BY REV FR GERALD
NWAFOR
In 1972 when Anezi Okoro wrote his book “One Week One Trouble,” little did we know that that record would be shattered today in our lifetime by the Nigerian state. A friend of mine who proofreads my work before publication told me that he would be tempted to say one hour one trouble given the situation of things in Nigeria now. He did not want to go back to 29th May 2023, when this new administration took over and fulfilled the only truth spoken by the epileptic administration of Buhari for 8 years.
The only truth from that administration of Buhari for those 8 years was “When I leave government you will miss me.” Nobody believed that until the day of the inauguration of this new administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who doubled the fuel price on the first day, tripled the exchange rate on the second day, and on and on and on and on and on and on and on. But going back to the inauguration day would be over-laboring the obvious. Ockham’s Razor states that “Entity should not be multiplied beyond necessity.” Let us just look at the present (February and March).
I remember when somebody (St. John the Evangelist) said that if all the actions of Our Lord were to be penned down, the whole world would not be able to hold the book in which it would be written. In the same way, if I started from 2023, all the books in oku-iboku would finish and my internet space would crash. So, I am limiting it to February and March 2025. Only the important ones would be listed because if I start listing the missteps of the spokesmen, ministers, and attack dogs, the inks would dry up in the ballpoint.
Maybe our timeline will start with the Senate and Natasha, and end with a state of emergency in Rivers. In between we have Lagos state double speakership without a state of emergency. I do not want to go into the menace of the herdsmen which has become a daily occurrence from east to west, north and south. Governor Adeleke is fighting for his political life. Maybe Fubara has lost his mojo, and a military administrator has taken over River State.The Senate President was accused of sexual harassment; I do not want to mix it up with seat arrangement in the Senate, because they are not of the same parents. Sexual harassment is a crime while sitting arrangement and not sitting in your seat on the day of the proceeding is a moi-moi case (misdemeanor).
The Supreme Court dishing out judgments on PDP (People’s Democratic Party) national secretary, River State Governor and Members of the House of Assembly are, to say the least confusing. Great Legal minds like Femi Felana, Mike Ozokome, Olisa Agbakoba, Andoka, and many more have faulted the judgments; but it is not my duty to say who is right or wrong on the issues and cases before the court. What we saw is that the plaintiff and the defendant were dancing that they had won. Therefore, we need an interpreter for the judgment’s certified copy.
Last week a young girl who was serving the Nigerian government (youth corper) posted a video where she said that our President is terrible, and she was crying because she has lost her purchasing power. A crate of eggs was 800 naira in the morning by evening it had gone up to 6,500 naira, an abomination (Okwa alu ka ana afu). The government was not interested in remedying the situation, rather the government started calling the girl and started threatening her, telling her to pull down the video or else she would be punished. The government spokespeople came out to defend the indefensible. Thanks to the girl for standing on her ground and recording the voice call and publishing it too. To cover up the story, the President announced a state of emergency in River State. The reasons for the state of emergency that would suspend a democratically elected Governor and assembly members are still boggling the minds of Nigerian legal pundits and social analysts.
The money which was seized by the CBN (Central Bank of Nigeria) belonging to the people of the River state was released to the military sole Administrator Vice-Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd). This is a very bad example in a democratic country, not because there would be no accountability but because it would give the next President absolute power to take it a step further. Meanwhile, the Senate is supposed to confirm Ibok by 72 votes. Buhari we miss you.The Senate decided to be the magician of our time using the voice vote to confirm Ibok. Those who support say ‘yea’ and those who do not support say ‘no’ and the gravel came down by the Senate President shouting the ‘yea’ have it. This is a country of more than 200 million people, and a few elites are playing with fire (Okwa mmadu nwe ogodo ewu na-ata?). With a bold face, the Senate President is telling us that we cannot do anything, and the President is taking us for granted.
I do not want to discuss the Minister of Federal Capital Territory because he is not an elected member; he is (nwa boi) an employee of the President. The other two (the President and Senate President) have the mandate of the people and cannot be fired by a wave of hand. The political turmoil in Osun state is more serious compared with what happens in Rivers, but the Adeleke family has a last name that should not be toiled with otherwise (odawa ite ofe). The Emirate of Kano has two emirs because the judgment of the high court and appeal court is confusing, and the judiciary is very comfortable with that because the king’s counsel thrives in confusion (Ani adiro mma bu ulu ndi nze). A matter in which the constitution stated clearly that its jurisdiction is the state government and state court was accepted in the federal court and is now heading to the Supreme Court. Nigeria is in a state of flux: every day new story. Anezi Okoro should please plan a new release “One Day One Trouble,” because, since May 29th, 2023, we have not tasted water and put down the cup (Anyi anwubero mili togbo iko).
