu “Slow Poison” Otubusin, “Shortish” John Benson, “Dimunitive” Amaechi Otti, Nnamdi “Policeman” Anyafo, Davison “Okada Air” Qwumi, Daniel “The Bull” Amokachi, “Penalty Specialist” Christian Madu, “Masters of Long Throw” Moses Otolorin and Nwabueze Nwankwo, “The Man with Bullet Shot” Emmanuel Osigwe etc. A typical snippet of Okonkwo’s commentary style ran thus “… he beats Christian Chukwu, Christian Madu and Christian Nwokocha … he beats three Christians in a row … Who is this man? He must be a moslem. Oh, he is Shefiu Mohammed sending a diagonal pass to Baba Otu Mohammed. In one occasion Ernest Okonkwo said, “After ninety minutes of play and extra time, the match has ended one goal apiece but a winner must emerge. Five players have on each side been selected to take the penalty kick. The players are praying to their God to give them this day but it is not who prays more but who plays better.
The special tribute paid to Ernest Okonkwo does not mean that he was the only commentator in Nigeria those days but to refresh our memories on the vitality of the game via football commentaries. In those days, commentaries were run almost from every radio station be it Federal or state. In Radio Nigeria Lagos, besides Ernest Okonkwo, Ishola Folaronsho, Bisi Lawrence, Sebastine Ofurum, Kevin Ejiofor, and Walter Batuyi held the ace. Radio Nigeria Enugu had the likes of Richard Asiegbu, Emeka Odikpo etc. The scintillating voices of Agwu Nwogo, Samrose Anyaugo, John Nwogu and Christopher Abiaziem thrill the listeners to the Imo Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) Owerri. The Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS) Enugu was privileged to have Peter Edochie, Joe Martins Uzodike while Edo Radio Benin boasted of Emmanuel Egharevba. From time to time as the commentaries reverberated, I tuned to Radio Nigeria Ibadan to listen to Tolu Fatoyimbo and others whereas Cross River Broadcasting Service where Edem Dike was mesmerizing players of Rovers Football Club of Calabar from Eta Egbe to James Etokebe would be the next station to tune to. Those days, Radio Nigeria Kaduna, Radio Plateau Jos usually ran commentaries in English alongside Hausa language. Whenever my darling team, RANGERS, travelled to those places, I steadfastly listened to the commentaries whether or not I understood Hausa language. One thing was certain, when a goal was scored, I did know from the shouting of the commentator and the player of the ball vis-a-vis his position in the football arena. By the time I finished listening to these commentaries, my “Samedi Sour” (Saturday evening) would have been well spent.
What has gone wrong with Nigeria and football commentaries? Could the loss of interest in watching Nigeria league matches by football fans be attributable to the stoppage of running live football commentaries? For one, commentaries catalyze the action on the field of play, enthuse morale of fans, and help to curtail poor officiating, make listeners and fans know the names of players and how skilful a player is among others. I never saw Emeka “404” Onyedika play football but his description as “404” tells me he was a swift sprinter in the field of play. The description of Daniel Amokachi as a utility player by the commentator when he was still a youth-player with Ranchers Bees of Kaduna prodded me into wanting to see him play which I, of course, accomplished by watching Rangers/Ranchers Bees match at Temporary Stadium of University of Nigeria Enugu Campus (UNEC). In all, Nigeria football fans want the football commentaries back, is the bottom-line of this write up for our league matches to be lively once again. Therefore, NFA or NFF, Radio Nigeria, State Radio Stations, MTN, Globacom, Starcom, Zain, Coca Cola, Seven-Up, NIPOST and other sponsors of our football, it is the wish of all Nigerian football fans that football commentaries return to our radio stations not withstanding this commercialization policy. If it is possible to include television coverage, it will also be most welcomed. No matter how small the dance-floor may be, there is always space for the drummer
Mr. Ezennaya writes for the World Igbo Times Magazine, London.
In those old days, every Saturday, Nigerians glue to their radios for league football commentaries to ease off weeklong tension. Nowadays it is no longer so. Who is responsible for this deprivation of weekend happiness? An investigation showed that the commercialization of everything in Nigeria is responsible. Could it be true that as there is no free lunch in Europe, there is no longer “free” programme in our radio stations? Is the insinuation that Igboman loves money now being copied verbatim by the Nigerian government? When I now listen to league football commentaries every Saturday from BBC, Radio Cameroun, Radio Accra, I begin to wonder if these radio stations do not know the value of money or commercialization. When a nincompoop learnt how to chew stick, even broom for sweeping the room, is not spared. Nigeria and commercialization of radio programs.
Perhaps, what is most fascinating and endearing about football commentary, is the ability of the commentators to give accurate analysis of the second to second, minute to minute account of the proceedings. Ernest Okonkwo for example, had a unique football commentary style, which enabled him to use the appropriate qualifying adjectives for his characters. He coined names like Emmanuel “Man Mountain” Okala, Aloysius “Blockbuster” Atuegbu, Christian “ Chairman” Chukwu, “Mathematical” Segun Odegbani, Kelechi “Caterpiller” Emetole, “Midfield Maestro” Mudashiru Lawal, “Justice” Adokiye Amasiemeka, Uwem “Harmattan” Ekerika, Sylvanus “Quicksilver “Okpala, “Commander” Louis Igwilo, Sylvester “Bahama” Oparanozie, Benedict “Surugede” Ugwu, Idowu “Slow Poison” Otubusin, “Shortish” John Benson, “Dimunitive” Amaechi Otti, Nnamdi “Policeman” Anyafo, Davison “Okada Air” Qwumi, Daniel “The Bull” Amokachi, “Penalty Specialist” Christian Madu, “Masters of Long Throw” Moses Otolorin and Nwabueze Nwankwo, “The Man with Bullet Shot” Emmanuel Osigwe etc. A typical snippet of Okonkwo’s commentary style ran thus “… he beats Christian Chukwu, Christian Madu and Christian Nwokocha … he beats three Christians in a row … Who is this man? He must be a moslem. Oh, he is Shefiu Mohammed sending a diagonal pass to Baba Otu Mohammed. In one occasion Ernest Okonkwo said, “After ninety minutes of play and extra time, the match has ended one goal apiece but a winner must emerge. Five players have on each side been selected to take the penalty kick. The players are praying to their God to give them this day but it is not who prays more but who plays better.
The special tribute paid to Ernest Okonkwo does not mean that he was the only commentator in Nigeria those days but to refresh our memories on the vitality of the game via football commentaries. In those days, commentaries were run almost from every radio station be it Federal or state. In Radio Nigeria Lagos, besides Ernest Okonkwo, Ishola Folaronsho, Bisi Lawrence, Sebastine Ofurum, Kevin Ejiofor, and Walter Batuyi held the ace. Radio Nigeria Enugu had the likes of Richard Asiegbu, Emeka Odikpo etc. The scintillating voices of Agwu Nwogo, Samrose Anyaugo, John Nwogu and Christopher Abiaziem thrill the listeners to the Imo Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) Owerri. The Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS) Enugu was privileged to have Peter Edochie, Joe Martins Uzodike while Edo Radio Benin boasted of Emmanuel Egharevba. From time to time as the commentaries reverberated, I tuned to Radio Nigeria Ibadan to listen to Tolu Fatoyimbo and others whereas Cross River Broadcasting Service where Edem Dike was mesmerizing players of Rovers Football Club of Calabar from Eta Egbe to James Etokebe would be the next station to tune to. Those days, Radio Nigeria Kaduna, Radio Plateau Jos usually ran commentaries in English alongside Hausa language. Whenever my darling team, RANGERS, travelled to those places, I steadfastly listened to the commentaries whether or not I understood Hausa language. One thing was certain, when a goal was scored, I did know from the shouting of the commentator and the player of the ball vis-a-vis his position in the football arena. By the time I finished listening to these commentaries, my “Samedi Sour” (Saturday evening) would have been well spent.
What has gone wrong with Nigeria and football commentaries? Could the loss of interest in watching Nigeria league matches by football fans be attributable to the stoppage of running live football commentaries? For one, commentaries catalyze the action on the field of play, enthuse morale of fans, and help to curtail poor officiating, make listeners and fans know the names of players and how skilful a player is among others. I never saw Emeka “404” Onyedika play football but his description as “404” tells me he was a swift sprinter in the field of play. The description of Daniel Amokachi as a utility player by the commentator when he was still a youth-player with Ranchers Bees of Kaduna prodded me into wanting to see him play which I, of course, accomplished by watching Rangers/Ranchers Bees match at Temporary Stadium of University of Nigeria Enugu Campus (UNEC). In all, Nigeria football fans want the football commentaries back, is the bottom-line of this write up for our league matches to be lively once again. Therefore, NFA or NFF, Radio Nigeria, State Radio Stations, MTN, Globacom, Starcom, Zain, Coca Cola, Seven-Up, NIPOST and other sponsors of our football, it is the wish of all Nigerian football fans that football commentaries return to our radio stations not withstanding this commercialization policy. If it is possible to include television coverage, it will also be most welcomed. No matter how small the dance-floor may be, there is always space for the drummer
Mr. Ezennaya writes for the World Igbo Times Magazine, London.
NIGERIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE MATCHES AND LIVE COMMENTARIES By Sixtus Chibueze Ezennaya
The lanky ebony black goal-hungry Ranger is ranging alone in the goal area of the Water Corporation Football Club of Ibadan. Can the one-man riot squad make it four for Rangers? A hat-trick i.e. one, two, three goals are already in his kitty. Ifeanyichukwu means nothing is insurmountable to God. Four goals are also not beyond the ability of Ifeanyi Chukwu Onyedika.
Rangers building attack from defence through Patrick Ekeji with a triangular tap to Herbert Anijekwu and Innocent Obiekwo to Commander Louis Igwilo who chest-traps and sends a banana-kick pass to Ifeanyi Chukwu Onyedika in the eighteen yard box of Water Corporation. He beats stylishly an on-rushing defender and a scissor-kick and it is a goal-o-o-o! Goal number four for the Flying Antelopes and Indomitable Rangers International Football Club of Enugu, all scored by Ifeanyichukwu Ahidjo Onyedika. Guess who was running the commentary? That was the football commentaries of Ernest Okonkwo while pairing with Tolu Fatoyimbo in the Radio Nigeria Ibadan commentaries on the last match of the 1981 National Division One Football League match at Liberty Stadium Ibadan. Incidentally, that was the match that sent Water Corporation to the lower division in fact into oblivion.
In those days, every Saturday, Nigerians glued to their radios for league football commentaries to ease off weeklong tension. Nowadays, it is no longer so. Who is responsible for this deprivation of weekend happiness? An investigation showed that the commercialization of everything in Nigeria is responsible. Could it be true that as there is no free lunch in Europe, there is no longer “free” programme in our radio stations? Is the insinuation that Igbo man loves money now being copied verbatim by the Nigerian government? When I now listen to League Football commentaries every Saturday from BBC, Radio Cameroun, Radio Accra, I begin to wonder if these radio stations do not know the value of money or commercialization. When a nincompoop learnt how to chew stick, even broom for sweeping the room, is not spared. Yooh! Nigeria and commercialization of radio programmes.
Perhaps, what is most fascinating and endearing about football commentary, is the ability of the commentators to give accurate analysis of the second to second, minute to minute account of the proceedings. Ernest Okonkwo for example, had a unique football commentary style which enabled him to use the appropriate qualifying adjectives for his characters. He coined names like Emmanuel “Man-Mountain” Okala, Aloysius “Block Buster” Atuegbu, Christian “Chairman” Chukwu, “Mathematical” Segun Odegbami, Kelechi “Caterpillar” Emetole, “Midfield Maestro” Mudashiru Lawal, Kingsley “Mature” Onye, “Chief Justice” Adokie Amasiemeka, Uwem “Harmattan” Ekarika, Sylvanus “Quicksilver” Okpala, “Commander” Louis Igwilo, Sylvester “Bahama” Oparanozie, Benedict “Surugede” Ugwu, Idowu “Slow Poison” Otubusin, “Shortish” John Benson, “Answerable” Edward Ansa, “Diminutive” Amechi Ottih, Nnamdi “Policeman” Anyafor, Nnamdi “Camel” Nwokocha, Davidson “Okada Air” Owumi, Daniel “The Bull” Amokachi, “Penalty Specialist” Christian Madu, “Masters of Long Throw” Moses Otolorin and Nwabueze “Bulldozer” Nwankwo, “The man with the bullet shot” Emmanuel Osigwe, “Dean of Defence” Yisa Shofoluwe, “Gangling” Rashidi Yekini, “Darkness” Amechi Igweobi etc. A typical snippet of Okonkwo’s commentary style ran thus, “……….. he beats Christian Chukwu, Christian Madu and Christian Nwokocha, ……………. he beats three Christians in a row. …….. who is this man? He must be a Moslem. Oh, he is Shefiu Mohammed sending a diagonal pass to Baba Otu Mohammed. In one occasion, Ernest Okonkwo said, “After ninety minutes of play and extra time, the match has ended one goal apiece but a winner must emerge. Fiver players have on each side been selected to take the penalty kick. The players are praying to their God to give them this day but it is not who prays more but who plays better. As members of the Nigerian Supporters Club are usually known for their vociferation in tournaments involving Nigerian teams, Ernest Okonkwo while commending them once said, “If you cheer when a goal is scored, you are reacting to an impulse. But if you cheer when no goal is scored, you are indeed supporting.”
The special tribute paid to Ernest Okonkwo does not mean that he was the only commentator in Nigeria those days but to refresh our memories on the vitality of the game via Football commentaries. Mr. Okonkwo would refer to an incident that gave a player his prominence. The day Mehala F. C. of Egypt saw wahala at Enugu and the Godwin Odiye back-heading that denied Nigeria World Cup slot in 1978, Ernest Okonkwo relived very vividly the memories. He would tell you what happened the day three Atuegbu brothers: Mathew, Andrew, and Aloysius Atuegbu played in one match for Nigeria. Why was Teslim Balogun called Thunder Balogun? The myth of Aliusalam, Rocks of Ilorin in 1976 which Rangers demystified, the magic hand of Maradona, Christopher Ohehen and the miracle of Daman, the 3 – 0 defeat of Rangers by Bendel Insurance in the 1978 Nigeria Challenge Cup final, the Kaduna debacle of Rangers / IICC match in the 1977 African Winners Cup, the Calabar rematch of Rangers / Spartans League match that brought Govs Jim Nwobodo and Sam Mbakwe to Calabar, Ernest Okonkwo referred to all these with relative ease. Had Ernest been alive today, he would have drawn the similarities of Jim Nwobodo and Orji Uzor Kalu, as he made reference points to the following players: Jossy Dambraye, Taiwo Ogunjobi, Okey Isima, Best Ogedengbe, Agwo Nnaji, Mutiu Adepoju, Superbrat Etim Esim, Sule Kekere, Ali Jeje, Tarila Okoronwata, Philip Osondu, etc. Above all, many superstar players of today would have been proud owners of superlatives “names.” Oh!, what a miss of super commentator Ernest Okonkwo.
In those days, commentaries were run almost from every radio station be it Federal or State. In Radio Nigeria Lagos, besides Ernest Okonkwo, Ishola Folarunsho, Bisi Lawrence, Sebastian Ofurum, Kevin Ejiofor, Walter Batuyi etc. held the ace. Radio Nigeria Enugu had the likes of Richard Asiegbu, Emeka Odikpo etc. The scintillating voices of Agwu Nwogo, Samrose Anyaugo, John Nwogu, and Christopher Abiaziem thrilled the listeners to the Imo Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) Owerri. The Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS) Enugu, was privileged to have Pete Edochie, Joe Martins Uzodike and others while Edo Radio Benin boasted of Emmanuel Egharevba. From time to time as the commentaries reverberated, I tuned to Radio Nigeria Ibadan to listen to soft-spoken Tolu Fatoyimbo and others whereas Cross River Broadcasting Service where Edem Duke was mesmerising players of Rovers Football Club of Calabar from Eta Egbe to James Etokebe would be the next station to tune to. Those days, Radio Nigeria Kaduna, Radio Plateau, Jos, usually ran commentaries in English and Hausa languages. Whenever my darling team RANGERS, travelled to those places, I steadfastly like Nigerian fans of Man U, Chelsea, Barca, Arsenal etc, listened to the commentaries whether or not I understood Hausa language. One thing was certain, whenever a goal was scored, I did know from the shouting of the commentators and the players of the ball vis-à-vis his position in the football arena. By the time I finished listening to these commentaries, my “Samedi Sour” (Saturday / Weekend Evening) would have been well spent.
What has gone wrong with Nigeria and football commentaries?
Could the loss of interest in watching Nigeria League and Challenge Cup matches by football fans be attributable to the stoppage of running live football commentaries? When the youthful and bubbling talents of our present crop of commentators are being suppressed and put into disuse, while that of the foreign colleagues are advertised, nurtured and supported, what an unprecedented talent-kill. Tomorrow when the commentators go for job-hunt abroad, Government will start to deplore brain-drain. Ndubueze Chidoka, Shina Abimbola, Kelechi Onwudiwe etc, please remain undaunted.
For one, commentaries catalyze the action on the field of play, enthuse the morale of fans and help to curtail poor officiating, make listeners and fans know the names of players and how skilful a player is, among others. I never saw Emeka “404” Onyedika play football but his description as “404” tells me, he was a very swift sprinter in the field of play. The description of Daniel Amokachi as a utility player by the commentator when he was still a youth-player with Ranchers Bees of Kaduna prodded me into wanting to see him play which I of course accomplished by watching Rangers / Ranchers Bees match at Temporary Stadium of University of Nigeria Enugu Campus (UNEC). That Donald Igwebuike of Rangers International is nicknamed Stone Broker or Tony Orji (Iron Gate) is courtesy of their no nonsense, robust, stubborn and watertight defence. It was a saying by Ernest Okonkwo that Donald could even play a shot-put in the field of play.
That Nigeria football fans want the football commentaries back, is the bottom-line of this write-up for our League and Challenge Cup matches to be lively once again. Please, NFF, NFL, Radio Nigeria, State Radio Stations, MTN, Globacom, Starcom, Zain, Coca Cola, Seven-up, NIPOST, and other sponsors / lovers of our football, it is the wish of all Nigerian football fans that live football commentaries return to our radio stations notwithstanding this commercialization policy. If it is possible to include live television coverage, it will also be most welcomed. Neither commercialization policy nor hard times is good enough to obliterate live commentaries. No matter how small the dance-floor maybe, there is always space for the drummer.
Mr. Ezennaya is the ex-Chairman of Rangers Supporters Club, Aba Chapter.
Rangers building attack from defence through Patrick Ekeji with a triangular tap to Herbert Anijekwu and Innocent Obiekwo to Commander Louis Igwilo who chest-traps and sends a banana-kick pass to Ifeanyi Chukwu Onyedika in the eighteen yard box of Water Corporation. He beats stylishly an on-rushing defender and a scissor-kick and it is a goal-o-o-o! Goal number four for the Flying Antelopes and Indomitable Rangers International Football Club of Enugu, all scored by Ifeanyichukwu Ahidjo Onyedika. Guess who was running the commentary? That was the football commentaries of Ernest Okonkwo while pairing with Tolu Fatoyimbo in the Radio Nigeria Ibadan commentaries on the last match of the 1981 National Division One Football League match at Liberty Stadium Ibadan. Incidentally, that was the match that sent Water Corporation to the lower division in fact into oblivion.
In those days, every Saturday, Nigerians glued to their radios for league football commentaries to ease off weeklong tension. Nowadays, it is no longer so. Who is responsible for this deprivation of weekend happiness? An investigation showed that the commercialization of everything in Nigeria is responsible. Could it be true that as there is no free lunch in Europe, there is no longer “free” programme in our radio stations? Is the insinuation that Igbo man loves money now being copied verbatim by the Nigerian government? When I now listen to League Football commentaries every Saturday from BBC, Radio Cameroun, Radio Accra, I begin to wonder if these radio stations do not know the value of money or commercialization. When a nincompoop learnt how to chew stick, even broom for sweeping the room, is not spared. Yooh! Nigeria and commercialization of radio programmes.
Perhaps, what is most fascinating and endearing about football commentary, is the ability of the commentators to give accurate analysis of the second to second, minute to minute account of the proceedings. Ernest Okonkwo for example, had a unique football commentary style which enabled him to use the appropriate qualifying adjectives for his characters. He coined names like Emmanuel “Man-Mountain” Okala, Aloysius “Block Buster” Atuegbu, Christian “Chairman” Chukwu, “Mathematical” Segun Odegbami, Kelechi “Caterpillar” Emetole, “Midfield Maestro” Mudashiru Lawal, Kingsley “Mature” Onye, “Chief Justice” Adokie Amasiemeka, Uwem “Harmattan” Ekarika, Sylvanus “Quicksilver” Okpala, “Commander” Louis Igwilo, Sylvester “Bahama” Oparanozie, Benedict “Surugede” Ugwu, Idowu “Slow Poison” Otubusin, “Shortish” John Benson, “Answerable” Edward Ansa, “Diminutive” Amechi Ottih, Nnamdi “Policeman” Anyafor, Nnamdi “Camel” Nwokocha, Davidson “Okada Air” Owumi, Daniel “The Bull” Amokachi, “Penalty Specialist” Christian Madu, “Masters of Long Throw” Moses Otolorin and Nwabueze “Bulldozer” Nwankwo, “The man with the bullet shot” Emmanuel Osigwe, “Dean of Defence” Yisa Shofoluwe, “Gangling” Rashidi Yekini, “Darkness” Amechi Igweobi etc. A typical snippet of Okonkwo’s commentary style ran thus, “……….. he beats Christian Chukwu, Christian Madu and Christian Nwokocha, ……………. he beats three Christians in a row. …….. who is this man? He must be a Moslem. Oh, he is Shefiu Mohammed sending a diagonal pass to Baba Otu Mohammed. In one occasion, Ernest Okonkwo said, “After ninety minutes of play and extra time, the match has ended one goal apiece but a winner must emerge. Fiver players have on each side been selected to take the penalty kick. The players are praying to their God to give them this day but it is not who prays more but who plays better. As members of the Nigerian Supporters Club are usually known for their vociferation in tournaments involving Nigerian teams, Ernest Okonkwo while commending them once said, “If you cheer when a goal is scored, you are reacting to an impulse. But if you cheer when no goal is scored, you are indeed supporting.”
The special tribute paid to Ernest Okonkwo does not mean that he was the only commentator in Nigeria those days but to refresh our memories on the vitality of the game via Football commentaries. Mr. Okonkwo would refer to an incident that gave a player his prominence. The day Mehala F. C. of Egypt saw wahala at Enugu and the Godwin Odiye back-heading that denied Nigeria World Cup slot in 1978, Ernest Okonkwo relived very vividly the memories. He would tell you what happened the day three Atuegbu brothers: Mathew, Andrew, and Aloysius Atuegbu played in one match for Nigeria. Why was Teslim Balogun called Thunder Balogun? The myth of Aliusalam, Rocks of Ilorin in 1976 which Rangers demystified, the magic hand of Maradona, Christopher Ohehen and the miracle of Daman, the 3 – 0 defeat of Rangers by Bendel Insurance in the 1978 Nigeria Challenge Cup final, the Kaduna debacle of Rangers / IICC match in the 1977 African Winners Cup, the Calabar rematch of Rangers / Spartans League match that brought Govs Jim Nwobodo and Sam Mbakwe to Calabar, Ernest Okonkwo referred to all these with relative ease. Had Ernest been alive today, he would have drawn the similarities of Jim Nwobodo and Orji Uzor Kalu, as he made reference points to the following players: Jossy Dambraye, Taiwo Ogunjobi, Okey Isima, Best Ogedengbe, Agwo Nnaji, Mutiu Adepoju, Superbrat Etim Esim, Sule Kekere, Ali Jeje, Tarila Okoronwata, Philip Osondu, etc. Above all, many superstar players of today would have been proud owners of superlatives “names.” Oh!, what a miss of super commentator Ernest Okonkwo.
In those days, commentaries were run almost from every radio station be it Federal or State. In Radio Nigeria Lagos, besides Ernest Okonkwo, Ishola Folarunsho, Bisi Lawrence, Sebastian Ofurum, Kevin Ejiofor, Walter Batuyi etc. held the ace. Radio Nigeria Enugu had the likes of Richard Asiegbu, Emeka Odikpo etc. The scintillating voices of Agwu Nwogo, Samrose Anyaugo, John Nwogu, and Christopher Abiaziem thrilled the listeners to the Imo Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) Owerri. The Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS) Enugu, was privileged to have Pete Edochie, Joe Martins Uzodike and others while Edo Radio Benin boasted of Emmanuel Egharevba. From time to time as the commentaries reverberated, I tuned to Radio Nigeria Ibadan to listen to soft-spoken Tolu Fatoyimbo and others whereas Cross River Broadcasting Service where Edem Duke was mesmerising players of Rovers Football Club of Calabar from Eta Egbe to James Etokebe would be the next station to tune to. Those days, Radio Nigeria Kaduna, Radio Plateau, Jos, usually ran commentaries in English and Hausa languages. Whenever my darling team RANGERS, travelled to those places, I steadfastly like Nigerian fans of Man U, Chelsea, Barca, Arsenal etc, listened to the commentaries whether or not I understood Hausa language. One thing was certain, whenever a goal was scored, I did know from the shouting of the commentators and the players of the ball vis-à-vis his position in the football arena. By the time I finished listening to these commentaries, my “Samedi Sour” (Saturday / Weekend Evening) would have been well spent.
What has gone wrong with Nigeria and football commentaries?
Could the loss of interest in watching Nigeria League and Challenge Cup matches by football fans be attributable to the stoppage of running live football commentaries? When the youthful and bubbling talents of our present crop of commentators are being suppressed and put into disuse, while that of the foreign colleagues are advertised, nurtured and supported, what an unprecedented talent-kill. Tomorrow when the commentators go for job-hunt abroad, Government will start to deplore brain-drain. Ndubueze Chidoka, Shina Abimbola, Kelechi Onwudiwe etc, please remain undaunted.
For one, commentaries catalyze the action on the field of play, enthuse the morale of fans and help to curtail poor officiating, make listeners and fans know the names of players and how skilful a player is, among others. I never saw Emeka “404” Onyedika play football but his description as “404” tells me, he was a very swift sprinter in the field of play. The description of Daniel Amokachi as a utility player by the commentator when he was still a youth-player with Ranchers Bees of Kaduna prodded me into wanting to see him play which I of course accomplished by watching Rangers / Ranchers Bees match at Temporary Stadium of University of Nigeria Enugu Campus (UNEC). That Donald Igwebuike of Rangers International is nicknamed Stone Broker or Tony Orji (Iron Gate) is courtesy of their no nonsense, robust, stubborn and watertight defence. It was a saying by Ernest Okonkwo that Donald could even play a shot-put in the field of play.
That Nigeria football fans want the football commentaries back, is the bottom-line of this write-up for our League and Challenge Cup matches to be lively once again. Please, NFF, NFL, Radio Nigeria, State Radio Stations, MTN, Globacom, Starcom, Zain, Coca Cola, Seven-up, NIPOST, and other sponsors / lovers of our football, it is the wish of all Nigerian football fans that live football commentaries return to our radio stations notwithstanding this commercialization policy. If it is possible to include live television coverage, it will also be most welcomed. Neither commercialization policy nor hard times is good enough to obliterate live commentaries. No matter how small the dance-floor maybe, there is always space for the drummer.
Mr. Ezennaya is the ex-Chairman of Rangers Supporters Club, Aba Chapter.
UN, EU, G8, G20: Kettle Calling Pot Black By Sixtus Ezennaya
Looting of the treasury by the military and politicians and government officials, has become the greatest factors that has put Nigerians indeed Africans into the state of great need, lack, hunger and jeopardy. It is as inhuman as it is ungodly for one man or a clique of people by virtue of their privileged positions to steal huge sums of money from the collective purse of many thereby putting the citizens in dilemma. Worse still, the developed countries are accomplices in this crime as banks operating in their area, condone and conceal these ill-gotten wealth in the name of business secret thus inadvertently encouraging Africa’s ever lasting plunder, poverty and underdevelopment. By this connivance, the land becomes depleted of everything no meaningful development, unemployment, poverty, disease, kidnapping, sea piracy, terrorism, death etc. hence the state of helplessness prodding Africans into running away from African.
Until European countries, America and indeed the Security Council religiously, conscientiously and sincerely discourage and expose stolen wealth and above all help to return the loots, the mad rush legally or illegally for greener pastures outside African particularly European and USA would be unstoppable.
In the tight corner that some of these Africans found themselves, have prompted the exodus. Worse still, the misplaced and displaced aggression with which some of these aggrieved and hungry African immigrants struggle and hustle to “retrieve” the loot in the name of acquisition of wealth is why the high crime rate. This rightly corroborates the postulation of Aristotle, a Greek philosopher, that poverty is the parent of revolution and crime.
The exodus to USA, European countries etc might suggest that since UN, G8, EU, etc are complacent with the misrule, money laundering, injustice et al in Africa, the equal reciprocation is to emigrate to their countries and discomfort them or enjoy these loots with them. When a hunter lays ambush for an animal in the bush, the tsetse fly also lays ambush for the scrotum of the hunter. The acquiescence or connivance of the developed nations is certainly dirty politics, wickedness, sycophancy and hypocrisy of the highest order as UN, EU, US etc can only give Africans guns, weapons of war, relief materials, debt relief, mediation panels, or peace keeping soldiers when war breaks out instead of prevention of war by giving these Africans nations peace and justice via independence for those in need of it, discouragement of embezzlement of public funds, corruption etc. Until the archer drops his weapon, one being ambushed will continue to hide. The brain drain in Africa will continue until UN, USA, EU, etc respond to the cry of Africans for justice.
The worst aspect of the stolen wealth stashed away in foreign banks, is that they are used wrongly; in the sponsorship of coup d’etat, violence, wars, religious riots, terrorism etc. The circle of doom, poverty, exploitation, continues “when the deposited loot” is again loaned to African or third world countries via the IMF, World Bank or other international financial institutions. If America and European countries should have the effrontery, conscience and audacity to accept, welcome, condone, hide and conserve stolen or looted money, what justification have they to repatriate to Africa, illegal immigrants who want to run away from their plight caused by the senseless, selfish and ungodly action cum man’s inhumanity to man of these developed countries? By the way, when the Europeans invaded Africa for slave trade and plunder of agricultural and mineral resources besides colonization, who issued them with immigrant Visas to various African countries? If the Security Council cannot help countries looted of their treasuries to retrieve the loots by passing a resolution to that effect or freezing of the accounts of the depositors, what morality has the organization to fight terrorism or send troops to war-torn third world countries to maintain peace if it the same money looted from these countries treasuries which are stashed away in the banks operating in the member-states Countries that are used to buy arms for terrorism and war besides weapons of mass destruction. The irony and hypocrisy of it all rest on the fact that the donations, Aids, grants, etc to the pauperised African countries by the developed nations are interests accruing to loans to the third world countries by the Financial Institutions owned by the same developed nations where the never-do-well and big-for-nothing African rulers laundered these stolen money to. Criticising, condemning and castigating African military and civilian governments by the developed nations for money laundering while simultaneously accepting to hide or keep the loot safely for the “thieves”, tantamount to double standard and kettle calling pot black. Six and half a dozen are the same. If a mad man slaps you and you slap back, then both of your are mad.
The war against terrorism will therefore be meaningless and incomplete if the war against money laundering is left to thrive. As the body is the servant of the mind, so has the criminal act of money laundering parented the under listed societal problems like illegal immigration, kidnapping, hijacking, sea piracy, corruption, injustice, man’s inhumanity to man, hunger, suppression of the small nations or ethnic groups, unemployment, underdevelopment, arms trafficking etc. Do not believe those who tell you they love you but believe only those who show you they love you.
(An excerpt culled from the book, “The Catholic Church and Others” written by Sixtus Chibueze Ezennaya).
Until European countries, America and indeed the Security Council religiously, conscientiously and sincerely discourage and expose stolen wealth and above all help to return the loots, the mad rush legally or illegally for greener pastures outside African particularly European and USA would be unstoppable.
In the tight corner that some of these Africans found themselves, have prompted the exodus. Worse still, the misplaced and displaced aggression with which some of these aggrieved and hungry African immigrants struggle and hustle to “retrieve” the loot in the name of acquisition of wealth is why the high crime rate. This rightly corroborates the postulation of Aristotle, a Greek philosopher, that poverty is the parent of revolution and crime.
The exodus to USA, European countries etc might suggest that since UN, G8, EU, etc are complacent with the misrule, money laundering, injustice et al in Africa, the equal reciprocation is to emigrate to their countries and discomfort them or enjoy these loots with them. When a hunter lays ambush for an animal in the bush, the tsetse fly also lays ambush for the scrotum of the hunter. The acquiescence or connivance of the developed nations is certainly dirty politics, wickedness, sycophancy and hypocrisy of the highest order as UN, EU, US etc can only give Africans guns, weapons of war, relief materials, debt relief, mediation panels, or peace keeping soldiers when war breaks out instead of prevention of war by giving these Africans nations peace and justice via independence for those in need of it, discouragement of embezzlement of public funds, corruption etc. Until the archer drops his weapon, one being ambushed will continue to hide. The brain drain in Africa will continue until UN, USA, EU, etc respond to the cry of Africans for justice.
The worst aspect of the stolen wealth stashed away in foreign banks, is that they are used wrongly; in the sponsorship of coup d’etat, violence, wars, religious riots, terrorism etc. The circle of doom, poverty, exploitation, continues “when the deposited loot” is again loaned to African or third world countries via the IMF, World Bank or other international financial institutions. If America and European countries should have the effrontery, conscience and audacity to accept, welcome, condone, hide and conserve stolen or looted money, what justification have they to repatriate to Africa, illegal immigrants who want to run away from their plight caused by the senseless, selfish and ungodly action cum man’s inhumanity to man of these developed countries? By the way, when the Europeans invaded Africa for slave trade and plunder of agricultural and mineral resources besides colonization, who issued them with immigrant Visas to various African countries? If the Security Council cannot help countries looted of their treasuries to retrieve the loots by passing a resolution to that effect or freezing of the accounts of the depositors, what morality has the organization to fight terrorism or send troops to war-torn third world countries to maintain peace if it the same money looted from these countries treasuries which are stashed away in the banks operating in the member-states Countries that are used to buy arms for terrorism and war besides weapons of mass destruction. The irony and hypocrisy of it all rest on the fact that the donations, Aids, grants, etc to the pauperised African countries by the developed nations are interests accruing to loans to the third world countries by the Financial Institutions owned by the same developed nations where the never-do-well and big-for-nothing African rulers laundered these stolen money to. Criticising, condemning and castigating African military and civilian governments by the developed nations for money laundering while simultaneously accepting to hide or keep the loot safely for the “thieves”, tantamount to double standard and kettle calling pot black. Six and half a dozen are the same. If a mad man slaps you and you slap back, then both of your are mad.
The war against terrorism will therefore be meaningless and incomplete if the war against money laundering is left to thrive. As the body is the servant of the mind, so has the criminal act of money laundering parented the under listed societal problems like illegal immigration, kidnapping, hijacking, sea piracy, corruption, injustice, man’s inhumanity to man, hunger, suppression of the small nations or ethnic groups, unemployment, underdevelopment, arms trafficking etc. Do not believe those who tell you they love you but believe only those who show you they love you.
(An excerpt culled from the book, “The Catholic Church and Others” written by Sixtus Chibueze Ezennaya).
CHIEF TONY EZENNA (KSS) & ORANGE UNIVERSITY, AKOKWA By Sixtus Chibueze Ezennaya
Chief Tony Ezenna, Ikenga of Akokwa, the Chairman Orange Drugs Limited is a man with a very large heart. He is not new to philanthropy neither is he a green horn as such in Nigerian Politics. He was not only a big sponsor and supporter, he has also been voted for though in the Governorship primaries. Where his name and versatility rings bell in a unique way, are in the importation, marketing and distribution of drugs and cosmetics. From his totality of appearance down to every of his actions, he is God’s special gift to any community, local government Area and State, he is privileged to have been “implanted into” by God.
This is one man who has placed Akokwa on the world map of traditional and cultural festivals. THE ORANGE DAY, 30th Day of December every year, is to every Akokwa indigene and neighbouring communities, a reunion or covenant day. Nigerian Breweries Plc among others benefit from this occasion due to sales turn over. Masquerades, cultural dances, lectures, merriments etc characterize this day at St Peter Field. In this carnival, it is not winner takes all or survival of the fittest competition otherwise it will turn into an arena for “juju superiority competition.” Rather, prizes are lavishly distributed to every participant with none as victor and vanquished. In fact, Ikenga Akokwa, a libro abierto, is a rare specie which is seldom found in our Nigerian communities.
In the thinking of John F. Kennedy of USA on January 20, 1960, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” Chief Ezenna always thinks of what he can do to improve his community and immediate environment. Giving legitimacy and credence to the thought of this epitome of humility is a quotation from no less a personality than the Catholic Bishop of Aba Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. V. V. Ezeonyia C.S.Sp that “Life is all about usefulness; usefulness to yourself and your fellow human being.” Towards the end of December 2006, a Catholic Monastery built by this philanthropist of the first class order was handed over to the Catholic Bishop of Orlu Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Gregory Ochiagha. To support this edifice, Chief Ezenna doled out a huge amount of money for the upkeep of God’s serene premises. When an old man clears his throat, the spirits listen. In the same way, when the world’s numero uno spiritual leader speaks, definitely God will turn and listen. The Catholic Pontiff, Pope Benedict XVI never lost sight of the gesture hence awarding Chief Tony Ezenna, a papal knighthood of St. Sylvester (KSS) in December 2008. What an honour par excellence.
Akokwa, by this singular project is now not only a spiritual pilgrimage centre in the class of Awhum in Enugu State, Ewu-Esan in Edo State etc but also a big centre in the pipeline. God please bless abundantly the icon, Chief Ezenna, so as to be more useful to humanity.
Another thing that is needed in Akokwa to help it attain the status of “Onusa Nta” (small Onitsha in Akokwa dialect), is a tertiary institution, which is the in-thing now for those in the calibre of Chief Tony Ezenna. Educational Institution is the biggest instrument of immortalization. Higher institution is the highest agent of development and employment.
Business empires may crumble, factories go into liquidation but higher institutions never go into moribund but continues ad infinitum. Think of the Songhai Academy in Timbuktu, Mali which has seen over five hundred centuries. It is even a great honour of special status that one is the President of a University. As a matter of fact, tertiary institution whether University, Polytechnic, College of Agriculture or Education, School of Health Technology, School of Nursing etc as a monument is a centre of excellence. Apart from Federal and State Governments, individuals, Churches or even consortium do establish tertiary institutions. Harvard University was established in 1634 to train Presbyterian Priests but today it is a conventional institution with over 27,000 students. Bigard Memorial Seminary started in 1924 by Bishop Joseph Shanaham. Igbinedion University is founded by Gabriel Igbinedion, Esama of Benin. Rev. Fr. Prof. Emmanuel Edeh C.S.Sp is the founder of Madonna and Caritas Universities besides OSISATECH, Tansian University Oba is a private institution founded by a consortium led by a Catholic Priest, Rev. Msgr John Bosco Akam,; Babcock, Renaissance and Veritas Universities are also privately owned.
The Federal Polytechnic Oko which started in 1978 as School of Arts and Science was built by Chief Alex Ifeancyichukwu Ekwueme and his community. Later Jim Nwobodo’s administration converted it into Anambra State Polytechnic before its take over by the Federal Government. Quite recently, it was reported that the renowned architect – Chief Ekwueme – applied for licence for a University. We pray that it is granted so that Oko becomes the first rural town east of the Niger to own a functional Polytechnic and University. The city of Barcelona, Spain has about eight Universities.
If all the Rochas Foundation Academies had been built at one place for instance in Ogboko (Rochas hometown), it would have become the first private university or polytechnic in Imo State. I think it is better to master one mountain than one thousand foothills. I believe also that it is better to be the widow of a hero than the wife of a coward. However, all hope is not yet lost. Can Orange University or Polytechnic Akokwa be one of the private tertiary institutions in the States, east of the Niger? Where the heart is willing, it will have a thousand ways but where it is unwilling, it will have thousand excuses.
As one needs not be a chorister to go to heaven where praises / singing, we are told, is the only language and service, one does not need to hear from Chief Tony Ezenna in order to know that it is a capital intensive venture. But, then, Chief Ezenna, “Orange” as he is fondly called, it is believed, has the financial muscles, tentacles of connections and wherewithal to realize this dream. If spider webs unite, they can tie an elephant is an Ethiopian proverb. True that times are hard but what is hard to bear will be sweet to remember.
Being a powerful civilian and statesman who thinks of the next generation and not merely a politician who thinks of the next election, it will be to the best of intentions if Chief Ezenna considers this positive suggestion and investment. It is appalling that United States of America has over 200,000 universities, India and Indonesia, 150,000; Gabon with a population of about 10 million has about 200 universities; while Nigeria of about 140 million has only 92 universities.
For admission into these 92 universities, about 10 million applications were received in 2009 / 2010, but about 1 million is given admission. Gabon uses her oil revenue for human development and empowerment, Nigeria uses hers for marrying more wives and procreation.
In the 2006 / 2007 academic year, over 20,000 applications sought for admission into the Federal University of Technology Owerri, out of which only 2000 was offered admission. The following year and this year received slightly upward difference. At Imo State University Owerri, the story was not different. With the elevation of College of Agriculture Umuagwo into Imo State Polytechnic, another milestone achievement is made. Since the number of school leavers continues to increase in geometric proportions yearly, for how long will Imo State abundantly blessed with wealthy sons and daughters afford to waste or delay its talented youths? Chief Tony Ezenna, Imo State school leavers and Nigerian Jambites need ORANGE UNIVERSITY AKOKWA from your benevolent spirit.
Mr. Ezennaya writes for the World Igbo Times Magazine, London
This is one man who has placed Akokwa on the world map of traditional and cultural festivals. THE ORANGE DAY, 30th Day of December every year, is to every Akokwa indigene and neighbouring communities, a reunion or covenant day. Nigerian Breweries Plc among others benefit from this occasion due to sales turn over. Masquerades, cultural dances, lectures, merriments etc characterize this day at St Peter Field. In this carnival, it is not winner takes all or survival of the fittest competition otherwise it will turn into an arena for “juju superiority competition.” Rather, prizes are lavishly distributed to every participant with none as victor and vanquished. In fact, Ikenga Akokwa, a libro abierto, is a rare specie which is seldom found in our Nigerian communities.
In the thinking of John F. Kennedy of USA on January 20, 1960, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” Chief Ezenna always thinks of what he can do to improve his community and immediate environment. Giving legitimacy and credence to the thought of this epitome of humility is a quotation from no less a personality than the Catholic Bishop of Aba Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. V. V. Ezeonyia C.S.Sp that “Life is all about usefulness; usefulness to yourself and your fellow human being.” Towards the end of December 2006, a Catholic Monastery built by this philanthropist of the first class order was handed over to the Catholic Bishop of Orlu Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Gregory Ochiagha. To support this edifice, Chief Ezenna doled out a huge amount of money for the upkeep of God’s serene premises. When an old man clears his throat, the spirits listen. In the same way, when the world’s numero uno spiritual leader speaks, definitely God will turn and listen. The Catholic Pontiff, Pope Benedict XVI never lost sight of the gesture hence awarding Chief Tony Ezenna, a papal knighthood of St. Sylvester (KSS) in December 2008. What an honour par excellence.
Akokwa, by this singular project is now not only a spiritual pilgrimage centre in the class of Awhum in Enugu State, Ewu-Esan in Edo State etc but also a big centre in the pipeline. God please bless abundantly the icon, Chief Ezenna, so as to be more useful to humanity.
Another thing that is needed in Akokwa to help it attain the status of “Onusa Nta” (small Onitsha in Akokwa dialect), is a tertiary institution, which is the in-thing now for those in the calibre of Chief Tony Ezenna. Educational Institution is the biggest instrument of immortalization. Higher institution is the highest agent of development and employment.
Business empires may crumble, factories go into liquidation but higher institutions never go into moribund but continues ad infinitum. Think of the Songhai Academy in Timbuktu, Mali which has seen over five hundred centuries. It is even a great honour of special status that one is the President of a University. As a matter of fact, tertiary institution whether University, Polytechnic, College of Agriculture or Education, School of Health Technology, School of Nursing etc as a monument is a centre of excellence. Apart from Federal and State Governments, individuals, Churches or even consortium do establish tertiary institutions. Harvard University was established in 1634 to train Presbyterian Priests but today it is a conventional institution with over 27,000 students. Bigard Memorial Seminary started in 1924 by Bishop Joseph Shanaham. Igbinedion University is founded by Gabriel Igbinedion, Esama of Benin. Rev. Fr. Prof. Emmanuel Edeh C.S.Sp is the founder of Madonna and Caritas Universities besides OSISATECH, Tansian University Oba is a private institution founded by a consortium led by a Catholic Priest, Rev. Msgr John Bosco Akam,; Babcock, Renaissance and Veritas Universities are also privately owned.
The Federal Polytechnic Oko which started in 1978 as School of Arts and Science was built by Chief Alex Ifeancyichukwu Ekwueme and his community. Later Jim Nwobodo’s administration converted it into Anambra State Polytechnic before its take over by the Federal Government. Quite recently, it was reported that the renowned architect – Chief Ekwueme – applied for licence for a University. We pray that it is granted so that Oko becomes the first rural town east of the Niger to own a functional Polytechnic and University. The city of Barcelona, Spain has about eight Universities.
If all the Rochas Foundation Academies had been built at one place for instance in Ogboko (Rochas hometown), it would have become the first private university or polytechnic in Imo State. I think it is better to master one mountain than one thousand foothills. I believe also that it is better to be the widow of a hero than the wife of a coward. However, all hope is not yet lost. Can Orange University or Polytechnic Akokwa be one of the private tertiary institutions in the States, east of the Niger? Where the heart is willing, it will have a thousand ways but where it is unwilling, it will have thousand excuses.
As one needs not be a chorister to go to heaven where praises / singing, we are told, is the only language and service, one does not need to hear from Chief Tony Ezenna in order to know that it is a capital intensive venture. But, then, Chief Ezenna, “Orange” as he is fondly called, it is believed, has the financial muscles, tentacles of connections and wherewithal to realize this dream. If spider webs unite, they can tie an elephant is an Ethiopian proverb. True that times are hard but what is hard to bear will be sweet to remember.
Being a powerful civilian and statesman who thinks of the next generation and not merely a politician who thinks of the next election, it will be to the best of intentions if Chief Ezenna considers this positive suggestion and investment. It is appalling that United States of America has over 200,000 universities, India and Indonesia, 150,000; Gabon with a population of about 10 million has about 200 universities; while Nigeria of about 140 million has only 92 universities.
For admission into these 92 universities, about 10 million applications were received in 2009 / 2010, but about 1 million is given admission. Gabon uses her oil revenue for human development and empowerment, Nigeria uses hers for marrying more wives and procreation.
In the 2006 / 2007 academic year, over 20,000 applications sought for admission into the Federal University of Technology Owerri, out of which only 2000 was offered admission. The following year and this year received slightly upward difference. At Imo State University Owerri, the story was not different. With the elevation of College of Agriculture Umuagwo into Imo State Polytechnic, another milestone achievement is made. Since the number of school leavers continues to increase in geometric proportions yearly, for how long will Imo State abundantly blessed with wealthy sons and daughters afford to waste or delay its talented youths? Chief Tony Ezenna, Imo State school leavers and Nigerian Jambites need ORANGE UNIVERSITY AKOKWA from your benevolent spirit.
Mr. Ezennaya writes for the World Igbo Times Magazine, London
Are Autonomous Communities and HRH in Abia and Imo States for Sale? Sixtus Ezennaya
The creation of Autonomous Communities in Abia and Imo States is backed by the State Edicts on that. By virtue of these Edicts, many Autonomous Communities have come into existence. Economics as a social science has always taught that human wants are insatiable. This maxim has a corroboration in this Igbo adage that the fowl went to sleep not that the stomach is filled but because night has come. Could it be true that more “Wards” are clamouring for this “separatist” State? The reasons for their “insurrection” against their former allies are always adduced rightly or wrongly. But, then, if there is anything that kills interest, monotony is the one. Proliferation on the other hand enthrones inefficiency, self-centredness, mediocrity, loss of quality and concentration among others. But often times, in spite of these obvious deficiencies clannishness and concomitant distractions, proliferation still enjoys big patronage from charlatans.
What is happening in Abia and Imo States in the name of creation of Autonomous Communities is becoming a triviality. Again, must everybody in Abia State be a title holder – low Chief, Chief, High Chief, VIP etc? The job of creation is a special assignment which God bestows the power only on special people. Everything is not for everybody. That is why the abuse called the creation of Autonomous Communities by Abia and Imo States Governments must stop.
Under normal circumstances, before the request for creation of Autonomous Community is made, it ought to be a unanimous agreement and consent of the people making the request. But here, few over ambitious people would coerce people into endorsing the request. In fact, it is only in Abia and Imo States that politics are the yard sticks for the proliferation of Autonomous Communities and His Royal Highness, Majesty etc. Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, Ndi Igbo in Delta and Rivers States respect these traditional institutions. Why is the flagrant disrespect and contempt on these age long and revered institutions by the Governments of Abia and Imo States? Every family, kindred, ward, clan, village wants to be an Autonomous Community in Abia and Imo States of course championed and sponsored by people hungry of power and status. Formerly, it was purchase of status symbols like Doctorate Degrees, Justice of the Peace (JP), Chieftaincy titles, traditional Nze and Ozo titles, and even Knighthood but today the emphasis has shifted to the purchase of His Royal Highness, Majesty etc. Could this be why some occupants of the Ezeship stool are people of questionable character? Worse still, why have some of these traditional rulers so neck-deep in selfish and parochial affairs rather than common matters that are beneficial to their supposed communities?
And the huge and unquantifiable “human wastage” which usually characterize the “cold war” for the Ezeship stool is better imagined than experienced. The pollution and proliferation of His Royal Highness and Autonomous Communities is now the vogue and that is the only thing that do appease and pacify the adventurers thus anything doable is acceptable to these Machiavellians who so much believe in the dictum “the end justifies the means.” Perhaps, to avoid wastage of human life may account for why the late Eze Sylvester Achuko, Eze Ozuzuoha II of Mbieri out of his violition suggested to his community of dividing his Kingdom into six Autonomous Communities thus becoming the first Eze in Imo State to divide his Kingdom into Autonomous Communities.
Could anyone believe that Anambra State still remains sacrosanct with her 177 Communities as they were bequeathed to it from the creation of the State in August 27, 1991? That a man merely smiled does not mean he has got rotten teeth. There is some clamour for Autonomous Status by some sections in some Communities in Anambra State but the request is usually treated with caution. But then, even at this status quo, is Anambra State the least developed when compared with the States where this multiplicity is the order of the day? If cocoyam is better than yam, why is even the bush fowl not eating it? If replication of wards in the name of Autonomous Communities is good, why do towns in other states in Nigeria turn their backs on the idea? That Onitsha, Nnewi, Abakiliki, Asaba, Obigbo, Kano, Jos, Ibadan, Ife, Benin, Calabar etc have not subdivided their chiefdoms and kingdoms show its unacceptablitiy by the older and experienced empires. Then, is he more intelligent or wiser than his father, a bachelor who rejected a spinster resembling his mother, founded for him as wife by his father?
The Ngwa-born Vatican official, Very Rev. Fr. Prof. John Egbulefu one said, “Nigerians do not know that salvation comes from the above. They fix their eyes on the ground and at most horizontal.” It needs to be told these people clamouring for further splitting of their wards as Autonomous Communities that development does not come from multiplicity of wards as Autonomous Communities but in the industrialization, meaningful and quality-life, human development, urbanization, job-creation etc in the existing Communities. Okada wonderland is a rural town made popular by Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, Esama of Benin. Mind you, he is not even the traditional ruler of Okada Town.
Ex President Olusegun Obasanjo has transformed Ota to a pilgrimage Centre. Ex-Gov Donald Duke made Obudu, visitors delight and destination. Obehie is now in the internet courtesy of the Veritas University located there by the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria. All these are to an extent projects that have not only become beneficial to these communities and their indigenes but Autonomous Communities benefit few persons; the sponsors of the projects alone. The irony and hypocrisy of it all is that while Abia and Imo States proliferate Autonomous Communities, Nigerian Government frowns at the idea of self determination or having other sovereign nations from Nigeria. One policy with two opposing laws. Many love the honey but few are prepared to deal with the bee. As ballot is better than the bullet, so is quality incontestably better than quantity. After all, the quantity of hairs on the pubic region of a woman’s private part does not determine the utility and productivity of the reproductive organs.
Creation of unnecessary and unviable Autonomous Communities is the creation of Aggressive Communities, creation of problem and sectarianism, Autonomous crisis more so when many of the new Autonomous Communities still remain even underdeveloped in the long run. In a wonderful message of George Carlin, “The paradox of our time in history is that we have more degrees but less sense, more titles but less respect, more knowledge but less judgement, more experts yet more problems, more medicine but less wellness.” I want to add that as we create more Autonomous Communities, the more attractive it is to even demand for and subdivide the smallest Community. The demand remains endless.
Could the plum salaries of the traditional rulers be the motivating factor for this fictionalization? Could it be to find something doing after retirement as many of those allegedly sponsoring these conflicting requests for Autonomous Communities are retirees and money bags? The actions of these sponsors or aspirants to the throne become most annoying when records show that they never at anytime in their lives partook in their Communities meaningful projects. Their recourse to these exalted positions is not on the will of their people but on their “connection” in government. When human beings desert or vacate the market place, the vultures usually take over proceedings or activities. The actions of these people clamouring for Autonomous Communities from those of the newest Autonomous Communities would be likened to the ones of the vultures.
On Thursday June 25, 2006 at CKC Aba, it was a concourse, display and competition of Ezeship regalia as the Requiem Mass of Eze Sir A. E. N. Izuwah KSJ, KSG, Eze Udo I of Amaitolu Ovungwu Autonomous Community in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area of Abia State provided the forum. It is my observation that the size and wealth of every Autonomous Community is inadvertently reflected in the “Eze’s majesty.” The funniest thing was that some Ezes were relegated to second-class status because or their poor regalia or “over-simplicity” inter alia. One Eze after seeing how gorgeously, resplendently and flamboyantly dressed one of the Ezes or Igwes from Anambra State was, used his eyes to weigh, measure and compare the attire with his own, started adjusting his own trousers, caftan (Abiriba dress) and Odili hat as if that was the cause of his poor semblance. Our people call that, “O no na mmonwu ele mmonwu” (a masquerade admiring another masquerade). Even some of the Ezes came to the palace of the deceased Eze after the Mass on bike (Okada) while some were begging for “lift” from some car owners. What type of Eze or Autonomous Community is that – for hundred people and scanty buildings? I thank the Aba South Local Government Area / Abia State Government for the gift of vehicles to the traditional rulers quite recently. But then, let it not be a stimulant to request for more Autonomous Communities. Although a traditional ruler needs to be mobile, he needs not be a beggar, an illiterate or a hungry man as the vehicles may even be a problem to maintain. Thank God the traditional ruler of my town, HRH Igwe G. O. Ezechukwu JP, KSP, MACC, Okwuluoha I of Umuchu in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State is a square peg in a square hole. The densely populated 20 – village, Umuchu town, among the largest in Anambra State, shares state boundaries with Arondizuogu, Ibinta, Umualaoma, and Akokwa all in Imo State. Our neighbours in Anambra State include Uga, Amesi, Achina, Enugwu-Umuonyia, Umuomaku, Ezira and Umunze. In fact driving within Umuchu alone along the Umunze – Umuchu – Amesi – Uga – Ezinifite – Igboukwu highway is a fifteen kilometre (15km) journey, yet the development least expected of Umuchu is balkanization. We need University Campus, Games Village, Government Housing Estates, Semi-Urban status, Magistrate Courts, more tarred road, Modern Nkwo Umuchu market, with flourishing industrial business etc. Not only in politics but also in every facet of human endeavour, there is great power, strength and victory in number. I know if Anambra State starts to proliferate Autonomous Communities like Abia and Imo States, a time will come when there will be traditional rulers and towns akin to these “Hundred People” Eze or Autonomous Communities.
Finally, the Abia and Imo State Governments should be apolitical and unsentimental on the issue of creation of Autonomous Communities. At least an autonomous community should be able to stand on its feet. It should have structures like a primary school, a health centre, a market, a parish church and perhaps its own traditional festival. Having only a traditional ruler should not be the paramount prerequisite. If pupils from an autonomous community trek to school in another autonomous community, the autonomy is incomplete, consequently, fake and self-deceit. These states’ Government agents should gird their loins properly to cover their derisive nakedness. If a banana plantation landlord does not protect his farm properly, it will not be astonishment to him, to constantly have monkeys as guests.
Mr. Ezennaya writes for the World Igbo Times Magazine, London.
What is happening in Abia and Imo States in the name of creation of Autonomous Communities is becoming a triviality. Again, must everybody in Abia State be a title holder – low Chief, Chief, High Chief, VIP etc? The job of creation is a special assignment which God bestows the power only on special people. Everything is not for everybody. That is why the abuse called the creation of Autonomous Communities by Abia and Imo States Governments must stop.
Under normal circumstances, before the request for creation of Autonomous Community is made, it ought to be a unanimous agreement and consent of the people making the request. But here, few over ambitious people would coerce people into endorsing the request. In fact, it is only in Abia and Imo States that politics are the yard sticks for the proliferation of Autonomous Communities and His Royal Highness, Majesty etc. Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, Ndi Igbo in Delta and Rivers States respect these traditional institutions. Why is the flagrant disrespect and contempt on these age long and revered institutions by the Governments of Abia and Imo States? Every family, kindred, ward, clan, village wants to be an Autonomous Community in Abia and Imo States of course championed and sponsored by people hungry of power and status. Formerly, it was purchase of status symbols like Doctorate Degrees, Justice of the Peace (JP), Chieftaincy titles, traditional Nze and Ozo titles, and even Knighthood but today the emphasis has shifted to the purchase of His Royal Highness, Majesty etc. Could this be why some occupants of the Ezeship stool are people of questionable character? Worse still, why have some of these traditional rulers so neck-deep in selfish and parochial affairs rather than common matters that are beneficial to their supposed communities?
And the huge and unquantifiable “human wastage” which usually characterize the “cold war” for the Ezeship stool is better imagined than experienced. The pollution and proliferation of His Royal Highness and Autonomous Communities is now the vogue and that is the only thing that do appease and pacify the adventurers thus anything doable is acceptable to these Machiavellians who so much believe in the dictum “the end justifies the means.” Perhaps, to avoid wastage of human life may account for why the late Eze Sylvester Achuko, Eze Ozuzuoha II of Mbieri out of his violition suggested to his community of dividing his Kingdom into six Autonomous Communities thus becoming the first Eze in Imo State to divide his Kingdom into Autonomous Communities.
Could anyone believe that Anambra State still remains sacrosanct with her 177 Communities as they were bequeathed to it from the creation of the State in August 27, 1991? That a man merely smiled does not mean he has got rotten teeth. There is some clamour for Autonomous Status by some sections in some Communities in Anambra State but the request is usually treated with caution. But then, even at this status quo, is Anambra State the least developed when compared with the States where this multiplicity is the order of the day? If cocoyam is better than yam, why is even the bush fowl not eating it? If replication of wards in the name of Autonomous Communities is good, why do towns in other states in Nigeria turn their backs on the idea? That Onitsha, Nnewi, Abakiliki, Asaba, Obigbo, Kano, Jos, Ibadan, Ife, Benin, Calabar etc have not subdivided their chiefdoms and kingdoms show its unacceptablitiy by the older and experienced empires. Then, is he more intelligent or wiser than his father, a bachelor who rejected a spinster resembling his mother, founded for him as wife by his father?
The Ngwa-born Vatican official, Very Rev. Fr. Prof. John Egbulefu one said, “Nigerians do not know that salvation comes from the above. They fix their eyes on the ground and at most horizontal.” It needs to be told these people clamouring for further splitting of their wards as Autonomous Communities that development does not come from multiplicity of wards as Autonomous Communities but in the industrialization, meaningful and quality-life, human development, urbanization, job-creation etc in the existing Communities. Okada wonderland is a rural town made popular by Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, Esama of Benin. Mind you, he is not even the traditional ruler of Okada Town.
Ex President Olusegun Obasanjo has transformed Ota to a pilgrimage Centre. Ex-Gov Donald Duke made Obudu, visitors delight and destination. Obehie is now in the internet courtesy of the Veritas University located there by the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria. All these are to an extent projects that have not only become beneficial to these communities and their indigenes but Autonomous Communities benefit few persons; the sponsors of the projects alone. The irony and hypocrisy of it all is that while Abia and Imo States proliferate Autonomous Communities, Nigerian Government frowns at the idea of self determination or having other sovereign nations from Nigeria. One policy with two opposing laws. Many love the honey but few are prepared to deal with the bee. As ballot is better than the bullet, so is quality incontestably better than quantity. After all, the quantity of hairs on the pubic region of a woman’s private part does not determine the utility and productivity of the reproductive organs.
Creation of unnecessary and unviable Autonomous Communities is the creation of Aggressive Communities, creation of problem and sectarianism, Autonomous crisis more so when many of the new Autonomous Communities still remain even underdeveloped in the long run. In a wonderful message of George Carlin, “The paradox of our time in history is that we have more degrees but less sense, more titles but less respect, more knowledge but less judgement, more experts yet more problems, more medicine but less wellness.” I want to add that as we create more Autonomous Communities, the more attractive it is to even demand for and subdivide the smallest Community. The demand remains endless.
Could the plum salaries of the traditional rulers be the motivating factor for this fictionalization? Could it be to find something doing after retirement as many of those allegedly sponsoring these conflicting requests for Autonomous Communities are retirees and money bags? The actions of these sponsors or aspirants to the throne become most annoying when records show that they never at anytime in their lives partook in their Communities meaningful projects. Their recourse to these exalted positions is not on the will of their people but on their “connection” in government. When human beings desert or vacate the market place, the vultures usually take over proceedings or activities. The actions of these people clamouring for Autonomous Communities from those of the newest Autonomous Communities would be likened to the ones of the vultures.
On Thursday June 25, 2006 at CKC Aba, it was a concourse, display and competition of Ezeship regalia as the Requiem Mass of Eze Sir A. E. N. Izuwah KSJ, KSG, Eze Udo I of Amaitolu Ovungwu Autonomous Community in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area of Abia State provided the forum. It is my observation that the size and wealth of every Autonomous Community is inadvertently reflected in the “Eze’s majesty.” The funniest thing was that some Ezes were relegated to second-class status because or their poor regalia or “over-simplicity” inter alia. One Eze after seeing how gorgeously, resplendently and flamboyantly dressed one of the Ezes or Igwes from Anambra State was, used his eyes to weigh, measure and compare the attire with his own, started adjusting his own trousers, caftan (Abiriba dress) and Odili hat as if that was the cause of his poor semblance. Our people call that, “O no na mmonwu ele mmonwu” (a masquerade admiring another masquerade). Even some of the Ezes came to the palace of the deceased Eze after the Mass on bike (Okada) while some were begging for “lift” from some car owners. What type of Eze or Autonomous Community is that – for hundred people and scanty buildings? I thank the Aba South Local Government Area / Abia State Government for the gift of vehicles to the traditional rulers quite recently. But then, let it not be a stimulant to request for more Autonomous Communities. Although a traditional ruler needs to be mobile, he needs not be a beggar, an illiterate or a hungry man as the vehicles may even be a problem to maintain. Thank God the traditional ruler of my town, HRH Igwe G. O. Ezechukwu JP, KSP, MACC, Okwuluoha I of Umuchu in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State is a square peg in a square hole. The densely populated 20 – village, Umuchu town, among the largest in Anambra State, shares state boundaries with Arondizuogu, Ibinta, Umualaoma, and Akokwa all in Imo State. Our neighbours in Anambra State include Uga, Amesi, Achina, Enugwu-Umuonyia, Umuomaku, Ezira and Umunze. In fact driving within Umuchu alone along the Umunze – Umuchu – Amesi – Uga – Ezinifite – Igboukwu highway is a fifteen kilometre (15km) journey, yet the development least expected of Umuchu is balkanization. We need University Campus, Games Village, Government Housing Estates, Semi-Urban status, Magistrate Courts, more tarred road, Modern Nkwo Umuchu market, with flourishing industrial business etc. Not only in politics but also in every facet of human endeavour, there is great power, strength and victory in number. I know if Anambra State starts to proliferate Autonomous Communities like Abia and Imo States, a time will come when there will be traditional rulers and towns akin to these “Hundred People” Eze or Autonomous Communities.
Finally, the Abia and Imo State Governments should be apolitical and unsentimental on the issue of creation of Autonomous Communities. At least an autonomous community should be able to stand on its feet. It should have structures like a primary school, a health centre, a market, a parish church and perhaps its own traditional festival. Having only a traditional ruler should not be the paramount prerequisite. If pupils from an autonomous community trek to school in another autonomous community, the autonomy is incomplete, consequently, fake and self-deceit. These states’ Government agents should gird their loins properly to cover their derisive nakedness. If a banana plantation landlord does not protect his farm properly, it will not be astonishment to him, to constantly have monkeys as guests.
Mr. Ezennaya writes for the World Igbo Times Magazine, London.
PRINCE PAT EMEKA EZISI Ksm; The Reformer Vice Chairman of CKC Parish Council, Aba By Sixtus Chibueze Ezennaya
The Catholic Church is one great institution that cherishes making use of various talents of her members to excel. The SWOT analysis in Management manifests so much here. To this end, the Church introduced democratic elections in the selection of the officers and leaders in various pious organizations within the Church. This is a process through which executive members of various pious organizations in the Church are selected through casting of votes. Thus, this has corrected the thinking of some uninformed Christians that politics has no place in the Church. What is actually un-available in the Church politics is “party system of politics.” Here, no party is formed. No campaign is allowed but nominations, eligibility, voting etc are the same. Above all, guidelines for the election are also stipulated. In fact, this democratic election has brought various talents, ingenuity and innovations into the various administrations.
Again, the Catholic Church is hierarchical. The Pope is the Number One Catholic in the whole Church. In every diocese, the Bishop is at the helm. The Parish Priest is the Chief Arbiter in a Parish. The Parish Council as the apex body includes the Parish Priest plus the lay heads of various Pious Societies in the Parish.
In CKC, the Bishop is the Parish Priest but the Cathedral Administrator acts on his behalf. The clergy is usually the Chairman of the Parish Council while a laity deputizes. Since 1990, the CKC Parish Council has produced three Vice Chairmen, having held seven elections: 91, 94, 97, 2000, 2003, 2006 and 2009. The man at the centre-stage of this discourse, Prince Patrick Chukwuemeka Ezisi, Knight of St. Mulumba is the immediate past Vice Chairman from 2003 – 2009. His administration spanned over two tenures. Your ability may take you to the top but it takes character to keep you there. But, then, the fowl went to sleep not that the stomach is filled but that night has come. The expiration of his administration’s tenure is why he is vacating as quid quic initium habet finem habet i.e. whatever has a beginning has an end.
What is special about Emeka Ezisi’s administration is that it over-lapped two Cathedral Administrators, Very Rev. Frs. Emmanuel C. Okwara and Anthony Chukwuma. When Prince Ezisi mounted the saddle of leadership as the Vice Chairman of the Cathedral Parish Council, nobody expected much from him as only few people gave him the chance of success. Like Roman Generalissimo Julius Caesar in his veni, vidi, vici, the enigmatic Emeka came, saw and conquered. Today as he is leaving, his achievements speak for him. Notwithstanding his youthfulness, CKC benefited immensely from among others, the disciplinarian and organized human being in him. This has shown that even a child can beat a drum and elders dance to it. He is wise, courageous, fearless, accountable, a crusader, reformer, prudent financial manager and management genius. To say the least, he is a man with tact, big and lion heart.
Emeka as he is popularly called believes in the saying, Aut Optimum Aut Nihil meaning either the best or nothing. Perhaps, this is why Rev. Fr. Emma Okwara held him in very high esteem. Hear Fr Emma’s comment about him, “Prince Pat Emeka Ezisi Ksm is indeed an asset, a friend, a companion and co-achiever. Whatever landmark achievements I made in CKC, the able young man cannot be detached from them. His greatest weapon is accountability.
When Emeka took over from Sir F.A.C. Ohagwa administration, the Monsignor Nwanegbo Complex was at the finishing touches. Consequently, the terrazzo / balcony, inside painting, aluminium window and step rising took place under his administration. It was also under the watchful financial supervision of his tenure that Fr Groetz Church was furnished.
Like Fr Emma Okwara observed, the uniqueness of Emeka Ezisi’s administration lies in his prudent financial management. For proper accountability, an accounts department was created. Records were kept straight, to avoid ambiguity. Harvest and bazaar sales which previously were “Father Christmas” where people come, buy and go without paying even a kobo, became the parish goldmine, as the menace was stopped. And funfair and bazaar purchases by any debtor to the previous bazaar sales were also abolished. This yielded much result as old debts were recovered. Most importantly, Emeka administration introduced the system whereby wining of trophies by Pious Societies was based on cash receipts to the Council and not on total cash and credit sales. Above all, bazaar sales debtors were barred from contesting 2009 election in their pious societies unless the debts are liquidated.
Pat Emeka Ezisi did not lay the foundation stone of CKC Secondary School with Fr Emma Okwara but met it at the Damp Proof Course (DPC) level. But as at today he is leaving, the 45 classroom edifice is on the third floor. The Cathedral Parish Council under Emeka also paid off the debt of one million naira that was hanging on its neck pursuant to the organ purchased for Fr. Groetz Church. It is on record that Pious Societies are not levied for any Diocesan project as in other Parishes. Rather, the Council pays. The Council also purchased three vehicles between 2007 and 2008 for Fr Emma Okwara’s ten years priestly anniversary, for the late Fr Dr. Anthony Nwaogu’s thirtieth priestly ordination anniversary and the Parish vehicle for Priests. The Council had earlier in 2003 bought a Parish Council Bus – Mitsubishi L300. As an evangelization tool besides for historically and record purposes, the Cathedral Parish Council under Emeka Ezisi approved and sponsored the production of a documentary film on CKC Aba. To check erosion in the CKC compound, the Parish Council floored the whole premises with concrete cement.
….
The Cathedral Parish Council under Prince Emeka Ezisi maintained the lead in the Diocese on Cathedraticum. This is the yearly gifts usually presented to the Bishop by Parishes, individuals, families, corporate bodies, consortium etc. during the Maundy Thursday Chrism Mass. Previously, CKC was taking third, fourth, or even fifth positions. But with Emeka on the throne, the tide changed. CKC has been taking first position for five consecutive years now with marginal amount of money every year. Hear Emeka, “ The Bishop is our Parish Priest and therefore our own. We have to be where he is, as the Number One Priest in the Number one Parish in the Diocese.”
IN the Cathedral, entrance and exit doors, are distinctly marked. This has instilled orderliness and sanity during Missa entries and dismissals. When the ex-Vice chairman was asked his magic wand and modus operandi hence the huge success, he attributed that to his committees. He said that he used Committees to achieve results. The Committees do the works where he supervised and evaluated. Hilariously he intoned, “During my first tenure, only few people knew I was the Vice Chairman. Gone were the days when the Vice Chairman was “sleeping” in the Church to prove his workaholicism. That a man caught a live monkey does not make the man agile or brave. Only those that kill lion are brave. Only achievement distinguish leaders.” Asked to point out his most outstanding Committee, he praised the Council members but showered encomiums on Cajethan Ukachukwu Works / Bazaar Committee.
On Security, he attested to the porosity of the CKC Security at the initial stage. Consequently, through the advice of the Security Chairman, Bro Marcel Aguocha out of his wealth of experience, the loopholes were rectified. He revealed that this section retired some officers and paid them gratuities which is un-precedented in CKC while on the other hand employed younger ones. Right now, atrocities in and around CKC have reduced drastically. While thanking the Security personnel, serving and retired for their co-operation, he extolled Hon. Aguocha and Chukwudi among others for their agility and ever ready commitment to their assignment. “They helped to make our administration glow, shine and achieve results.”
As Bishop Vincent Valentine Ezeonyia C.S.Sp usually said, “life is all about usefulness: usefulness to yourself and your fellow human being.” Bro. Ezisi wants to be remembered for his reforms in the Parish which are now useful to Parishioners. For those the reforms did not go down well with, Emeka quoted Fr Emma’s articulation, “It is better to hate me for what I am than to love me for what I am not.” But the truth is that the reforms have rebranded CKC financial status and corporate image. CKC should lead while others follow. An army of lions ought to be led by a lion and not a sheep. Bro. Ezisi however suggested having more broad minded and literate personalities in the Council of the Model Parish for a missionary and visionary Council with reduced work-load.
It is better to have an intelligent enemy than a stupid friend. It is even better you have wise people reprimand you than you have sycophants sing your praises. ECCE HOMO : Patrick Chukwuemeka Ezisi KSM, Ide Akuluouno I of Ichida, the Emeritus V/Chairman, CKC Parish Council.
Again, the Catholic Church is hierarchical. The Pope is the Number One Catholic in the whole Church. In every diocese, the Bishop is at the helm. The Parish Priest is the Chief Arbiter in a Parish. The Parish Council as the apex body includes the Parish Priest plus the lay heads of various Pious Societies in the Parish.
In CKC, the Bishop is the Parish Priest but the Cathedral Administrator acts on his behalf. The clergy is usually the Chairman of the Parish Council while a laity deputizes. Since 1990, the CKC Parish Council has produced three Vice Chairmen, having held seven elections: 91, 94, 97, 2000, 2003, 2006 and 2009. The man at the centre-stage of this discourse, Prince Patrick Chukwuemeka Ezisi, Knight of St. Mulumba is the immediate past Vice Chairman from 2003 – 2009. His administration spanned over two tenures. Your ability may take you to the top but it takes character to keep you there. But, then, the fowl went to sleep not that the stomach is filled but that night has come. The expiration of his administration’s tenure is why he is vacating as quid quic initium habet finem habet i.e. whatever has a beginning has an end.
What is special about Emeka Ezisi’s administration is that it over-lapped two Cathedral Administrators, Very Rev. Frs. Emmanuel C. Okwara and Anthony Chukwuma. When Prince Ezisi mounted the saddle of leadership as the Vice Chairman of the Cathedral Parish Council, nobody expected much from him as only few people gave him the chance of success. Like Roman Generalissimo Julius Caesar in his veni, vidi, vici, the enigmatic Emeka came, saw and conquered. Today as he is leaving, his achievements speak for him. Notwithstanding his youthfulness, CKC benefited immensely from among others, the disciplinarian and organized human being in him. This has shown that even a child can beat a drum and elders dance to it. He is wise, courageous, fearless, accountable, a crusader, reformer, prudent financial manager and management genius. To say the least, he is a man with tact, big and lion heart.
Emeka as he is popularly called believes in the saying, Aut Optimum Aut Nihil meaning either the best or nothing. Perhaps, this is why Rev. Fr. Emma Okwara held him in very high esteem. Hear Fr Emma’s comment about him, “Prince Pat Emeka Ezisi Ksm is indeed an asset, a friend, a companion and co-achiever. Whatever landmark achievements I made in CKC, the able young man cannot be detached from them. His greatest weapon is accountability.
When Emeka took over from Sir F.A.C. Ohagwa administration, the Monsignor Nwanegbo Complex was at the finishing touches. Consequently, the terrazzo / balcony, inside painting, aluminium window and step rising took place under his administration. It was also under the watchful financial supervision of his tenure that Fr Groetz Church was furnished.
Like Fr Emma Okwara observed, the uniqueness of Emeka Ezisi’s administration lies in his prudent financial management. For proper accountability, an accounts department was created. Records were kept straight, to avoid ambiguity. Harvest and bazaar sales which previously were “Father Christmas” where people come, buy and go without paying even a kobo, became the parish goldmine, as the menace was stopped. And funfair and bazaar purchases by any debtor to the previous bazaar sales were also abolished. This yielded much result as old debts were recovered. Most importantly, Emeka administration introduced the system whereby wining of trophies by Pious Societies was based on cash receipts to the Council and not on total cash and credit sales. Above all, bazaar sales debtors were barred from contesting 2009 election in their pious societies unless the debts are liquidated.
Pat Emeka Ezisi did not lay the foundation stone of CKC Secondary School with Fr Emma Okwara but met it at the Damp Proof Course (DPC) level. But as at today he is leaving, the 45 classroom edifice is on the third floor. The Cathedral Parish Council under Emeka also paid off the debt of one million naira that was hanging on its neck pursuant to the organ purchased for Fr. Groetz Church. It is on record that Pious Societies are not levied for any Diocesan project as in other Parishes. Rather, the Council pays. The Council also purchased three vehicles between 2007 and 2008 for Fr Emma Okwara’s ten years priestly anniversary, for the late Fr Dr. Anthony Nwaogu’s thirtieth priestly ordination anniversary and the Parish vehicle for Priests. The Council had earlier in 2003 bought a Parish Council Bus – Mitsubishi L300. As an evangelization tool besides for historically and record purposes, the Cathedral Parish Council under Emeka Ezisi approved and sponsored the production of a documentary film on CKC Aba. To check erosion in the CKC compound, the Parish Council floored the whole premises with concrete cement.
….
The Cathedral Parish Council under Prince Emeka Ezisi maintained the lead in the Diocese on Cathedraticum. This is the yearly gifts usually presented to the Bishop by Parishes, individuals, families, corporate bodies, consortium etc. during the Maundy Thursday Chrism Mass. Previously, CKC was taking third, fourth, or even fifth positions. But with Emeka on the throne, the tide changed. CKC has been taking first position for five consecutive years now with marginal amount of money every year. Hear Emeka, “ The Bishop is our Parish Priest and therefore our own. We have to be where he is, as the Number One Priest in the Number one Parish in the Diocese.”
IN the Cathedral, entrance and exit doors, are distinctly marked. This has instilled orderliness and sanity during Missa entries and dismissals. When the ex-Vice chairman was asked his magic wand and modus operandi hence the huge success, he attributed that to his committees. He said that he used Committees to achieve results. The Committees do the works where he supervised and evaluated. Hilariously he intoned, “During my first tenure, only few people knew I was the Vice Chairman. Gone were the days when the Vice Chairman was “sleeping” in the Church to prove his workaholicism. That a man caught a live monkey does not make the man agile or brave. Only those that kill lion are brave. Only achievement distinguish leaders.” Asked to point out his most outstanding Committee, he praised the Council members but showered encomiums on Cajethan Ukachukwu Works / Bazaar Committee.
On Security, he attested to the porosity of the CKC Security at the initial stage. Consequently, through the advice of the Security Chairman, Bro Marcel Aguocha out of his wealth of experience, the loopholes were rectified. He revealed that this section retired some officers and paid them gratuities which is un-precedented in CKC while on the other hand employed younger ones. Right now, atrocities in and around CKC have reduced drastically. While thanking the Security personnel, serving and retired for their co-operation, he extolled Hon. Aguocha and Chukwudi among others for their agility and ever ready commitment to their assignment. “They helped to make our administration glow, shine and achieve results.”
As Bishop Vincent Valentine Ezeonyia C.S.Sp usually said, “life is all about usefulness: usefulness to yourself and your fellow human being.” Bro. Ezisi wants to be remembered for his reforms in the Parish which are now useful to Parishioners. For those the reforms did not go down well with, Emeka quoted Fr Emma’s articulation, “It is better to hate me for what I am than to love me for what I am not.” But the truth is that the reforms have rebranded CKC financial status and corporate image. CKC should lead while others follow. An army of lions ought to be led by a lion and not a sheep. Bro. Ezisi however suggested having more broad minded and literate personalities in the Council of the Model Parish for a missionary and visionary Council with reduced work-load.
It is better to have an intelligent enemy than a stupid friend. It is even better you have wise people reprimand you than you have sycophants sing your praises. ECCE HOMO : Patrick Chukwuemeka Ezisi KSM, Ide Akuluouno I of Ichida, the Emeritus V/Chairman, CKC Parish Council.
REBRANDING Nigeria and Her Faulty Foundation By Sixtus Chibueze Ezennaya
That Nigeria is sick, bedevilled with myriads of intractable and incurable problems is no longer news. That Nigeria jagara jagara, everything scatter scatter, kposa, kposa is a music popularly played by radio stations in Nigeria. That Nigeria’s image is suffering badly is also a truism. And that many previous administrations have hired the services of seasoned technocrats and people of repute and integrity like Prof Walter Ofonagoro, Prof Jerry Gana, Senator Uche Chukwumerije etc for image laundering, correction and projection but to no avail.
The Biafran Generalissimo, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu’s “diplomatic connection and goodwill” were exploited by Gen. Sani Abacha’s administration when Ezeigbo Gburu Gburu was appointed to lead a government delegation to the burial of the Cote D’Ivorean President Felix Houphet Boigney. Ikemba was again scheduled to go for legitimacy and credibility tour besides image amendment cum rebranding tour before the death of Abacha. Chief Alex Akinyemi was once a hireling of this message. During Obasanjo civilian administration, even the oratory prowess of Government spokesmen like Chief Chukwuemeka Chikelu and Frank Nweke Jnr could not do the magic. Right now it is the turn of ex-NAFDAC kingpin, Prof (Mrs.) Dora Akunyili to do the uphill task.
The rebranding campaign introduced recently by the Honourable Minister of Information Prof (Mrs.) Dora Akunyili will be another effort in futility because the ideology is still built on faulty foundation: wrong prognosis consequent of wrong diagnosis. People in Government have deceived themselves and Nigerians for so long and this will continue ad infinitum unless God intervenes via “CATASTROPHIC REVOLUTION.” Even if you close your eyes while looking into the mirror, the image still remains yours. But then, should image correction be pivoted on propaganda, falsehood, false pretences and false lives? Othman Dan Fodio is credited with the wise saying, “Conscience is an open wound which only truth can heal.” The great Harvard University has as its motto: “VERITAS” meaning TRUTH. In fact only truth will do the rebranding of Nigeria not technocrats or slogans. Rather than these jingles (including Good people, Great Nation) performing the miracle, they diminish and put question marks on the integrity and status of the apostles and their creed. Telling the truth does not even need having good memory and beautiful sweet tongues.
Brand name or trade mark is usually given to a product by the manufacturer. Any registered brand name or trade mark used by another is usually regarded as fake. Neither is it possible for a brand name or trade mark of a product to have been registered for the manufacturer by the fake producer. The question then is: Who branded Nigeria? Who is supposed to brand Nigeria? Is Nigeria correctly branded? The slogan “One Nigeria, Corporate Existence, Unity Not Negotiable, To keep Nigeria One is a Task that Must be Kept etc, who coined them? It was that ebullient American President, Abraham Lincoln who defined democracy as the government of the people, by the people and for the people. Brand name for Nigeria should be the collective suggestion or recommendation of the people, by the people and for the people. Therefore Nigeria must first of all be branded by Nigerians themselves. A lot of suggestions and efforts by good, sincere and genuine Nigerians aimed at branding Nigeria by ourselves have been rebuffed by the deceitful Nigerian military and civilian administrations.
When you think you are leading but with no one following means that you are just and only walking or trekking. Those who always think that they own Nigeria because of their privileged positions are not only a mistake of the head but also that of the heart.
Lord Fredrick Luggard was the former Governor of the Northern Protectorate while Sir Walter Egerton was that of the South. In 1914, the Northern and Southern Protectorate were amalgamated by the British. Consequent of this amalgamation, the geographical expression called Nigeria came into being with Lord Fredrick Luggard as the Governor General. Edmund Burke once said, “Society is indeed a contract … it becomes a partnership not only between those who are living but between those who are living, those who are dead and those who are to be born. But in Nigeria, Nigerian society belongs only to those in government.
In March 24, 1947 in a Legislative Council debate, the late Abubakar Tafawa Balewa with regard to Islamization and deeping Koran in the Atlantic Ocean openly asserted that “If the British departed Nigeria, the Northerners would continue their interrupted conquest to the sea.” In the same year, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, as a School teacher, had called for the separate countries of North and South on account of religious differences among others. Speaking during the budget session of the pre-independence Nigeria Legislative Council in 1948, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa had very objectively remarked, “Many Nigerians deceive themselves by thinking that Nigeria is one. This is wrong. I am sorry to say that this present (semblance?) of unity is artificial and it ends outside this chamber.” It was a quotation in one of the books that when some group of Nigerians went to London Conference that later resulted in the Nigerian Independence, Zik said to Sarduana of Sokoto, “Let’s forget our differences so that we can build one, united country.” But the Sarduana replied, “No, we cannot forget our differences. I am from the North, you are from the South. I am Hausa, you are Igbo. I am Moslem and you are Christian. We cannot forget our differences. When we take cognizance of our differences we can build.” Who among the two showed genuine commitment to this course?
The Northerners in 1957 wanted a Confederal State of Regional Government autonomy for fear of marginalization due to inequalities in mental, academic and infrastructural development then. Chief Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo was said to have persuaded Dr. Benjamin Nnamdi Azikiwe that they accepted the proposal. However, when the British decided to give independence to Nigeria, the election that preceded it was rigged to favour the North as Lord Luggard was crazy with the North. The retention of the Kaduna State House of Assembly building as Luggard Hall is a reciprocation of what he did for the North.
According to I. F. Nicolson in the British Confession, “Our Attrocities Against Biafra” by Harold Smith, “I wish the many journalists who wrote about Nigeria’s independence and what it meant for Africa had spoken to me, I would have told them it was a total fake. It is acknowledged that the Governor General of Nigeria, Sir James Robertson, told me in 1960 why the British had decided to destroy democracy at its birth in this giant empire named Nigeria. We had favoured the North since Nigeria was invented. Continuing Harold Smith, “Anyway Nicolson knew that we had rigged the Independence Election for we discussed this in his office in Lagos and he placed my files and papers relating to British corruption in his safe. Sir Robertson asserted that rigging Nigeria Independence Election was necessary. The same British rigged the 1963 Nigeria census to favour the North. The journey of Nigerian corruption started with the British.
The year 1967 saw the Easterners demanding for the Confederation due to man’s inhumanity to man which later culminated into a civil war and Biafran secession bid. The British again committed genocide against the Biafrans to save the North. The 1993 June 12 election confirmed by the Electoral Commission to have been won by MKO Abiola which was cancelled exposed the man’s inhumanity to man in Nigeria. Insinuations pointed accusing fingers at the same British as the unseen big hand behind the cancellation as MKO Abiola championed the cause of reparation. Having seen that “Presidency is not for everybody,” the Yoruba-nation demanded for a Confederation. To silence the Yoruba-nation all the more, many of their kinsmen were detained while Obasanjo, Adisa etc were condemned to death by a Kangaroo military tribunal. Had Abacha been alive, “no Jupiter” would have saved them. The Obasanjo presidency was to pacify the Yoruba-nation after the despot had kicked the bucket, despite the fact that Dr. Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme was the Vox populi.
Even during the botched Military Coup D’ Etat of April 22, 1990, five states were excised from Nigeria which would have divided Nigeria into two or more countries. These sacked-away states were seen as the Nigerian hot-beds of violence, trouble-spots etc. because of the occasional religious riots and tribal clashes which have turned Nigeria into a “no-war, no-peace nation,” Col. Mammar Gaddafi of Libya in 1994 called for the division of Nigeria along religious lines. Joe Garba, former Nigeria representative in the UN, in his own comment was blunt on the amalgamation of Nigeria and simply called it, “A mistake of the British.” Chief Emeka Anyaoku prophesized that Nigeria will break without a National Conference. The former British High Commissioner in Nigeria, Sir Philip Thomas, advocated for the restructuring of Nigeria. The PRONACO led by Pa Anthony Enahoro since 1999 had wanted the 1999 Constitution set aside as it was Military made thereby paving way for vox populi Constitution. In the 1960s Isaac Adaka Boro had blossomed the struggle for self dtermination and resource control. Ken Saro Wiwa and eight other Ogonis were executed on November 1995 consequent of this belief. Could the payment of compensation of $15.5m to the deceased families in 2009 by Shell Corporation not translate into guilt-admittance? The freedom fighting in the Niger Delta now is a corroboration of Isaac Boro ideology and sustenance of the legacy. It was the prophetic musician Sunny Okosun from the Niger Delta who sang, “Freedom is now or never we’ve got to or loose it for ever. Nigeria is now or never…………….”
The Nigerian Political Reform Conference (NPRC) of Obasanjo’s administration met a waterloo when the issue of resource control was raised. Why must Nigerian leaders pretend as if all was well and there was no problem? The problem of the Niger Delta should have evoked sensibility unto the pretenders but to no avail. It is only a sick child that is destined to die that would ask his parents to make a bow with a pestle for him as a conditio-sine-qua-non for his survival from his illness. Nigerian government indifference to Nigerian’s cry for justice is like Pharaoh of Egypt’s God designed stubbornness to let God’s people go. It seems God has destined Nigeria to die otherwise the obstinacy to VOX POPULI for Sovereign National Conference is startling. Nigeria: Going, Going … (Applause).
There is an insinuation that the only language that Federal Government / Northerners hear and obey is “bindiga” (gun), force or violence. Government should disabuse this notion by acting promptly and wisely as nobody claims monopoly of evil. Gowon, Murtala, Obasanjo I, Shagari, Buhari, IBB, Shonekan, Abacha, Abdulsallami, besides Obasanjo II and III did not treat oil producing communities as expected. Worse still, oil wells of one community are deliberately ceded to the other to create division among the states, so that the Federal Government will have no oopposition in their margainalization. Under Umaru Musa Yar’Dua so far, how many rail-lines, new roads, housing estates, Refineries, job-creation facilities, Petroleum Universities etc have his administration built? Nigeria’s relation with the oil producing communities should be symbiotic and mutual not parasitic. But I am afraid that as things stand, the bad blood among the citizenry has reached a crescendo of “POINT OF NO RETURN.” However, there is no harm in trial as all hope is not yet lost.
The Federal Government should resist the temptation of going into full-scale war or alliance with any country in the bid to subdue any Niger Delta insurrection. Any pact whether with Russia, China, North Korea, Iraq, Niger, Chad etc may not come to the rescue like during the Nigerian / Biafran War. If you win the battle without winning the peace, it is pyrrhic victory. Hanibal the Cartheginian won every battle, he never won peace. If peace can only be achieved by breaking the country into four, five or six countries like Soviet Union after all available options fail, the necessary evil is acceptable. It is better to eat pepper and be happy than to lick honey and be in tears. After all, are those opposed to the breaking of the country into convenient parts wiser or more intelligent than the earlier advocates of that – Shagari, Joe Garba, Balewa, Awolowo, Gaddafi, etc? If you call your father’s advice a foolish advice, you inadvertently call your father a foolish man. Which way Nigeria?
Mr. Ezennaya writes for the World Igbo Times Magazine, London.
The Biafran Generalissimo, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu’s “diplomatic connection and goodwill” were exploited by Gen. Sani Abacha’s administration when Ezeigbo Gburu Gburu was appointed to lead a government delegation to the burial of the Cote D’Ivorean President Felix Houphet Boigney. Ikemba was again scheduled to go for legitimacy and credibility tour besides image amendment cum rebranding tour before the death of Abacha. Chief Alex Akinyemi was once a hireling of this message. During Obasanjo civilian administration, even the oratory prowess of Government spokesmen like Chief Chukwuemeka Chikelu and Frank Nweke Jnr could not do the magic. Right now it is the turn of ex-NAFDAC kingpin, Prof (Mrs.) Dora Akunyili to do the uphill task.
The rebranding campaign introduced recently by the Honourable Minister of Information Prof (Mrs.) Dora Akunyili will be another effort in futility because the ideology is still built on faulty foundation: wrong prognosis consequent of wrong diagnosis. People in Government have deceived themselves and Nigerians for so long and this will continue ad infinitum unless God intervenes via “CATASTROPHIC REVOLUTION.” Even if you close your eyes while looking into the mirror, the image still remains yours. But then, should image correction be pivoted on propaganda, falsehood, false pretences and false lives? Othman Dan Fodio is credited with the wise saying, “Conscience is an open wound which only truth can heal.” The great Harvard University has as its motto: “VERITAS” meaning TRUTH. In fact only truth will do the rebranding of Nigeria not technocrats or slogans. Rather than these jingles (including Good people, Great Nation) performing the miracle, they diminish and put question marks on the integrity and status of the apostles and their creed. Telling the truth does not even need having good memory and beautiful sweet tongues.
Brand name or trade mark is usually given to a product by the manufacturer. Any registered brand name or trade mark used by another is usually regarded as fake. Neither is it possible for a brand name or trade mark of a product to have been registered for the manufacturer by the fake producer. The question then is: Who branded Nigeria? Who is supposed to brand Nigeria? Is Nigeria correctly branded? The slogan “One Nigeria, Corporate Existence, Unity Not Negotiable, To keep Nigeria One is a Task that Must be Kept etc, who coined them? It was that ebullient American President, Abraham Lincoln who defined democracy as the government of the people, by the people and for the people. Brand name for Nigeria should be the collective suggestion or recommendation of the people, by the people and for the people. Therefore Nigeria must first of all be branded by Nigerians themselves. A lot of suggestions and efforts by good, sincere and genuine Nigerians aimed at branding Nigeria by ourselves have been rebuffed by the deceitful Nigerian military and civilian administrations.
When you think you are leading but with no one following means that you are just and only walking or trekking. Those who always think that they own Nigeria because of their privileged positions are not only a mistake of the head but also that of the heart.
Lord Fredrick Luggard was the former Governor of the Northern Protectorate while Sir Walter Egerton was that of the South. In 1914, the Northern and Southern Protectorate were amalgamated by the British. Consequent of this amalgamation, the geographical expression called Nigeria came into being with Lord Fredrick Luggard as the Governor General. Edmund Burke once said, “Society is indeed a contract … it becomes a partnership not only between those who are living but between those who are living, those who are dead and those who are to be born. But in Nigeria, Nigerian society belongs only to those in government.
In March 24, 1947 in a Legislative Council debate, the late Abubakar Tafawa Balewa with regard to Islamization and deeping Koran in the Atlantic Ocean openly asserted that “If the British departed Nigeria, the Northerners would continue their interrupted conquest to the sea.” In the same year, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, as a School teacher, had called for the separate countries of North and South on account of religious differences among others. Speaking during the budget session of the pre-independence Nigeria Legislative Council in 1948, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa had very objectively remarked, “Many Nigerians deceive themselves by thinking that Nigeria is one. This is wrong. I am sorry to say that this present (semblance?) of unity is artificial and it ends outside this chamber.” It was a quotation in one of the books that when some group of Nigerians went to London Conference that later resulted in the Nigerian Independence, Zik said to Sarduana of Sokoto, “Let’s forget our differences so that we can build one, united country.” But the Sarduana replied, “No, we cannot forget our differences. I am from the North, you are from the South. I am Hausa, you are Igbo. I am Moslem and you are Christian. We cannot forget our differences. When we take cognizance of our differences we can build.” Who among the two showed genuine commitment to this course?
The Northerners in 1957 wanted a Confederal State of Regional Government autonomy for fear of marginalization due to inequalities in mental, academic and infrastructural development then. Chief Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo was said to have persuaded Dr. Benjamin Nnamdi Azikiwe that they accepted the proposal. However, when the British decided to give independence to Nigeria, the election that preceded it was rigged to favour the North as Lord Luggard was crazy with the North. The retention of the Kaduna State House of Assembly building as Luggard Hall is a reciprocation of what he did for the North.
According to I. F. Nicolson in the British Confession, “Our Attrocities Against Biafra” by Harold Smith, “I wish the many journalists who wrote about Nigeria’s independence and what it meant for Africa had spoken to me, I would have told them it was a total fake. It is acknowledged that the Governor General of Nigeria, Sir James Robertson, told me in 1960 why the British had decided to destroy democracy at its birth in this giant empire named Nigeria. We had favoured the North since Nigeria was invented. Continuing Harold Smith, “Anyway Nicolson knew that we had rigged the Independence Election for we discussed this in his office in Lagos and he placed my files and papers relating to British corruption in his safe. Sir Robertson asserted that rigging Nigeria Independence Election was necessary. The same British rigged the 1963 Nigeria census to favour the North. The journey of Nigerian corruption started with the British.
The year 1967 saw the Easterners demanding for the Confederation due to man’s inhumanity to man which later culminated into a civil war and Biafran secession bid. The British again committed genocide against the Biafrans to save the North. The 1993 June 12 election confirmed by the Electoral Commission to have been won by MKO Abiola which was cancelled exposed the man’s inhumanity to man in Nigeria. Insinuations pointed accusing fingers at the same British as the unseen big hand behind the cancellation as MKO Abiola championed the cause of reparation. Having seen that “Presidency is not for everybody,” the Yoruba-nation demanded for a Confederation. To silence the Yoruba-nation all the more, many of their kinsmen were detained while Obasanjo, Adisa etc were condemned to death by a Kangaroo military tribunal. Had Abacha been alive, “no Jupiter” would have saved them. The Obasanjo presidency was to pacify the Yoruba-nation after the despot had kicked the bucket, despite the fact that Dr. Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme was the Vox populi.
Even during the botched Military Coup D’ Etat of April 22, 1990, five states were excised from Nigeria which would have divided Nigeria into two or more countries. These sacked-away states were seen as the Nigerian hot-beds of violence, trouble-spots etc. because of the occasional religious riots and tribal clashes which have turned Nigeria into a “no-war, no-peace nation,” Col. Mammar Gaddafi of Libya in 1994 called for the division of Nigeria along religious lines. Joe Garba, former Nigeria representative in the UN, in his own comment was blunt on the amalgamation of Nigeria and simply called it, “A mistake of the British.” Chief Emeka Anyaoku prophesized that Nigeria will break without a National Conference. The former British High Commissioner in Nigeria, Sir Philip Thomas, advocated for the restructuring of Nigeria. The PRONACO led by Pa Anthony Enahoro since 1999 had wanted the 1999 Constitution set aside as it was Military made thereby paving way for vox populi Constitution. In the 1960s Isaac Adaka Boro had blossomed the struggle for self dtermination and resource control. Ken Saro Wiwa and eight other Ogonis were executed on November 1995 consequent of this belief. Could the payment of compensation of $15.5m to the deceased families in 2009 by Shell Corporation not translate into guilt-admittance? The freedom fighting in the Niger Delta now is a corroboration of Isaac Boro ideology and sustenance of the legacy. It was the prophetic musician Sunny Okosun from the Niger Delta who sang, “Freedom is now or never we’ve got to or loose it for ever. Nigeria is now or never…………….”
The Nigerian Political Reform Conference (NPRC) of Obasanjo’s administration met a waterloo when the issue of resource control was raised. Why must Nigerian leaders pretend as if all was well and there was no problem? The problem of the Niger Delta should have evoked sensibility unto the pretenders but to no avail. It is only a sick child that is destined to die that would ask his parents to make a bow with a pestle for him as a conditio-sine-qua-non for his survival from his illness. Nigerian government indifference to Nigerian’s cry for justice is like Pharaoh of Egypt’s God designed stubbornness to let God’s people go. It seems God has destined Nigeria to die otherwise the obstinacy to VOX POPULI for Sovereign National Conference is startling. Nigeria: Going, Going … (Applause).
There is an insinuation that the only language that Federal Government / Northerners hear and obey is “bindiga” (gun), force or violence. Government should disabuse this notion by acting promptly and wisely as nobody claims monopoly of evil. Gowon, Murtala, Obasanjo I, Shagari, Buhari, IBB, Shonekan, Abacha, Abdulsallami, besides Obasanjo II and III did not treat oil producing communities as expected. Worse still, oil wells of one community are deliberately ceded to the other to create division among the states, so that the Federal Government will have no oopposition in their margainalization. Under Umaru Musa Yar’Dua so far, how many rail-lines, new roads, housing estates, Refineries, job-creation facilities, Petroleum Universities etc have his administration built? Nigeria’s relation with the oil producing communities should be symbiotic and mutual not parasitic. But I am afraid that as things stand, the bad blood among the citizenry has reached a crescendo of “POINT OF NO RETURN.” However, there is no harm in trial as all hope is not yet lost.
The Federal Government should resist the temptation of going into full-scale war or alliance with any country in the bid to subdue any Niger Delta insurrection. Any pact whether with Russia, China, North Korea, Iraq, Niger, Chad etc may not come to the rescue like during the Nigerian / Biafran War. If you win the battle without winning the peace, it is pyrrhic victory. Hanibal the Cartheginian won every battle, he never won peace. If peace can only be achieved by breaking the country into four, five or six countries like Soviet Union after all available options fail, the necessary evil is acceptable. It is better to eat pepper and be happy than to lick honey and be in tears. After all, are those opposed to the breaking of the country into convenient parts wiser or more intelligent than the earlier advocates of that – Shagari, Joe Garba, Balewa, Awolowo, Gaddafi, etc? If you call your father’s advice a foolish advice, you inadvertently call your father a foolish man. Which way Nigeria?
Mr. Ezennaya writes for the World Igbo Times Magazine, London.
NIGERIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE MATCHES AND LIVE COMMENTARIES... by Sixtus Chibueze Ezennaya
The lanky ebony black goal-hungry Ranger is ranging alone in the goal area of the Water Corporation Football Club of Ibadan. Can the one-man riot squad make it four for Rangers? A hat-trick i.e. one, two, three goals are already in his kitty. Ifeanyichukwu means nothing is insurmountable to God. Four goals are also not beyond the ability of Ifeanyi Chukwu Onyedika.
Rangers building attack from defence through Patrick Ekeji with a triangular tap to Herbert Anijekwu and Innocent Obiekwo to Commander Louis Igwilo who chest-traps and sends a banana-kick pass to Ifeanyi Chukwu Onyedika in the eighteen yard box of Water Corporation. He beats stylishly an on-rushing defender and a scissor-kick and it is a goal-o-o-o! Goal number four for the Flying Antelopes and Indomitable Rangers International Football Club of Enugu, all scored by Ifeanyichukwu Ahidjo Onyedika. Guess who was running the commentary? That was the football commentaries of Ernest Okonkwo while pairing with Tolu Fatoyimbo in the Radio Nigeria Ibadan commentaries on the last match of the 1981 National Division One Football League match at Liberty Stadium Ibadan. Incidentally, that was the match that sent Water Corporation to the lower division in fact into oblivion.
In those days, every Saturday, Nigerians glued to their radios for league football commentaries to ease off weeklong tension. Nowadays, it is no longer so. Who is responsible for this deprivation of weekend happiness? An investigation showed that the commercialization of everything in Nigeria is responsible. Could it be true that as there is no free lunch in Europe, there is no longer “free” programme in our radio stations? Is the insinuation that Igbo man loves money now being copied verbatim by the Nigerian government? When I now listen to League Football commentaries every Saturday from BBC, Radio Cameroun, Radio Accra, I begin to wonder if these radio stations do not know the value of money or commercialization. When a nincompoop learnt how to chew stick, even broom for sweeping the room, is not spared. Yooh! Nigeria and commercialization of radio programmes.
Perhaps, what is most fascinating and endearing about football commentary, is the ability of the commentators to give accurate analysis of the second to second, minute to minute account of the proceedings. Ernest Okonkwo for example, had a unique football commentary style which enabled him to use the appropriate qualifying adjectives for his characters. He coined names like Emmanuel “Man-Mountain” Okala, Aloysius “Block Buster” Atuegbu, Christian “Chairman” Chukwu, “Mathematical” Segun Odegbami, Kelechi “Caterpillar” Emetole, “Midfield Maestro” Mudashiru Lawal, Kingsley “Mature” Onye, “Chief Justice” Adokie Amasiemeka, Uwem “Harmattan” Ekarika, Sylvanus “Quicksilver” Okpala, “Commander” Louis Igwilo, Sylvester “Bahama” Oparanozie, Benedict “Surugede” Ugwu, Idowu “Slow Poison” Otubusin, “Shortish” John Benson, “Answerable” Edward Ansa, “Diminutive” Amechi Ottih, Nnamdi “Policeman” Anyafor, Nnamdi “Camel” Nwokocha, Davidson “Okada Air” Owumi, Daniel “The Bull” Amokachi, “Penalty Specialist” Christian Madu, “Masters of Long Throw” Moses Otolorin and Nwabueze “Bulldozer” Nwankwo, “The man with the bullet shot” Emmanuel Osigwe, “Dean of Defence” Yisa Shofoluwe, “Gangling” Rashidi Yekini, “Darkness” Amechi Igweobi etc. A typical snippet of Okonkwo’s commentary style ran thus, “……….. he beats Christian Chukwu, Christian Madu and Christian Nwokocha, ……………. he beats three Christians in a row. …….. who is this man? He must be a Moslem. Oh, he is Shefiu Mohammed sending a diagonal pass to Baba Otu Mohammed. In one occasion, Ernest Okonkwo said, “After ninety minutes of play and extra time, the match has ended one goal apiece but a winner must emerge. Fiver players have on each side been selected to take the penalty kick. The players are praying to their God to give them this day but it is not who prays more but who plays better. As members of the Nigerian Supporters Club are usually known for their vociferation in tournaments involving Nigerian teams, Ernest Okonkwo while commending them once said, “If you cheer when a goal is scored, you are reacting to an impulse. But if you cheer when no goal is scored, you are indeed supporting.”
The special tribute paid to Ernest Okonkwo does not mean that he was the only commentator in Nigeria those days but to refresh our memories on the vitality of the game via Football commentaries. Mr. Okonkwo would refer to an incident that gave a player his prominence. The day Mehala F. C. of Egypt saw wahala at Enugu and the Godwin Odiye back-heading that denied Nigeria World Cup slot in 1978, Ernest Okonkwo relived very vividly the memories. He would tell you what happened the day three Atuegbu brothers: Mathew, Andrew, and Aloysius Atuegbu played in one match for Nigeria. Why was Teslim Balogun called Thunder Balogun? The myth of Aliusalam, Rocks of Ilorin in 1976 which Rangers demystified, the magic hand of Maradona, Christopher Ohehen and the miracle of Daman, the 3 – 0 defeat of Rangers by Bendel Insurance in the 1978 Nigeria Challenge Cup final, the Kaduna debacle of Rangers / IICC match in the 1977 African Winners Cup, the Calabar rematch of Rangers / Spartans League match that brought Govs Jim Nwobodo and Sam Mbakwe to Calabar, Ernest Okonkwo referred to all these with relative ease. Had Ernest been alive today, he would have drawn the similarities of Jim Nwobodo and Orji Uzor Kalu, as he made reference points to the following players: Jossy Dambraye, Taiwo Ogunjobi, Okey Isima, Best Ogedengbe, Agwo Nnaji, Mutiu Adepoju, Superbrat Etim Esim, Sule Kekere, Ali Jeje, Tarila Okoronwata, Philip Osondu, etc. Above all, many superstar players of today would have been proud owners of superlatives “names.” Oh!, what a miss of super commentator Ernest Okonkwo.
In those days, commentaries were run almost from every radio station be it Federal or State. In Radio Nigeria Lagos, besides Ernest Okonkwo, Ishola Folarunsho, Bisi Lawrence, Sebastian Ofurum, Kevin Ejiofor, Walter Batuyi etc. held the ace. Radio Nigeria Enugu had the likes of Richard Asiegbu, Emeka Odikpo etc. The scintillating voices of Agwu Nwogo, Samrose Anyaugo, John Nwogu, and Christopher Abiaziem thrilled the listeners to the Imo Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) Owerri. The Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS) Enugu, was privileged to have Pete Edochie, Joe Martins Uzodike and others while Edo Radio Benin boasted of Emmanuel Egharevba. From time to time as the commentaries reverberated, I tuned to Radio Nigeria Ibadan to listen to soft-spoken Tolu Fatoyimbo and others whereas Cross River Broadcasting Service where Edem Duke was mesmerising players of Rovers Football Club of Calabar from Eta Egbe to James Etokebe would be the next station to tune to. Those days, Radio Nigeria Kaduna, Radio Plateau, Jos, usually ran commentaries in English and Hausa languages. Whenever my darling team RANGERS, travelled to those places, I steadfastly like Nigerian fans of Man U, Chelsea, Barca, Arsenal etc, listened to the commentaries whether or not I understood Hausa language. One thing was certain, whenever a goal was scored, I did know from the shouting of the commentators and the players of the ball vis-à-vis his position in the football arena. By the time I finished listening to these commentaries, my “Samedi Sour” (Saturday / Weekend Evening) would have been well spent.
What has gone wrong with Nigeria and football commentaries?
Could the loss of interest in watching Nigeria League and Challenge Cup matches by football fans be attributable to the stoppage of running live football commentaries? When the youthful and bubbling talents of our present crop of commentators are being suppressed and put into disuse, while that of the foreign colleagues are advertised, nurtured and supported, what an unprecedented talent-kill. Tomorrow when the commentators go for job-hunt abroad, Government will start to deplore brain-drain. Ndubueze Chidoka, Shina Abimbola, Kelechi Onwudiwe etc, please remain undaunted.
For one, commentaries catalyze the action on the field of play, enthuse the morale of fans and help to curtail poor officiating, make listeners and fans know the names of players and how skilful a player is, among others. I never saw Emeka “404” Onyedika play football but his description as “404” tells me, he was a very swift sprinter in the field of play. The description of Daniel Amokachi as a utility player by the commentator when he was still a youth-player with Ranchers Bees of Kaduna prodded me into wanting to see him play which I of course accomplished by watching Rangers / Ranchers Bees match at Temporary Stadium of University of Nigeria Enugu Campus (UNEC). That Donald Igwebuike of Rangers International is nicknamed Stone Broker or Tony Orji (Iron Gate) is courtesy of their no nonsense, robust, stubborn and watertight defence. It was a saying by Ernest Okonkwo that Donald could even play a shot-put in the field of play.
That Nigeria football fans want the football commentaries back, is the bottom-line of this write-up for our League and Challenge Cup matches to be lively once again. Please, NFF, NFL, Radio Nigeria, State Radio Stations, MTN, Globacom, Starcom, Zain, Coca Cola, Seven-up, NIPOST, and other sponsors / lovers of our football, it is the wish of all Nigerian football fans that live football commentaries return to our radio stations notwithstanding this commercialization policy. If it is possible to include live television coverage, it will also be most welcomed. Neither commercialization policy nor hard times is good enough to obliterate live commentaries. No matter how small the dance-floor maybe, there is always space for the drummer.
Mr. Ezennaya is the ex-Chairman of Rangers Supporters Club, Aba Chapter.
Rangers building attack from defence through Patrick Ekeji with a triangular tap to Herbert Anijekwu and Innocent Obiekwo to Commander Louis Igwilo who chest-traps and sends a banana-kick pass to Ifeanyi Chukwu Onyedika in the eighteen yard box of Water Corporation. He beats stylishly an on-rushing defender and a scissor-kick and it is a goal-o-o-o! Goal number four for the Flying Antelopes and Indomitable Rangers International Football Club of Enugu, all scored by Ifeanyichukwu Ahidjo Onyedika. Guess who was running the commentary? That was the football commentaries of Ernest Okonkwo while pairing with Tolu Fatoyimbo in the Radio Nigeria Ibadan commentaries on the last match of the 1981 National Division One Football League match at Liberty Stadium Ibadan. Incidentally, that was the match that sent Water Corporation to the lower division in fact into oblivion.
In those days, every Saturday, Nigerians glued to their radios for league football commentaries to ease off weeklong tension. Nowadays, it is no longer so. Who is responsible for this deprivation of weekend happiness? An investigation showed that the commercialization of everything in Nigeria is responsible. Could it be true that as there is no free lunch in Europe, there is no longer “free” programme in our radio stations? Is the insinuation that Igbo man loves money now being copied verbatim by the Nigerian government? When I now listen to League Football commentaries every Saturday from BBC, Radio Cameroun, Radio Accra, I begin to wonder if these radio stations do not know the value of money or commercialization. When a nincompoop learnt how to chew stick, even broom for sweeping the room, is not spared. Yooh! Nigeria and commercialization of radio programmes.
Perhaps, what is most fascinating and endearing about football commentary, is the ability of the commentators to give accurate analysis of the second to second, minute to minute account of the proceedings. Ernest Okonkwo for example, had a unique football commentary style which enabled him to use the appropriate qualifying adjectives for his characters. He coined names like Emmanuel “Man-Mountain” Okala, Aloysius “Block Buster” Atuegbu, Christian “Chairman” Chukwu, “Mathematical” Segun Odegbami, Kelechi “Caterpillar” Emetole, “Midfield Maestro” Mudashiru Lawal, Kingsley “Mature” Onye, “Chief Justice” Adokie Amasiemeka, Uwem “Harmattan” Ekarika, Sylvanus “Quicksilver” Okpala, “Commander” Louis Igwilo, Sylvester “Bahama” Oparanozie, Benedict “Surugede” Ugwu, Idowu “Slow Poison” Otubusin, “Shortish” John Benson, “Answerable” Edward Ansa, “Diminutive” Amechi Ottih, Nnamdi “Policeman” Anyafor, Nnamdi “Camel” Nwokocha, Davidson “Okada Air” Owumi, Daniel “The Bull” Amokachi, “Penalty Specialist” Christian Madu, “Masters of Long Throw” Moses Otolorin and Nwabueze “Bulldozer” Nwankwo, “The man with the bullet shot” Emmanuel Osigwe, “Dean of Defence” Yisa Shofoluwe, “Gangling” Rashidi Yekini, “Darkness” Amechi Igweobi etc. A typical snippet of Okonkwo’s commentary style ran thus, “……….. he beats Christian Chukwu, Christian Madu and Christian Nwokocha, ……………. he beats three Christians in a row. …….. who is this man? He must be a Moslem. Oh, he is Shefiu Mohammed sending a diagonal pass to Baba Otu Mohammed. In one occasion, Ernest Okonkwo said, “After ninety minutes of play and extra time, the match has ended one goal apiece but a winner must emerge. Fiver players have on each side been selected to take the penalty kick. The players are praying to their God to give them this day but it is not who prays more but who plays better. As members of the Nigerian Supporters Club are usually known for their vociferation in tournaments involving Nigerian teams, Ernest Okonkwo while commending them once said, “If you cheer when a goal is scored, you are reacting to an impulse. But if you cheer when no goal is scored, you are indeed supporting.”
The special tribute paid to Ernest Okonkwo does not mean that he was the only commentator in Nigeria those days but to refresh our memories on the vitality of the game via Football commentaries. Mr. Okonkwo would refer to an incident that gave a player his prominence. The day Mehala F. C. of Egypt saw wahala at Enugu and the Godwin Odiye back-heading that denied Nigeria World Cup slot in 1978, Ernest Okonkwo relived very vividly the memories. He would tell you what happened the day three Atuegbu brothers: Mathew, Andrew, and Aloysius Atuegbu played in one match for Nigeria. Why was Teslim Balogun called Thunder Balogun? The myth of Aliusalam, Rocks of Ilorin in 1976 which Rangers demystified, the magic hand of Maradona, Christopher Ohehen and the miracle of Daman, the 3 – 0 defeat of Rangers by Bendel Insurance in the 1978 Nigeria Challenge Cup final, the Kaduna debacle of Rangers / IICC match in the 1977 African Winners Cup, the Calabar rematch of Rangers / Spartans League match that brought Govs Jim Nwobodo and Sam Mbakwe to Calabar, Ernest Okonkwo referred to all these with relative ease. Had Ernest been alive today, he would have drawn the similarities of Jim Nwobodo and Orji Uzor Kalu, as he made reference points to the following players: Jossy Dambraye, Taiwo Ogunjobi, Okey Isima, Best Ogedengbe, Agwo Nnaji, Mutiu Adepoju, Superbrat Etim Esim, Sule Kekere, Ali Jeje, Tarila Okoronwata, Philip Osondu, etc. Above all, many superstar players of today would have been proud owners of superlatives “names.” Oh!, what a miss of super commentator Ernest Okonkwo.
In those days, commentaries were run almost from every radio station be it Federal or State. In Radio Nigeria Lagos, besides Ernest Okonkwo, Ishola Folarunsho, Bisi Lawrence, Sebastian Ofurum, Kevin Ejiofor, Walter Batuyi etc. held the ace. Radio Nigeria Enugu had the likes of Richard Asiegbu, Emeka Odikpo etc. The scintillating voices of Agwu Nwogo, Samrose Anyaugo, John Nwogu, and Christopher Abiaziem thrilled the listeners to the Imo Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) Owerri. The Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS) Enugu, was privileged to have Pete Edochie, Joe Martins Uzodike and others while Edo Radio Benin boasted of Emmanuel Egharevba. From time to time as the commentaries reverberated, I tuned to Radio Nigeria Ibadan to listen to soft-spoken Tolu Fatoyimbo and others whereas Cross River Broadcasting Service where Edem Duke was mesmerising players of Rovers Football Club of Calabar from Eta Egbe to James Etokebe would be the next station to tune to. Those days, Radio Nigeria Kaduna, Radio Plateau, Jos, usually ran commentaries in English and Hausa languages. Whenever my darling team RANGERS, travelled to those places, I steadfastly like Nigerian fans of Man U, Chelsea, Barca, Arsenal etc, listened to the commentaries whether or not I understood Hausa language. One thing was certain, whenever a goal was scored, I did know from the shouting of the commentators and the players of the ball vis-à-vis his position in the football arena. By the time I finished listening to these commentaries, my “Samedi Sour” (Saturday / Weekend Evening) would have been well spent.
What has gone wrong with Nigeria and football commentaries?
Could the loss of interest in watching Nigeria League and Challenge Cup matches by football fans be attributable to the stoppage of running live football commentaries? When the youthful and bubbling talents of our present crop of commentators are being suppressed and put into disuse, while that of the foreign colleagues are advertised, nurtured and supported, what an unprecedented talent-kill. Tomorrow when the commentators go for job-hunt abroad, Government will start to deplore brain-drain. Ndubueze Chidoka, Shina Abimbola, Kelechi Onwudiwe etc, please remain undaunted.
For one, commentaries catalyze the action on the field of play, enthuse the morale of fans and help to curtail poor officiating, make listeners and fans know the names of players and how skilful a player is, among others. I never saw Emeka “404” Onyedika play football but his description as “404” tells me, he was a very swift sprinter in the field of play. The description of Daniel Amokachi as a utility player by the commentator when he was still a youth-player with Ranchers Bees of Kaduna prodded me into wanting to see him play which I of course accomplished by watching Rangers / Ranchers Bees match at Temporary Stadium of University of Nigeria Enugu Campus (UNEC). That Donald Igwebuike of Rangers International is nicknamed Stone Broker or Tony Orji (Iron Gate) is courtesy of their no nonsense, robust, stubborn and watertight defence. It was a saying by Ernest Okonkwo that Donald could even play a shot-put in the field of play.
That Nigeria football fans want the football commentaries back, is the bottom-line of this write-up for our League and Challenge Cup matches to be lively once again. Please, NFF, NFL, Radio Nigeria, State Radio Stations, MTN, Globacom, Starcom, Zain, Coca Cola, Seven-up, NIPOST, and other sponsors / lovers of our football, it is the wish of all Nigerian football fans that live football commentaries return to our radio stations notwithstanding this commercialization policy. If it is possible to include live television coverage, it will also be most welcomed. Neither commercialization policy nor hard times is good enough to obliterate live commentaries. No matter how small the dance-floor maybe, there is always space for the drummer.
Mr. Ezennaya is the ex-Chairman of Rangers Supporters Club, Aba Chapter.
BOOK REVIEW Title: The Catholic Church and Others Author: Sixtus Chibueze Ezennaya Reviewer: Gabriel Aleke Publisher: Heritage Publishers
Very often, every church claims to be Christ Church. Even those every body knows very well their founders and the date of their inauguration make bold claims of this. This ridiculous claim is also shared by those established for ritual purposes by native doctors. How many churches did Jesus Christ actually establish while on earth? Is it as many as the present acclaimed Christ Churches, Prayer Houses or Ministries? Or is it just one? If it is one, which is the one? This is the object of the book, “The Catholic Church and Others.”
The design on the cover of the book is superb. Whoever did this work needs commendation. The sprinters on the front cover (one on the track while others outside the track) with a vivid inscription, “Bene Cuccuristi Sed Preter Viam” meaning “Running a Good Race Out of the Track” sends a powerful message on what to expect from the book. The embossed title intermixed with this drawing captures the fancy of any admirer of good art work and inquisitive mind.
The inner content of the book is segmented into three parts. The Catholic Church and its origin besides the Popes from Peter to the present Pontiff are carefully, chronologically and holistically presented on one part. The writer also delved into brief history of other churches: Anglicans (Episcopalians), Presbyterians, Methodists, Calvists, Baptists, Mormons, Congregationists, Jehova Witnesses etc. Many of the still existing ordinary human being founded churches are of more recent years. For instance in 1534, Henry VIII established his own church, “The Anglican Church” because the Catholic Church refused his request for divorce of his wife to remarry. As at today, Jehovah Witness (members are formerly known as Russelites) is only one hundred and thirty seven (137) years old on this planet earth, have been founded by Charles Taze Russell in 1872, a former Congregationist that broke away from the Anglican Church. Who does not know that Martin Luther, a former Catholic clergy, founded Lutheran Church? Do you know and hear about the Hussites; followers of John Huss who was born in Husineta in Southern Bohemia in 1369 later ordained a Catholic priest in 1400? He was tried for heresy at Constance, condemned and burnt at the stake. Are you aware that Joseph Smith, the son of a Vermont farmer who founded the Mormons was killed by a mob in Illinois on June 27 1844 as he taught that Adam’s sin was that of lust?
What are the grudges of some of these dissident church founders? Infant Baptism, Supremacy of the Pope, Purgatory, Veneration of the Saints, etc. It is surprising to observe that not even a single breakaway fundamentalist grudged against the honour Catholics give to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Millions of churches have germinated from these dissidence giving one or the other excuse. On their reasons for separation, the writer reasons that these are not tenable. For instance nowadays, it is a common place occurrence seeing churches holding services for their dead members. What then is the essence of the prayer if these denominations derecognised Purgatory? Can the prayer still be of help to the dead? If it can, is it in heaven or hell or is it just for the sake of prayer or to do like others?
All these churches protesting directly or indirectly against the one founded by Jesus Christ cannot differentiate from other men-founded religions like Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, etc. the writer argues that these human founders could have named their churches after themselves instead of taking cover in Christ Church. Again, that man cannot found new and better churches than the one Christ founded. The view of the writer is that these founders are only “Pastors of the stomach” who bequeath their churches to the members of their nuclear family at death.
The other section of the book x-rays a typical Catholic Parish and what is obtainable there. Christ the King Cathedral (C.K.C.) Parish, Aba – The model Parish – is chosen to expose the Catholic Faith. This portion also deals with how the Catholic Church came to Igboland East of the Niger via the French Missionaries: Rev. Fr. Joseph Lutz; Rev. Fr. Jean-Nicholas Horne; Rev. Brothers Hermas and Jean Gotto. The prolific writer tells how Rev. Fr. Cornelius Liddane came to Aba in 1917 from Mount Carmel Emekuku, Owerri, to establish C.K.C. Aba which oversaw Ikot Ekpene to Port Harcourt and environs. The metamorphosis of C.K.C. into a Cathedral with the creation of Aba Catholic Diocese in April 1990 and the appointment of Most Rev. Dr. V. V. Ezeonyia C.S.Sp as the first Catholic Bishop, the Pious Societies, how seasons of the Catholic Church are observed in the Parish, activities of the parishioners within and the unbroken continuity of head-priests in the Parish from 1917 till date are masterfully presented. The Cathedral special offices and magnificent buildings contained herein the compound are systematically analyzed by this verbatim writer. What is Triduim? Is it true that Knighthood is a canonical social club meant for people of affluence? Could it be true that there is one day in the canonical year of the Catholic Church that Mass is not celebrated? Why do Catholics switch off all light on Holy Saturday Mass? Find answers to these questions and more from this all embracing “encyclopaedia.”
The world is bedevilled with myriads of local and international problems; proliferation of prayer-houses / ministries / churches and their abracadabra, money laundering, looting of public funds, hunger, indecent dressing, diseases, poverty, kidnapping, cold-wars between nations, sea piracy, ritualism, murder, worse still godlessness in Europe. This crusader-writer whose two other books; “NDI IGBO: Lord That They May be One”(Dominus Ut Unum Sint); and “Monkey De Work…” are coming out soon, on the last portion of this book, presents scintillating and revealing write ups on some them. In fact the book, “The Catholic Church and Others” is A-Must-Read Book for everybody: Catholics, Non-Catholics, students, undergraduates, researchers etc for the book is Truth or Transparency in Action. Indeed it is informational, transformational, educative and entertaining.
The design on the cover of the book is superb. Whoever did this work needs commendation. The sprinters on the front cover (one on the track while others outside the track) with a vivid inscription, “Bene Cuccuristi Sed Preter Viam” meaning “Running a Good Race Out of the Track” sends a powerful message on what to expect from the book. The embossed title intermixed with this drawing captures the fancy of any admirer of good art work and inquisitive mind.
The inner content of the book is segmented into three parts. The Catholic Church and its origin besides the Popes from Peter to the present Pontiff are carefully, chronologically and holistically presented on one part. The writer also delved into brief history of other churches: Anglicans (Episcopalians), Presbyterians, Methodists, Calvists, Baptists, Mormons, Congregationists, Jehova Witnesses etc. Many of the still existing ordinary human being founded churches are of more recent years. For instance in 1534, Henry VIII established his own church, “The Anglican Church” because the Catholic Church refused his request for divorce of his wife to remarry. As at today, Jehovah Witness (members are formerly known as Russelites) is only one hundred and thirty seven (137) years old on this planet earth, have been founded by Charles Taze Russell in 1872, a former Congregationist that broke away from the Anglican Church. Who does not know that Martin Luther, a former Catholic clergy, founded Lutheran Church? Do you know and hear about the Hussites; followers of John Huss who was born in Husineta in Southern Bohemia in 1369 later ordained a Catholic priest in 1400? He was tried for heresy at Constance, condemned and burnt at the stake. Are you aware that Joseph Smith, the son of a Vermont farmer who founded the Mormons was killed by a mob in Illinois on June 27 1844 as he taught that Adam’s sin was that of lust?
What are the grudges of some of these dissident church founders? Infant Baptism, Supremacy of the Pope, Purgatory, Veneration of the Saints, etc. It is surprising to observe that not even a single breakaway fundamentalist grudged against the honour Catholics give to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Millions of churches have germinated from these dissidence giving one or the other excuse. On their reasons for separation, the writer reasons that these are not tenable. For instance nowadays, it is a common place occurrence seeing churches holding services for their dead members. What then is the essence of the prayer if these denominations derecognised Purgatory? Can the prayer still be of help to the dead? If it can, is it in heaven or hell or is it just for the sake of prayer or to do like others?
All these churches protesting directly or indirectly against the one founded by Jesus Christ cannot differentiate from other men-founded religions like Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, etc. the writer argues that these human founders could have named their churches after themselves instead of taking cover in Christ Church. Again, that man cannot found new and better churches than the one Christ founded. The view of the writer is that these founders are only “Pastors of the stomach” who bequeath their churches to the members of their nuclear family at death.
The other section of the book x-rays a typical Catholic Parish and what is obtainable there. Christ the King Cathedral (C.K.C.) Parish, Aba – The model Parish – is chosen to expose the Catholic Faith. This portion also deals with how the Catholic Church came to Igboland East of the Niger via the French Missionaries: Rev. Fr. Joseph Lutz; Rev. Fr. Jean-Nicholas Horne; Rev. Brothers Hermas and Jean Gotto. The prolific writer tells how Rev. Fr. Cornelius Liddane came to Aba in 1917 from Mount Carmel Emekuku, Owerri, to establish C.K.C. Aba which oversaw Ikot Ekpene to Port Harcourt and environs. The metamorphosis of C.K.C. into a Cathedral with the creation of Aba Catholic Diocese in April 1990 and the appointment of Most Rev. Dr. V. V. Ezeonyia C.S.Sp as the first Catholic Bishop, the Pious Societies, how seasons of the Catholic Church are observed in the Parish, activities of the parishioners within and the unbroken continuity of head-priests in the Parish from 1917 till date are masterfully presented. The Cathedral special offices and magnificent buildings contained herein the compound are systematically analyzed by this verbatim writer. What is Triduim? Is it true that Knighthood is a canonical social club meant for people of affluence? Could it be true that there is one day in the canonical year of the Catholic Church that Mass is not celebrated? Why do Catholics switch off all light on Holy Saturday Mass? Find answers to these questions and more from this all embracing “encyclopaedia.”
The world is bedevilled with myriads of local and international problems; proliferation of prayer-houses / ministries / churches and their abracadabra, money laundering, looting of public funds, hunger, indecent dressing, diseases, poverty, kidnapping, cold-wars between nations, sea piracy, ritualism, murder, worse still godlessness in Europe. This crusader-writer whose two other books; “NDI IGBO: Lord That They May be One”(Dominus Ut Unum Sint); and “Monkey De Work…” are coming out soon, on the last portion of this book, presents scintillating and revealing write ups on some them. In fact the book, “The Catholic Church and Others” is A-Must-Read Book for everybody: Catholics, Non-Catholics, students, undergraduates, researchers etc for the book is Truth or Transparency in Action. Indeed it is informational, transformational, educative and entertaining.
GOD, Please Tell The “Servant – Leader”, President Yar’ Adua. By Sixtus Chibueze Ezennaya.
GOD, Please Tell The “Servant – Leader”, President Yar’ Adua.
By Sixtus Chibueze Ezennaya.
Edmund Burke once said, “Society is indeed a contract… it becomes a partnership not only between those who are living, but between those who are living, those who are dead and those who are to be born. Who has not added his voice in the frantic effort to move Nigerian Society forward? The blind, dumb, lame, sick, educated, illiterates, sane, insane etc. Virtually everybody has contributed one or the other idea to prevent Nigeria from collapsing. But as a sick-child destined to die would ask his parents to make a bow with a pestle for him as condition for his survival so has the unco-operative attitudes of various Nigerian leaders to these pieces of advice suggested. People who want to understand democracy should spend less time in the library with Aristotle and more time on buses and in the subway advocated Simeon Strunsky. If Nigerian leaders want to administer Nigeria better, opinions and feelings of Nigerians should be sought, harkened unto and implemented. In the same way if Government of Nigeria wants Nigerians to know, trust and believe in Nigeria, the “Big Masquerade” called Nigeria should be unmasked for Nigerians to see and know those in the mask otherwise the fear and suspicion created by the camouflage of the present status quo will never cease.
What system of Government is in practice in Nigeria: Federalism, Confederation etc? How many tribes make up Nigeria? Are Nigeriens, Togolese, Chadians, Camerounians also Nigerians? Is Nigeria still a Secular State? What is the constitutional duty of the members of the Civil Defence Corps? Why must there be two Ports Authorities; the Western and Delta Ports-in Nigeria when Railway, NNPC, PHCN, Presidency, etc have one unit of command? The victory of Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State in the Supreme Court has exposed the hiatuses and flaws in the 1999 constitution. At the present status quo (PDP rigging/selection strategy), the turn of Ijaws to rule Nigeria is 2015, Ndi Igbo-2031, Yoruba-nation-2047. When will a man from Urhobo, Igala, Bini, Ibibio, Idoma, Jukum, Itsekiri, Ogoni, Kalabari, Zango-Kataf, Ikwere and other ethnic groups rule Nigeria? Or are they not eligible to be Presidents of Nigeria? As it is being blindly quoted that Nigeria has over 200 ethnic groups, perhaps in year 6000 or 7000. “They who have the power of preventing lamentable events and knowing what is taking place, refuse to exercise that power are responsible for what happens-Lord Salisbury.
Nigeria seems to be degenerating from bad to worse. Peace does not mean the absence of war or physical combat. The conscience–war is the greatest of all wars. Internal crises, insecurity, child-slavery, brain-drain, cultism, hunger, kidnapping armed robbery, youth restiveness, prostitution, unemployment, corruption, poor image of the country are components of conscious war. On two different occasions during Obasanjo’s regime have Transparency International rated Nigeria the no. 1 & 2 most corrupt nation on earth. At a time, report of the NGO rated Nigeria ex-military Head of State, Sani Abacha, as the 4th most corrupt ruler in the world with a stolen sum of between $5 and $6 billion in his bank account. A rating of one NGO in May 2007 presented Nigeria as occupying the 117th position out of 119 countries sampled for the most peaceful or trouble-free country placement. In other words, Nigeria is the third most unpeaceful or troublesome country in the world. Nigeria has held the record of producing the greatest number of non-graduate Heads of State since independence. Nigerians are known to have constituted the greatest migrants from Africa to Europe or USA. In the concourse of Presidents, Heads of States or Governments, Nigerian rulers are many times the ugliest. Even within Nigeria, the police are rated as the most corrupt seconded by the PHCN (Electricity Corporation). The multinational Oil Companies, Customs and Excise, FIRS, JAMB, INEC, Nigeria Railways, Tertiary Institutions and Political Office Holders should not clap their hands for they did not escape the hammer or unmentioned.
Which tribe is the most corrupt, most hated, most diligent, laziest, most backwards, most underutilized, most marginalized and most lawful? Which tribe constitutes the greatest number of drug peddlers who smear Nigeria with the tar of “Drug country”? Which ethnic groups or tribes play the roles of monkey and baboon in the saying, “Monkey de work, baboon de chop”? Nigerians sometime ago in a survey conducted by BBC were described as the happiest in the world. Could it be true that half of Nigerian adult population is hypertensive? Who said Fela Anikulapo Kitti was not prophetic in his music album: “Suffering and smiling”? Indeed Nigeria is the metaphorical elephant described from each one’s perception by the seven blind men who felt it by touching. All these descriptions are not far from the truth. Nigeria is what it is today because of one thing: - IT HAD AB INITIO NO SOLID CONTRACTUAL BEGINNING hence no Nigerian sees Nigeria as one’s country. That is why a president would ban the importation of many items in this country and allowed the same contraband goods from a neighbouring country on proviso that 500 Frances per vehicle carrying these camouflaged goods is allegedly paid into his private account in the neighbouring country. Everyday over five hundred vehicles pass through this route. When a policeman becomes a robber, who will guard and protect the people? When gold rust, what will become of iron? When the best becomes corrupt, one becomes the most corrupt so said St. Augustine of Hippo.
In 1947, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, as a schoolteacher, called for separate countries of North and South on account of religious differences among others. In 1957, the Northerners wanted a confederal state or regional government autonomy for fear of marginalization due to inequalities in brain, academic and infrastructural development then. The year 1967 saw the Easterners demanding for the same confederation due to man’s inhumanities to man, which later culminated into a civil war. In 1993, the Westerners called for this confederation because of the annulment of June 12 1993 election won by their kinsman, Chief M.K.O Abiola. What this paper war of the Yoruba-nation could accrue was Obasanjo presidency. Even at this, many Yorubas never regard Obasanjo presidency as atonement for this “sin” as only restructuring of Nigeria is still seen as the best atonement. Between 1993 and now, well meaning Nigerians have added their voices to the call for true federalism. Pa Anthony Enahoro and his PRONACO want the 1999 constitution set aside and the promulgation of the new constitution prepared by the representatives of every section of Nigeria arguing that the 1999 constitution is Military made. Asari Dokubo and virtually all the Niger Delta people want total control of their resources. Chief Barrister Ralph Uwazuruike, MASSOB and indeed Ndi Igbo want Biafra. Even during the military Coup d’etat of April 22, 1990, five former states in the far North were excised from Nigeria. The Obasanjo Administration’s National Political Reform Conference, which could have addressed these problems, was deadlocked. If Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Herbert Macauley, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Tafawa Balewa and Aminu Kano were to be alive today, they would support the vox populi since their vision for “one Nigeria” is now derailed. Oil money is now the focus. Things have fallen apart, the centre does no longer hold. It is shameful that Nigerians who so much cause the “conscience war on one Nigeria” are the ones who reject Sovereign National Conference. However, whether it is the melon that falls on the knife or the knife that falls on the melon, it is the melon that will suffer.
If not the boldness of some Senators, Obasanjo had wanted to continue as President via the “blanket amendment” of the constitution. In the thinking of Obasanjo, if Ndi Igbo hear of a sixth or seventh state, they will support without reasoning. When the South-South Niger Delta people hear of the exclusion of Abia and Imo States from the short-lived Obasanjos coastal states, they will drum their support. When the Northern minorities hear of their rescue from the Hausa-Fulani oligarchy/domination by rotational presidency in the proposed constitution, they will succumb to the snare. All of a sudden, truth and conscience over-ruled the N50M motivation to each Senator for the project. As a punishment to the Senators, their re-election bids were truncated and frustrated besides inflicting Nigerians with the burden of last minute fuel-price increment, sales of Egbin Power Station, Privatization of Kaduna and Port Harcourt Refineries etc. Perhaps Obasanjo does not know that privatization also means building more refineries to galvinize competition. Thank God the Servant-Leader reversed those hotchpotch malice of Obasanjo.
Who would have thought that Obasanjo would dream of accepting the presidency in 1999 judging by what he was alleged to have told one ex-Head of State; what he forgot in the Government House as to want to be there again. Today, Obasanjo has gone ahead to become the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the ruling party so as to remain relevant. Even though they are ex-Heads of States, can Nelson Mandela, Kenneth Kaunda, Julius Nyerere, Jerry Rawlings do what Obasanjo has done? Presidents George Bush, Jummy Carter, William Jefferson Clinton, ex-Prime Ministers Magreth Thatcher, John Major, Tony Blair are all alive. Chief Emeka Anyaoku and Kofi Annan are typical examples. What role do they now play? Chairman BOT? Nunquam (never). It is only in Nigeria where there is no shame that an ex-President will still struggle for higher office in a party to enable him “deal ruthlessly” with his perceived enemies instead of going into quiet retirement or preparing for death.
Chief Emeka Anyaoku prophesied, “Nigeria will break without a national conference”. Though it is quite hard for a cock to crow in another’s pen, one time British High Commissioner in Nigeria, Sir Philip Thomas, advocated for restructuring of Nigeria. The fear of the Northerners that Sovereign National Conference may result in the disintegration of Nigeria is unfounded and suggests nothing but guilty conscience. Michael Dumumpart once said, “one who fears suffering is already suffering from what he fears”. Julius Ceaser in his sagacious admonition said, “If you want peace, prepare for war”. John Randolph on his part suggested, “The surest way to prevent war is not to fear it”. Confrontation does not bring solution to a problem but if the problem is confronted, the solution will be found. The fear of disintegration should be confronted and avoided via the Sovereign National Conference. Dr. K.O Mbadiwe once said, “When the come comes to become, we continue the continuous”. It is indeed after the Sovereign National Conference that Nigeria will come to become and then continue the continuous as a strong and virile nation rather than disintegrating. Sovereign National Conference will bring all tribes at par with one another. Do all tribes in Nigeria subscribe to the idea of using Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba on the naira? By the way, what does Naira mean? Currencies like Cedi, Rand, Euro, Pounds, Dollar, Shekel etc have background meanings. Who authorized the exclusion of tribe and religion from the data for National census and why? Is it not possible that the exclusion is just to cover the true population of various ethnic groups? How many Nigerians say their actual ages? Worse still how many workers in Nigeria have not altered their ages to enable them continue with their employment? The database of information on every citizen is the ID Card. Why is it not also for children in fact right from birth in Nigeria as in Europe in order to be holistic and thorough to forestall misinformation?
The Land Use Decree (Act) of 1978 needs to be repealed. The immunity for elected Chief Executive against criminal matters needs to be expunged from the constitution. The INEC Chairman ought to be elective as in South Africa. Who should appoint Election Tribunal members? Why must Nigeria remain a chronic boy always who like a foolish man always begins but a wise man continues. Malaysia collected some palm seedlings from Nigeria in the 70s but today Malaysia has overtaken Nigeria in Palm Oil production. Nigerian youths now queue up in Malaysia Embassy for visas to go to Malaysia to work in Palm plantations or Palm Oil Mills. South Africa Football Association (SAFA) came here to learn from our football administration in 1993; today the Football body is a mini-FIFA while Nigeria Football Association (NFA) is still a toddler. How many South African players have come here for professional career? Today, a coach is signed, tomorrow he leaves or is sacked. Match fixing, sellouts, bribing of referees, bad officiating arising from malice over a team or owners of the team characterize Nigerian football. Who would believe that National Team Technical Managers/Coaches are not appointed based on merit or ability but on politics of national spread or quota? Worse still, asking for money from players by these coaches before they are fielded in a match is their secunda natura. It is alleged that one Nigerian Coach who handled one of the National Teams once told one very good player who hesitated at his demand for money before his inclusion in the team for international engagement: - “Talent is not sold in a local market”. When will NFA and NFL stop being Obasanjo and Atiku worst still Isrealis and Arabs?
God, please tell the Servant-Leader, President Umaru Musa Yar ‘Adua that he should be “a man of himself and not a man of Obasanjo”. I do not believe those who tell me they love me but I believe those who show me they love me. Pope John Paul II lived exemplary life to buttress his sobriquet, Servant of the Servants of God”. God please tell the Servant-Leader to show Nigerians that as a Servant-Leader, he is in Aso Rock to do the wish of Nigerians. Secondly, that Nigeria like the crooked tree of humanity, which cannot be reformed unless it is transformed, desperately needs Sovereign National Conference as a conditio- sine-qua-non for her survival. God please tell Yar ‘Adua that South East needs additional states to be at par with other sections of Nigeria, that Nigeria needs to be a true Federal State with new constitution. While Nigerians were still bemoaning the results of the 2003 elections, as they did not reflect the voting, there were no elections in 2007 yet results were declared. God please tell the Servant-Leader that it is morally wrong and hypocrisy for students to be scolded or prosecuted for examination malpractices while election malpractices are nurtured, hallowed, adorned and managed via Accord, Alliance or Unity Government. God please make the Servant-Leader realize that only the truth will set Nigerians free. Everyday students receive the bashing for being cult-members whereas members of the political class queue-up for initiations into the secret societies. Why should kettle call pot black? Is it not the same teeth that the dog uses to bite that it also uses to play? Six and half a dozen are the same and therefore deserve the same condemnation. God please tell Yar ‘Adua that Nigeria needs restructuring for hypocrisy is reigning supreme here. God please tell Yar ‘Adua and State Governors that Mission Schools, should be returned to the owners for proper training of children. God please make Yar ‘Adua know that Nigerians are dying of hunger resulting in prostitution, armed robbery, armed gansterism, cultism, child-slavery, ritualism among others. Is it not making jest of God’s natural endowment for Nigeria to be the 7th largest oil producing country and the 13th poorest nation on earth?
God please tell Yar ‘Adua that Nigeria Military is for external aggression and not for internal crises while police not for election rigging. Policemen in mufti should be barred from carrying arms to differentiate them from armed robbers. The slogan; Bail is free in our police stations, is a blatant lie. Chaplains of religious bodies are highly needed by the police force for moral rescue. Nigerians above the age of 45 deserve to own guns. Religious bodies should be granted licenses to own Radio and Television stations at least to help reduce unemployment. If print media owned by these bodies do not abuse their licenses, their Radio and Television stations will not operate below standard. But then where they do, the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) will have something to do. The tertiary institutions owned by the religious organizations are in fact on the class of their own.
Finally, that Nigeria needs restructuring is stating the obvious. There is a slogan in management, “pay peanut for salaries and get monkeys for workers”. The prices of coming together as one Nigeria without formal agreement or terms include war, man’s inhumanities to man, Military Coup d’et al and other myriads of intractable problems. The original 13 English colonies agreed to unite and form what we know today as United States of America. Other colonies like Florida and Alaska were purchased from their colonial masters at the price of US$5,000,000.00 and US$7,200,000.00 respectively while Texas; an independent state was annexed in 1845 as the 28th state of the United State of course under agreement. In Nigerian situation, Sovereign National Conference will serve as the take off point for a new Nigeria. Lord Fredrik Luggard’s amalgamation of January 1, 1914 was like a “Forced Labour” or Conscription.
To every Goliath, there is a David. To every Pharaoh, there is a Red Sea. To every Saddam Hussein, there is George W.Bush. To Abacha Civilian President transmutation ambition, there was God’s intervention. To Obasanjo’s Third Tenure ambition, there was Nigerian Senate. Summarily put, to every problem, there is a solution. God please tell Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar ‘Adua that one-Nigeria and Constitution not emerging from the vox-populi-Soverign National Conference-as things stand tantamount to (Bene cucurit sed preter viam) running a good race out of the track. A child who refuses to eat the words of advice lives to eat regret as his food.
Mr. Ezennaya writes for the World Igbo Times Magazine, London.
By Sixtus Chibueze Ezennaya.
Edmund Burke once said, “Society is indeed a contract… it becomes a partnership not only between those who are living, but between those who are living, those who are dead and those who are to be born. Who has not added his voice in the frantic effort to move Nigerian Society forward? The blind, dumb, lame, sick, educated, illiterates, sane, insane etc. Virtually everybody has contributed one or the other idea to prevent Nigeria from collapsing. But as a sick-child destined to die would ask his parents to make a bow with a pestle for him as condition for his survival so has the unco-operative attitudes of various Nigerian leaders to these pieces of advice suggested. People who want to understand democracy should spend less time in the library with Aristotle and more time on buses and in the subway advocated Simeon Strunsky. If Nigerian leaders want to administer Nigeria better, opinions and feelings of Nigerians should be sought, harkened unto and implemented. In the same way if Government of Nigeria wants Nigerians to know, trust and believe in Nigeria, the “Big Masquerade” called Nigeria should be unmasked for Nigerians to see and know those in the mask otherwise the fear and suspicion created by the camouflage of the present status quo will never cease.
What system of Government is in practice in Nigeria: Federalism, Confederation etc? How many tribes make up Nigeria? Are Nigeriens, Togolese, Chadians, Camerounians also Nigerians? Is Nigeria still a Secular State? What is the constitutional duty of the members of the Civil Defence Corps? Why must there be two Ports Authorities; the Western and Delta Ports-in Nigeria when Railway, NNPC, PHCN, Presidency, etc have one unit of command? The victory of Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State in the Supreme Court has exposed the hiatuses and flaws in the 1999 constitution. At the present status quo (PDP rigging/selection strategy), the turn of Ijaws to rule Nigeria is 2015, Ndi Igbo-2031, Yoruba-nation-2047. When will a man from Urhobo, Igala, Bini, Ibibio, Idoma, Jukum, Itsekiri, Ogoni, Kalabari, Zango-Kataf, Ikwere and other ethnic groups rule Nigeria? Or are they not eligible to be Presidents of Nigeria? As it is being blindly quoted that Nigeria has over 200 ethnic groups, perhaps in year 6000 or 7000. “They who have the power of preventing lamentable events and knowing what is taking place, refuse to exercise that power are responsible for what happens-Lord Salisbury.
Nigeria seems to be degenerating from bad to worse. Peace does not mean the absence of war or physical combat. The conscience–war is the greatest of all wars. Internal crises, insecurity, child-slavery, brain-drain, cultism, hunger, kidnapping armed robbery, youth restiveness, prostitution, unemployment, corruption, poor image of the country are components of conscious war. On two different occasions during Obasanjo’s regime have Transparency International rated Nigeria the no. 1 & 2 most corrupt nation on earth. At a time, report of the NGO rated Nigeria ex-military Head of State, Sani Abacha, as the 4th most corrupt ruler in the world with a stolen sum of between $5 and $6 billion in his bank account. A rating of one NGO in May 2007 presented Nigeria as occupying the 117th position out of 119 countries sampled for the most peaceful or trouble-free country placement. In other words, Nigeria is the third most unpeaceful or troublesome country in the world. Nigeria has held the record of producing the greatest number of non-graduate Heads of State since independence. Nigerians are known to have constituted the greatest migrants from Africa to Europe or USA. In the concourse of Presidents, Heads of States or Governments, Nigerian rulers are many times the ugliest. Even within Nigeria, the police are rated as the most corrupt seconded by the PHCN (Electricity Corporation). The multinational Oil Companies, Customs and Excise, FIRS, JAMB, INEC, Nigeria Railways, Tertiary Institutions and Political Office Holders should not clap their hands for they did not escape the hammer or unmentioned.
Which tribe is the most corrupt, most hated, most diligent, laziest, most backwards, most underutilized, most marginalized and most lawful? Which tribe constitutes the greatest number of drug peddlers who smear Nigeria with the tar of “Drug country”? Which ethnic groups or tribes play the roles of monkey and baboon in the saying, “Monkey de work, baboon de chop”? Nigerians sometime ago in a survey conducted by BBC were described as the happiest in the world. Could it be true that half of Nigerian adult population is hypertensive? Who said Fela Anikulapo Kitti was not prophetic in his music album: “Suffering and smiling”? Indeed Nigeria is the metaphorical elephant described from each one’s perception by the seven blind men who felt it by touching. All these descriptions are not far from the truth. Nigeria is what it is today because of one thing: - IT HAD AB INITIO NO SOLID CONTRACTUAL BEGINNING hence no Nigerian sees Nigeria as one’s country. That is why a president would ban the importation of many items in this country and allowed the same contraband goods from a neighbouring country on proviso that 500 Frances per vehicle carrying these camouflaged goods is allegedly paid into his private account in the neighbouring country. Everyday over five hundred vehicles pass through this route. When a policeman becomes a robber, who will guard and protect the people? When gold rust, what will become of iron? When the best becomes corrupt, one becomes the most corrupt so said St. Augustine of Hippo.
In 1947, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, as a schoolteacher, called for separate countries of North and South on account of religious differences among others. In 1957, the Northerners wanted a confederal state or regional government autonomy for fear of marginalization due to inequalities in brain, academic and infrastructural development then. The year 1967 saw the Easterners demanding for the same confederation due to man’s inhumanities to man, which later culminated into a civil war. In 1993, the Westerners called for this confederation because of the annulment of June 12 1993 election won by their kinsman, Chief M.K.O Abiola. What this paper war of the Yoruba-nation could accrue was Obasanjo presidency. Even at this, many Yorubas never regard Obasanjo presidency as atonement for this “sin” as only restructuring of Nigeria is still seen as the best atonement. Between 1993 and now, well meaning Nigerians have added their voices to the call for true federalism. Pa Anthony Enahoro and his PRONACO want the 1999 constitution set aside and the promulgation of the new constitution prepared by the representatives of every section of Nigeria arguing that the 1999 constitution is Military made. Asari Dokubo and virtually all the Niger Delta people want total control of their resources. Chief Barrister Ralph Uwazuruike, MASSOB and indeed Ndi Igbo want Biafra. Even during the military Coup d’etat of April 22, 1990, five former states in the far North were excised from Nigeria. The Obasanjo Administration’s National Political Reform Conference, which could have addressed these problems, was deadlocked. If Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Herbert Macauley, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Tafawa Balewa and Aminu Kano were to be alive today, they would support the vox populi since their vision for “one Nigeria” is now derailed. Oil money is now the focus. Things have fallen apart, the centre does no longer hold. It is shameful that Nigerians who so much cause the “conscience war on one Nigeria” are the ones who reject Sovereign National Conference. However, whether it is the melon that falls on the knife or the knife that falls on the melon, it is the melon that will suffer.
If not the boldness of some Senators, Obasanjo had wanted to continue as President via the “blanket amendment” of the constitution. In the thinking of Obasanjo, if Ndi Igbo hear of a sixth or seventh state, they will support without reasoning. When the South-South Niger Delta people hear of the exclusion of Abia and Imo States from the short-lived Obasanjos coastal states, they will drum their support. When the Northern minorities hear of their rescue from the Hausa-Fulani oligarchy/domination by rotational presidency in the proposed constitution, they will succumb to the snare. All of a sudden, truth and conscience over-ruled the N50M motivation to each Senator for the project. As a punishment to the Senators, their re-election bids were truncated and frustrated besides inflicting Nigerians with the burden of last minute fuel-price increment, sales of Egbin Power Station, Privatization of Kaduna and Port Harcourt Refineries etc. Perhaps Obasanjo does not know that privatization also means building more refineries to galvinize competition. Thank God the Servant-Leader reversed those hotchpotch malice of Obasanjo.
Who would have thought that Obasanjo would dream of accepting the presidency in 1999 judging by what he was alleged to have told one ex-Head of State; what he forgot in the Government House as to want to be there again. Today, Obasanjo has gone ahead to become the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the ruling party so as to remain relevant. Even though they are ex-Heads of States, can Nelson Mandela, Kenneth Kaunda, Julius Nyerere, Jerry Rawlings do what Obasanjo has done? Presidents George Bush, Jummy Carter, William Jefferson Clinton, ex-Prime Ministers Magreth Thatcher, John Major, Tony Blair are all alive. Chief Emeka Anyaoku and Kofi Annan are typical examples. What role do they now play? Chairman BOT? Nunquam (never). It is only in Nigeria where there is no shame that an ex-President will still struggle for higher office in a party to enable him “deal ruthlessly” with his perceived enemies instead of going into quiet retirement or preparing for death.
Chief Emeka Anyaoku prophesied, “Nigeria will break without a national conference”. Though it is quite hard for a cock to crow in another’s pen, one time British High Commissioner in Nigeria, Sir Philip Thomas, advocated for restructuring of Nigeria. The fear of the Northerners that Sovereign National Conference may result in the disintegration of Nigeria is unfounded and suggests nothing but guilty conscience. Michael Dumumpart once said, “one who fears suffering is already suffering from what he fears”. Julius Ceaser in his sagacious admonition said, “If you want peace, prepare for war”. John Randolph on his part suggested, “The surest way to prevent war is not to fear it”. Confrontation does not bring solution to a problem but if the problem is confronted, the solution will be found. The fear of disintegration should be confronted and avoided via the Sovereign National Conference. Dr. K.O Mbadiwe once said, “When the come comes to become, we continue the continuous”. It is indeed after the Sovereign National Conference that Nigeria will come to become and then continue the continuous as a strong and virile nation rather than disintegrating. Sovereign National Conference will bring all tribes at par with one another. Do all tribes in Nigeria subscribe to the idea of using Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba on the naira? By the way, what does Naira mean? Currencies like Cedi, Rand, Euro, Pounds, Dollar, Shekel etc have background meanings. Who authorized the exclusion of tribe and religion from the data for National census and why? Is it not possible that the exclusion is just to cover the true population of various ethnic groups? How many Nigerians say their actual ages? Worse still how many workers in Nigeria have not altered their ages to enable them continue with their employment? The database of information on every citizen is the ID Card. Why is it not also for children in fact right from birth in Nigeria as in Europe in order to be holistic and thorough to forestall misinformation?
The Land Use Decree (Act) of 1978 needs to be repealed. The immunity for elected Chief Executive against criminal matters needs to be expunged from the constitution. The INEC Chairman ought to be elective as in South Africa. Who should appoint Election Tribunal members? Why must Nigeria remain a chronic boy always who like a foolish man always begins but a wise man continues. Malaysia collected some palm seedlings from Nigeria in the 70s but today Malaysia has overtaken Nigeria in Palm Oil production. Nigerian youths now queue up in Malaysia Embassy for visas to go to Malaysia to work in Palm plantations or Palm Oil Mills. South Africa Football Association (SAFA) came here to learn from our football administration in 1993; today the Football body is a mini-FIFA while Nigeria Football Association (NFA) is still a toddler. How many South African players have come here for professional career? Today, a coach is signed, tomorrow he leaves or is sacked. Match fixing, sellouts, bribing of referees, bad officiating arising from malice over a team or owners of the team characterize Nigerian football. Who would believe that National Team Technical Managers/Coaches are not appointed based on merit or ability but on politics of national spread or quota? Worse still, asking for money from players by these coaches before they are fielded in a match is their secunda natura. It is alleged that one Nigerian Coach who handled one of the National Teams once told one very good player who hesitated at his demand for money before his inclusion in the team for international engagement: - “Talent is not sold in a local market”. When will NFA and NFL stop being Obasanjo and Atiku worst still Isrealis and Arabs?
God, please tell the Servant-Leader, President Umaru Musa Yar ‘Adua that he should be “a man of himself and not a man of Obasanjo”. I do not believe those who tell me they love me but I believe those who show me they love me. Pope John Paul II lived exemplary life to buttress his sobriquet, Servant of the Servants of God”. God please tell the Servant-Leader to show Nigerians that as a Servant-Leader, he is in Aso Rock to do the wish of Nigerians. Secondly, that Nigeria like the crooked tree of humanity, which cannot be reformed unless it is transformed, desperately needs Sovereign National Conference as a conditio- sine-qua-non for her survival. God please tell Yar ‘Adua that South East needs additional states to be at par with other sections of Nigeria, that Nigeria needs to be a true Federal State with new constitution. While Nigerians were still bemoaning the results of the 2003 elections, as they did not reflect the voting, there were no elections in 2007 yet results were declared. God please tell the Servant-Leader that it is morally wrong and hypocrisy for students to be scolded or prosecuted for examination malpractices while election malpractices are nurtured, hallowed, adorned and managed via Accord, Alliance or Unity Government. God please make the Servant-Leader realize that only the truth will set Nigerians free. Everyday students receive the bashing for being cult-members whereas members of the political class queue-up for initiations into the secret societies. Why should kettle call pot black? Is it not the same teeth that the dog uses to bite that it also uses to play? Six and half a dozen are the same and therefore deserve the same condemnation. God please tell Yar ‘Adua that Nigeria needs restructuring for hypocrisy is reigning supreme here. God please tell Yar ‘Adua and State Governors that Mission Schools, should be returned to the owners for proper training of children. God please make Yar ‘Adua know that Nigerians are dying of hunger resulting in prostitution, armed robbery, armed gansterism, cultism, child-slavery, ritualism among others. Is it not making jest of God’s natural endowment for Nigeria to be the 7th largest oil producing country and the 13th poorest nation on earth?
God please tell Yar ‘Adua that Nigeria Military is for external aggression and not for internal crises while police not for election rigging. Policemen in mufti should be barred from carrying arms to differentiate them from armed robbers. The slogan; Bail is free in our police stations, is a blatant lie. Chaplains of religious bodies are highly needed by the police force for moral rescue. Nigerians above the age of 45 deserve to own guns. Religious bodies should be granted licenses to own Radio and Television stations at least to help reduce unemployment. If print media owned by these bodies do not abuse their licenses, their Radio and Television stations will not operate below standard. But then where they do, the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) will have something to do. The tertiary institutions owned by the religious organizations are in fact on the class of their own.
Finally, that Nigeria needs restructuring is stating the obvious. There is a slogan in management, “pay peanut for salaries and get monkeys for workers”. The prices of coming together as one Nigeria without formal agreement or terms include war, man’s inhumanities to man, Military Coup d’et al and other myriads of intractable problems. The original 13 English colonies agreed to unite and form what we know today as United States of America. Other colonies like Florida and Alaska were purchased from their colonial masters at the price of US$5,000,000.00 and US$7,200,000.00 respectively while Texas; an independent state was annexed in 1845 as the 28th state of the United State of course under agreement. In Nigerian situation, Sovereign National Conference will serve as the take off point for a new Nigeria. Lord Fredrik Luggard’s amalgamation of January 1, 1914 was like a “Forced Labour” or Conscription.
To every Goliath, there is a David. To every Pharaoh, there is a Red Sea. To every Saddam Hussein, there is George W.Bush. To Abacha Civilian President transmutation ambition, there was God’s intervention. To Obasanjo’s Third Tenure ambition, there was Nigerian Senate. Summarily put, to every problem, there is a solution. God please tell Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar ‘Adua that one-Nigeria and Constitution not emerging from the vox-populi-Soverign National Conference-as things stand tantamount to (Bene cucurit sed preter viam) running a good race out of the track. A child who refuses to eat the words of advice lives to eat regret as his food.
Mr. Ezennaya writes for the World Igbo Times Magazine, London.
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