THE HATCHET AND THE HOLDERS. LET IHEDIOHA BE! ~ IKE C. IBE

On May 29th majority of Imo people heaved a sigh of relief. They welcomed a new government and said ‘old things shall pass away”. Governor Emeka Ihedioha has taken off on a systematic journey. A strong professional cabinet is in place. Several adhoc committees have done great jobs. The train of a purposeful government has rolled off the station. Any responsible government will look at certain aspects of the past government and see how and why things went wrong. Ihedioha has called and addressed a stakeholders forum of all segments of IMO people. He has talked about what he met on ground and we all heard. Following election promises and general yearnings, two extremely critical committees have been set up judicially by his government to look at lands issues and contracting practices of past governments. It would have been a travesty of justice if these commissions of inquiry were not set up. Every concerned citizen should go to these commissions. The commissions must be swift and firm. Quick and just. No innocent person should be afraid and no guilty person should be spared.

Men and women with writing prowess are all over the place. The good, the bad and the ugly. We are inundated everyday by literary crossfires. Everyone should now stop talking about the past government and focus on genuinely helping the new government . The commissions, the EFCC and the courts are now talking about the past. Our role now as citizens should be to find the deck and put our hands on it to ensure that Ihedioha runs a government that will wipe the people’s tears. Let’s stop talking about the past. It is very painful and very traumatic. It’s like holding sad memorial services everyday reliving the sadness of yesterday. The future is more important than the past. Ihedioha is the present and the future. Okorocha is past and history. His history has just begun. He wrote it himself. Grandstanding does not change any history. History is made and written only when you were the present and by your actions. The present is now in someone else’s hands. Let’s all forget hatchets and the holders. I’m only interested in the judgement of that history. We saw it everyday. We live here. We still live here. The Augean stable is bleeding. The state is weeping. May God help us all and stop us from distracting Ihedioha with our mouths and keyboards. The commissions and the courts will talk to us. They should talk sooner than later.

Ike C. Ibe

IKE EKWEREMADU CHIEF CONSPIRATOR OF PYTHON DANCE IN SE

Aiden Dillion 
Ekweremadu is the chief instigator of Operation Python Dance. Even when Aso Rock was reluctant to launch the attack, it was Ekweremadu, the Zaria born Joe Nwaorgu former Ohaneze Ndigbo Secretary, Nnia Nwodo and Arthur Nwankwo that pleaded with Abba Kiyari to launch the attack.
They assured Aso Rock that Igbo traditional rulers and senior clergy will support the Nigerian Army which was exactly what happened. Archbishop Chukwuma of Anglican church was a prime mover too.

 On the 15th of September 2017, compromised Igbo men gathered at Nike Lake Resort at the request of the governors. The meeting was to give their official endorsement of Operation Python Dance and to condemn IPOB leadership.
If not for the likes of Archbishop Anikwenwa and a four other traditional rulers, the motion to condemn IPOB would have carried the day. In the end they settled for a compromise.

Ask yourself why is it that Igbo Leaders never condemned Operation Python Dance? Every traditional ruler and senior clergy that attended Nike Lake Resort meeting to bury IPOB received nothing less than paltry 500K. These are verifiable facts. If Ekweremadu swear an oath that he knows nothing about Python Dance he will die on the spot.

Don't take my word for it, ask Ike Nwachukwu, Guy Ikokwu, Ndubuisi Kanu, Prof. Amucheazi, Archbishop Chukwuma, Arthur Nwankwo and they will confirm what I've said here.

Nnamdi Kanu Blows Hot, Lists Politicians To be Attacked.

The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafar IPOB has putted on his gloves as he reacts to the resent attack on former deputy Senate President  Senator Ike Ekweremadu.
He made hot statements charging IPOB members to look out for politicians.

Below are major highlights from his 18th / 8/ 2019.  

"The people that Bail me out of zoo prison are IPOB not any politician. Did I commit any crime?".

" Enugu state police paraded Ibrahim Adamu and idris from Taraba state as one of those who kidnapped a traditional ruler and the murder of Rev father Paul otu. But Nnia Nwodo open his mouth to turn this police report against his own people. You ask why we did what we did in Germany Nuremberg. Here is why we did that".

" I was in Nuremberg Germany and I warned you people not to come to Germany but you play deef, Fulani herdsmen are killing our people and none of you said anything, Fulani army are killing our people everyday and collecting money from our people on the road.
Many of our youth was dragged out of their house and shoot dead and you did nothing".

“Nwodo's father was a traitor, and he was groomed as a traitor”

 Joe Igbokwe
Rochas Okorocha
Orji Uzor Kalu
Chris Ngige
T.A Orji
Dave Umahi
and all other useless Igbo so-called leaders,
Your canes are currentl  Joe Igbokwe

Rochas Okorocha

Orji Uzor Kalu

Chris Ngige

T.A Orji

Dave Umahi

and all other useless Igbo so-called leaders,

Your canes are currently soaked in peppery water. y soaked in peppery water.
"Goodluck Jonathan voted money for Enugu to Igweocha expressway and Enugu to Onitsha expressway but Ike Ekweremadu embezzled that money and you ask why we did what we did".

"Anyone Who Will Provide Any Reliable Information About Any Country Our Corrupt Politicians Will Be Traveling To, Will Be Awarded One Million Naira (1,000,000).
"Give IPOB Accurate Information On Their Whereabouts In The Country They Will Be Staying And Collect Your One Million Naira (N1, 000, 000). Give Us Correct Travel Information On People Like David Umahi, Okezie Ikpeazu, Nnia Nwodo, Buratai, Willie Obiano And Many Others. And Get Your One Million Naira (N1, 000, 000).

 “There will be no single escape for any single one of them, because we've lost men”

"We Hear People Like David Umahi And Co Making Mouth That We Can't Touch Them.

"If IPOB Catch People Like David Umahi, Okezie Ikpeazu, Nnia Nwodo, Buratai, Jubril Outside Nigeria, What Happened With Ekweremmadu Will Look Like Childs Play. You Will See The True Meaning Of Anger".

IHEDIOHA’S TEAM-THEIR EYES AND THEIR SERVICE! ~ IKE C. IBE

When I write, I do not seek relevance and I do not seek opportunities. I write because I’m relevant and have opportunity to write. When I penned my article last week titled ‘Ihedioha and the burden of history’ I didn’t know it will go extremely viral as it did. There is no blog I know of that has not republished it including some newspapers. It’s been shared on social media platforms by hundreds of handles. I’m glad people appreciated the candor in the article and it excited people inside and outside government.

My focus today is on political appointees directly. The success of any government depends largely on how the appointees behave. More often than not in our society, many appointees see themselves as daily companions of Governor or president or their appointer. A commissioner or Adviser or Assistant is employed to do all they can to generate ideas and programs to ease the Governor’s burden of administration. Sometimes appointees get lost in the trappings of office and loose focus and direction. Many appointees think they are paid to follow the governor or president around everywhere he goes. They struggle to get a seat as close as possible to the Governor or president at public events. There are people who are paid professionally to follow the governor or president 24 hours like his personal and protocol aides, security details, the media people etc. There are enough of them so the governor won’t be lonely in public events. Political appointees are paid to sit in their offices and do the actual government work. They are also paid to be out and about creating and supervising work of their departments hands on. They only follow the governor out when a specific program or project related to his or her ministry or department is being visited or inspected by the governor where their inputs will be needed.

By appointing you and swearing you in, the governor knows you already. All you need to do to get closer or relevant to the governor is by excelling in your assignment, not going everyday to ask the governor what to do but by creating ideas and initiating programs and projects that endear you to the governor and helping him to lead well.

Quite frankly, among the first set of appointees of Governor Ihedioha, I’ve noticed quite a number of them very visible and committed in their assignments and doing exactly what is expected of their positions. Alex Emeziem of Entraco and Emeka Okpokoro in Waste Management. Eze Ugochuwu in public enlightenment, Ogu Bundu in research, Abba Chimaroke in ICT, Estella Mbadiwe in health, AIC Akwaradu all over the new media, Rex Okoro in youth programs etc. I see these appointees trying to make their mark already in a terribly depressed and traumatized society not caring whether the governor is watching or not. But I believe he is seeing their activities.

The other cadre of appointees (Commissioners) have just started work and it’s too early to notice them. But I’m glad that I’ve seen some of them already out there on the beat. I’ve seen BEN Ekwueme inspecting the terrible roads, Chuma Nnaji at water installations, Vin Udokwu motivating staff at the teaching hospital etc.

We hope to keep seeing all the 17 Commissioners (Attorney General is more of office) and all advisers and assistants more at sites all over Imo state than at the side of the governor. Of course, I give kudos to SGI Uche Onyeagucha, COS Chris Okewulonu and CTA Paschal Madu, all accomplished lawyers for helping the governor maintain a steady ship so far. From my investigations, I think Ihedioha has a Deputy, Gerald Irona, who is hands on and providing the much desired balancing effect for effective governance. An effective Deputy Governor is sine qua non to efficient administration of a state. The biggest disservice to the governor is if any of the team members pretend and dance surugede music around the Governor all the time. You must always let him know when things are going wrong or right and owe him truthful advice all the time.  The stakes are high, the road is long, the work is tough and the times are rough.

All said and done, we have a long way ahead of development in Imo. Any government that parades only appointees that dwell more on eye service does not succeed. For all members of Ihedioha team who have all been noted as competent square pegs, IMO people and the governor are more interested in your SERVICE than your EYES. The success of Ihedioha and his team will be the joy of all of us. Our EYES are watching your SERVICE.
God’s speed to all of you.

Ike C. Ibe
Syndicated Columnist
Ikeibe2@yahoo.com

They Detained Us Again In Indian ~ El-Zakzaky Speaks From India

Leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, has alleged that the condition at the Indian hospital where he and his wife, Zeenat were taken to, is worse than that of Nigeria.
According to him, they were only brought to another detention facility and they do not feel safe there.

This was confirmed by the spokesperson of the IMN, Ibrahim Musa, who said the group had received an audio message from El-zakzaky in which he told them of the “terrible condition” they had been subjected to in India.

Full transcript below.

We are now here in New Delhi, India. As you all know there was an arrangement for us to come here to seek medical care regarding the ailments that we have, myself and Malama Zeenah.

She, Malama Zeenah has a full bullet lodged in her body(that needs to be removed), also she is in need of a knee replacement surgery in addition to other problems. As for me, there are shrapnel, very small fragments in my eyes, in my hands and some in my right thigh that were slowly releasing toxins into my system which caused a lot of complications, which we later discovered that they were the caused of the mini-strokes I have had, both the first and the second time. So we were thinking the first thing to be done is to remove the shrapnel, which is a procedure that couldn’t be done at home and the doctors suggested that we should go abroad where it will be possible for the procedure to be done.
Then the second thing would be to clean my body of the toxins, which I was told are deposited in the bones and some in the flesh and this normally takes time to be done.

I also have a problem with my eye which the doctors that attended to us since after I had a second operation and my sight weakened, suggested that I should be taken to better facilities to have it tended to.
After all this, we were all happy that we are in Delhi and we would be going to a suitable hospital to receive appropriate treatment. In addition, the doctors that came to visit us when we were in Nigeria advised us to come to this hospital called Medanta. That is why we requested to be brought to this hospital.

So before we left Nigeria we heard the news that the American embassy here in India was pressuring the hospital not to admit us when we arrive. And that the hospital had agreed to refuse admitting us. So we were considering going somewhere else when we arrive. But we were later informed that the problem had been sorted out and we would be admitted to the hospital. So we set out from Nigeria.

As soon as we arrived here, we were met with some hospital staff at the airport that escorted us to the hospital.
Since we were in the ambulance they informed that there were a lot of people at the airport waiting to see us even if just when we are boarding the ambulance. But they have evaded them and distracted them by placing two ambulances at that exit claiming we will be boarding those but they decided to bring a different ambulance and leave through a different route so the people at the airport didn’t even get a glimpse.

And they also said that there was a lot of people at the hospital entrance to see us arrive. But they informed us that if we arrive we will be taken in through a back entrance. They said they did this due to the high number of people, they were concerned that in people’s attempt to reach us in the crowd some harm can be done to us, that’s what they said.

After we arrived we realized that in this hospital, or better yet someone working in the Nigerian embassy here told us that before we came, they had carried out a meeting with the hospital staff, the workers from the Nigerian embassy and some security operatives on how to go about things once we are here.

So we saw that we were practically brought to another detention facility which is even stricter than the one we were in back in Nigeria. They came here with police armed with guns and a lot of staff from the Nigerian embassy. And we also noticed we were brought into another detention that we only came based on trust.

Even in Nigeria, they agreed where we were detained that we would be treated only by the doctors we choose and are comfortable with allowing to treat us. But here we understand that the doctors that advised us to come here are blocked from having any say in our case. They even told us when we spoke to them, they are only allowed to advise but the hospital reserves the right to decide the course of our treatment. So I told them that, we came here based on the trust we have in our doctors, we cannot just see any doctor that we don’t know, or trust to treat us.
And without recommendation from those we do trust, we cannot allow a stranger to treat us, lest not what couldn’t be done with bullets be carried out in a different way.
Due to this, we think that based on everything we have seen so far indicates to us that we are not safe here. We were just brought to another detention.

I have been detained now for a collective total of about 13 years but I have never seen a detention like the one I am in now.
Even at the door, they have placed armed police. Even between one room to the next we are not allowed to move. Then I see that even where we were, and of all the times I have been imprisoned in Nigeria, I have not seen anything like this. When I was in an actual prison They used to lock us up around 9:00 pm and open the doors at 7:00 am, and we could move about where ever we wish within the prison facility we were detained in.

I see here that even when I was in kirikiri prison it wasn’t as constricting as in this situation. So I feel that it is not reasonable to leave detention in order to seek medical help and we be placed in a different detention and on top of that, we be handed over to be treated by people we do not trust.

So, based on this we are thinking that Insha Allah by all apparent indications that there is a need for us to return home since we were allowed to travel abroad for medical care and India doesn’t appear to be a safe place for us. We would have to return home, afterall, there are other countries that offered to receive us if we could go there.

These countries include Malaysia, Indonesia and Turkey, we can convene to decide which one to go to and then go there Insha Allahul Adheem.

Indigenous Peoples’ Day: IPOB-CG, MOBIN, BHRI celebrates International Year of Indigenous Languages in Enugu

...As Emekesiri makes case for Igbo language to attain international status

By Chukwuemeka Chimerue - 

ENUGU— Every year, August 9th commemorates the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. It is celebrated all around the world and marks the date of the first meeting of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations of the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in 1982.

As the United Nations proclaimed 2019 as the International Year of Indigenous Languages, the Customary Government of the Indigenous People of Biafra, the Movement of Biafrans In Nigeria, MOBIN, and the Bilie Human Rights Initiative, BHRI, yesterday, came under one roof to commemorate the auspicious day in the coal city state of Enugu.

In his keynote address to mark the International Year of Indigenous Languages Day, Chairman of the pro-independence indigenous groups, Barrister Emeka John Chigozie Emekesiri noted that the aforementioned groups were registered in the United Nations as Indigenous Peoples Organization, IPO, regretting that the people have abandoned their language and culture to adopt that of the Europeans even as he pointed out that language is an essential element of people’s culture and tradition.

“We are one of the civil society organizations in the United Nations system. We are registered with the United Nations as Indigenous Peoples Organization (IPO) and have attained the ECOSOC status with three seats.

“With great pleasure we celebrate this Annual Event in which the United Nations accord respect to all indigenous languages in the world and encourages all people to develop and speak their native languages. 

“Language is an essential element of culture. It is undisputable that when a people lose their language they will eventually lose their culture. Similarly, as can be evidenced by our colonial experience, when a people impose their language on others, they introduce their culture to the others through their language. Today, we have imbibed foreign cultures from the Europeans and the Americans because of their languages imposed upon us.

“But can we really say that the colonial masters imposed their languages upon us? No, we cannot say that. Rather, it is fair to say that the colonial masters introduced their languages to us and we loved their languages more than our own native languages. Today, some of us in the Igbo Nation find it difficult to speak fluently in Igbo Language and prefer to communicate more in English Language. This trend must stop,” Emekesiri posited.

Taking a stroll down memory lane, the pro-Biafra activist blamed the nonchalant attitude towards Igbo language on his school days’ teachers who shunned or punished pupils for speaking their indigenous languages in schools, saying the attitude misled and destroyed their love for the Igbo language.

According to Emekesiri, “I remember in the early 60s and 70s when we were in the schools and were forbidden by our teachers to speak in Igbo Language in the classrooms!  Anyone speaking Igbo in the class was penalised and treated as a fool and unintelligent. With such mind-set, we grew up and taught our own children to speak English at home. So, right from our homes in the villages, our children grew up speaking English rather than Igbo Language. Those teachers in the 60s and 70s misled us and destroyed our love for the Igbo Language. 

“Fortunately, the United Nations want all the indigenous languages of the peoples to be revived. It is the responsibility of the owners of the language to develop their language to international standard. Today, there are two major international languages recognised by the United Nations, namely, English and French, for business contracts and diplomatic negotiations. Other countries are working hard to get their own languages into the mainstream of the league of international languages. The Chinese, the Germans, the Arabians, the Russians, etc, are working hard to export their languages to the whole world.”

He, however, said that the Igbo-speaking people are at an advantage to revive and elevate the Igbo language to an international status as they live in virtually all the countries of the world, adding that the change in psychology must begin with making their indigenous names as first names before the English name.

“The Igbo people are at a vantage position to make the Igbo Language an international language because the Ibos live in all parts of the world. It is our responsibility to develop the Igbo Language. You must have noticed that I use the words, “Igbo” and “Ibos”, in different context, one an adjective and the other a noun. In Chapter 4 of my book, “Biafra or Nigerian Presidency- What the Ibos Want”, I explained the etymology and etiology of the Igbo Language and would like to refer you to the work already done on that subject.

“We must start from the roots. We must start giving our children only Igbo Names as First Names to change the psychological imbalance and confusion created by our colonial masters who imposed Foreign Names on us as First Names. Today, in the Igbo Nation, it is common to find such names as Mr John Chukwuma Njoku, Mr Oliver Chikere Okonkwo, Mrs Rose Oluchi Dike, Miss Justina Ifeoma Igbokwe, etc, always having the foreign names as first names. I recommend this to change immediately so that the Igbo Names shall be the First Names even if you want to retain your foreign names. Those names should therefore be transposed as Mr Chukwuma John Njoku, Mr Chikere Oliver Okonkwo, Mrs Oluchi Rose Dike and Miss Ifeoma Justina Igbokwe, etc, putting the Igbo Names as First Names. This has some powerful psychological effects on our indigenous identity.

“We are glad to hear that some State Governments in the Igbo Nation have made the Igbo Language compulsory in their schools. This is commendable and we request all other Governments in our land to do the same. We are everywhere in the world and can make the Igbo Language an international language if we work hard.

“The Igbo Language is our Indigenous Language being celebrated today by the United Nations along with other indigenous languages in the world. I call upon Igbo scholars to establish more NGOs to champion the development of the Igbo Language to international standard. Yes, we can do it,” the chairman concluded.

EFCC Arrests Atiku’s Lawyer, Son-in-law

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commissionhas arrested two persons close to Nigerian opposition leader, Atiku Abubakar.

Uyi Giwa Osagie, a longtime legal adviser to Mr Abuakar, and Abdullahi Babalele, the former vice-president’s son in-law, were taken into custody on Thursday evening, according to multiple sources familiar with the development.

They were arrested after honouring an EFCC invitation in Lagos, sources said.
A spokesperson for the EFCC, Tony Orilade, told Primum Times  he needed additional time to give official comments about the arrest.

But our source learnt the commission was set to arraign Mr Giwa-Osagie for alleged money laundering.

The charges against Mr Giwa-Osagie are as follows:


COUNT 1

That you UYIEKPEN GlWA-OSAGIE and ERHUNSE GlWA-OSAGIE, sometimes in February, 2019 in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired to commit an offence to wit: making cash payment of the sum of $2,000,000.00 (Two Million United State Dollars) without going through financial institution which sum exceeded the amount authorized by Law and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a), and 1(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the same Act.

COUNT 2

That you UYIEKPEN GIWA-OSAGIE on or before the 12th day of February,2019 in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, procured ERHUNSE GIWAOSAGIE to make cash payment of the sum of $2,000,000.00 (Two Million United State Dollars) without going through financial institution, which sum exceeded the amount authorized by Law and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(c) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the same Act.

COUNT 3

That you ERHUNSE GlWA-OSAGIE sometimes in February, 2019 In Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court made the payment of the sum of $2,000,000.00 (Two Million United State Dollars) without going through financial institution, which sum exceeded the amount authorized by Law and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Sections 1(a). & 16(1).(d) of the Money Laundering(Prohibition) Act, 2011 (As Amended) and Punishable under section 16 of the Same Act.
It came about five months after Messrs Babalele and Giwa-Osagie were detained for several days while being questioned in a multi-million dollar money laundering probe.

He was reportedly arrested after a bureau de change operative allegedly identified him as the owner of $2 million found in its possession. The commission alleged the money was to be used for the 2019 elections.
The duo denied the allegations, and critics saw the probe as politically-motivated, especially as it came during the hotly-contested presidential election.

Source Primum Times