When the news of the Imo House of Assembly bill legalizing abortion filtered into my ear some couple of weeks ago, I felt bad that such news should be going round in this part of the globe. At first I thought it was a lie not until I read it in one of our local tabloids. The Trumpeta\ More unnerving was the fact that His Excellency Owelle Rochas Okorocha had his signature boldly appended to the bill; I became confused as to what on earth could have led the Imo Governor into such unwelcome practice. Many questions ran through my mind. First, was my wonder as to whether his signature was forged or was he in a hurry not to have taken time to digest such all importance documents before appending his signature? Or did he really mean lending support to legalizing abortion as indicated by his signature? A man’s signature is a sure bet that he totally agrees with a given course of action as stated in the document. In the case of Owelle Rochas Okorocha’s matter, if I had not seen his signature and name, I would have quickly concluded that someone probably forged his signature and signed against his name.
But on the contrary I imagined who the devil could be who will contemplate forging the Governor’s name, much more venturing to sign. Having seen that signature, it was obvious the Governor of Imo-State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha indeed endorsed the bill for the legalization of abortion.
It could be recalled that at the inception of Owelle’s administration he talked of his love for Imo children which was the reason he declared Free Education at all levels. To show his care and love for children, he distributed school uniforms, sandals, etc free to some schools in Imo. There was a time when Imo pupils and students earned the sum of one hundred naira per month and one hundred and fifty naira for the head boys and girls courtesy of Owelle. In all these benevolent gestures towards Imo students, he was simply sending a message of love and care for Imo children and their parents. How come then, and what then went wrong when the same Governor signed a bill that advanced in no uncertain terms total support for Abortion of Unborn Children. Frankly, this still remains a mystery to me.
Few months back, precisely on May 06, 2011 it was declared that Imo people came out in their numbers and voted for Owelle Rochas Okorocha. Those that voted him into power were once foetuses before they became children and later adults that could vote. Did Owelle recall, before appending his signature to that evil bill, that if all were aborted there would have been nobody to vote for him in the last gubernatorial election? I still ask: “Owelle Why”?
A proper look at the bill equally revealed that it was a woman who sponsored it, in the person of Hon. Mrs. Adaku Ihuoma the Majority Leader from Ezinihitte State Constituency. Based on that revelation I was thrown off-balance in thought. At a point I could not bring my whole system together. The only statement I could mutter then was: “God have mercy on mankind!!” The Governor’s signature apart, how do we begin to assess and appreciate a woman who sponsored a bill on the Legalization of Abortion in Imo-State? As far as I am concerned it was a big slap on Ezinihitte Constituency and the entire Imo women that someone who should proudly be one of our own had done this disservice to womanhood.
My dear Hon Madam, in case you have forgotten, women all over the world are lovers of children. The happiness and the relaxed homestead which you enjoy today in your husband’s place are as a result of your children. On enquiry, I found out that the Almighty God blessed your marriage with four lovely children, two boys and two girls. Today, when you see those children you are proud to be their mother. Those children are your pride and stay and you didn’t think what would have become of you if they were aborted in the womb. By now I am sure you would have been running from pillar to post seeking answers to your litany of petitions to God.
My dear Honourable, you also forgot that a woman’s womb incubated you. While in the womb, your mum applied every protective measure to ensure that you were safe. She carefully avoided like plague, circumstances that could lead to you being aborted. She observed all the doctors do’s and don’ts just to secure you. On the day of delivery her efforts and God’s grace ushered you into the world. You grew up and your people saw you as someone responsible and trusted you with your present position as an honourable member representing your constituency – a great honour from your people really. What actually went wrong after that that saw you as Chief Sponsor of a bill that says abortion should be legalized?
I am sure you did know and never thought about the implication of the bill and the after-effect or its impact on our children and homes. Since 2012 when the bill was passed, have you sat back to contemplate how many children our young ladies have aborted all in the name that they now have the power to do so? You know that our youths learn negative things easily. Have you really thought of it?
What you have simply advocated is that our young ladies should go around and mess their bodies and when in the process they get pregnant they should just walk into the next available clinic and abort the baby as a way of preserving their rights. And I want to assure you that some foolish
and silly ladies have cashed in on that so called right to dwell on untold immorality. After all their dear mum Honourable Adaku Ihuoma fully has endorsed their procurement of abortion!!
Inadvertently also, the interpretation of that bill is that you have given even married women the right to abort pregnancies from their husbands which they (women) do not want. Yes! The implication is that a woman can be pregnant for the husband and wakes up one morning and insists that she wants to remove the baby. Even if the husband objects to it, she can go ahead and carry out her plans all because she feels she has the right courtesy of the bill you sponsored.
The act of abortion is an act of murder. In Exodus 20:13, the Holy Book states “Thou shall not kill”. Whoever that passes any bill against this injunction will be answerable to it, and I know my dear honourable members of the Imo House of Assembly know that. The decision to sponsor the bill was a dis-honourable act that ought not to have come from people who supposedly should be honourable. Alas, they are not as we have been made to understand that huge sums of money even in foreign hard currencies exchanged hands to enable the obnoxious bill sail through the “hallowed chambers” of the Imo House of Assembly.
Mothers are noted for their passion for children. That is why when a mother sitting inside a bus sees a pregnant woman standing she gets up for the heavy woman because of the baby in the womb. At the point where a woman is delivering a baby, she can make any sacrifice just to ensure that both her and her child are safe. In those days, when a woman’s labour starts in an odd place, say the farm or market other women in the bid to provide comfort for the baby and the mother have donated their wrappers and other valuables so as to ensure the safety of the mother and the child. Why do they do that? They assist because they know that it’s precious and as such should be valued. The Igbo believe that the value of every human being is paramount; hence we do not know “afo ga-amu Eze meaning no one knows the womb that will give birth to a king.
While I appreciate your concern for women’s rights and freedom, it is certainly not a license to kill unborn babies. It is even out of place for Hon. Ihuoma’s attorney to begin the buck-passing game as to whether some pastors are not guilty of abortion. My dear, what is wrong is indeed wrong and Hon Adaku Ihuoma should take responsibility for her actions. And if there are such pastors as mentioned, they too should take responsibility for their actions. Save us from that blame game.
Indeed, Hon Mrs. Adaku Ihuoma and her co-travellers in the Imo House of Assembly should atone for this sin which shamefully is a crime against humanity. The House has indeed revealed, rather disappointingly, that many, if not all the bills they have so far passed may have actually been so passed and possibly, His Excellency Owelle Rochas Okorocha, has equally endorsed and accented to such bills without any of the two parties really taking time to read through and digest the clauses therein. Where are these crops of .leaders leading us to in Imo State? God save our souls from bills that may stipulate our death sentences from the Imo Legislature and the Imo Executive Council. Both the Governor and the Legislature goofed. They should simply spare us the belated rationalizations for a bill that was surreptitiously passed and has actually been operational for more than a year now. Our help is indeed in the name of the Lord who made Heaven and Earth.
