A January-Long Series: My Own Open Letters! Day 26: To Gov. Chibuike Amaechi, CON Your Excellency But Why? 1.0 Permit me to take this from the very beginning. Up until 2007 when Dr. Peter Odili sat where you now sit, you were one of the most visible Speakers of the House of Assembly in any Nigerian State. I cannot tell why but I remember you were just conspicuous, nationally. I used to look forward to seeing you! 2.0 That opportunity came I should think in 2003/2004 at Insight Bible Church then located at 177, Aka Road, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. It was one of those Sundays of Child Dedication. One of my bosses, Mr. Sam Akpe, at the time The Punch Bureau Chief in your State and his delectable wife, Agnes, were taking (I think) their first child/daughter for humour-Pastor, Dr. Sylvanus Ukafia, to bless. Then, you breezed in accompanied by about five, six people. You looked calm, peaceable, down to earth and friendly. I got to love you more! 3.0 Then, you became governor in circumstances that made every lover of God happy. I followed stories of how well you were doing in office, and became if you like, crazier about you. By the time, Secretary-General of United Niger Delta Energy Development Security Strategy (UNDEDSS), Mr. Tony Uranta, invited me to co-anchor one of their Port Harcourt events in early 2009, I saw firsthand the excellent work you were doing. Since I had to sleep over, I also had the privilege of watching the major news packages on local tv stations. I can never forget that footage of you removing your shoes, folding your trousers and walking into the dingy pool of water to properly assess the extent of flood or so; that had engulfed a certain LGA. You blew my mind! 4.0 Fast forward to, I think, 2012. I was compere at a Karibi-Whyte book event in Abuja (Yaradua Centre), and I felt good to see you again. However, my Grade A rating of you dropped that day. It was when you started speaking. I know that governments across all three strata have let down our people. I know that our people are too nonchalant, too laid back, too indifferent but your speech on that occasion was completely, totally, wholly over-the-bar. I kept pinching myself and wiping my eyes just to be sure you were really the one. Wondering what you said? Heres the news in brief: All of these people in government will continue to steal your money because you dont throw stones at them. I am not calling for a revolution but Nigerians are too docile. Get up and demand accountability. Government is taking too much for granted. That was not the you I had fallen in love with. I dont know if it is a function of your current office; you sounded distant, haughty, and brash! 5.0 Enter your grouse about President Jonathan. You have completely lost me. No, I am not necessarily pro-GEJ on this, but I am not and can never be for you. Yes, the President might have committed a couple of fouls, indirectly, but you have insisted on taking direct free kicks against him. When you speak in public, Mr. Governor, you neither refer to nor treat him with his office in mind. You treat him so disrespectfully, so inconsequentially, so disdainfully. And you do so, so frontally, as if to show how brave you are and how weak he is. But why, Gov. Amaechi, why? I hope not but you know, when I see the chronic crisis rolling out of your State, sometimes in my mind I wonder whether it is not nature using your space to test the waters for the revolution you so desperately preached. And how is it that Nigerian Governors brook no nonsense from Local Government Chairmen but the same Governors wont let President Jonathan to drink water? Going forward, my dear Gov. Amaechi, isnt it time you sought peace with the President? Or should he make the first move? God bless Nigeria! A Concerned Nigerian Michael BUSH Uyo-Nigeria
Posted on: Mon, 27 Jan 2014 14:40:13 +0000
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