Strong apologies to readers for the absence of my regular commentaries which appear as articles at the back page off Trumpeta newspapers every Thursday of the week.
For a while, Agwodinuju and Babanababa on 2015 Vibes could not maintain their regular spaces at the back page, no thanks to serial engagements that barred me from expressing my views on current issues in Agwodinuju and dishing out previews ahead 2015 election in Babanababa vibes. In the process, most of my readers called in and sent text messages to inquire reasons for the absence I appreciate their concerns and kind gestures on having me back on the beat.
However, I am back for good after a brief sabbatical to undertake personal engagements. I wrote to inform readers when I signaled intention to become the spokesman of the Nigerian (Football) Referees Association (NRA). And by the special grace of God, yours truly succeeded in becoming the National Publicity Secretary of the men in black and white of the whistle hobby after a keenly contested encounter at Vichy Gates Hotel, Benin City, Edo state. It was a memorable encounter but I will leave the story for another day since the space available is only meant for the Governorship Debate organized by the Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri which ended in fiasco.
My return to the terrain coincided with the unholy incident that occurred in the House of God in Owerri, Imo state capital. In Imo, residents are predominantly Christians which large followership found among Catholics. Besides, the Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri, Most Rev Anthony Obinna is a household name in the state. The fiery cleric has had running battles with previous military and civilian administrators of the state. There was no governor that never had unsavoury encounters with Obinna over their negative style of governance.
Tanko Zubairu, a military officer who was incharge of Imo several years ago had unfavourable tales from him while his successor, Achike Udenwa, a Catholic, at a time stopped holding official functions at the Assumpta Cathedral, the official domain of the Bishop over certain differences connected with the former governor’s manner of discharging his duties as number one citizen of the state.
The role of the Catholic Church could be said to been instrumental to the unceremonious exit of former governor of the state, Ikedi Ohakim, who did not secure a second term in 2011. In 2011, Ohakim’s security details had brushes with a Reverend Father of the diocese on one of the roads in the state and that pitched the Catholics against him warranting the hate campaign opponents exploited to demean his public acceptance ahead the election. It was at that period that the Catholic Church organized a debate which was further used to undermine the second term ambition of Ohakim.
Till date, those who were in Ohakim’s camp are yet to overcome the “damaging effects” of encounters with the church especially the 2011 Catholic Guber debate held at same Obiri Odenigbo arena.
In its bid to expose governorship candidates to the masses especially the predominant Catholics in the state, the Justice Development, Peace and Caritas Commission (JDPC) unit of the Archdiocese under Bishop Obinna organised a debate scheduled to hold on Wednesday March 12, 2015 at Obiri Odenigbo in Assumpta Cathedral, Owerri. Unlike the previous exercises of 2007 and 2011, the 2015 edition witnessed skirmishes that have left a sour taste in the minds of people of the state.
Apart from attacks on Reverend fathers including the moderator at the venue, the already established rostrum that was decorated for the service was vigorously confiscated by persons suspected to be APC members in the state. Some named political office holders serving the Okorocha Rescue Mission government were accused of being the tormentor-in-chiefs of the attack as they enjoined political thugs to unleash mayhem at the venue.
According to an official statement from the JDPC tagged the “Unfortunate Disruption of the Public Forum”, the church noted that the interactive forum between the Imo state electorate and the nine governorship candidates of Accord, ACD, APC, APGA, Labour, PDP, PPA, SDP and UPP end in fiasco. It added that after a successful conduct of 2007 and 2011 editions, the 2015 was scheduled for last Wednesday, that the secretary to the state government Prof Anthony Anwuka, and other notable functionaries like Uche Nwosu, Commissioner for Lands and his Youths and Sports, Health and Information counterparts, Kenneth Emelu, Ihejirika and Chidi Ibe respectively “invaded the rostrum complaining, accusing and scolding the organizer and demanding stoppage of the event. Many more of their members jumped onto the rostrum and joined in scattering and destroying seats, tables, the lectern, public address system, Video cameras of the Assumpta media and other decorations.
“They insulted the priests and other members of the organizing team, and particularly the external moderator of the forum from Abuja, whose eye-glasses were snatched off him and smashed. One of the aides physically hit the Assumpta Cathedral Administrator, Rev Fr G. Onyekwere, on the chest, who had intervened to shield the external moderator from further attack. All this is tantamount to total disrespect for fellow humans and a gross desecration of the sacred venue of the forum. Regrettably most of these assaulters consider themselves Catholics”, the JDPC statement added.
Furthermore, the APC led government, PDP governorship candidate and APGA counterpart, Emeka Ihedioha and Emma Ihenacho respectively, joined the fray to issue reactions concerning the sad incident.
However, as the heat oozing from the Obiri Odenigbo disgraceful show continues to reverberate, I had chance meeting with one of Okorocha’s aides mentioned as part of the aggressors who defiled the altar of God, Jude Ejiogu. Ejiogu is the Chief of Staff to the governor and notable kinsman of the Archbishop. The Chief of Staff gave his account of the story which was in sharp contrast to his alleged involvement in the invasion of the venue and hiring of thugs as stated by the church and news reports.
According to Ejiogu’s account, he arrived the venue when tempers were high and after the skirmishes. As a responsible citizen of the state and knight of the catholic church of the order of Columbus, he had no option than to sue for peace and calm warring factions. Ejiogu noted that reports of his involvement were not only false and erroneous but calculated attempts by blackmailers to malign his person using the church. “I arrived the venue when the fracas had ended. I even met one of the priests, Fr Madu, who though was in shock but explained what happened. To join in ensuring calm, I was given a seat to now observe. I was not involved, I don’t know why my name should be mentioned”, said Ejiogu.
From last Wednesday the event erupted, discordant tunes have continued to trail the aborted debate with various factions have been making several claims on who drew the first blood that led to the brawling encounter.
My reporters who were at the venue and gave vivid account of what transpired however collaborated with the official position of the Catholic Church, through The Leader Newspapers, the official mouthpiece of the Owerri Catholic Church.
It was learnt that some black uniform women believed to be the widows who were molested weeks ago by Okorocha agents while protesting on Owerri streets, thronged Obiri Odenigbo, venue of the event to be part of the debate. In the process, the widows suspected to the sympathetic to PDP started blowing whistle and flashing Red Cards in corresponding Ka O Puo slogan. Red Cards and whistles in recent times have become a significant campaign weapon against the state governor who is the APC candidate for 2015 guber race in Imo. It was popularized by a flourishing comedian and former Special Assistant to the governor on entertainment/Govt House Chief comedian Uche Ogbuagu. In 2011, Ogbuagu’s satirical piece launched attack on Ohakim in favour of Okorocha. When things nose dived for the comedian in Rescue Mission government he joined to midwife four years ago, Ogbuagu bolted out and released “Ka Opou” meaning “Let Him Go” in English. Though no name was mentioned in the Ka Opuo, but listeners and anybody familiar to events in the state know who the numerous scathing verses and jibes contained in the piece referred to in the state. The Ka Opuo comedy has Red card and whistle as appurtenances to complement the much sought after song which has a part 2 version. It has become a campaign tool of the opposition in the state forcing APC and Okorocha apologists to develop Red Card/Whistle-phobia. It was the detest for the Ka Opuo” that sparked off the attack on the priests when APC agents irked by the whistle-blowing and red card flashing women may have instructed their hired thugs to unleash mayhem. Granted that all the parties may have instructed their allies to besiege the venue for vociferous support but the whistle, red card and staccato Ka Opuo sounds of which PDP including the APGA supporters employed deafened the “Rochas We Know” shouts from women spotting Madonna brand of Catholic Women Organisation, CWO uniform, said to be agents of APC.
It was learnt that a large quantity of the CWO uniforms were procured by the APC for the event when information reached them that only CWO, CMO and other filial catholic groups will be allowed into the venue. The Madonna uniform wearing women were said to be gathered at the Amakohia Orlu road end of the state capital where the wrapper similar to the Orlu Catholic Diocese CWO uniform were shared to them before they were moved in convoy to Assumpta Cathedral venue of the show.
Unfortunately, before the arrival of the APC women in CWO uniforms decoy to the venue, the women in black acting as widows and believed to be PDP supporters had taken over available strategic positions. In the ensuing melee over positions, rantings of Ka Opuo, the red cards started flashing with whistle sounds, the next was Ka Opuo, Ka Opuo.
A school of though has it that the debate was the final chance for the expected APC-Catholic Church showdown in Imo. Since 2015 election gathered momentum, the Okorocha government has not been comfortable with the position of Archbishop Obinna and editorial style of the catholic Leader newspaper. It would be recalled that in the last 2013 Corpus Christi (Celebration of the Christ the King, Obinna in no holds barred formula lashed at the governor for not living up to expectation in the management of state’s financial resources. Before the governor joined in the procession with his retinue of aides who accompanied him, Obinna during the homily, the liturgy of the word arm of the holy mass, berated Okorocha and his style of government forcing most Owerri-based newspapers to hit the newstands next day with head lines like “Obinna Bombs Okorocha”. Attempts for the governor noted for his oratorical prowess to make a response at the church was rebuffed when the Archbishop informed Okorocha that the event is a holy mass and not a speech making occassion, thereby asking him to keep his response for another day when speeches may be allowed. The governor was tactfully not allowed to speak and was forced swallow the cleric’s bitter pill.
Yes, Archbishop Obinna met with the APC presidential campaign team of Mohammed Buhari in closed door meeting but their discussions were made public via the Catholic newspaper concerning what transpired. The governor did not find the disclosure funny when his media aide reacted angrily to the Archbishop’s action echoed through The Leader newspapers.
However, in recent times, the editorial style of the Catholic newspaper, The Leader attracted the attention of the state government who took pains to issue rejoinders to claims in the newspaper sold at the various parishes and churches in the Catholic dioceses and beyond. It started first with the story of “Alhaji in Government House” in its attempt to relay an earlier online report that accused Okorcha of promoting Islam in Igboland by allegedly enhancing conversion of Igbos to the faith through monetary inducements alongside another former state governor from the South East. The story was followed with allegations of plans by the state government to borrow money form a bank until Sunday’s front page banner lead of Imo Guber Forum Aborted; … As APC Supporters Desecrate God’s House, manhandle Priests”
The feeling in several quarters is that the APC action to disrupt the debate is premeditated considering the animosity brewing between the Archbishop and Okorocha’s government. It would be recalled that the cold war between Archbishop Obinna, the arrowhead of the church and Okorocha’s government began when the state governor gave accent to a controversial law believed to be in support of Abortion. Pro life groups and a notable anti abortion crusader, who acts as chairman of Catholic Medical Doctors had raised the alarm. The media hype in the abortion law joined by calls from the Catholic Church for its repeal forced Okorocha to make a volte face.
A tinge of drama was witnessed when Okorocha returned the law to the Imo Assembly for a repeal. Explanations by the governor that he was unaware of the content of the Abortion law extended to him by the lawmakers who deliberated on the matter was not excuse to spare him from condemnation by the Catholics led by Obinna, who frowned at the action of the number one citizen of the state.
Apparently worried by the posture of the Archbishop which the APC faithful consider anti-Okorocha, there was a grand design to frustrate the Catholic Church from holding the event. At the slightest provocation caused by chants of Ka Opuo, hell was lose and the governors aides fulfilled their ambition of putting a stop to the debate.
Reports have it that Government House, Owerri, may have plotted to boycott the event and cause artificial confusion to ensure that Okorocha who was conspicuously absent does not attend and the event put on hold. All the named candidates appeared at Assumpta premises amidst the confusion except Okorocha, guber whereas his men where on ground and ended up taking the blames for attacking priests and desecrating the altar.
It was further revealed that since a similar exercise made him to clinch governorship seat in 2011, such forum will also demystify his electoral fortune and popularity, hence the plot to abort the exercise by all means..
The event also went further to indirectly canonize former governor Ohakim. Inspite of boos and jeers thrown at him in 2011, debate at the same Odenigbo, where he almost exchanged verbal challenges with Okorocha, to the advantage of his main challengers in Okorocha, Ohakim aides never went berserk or caused pandemonium. Contrary to the belief that Ohakim molested a priest, the first paragraph of The Leader on Sunday, which gave details of the aborted debate, further clarified Ohakim’s involvement in the controversial Rev Father road brouhaha. The Catholics in the state had picked the gauntlet against the former governor for allegedly attacking the priest. But The Leader however in the report noted that it was Ohakim’s aides that had encounters with the said priest.
Interestingly, the inglorious tales from the unfortunate debate debacle are ominous signs of what to expect in next week’s elections as hostilities for positions begin in Imo.
It behooves on the political parties to play by the rules in order to allow the electorates use their PVCs to vote candidates of their choice while the services of security agencies should not lacking at these crucial moment.
