OPINION: Ibori’s Triumphant Entry, Nigerian Hypocrisy And Benue Conundrum

Ibori’s Triumphant Entry, Nigerian Hypocrisy And Benue Conundrum.
By Ati Terkula

Only penultimate week the national media was sopping with news of the release and subsequently, more drowning the news of his triumphant entry into Delta state where he was welcomed by thousands of state indigenes who thronged the streets right to his home in hordes singing chants of praise and glorious victory songs at a man whom they called their leader and hero.

James Onanafe Ibori was the Executive Governor of Delta state from 1999 to 2006 where as state marshal in-charge of its commonwealth, helped himself to the state’s largesse with reckless abandon. He was believed to have bankrolled the campaign of President Obasanjo’s successor, Late Umar Yar’ Adua and seemed to have believed in his invincibility until the administration started its war against corruption where he cried wolf tagging his investigation as politically motivated.

Then came the call of the British Authorities who accused him of committing similar crimes in their land, thus the invincible Ibori had to answer the accusations, though not without the accompanying customary Nigerian shenanigans. He went, faced the law, was sentenced, served the jail term(not minding his political status in Nigeria) and has been released from a Uk jail after six years, earning him a triumphant entry.

Today the same Ibori who looted 40 Billion Naira meant for building of Schools, Hospitals, Roads, salaries and other basic amenities; the same man who helped take Delta state back another twenty years became a celebrated a hero.

Even though fresh news is rife that the Economic and Finacial Crimes Comission (EFCC) is said to have prepared a fresh 170 – count charge against him, it is rather ironic that from pictures splashed everywhere in the media the Nigerian society has lost all moral values in the kind of rousing welcome accorded a man who looted the future of millions of Deltans born and unborn, with same poor and less privileged whose futures were lavished celebrating alongside a good number of law enforcement officers, whose job it is to track crime- what a shame! Celebrating with the man who caused their predicament. I bet these same people will go about lamenting how their government and that of Buhari has visited suffering upon them.

Today Benue state a microcosm of the Nigerian Nation, is in the same paradox. Only yesterday I read stories of how two prominent members of the patito’s gang styled clique were arrested in Enugu state by the EFCC for taking part in the financial rape of Benue state and were bailed. The same write up called for solidarity welcome for these who in sane and normal climes would have been banished and avoided by any morally sane person as if inflicted by the seven plagues of Egypt.

This is just one of such paradox. It is already a common sight to see the home of former Benue State governor, Gabriel Suswam turn into a Mecca of some sort whenever he is in town, as the poor and morally debased throng the house to pick stipends from him - monies that originally belong to them. This “would have been pariah” has become the toast of every burial in the state attending and making bogus speeches amidst spreading in sprinkles, the loot he grabbed from the state’s treasury. What a shame!

The hunt and quest for prosecution for the loot 107 billion of the poor civil servant state’s money is gradually drowning in the longing of the people for stipends and the celebration of pilfery by the robbed. A quest which should be a project for the poor who are hungry, sick and deprived because eight long years were spent pillaging the state’s wealth and setting it back to the dark ages, are instead selling their birthright like the biblical Esau for red porridge.

Nigerians and indeed Benue people shall remain in the same insensitive era of corruption and immoral acquisition of wealth as long as we slay our morality for crumbs from the king’s nay thief’s table and complaining shall remain our lot.

Ati Terkula writes from Makurdi

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Ati Terkula

http://atiterkula.com

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