TD I read the above piece by Dr Uche Nworah. Let me quote him in full:
“Agha uno ajoka. The fire, if not contained, will consume us all. Ndi ilo na amuzi anyi amu. The present spat between the government of Governor Charles Soludo and former Governor Peter Obi reminds me of ‘Ochichi’, the 1980s song by gospel artist Bro. Okwe.”
I fault what my brother, Uche, wrote because the war is one-directional. It is Soludo fighting Mr Peter Obi. Kindly show me evidence of where Obi has fought him. Nowhere!
It is only that, once in a while, when a sturdy blow from Soludo becomes a killer punch, Obi will defend himself a little. Obi recognises the fact that “na anaghị adi ibuo ayi ara.”
You may not know how careful Obi is when it comes to governance and his conduct as a former governor. He has every instrument with which to bully Soludo, but he is very reasonable and avoids doing so to the core.
Let me go behind the scenes and give you an example. Obi largely avoids stepping out at an event while Soludo is there, except when it is somewhat imperative.
During the last Standing Committee of the entire Anglican Committee, with the Primate present at Amichi, Obi arrived when Soludo was still there and refused to leave his vehicle while waiting for Soludo to leave.
Prof Chinyere Stella Okunna and I urged him to go in, since he had a flight to catch.
Obi said he did not want it to appear as if he had deliberately entered while Soludo was still there, because the applause that might follow him could create the wrong impression.
He said that if the service was still on, he would have entered to share in the divine benefit flowing from it.
He would rather miss the flight than create a wrong impression. He does this all the time. He is not in a contest with Soludo.
However, Soludo appears to believe that he is in a contest with Obi, for reasons best known to him.
Every day on Facebook, his aides spend more time trying to discredit Obi, while we scarcely respond to them, because our response will add nothing to what the world already knows about this seeming obsession with Obi.
Recently, they inaugurated 230 media boys and girls with the specific mandate to fight Obi. Meanwhile, Obi keeps telling his people to leave Soludo alone. You see, it is a one-directional fight.
Indeed, over 70 per cent of Soludo’s public speeches end with him throwing jabs at Obi.
I often wonder what would have become of Obi if he did not have organic supporters who always take up his fights, even when he himself prefers pacifism.
In many instances, Obi says nothing, does nothing and simply moves on, while his supporters, unable to stomach what they perceive as unjustified attacks, take up the matter themselves.
Honestly, many of the more reasonable commissioners and aides of Soludo regularly call me to lament what their principal is doing.
They see Obi as a light in the state and regret what they regard as a futile attempt to extinguish that light. They will end by adding “ ima na oga anyi bu eze onye agwana m.”
I want Ezeudo and others to get it right: two brothers are not fighting each other. A fight requires two willing combatants.
What we have seen so far is largely one-sided.
Obi has not made Soludo the subject of his public speeches, has not gone around attacking him, and has not mobilised his supporters to wage a campaign of personal attacks against him.
Even when he is criticised, he generally responds only when necessary and then moves on.
The situation, as I see it, is more like Cain trying to kill Abel out of jealousy and insecurity than two brothers engaged in a mutual fight.
So far, Obi has refused to enter the ring with him. His aides are also largely restrained, and that is observable.
If anything, the restraint on Obi’s side is precisely what makes the constant attacks and counter-attacks so difficult to describe as a “war between two brothers.”
If we were determined to fight Soludo, believe me, it would be prankistion. But nobody is interested.
We have no desire or reason to spend our time fighting a governor who has a state to govern and who, like every governor, should simply be allowed to govern and be judged by his record.
Let them continue to fight themselves if that is what interests them. Unfortunately, it is becoming annoying to Ndi Anambra.
And whenever Ndi Anambra express disappointment at a professor behaving like a tout, they simply label those Ndi Anambra as “Obidients.”
This morning, for example, somebody sent me a message itemising what we could use to keep them busy. He mentioned the “Nzamatology”, the failed and failing roads that are still under construction, the fact that state allocations are now about four times what they used to be, yet without corresponding development.
He reminded me that even in education, since Obi left office, not one block has been added to the state-owned higher institutions by anybody.
He also mentioned the quality support Obi gave to state institutions, including computers and buses purchased for schools.
We know those things and many more that could keep them busy every minute. We could respond to every allegation, every attack and every provocation.
We could open the books and begin comparing records. We could remind them of what was done before, what has been done since and what remains undone.
But Anambra belongs to all of us. We have therefore chosen to allow the present administration to deliver for the state, for the good of all of us, rather than give it room for excuses.
If the administration succeeds, Anambra succeeds. If it fails, Ndi Anambra bear the consequences. It is as simple as that.
Meanwhile, we have seen what my friend, Dr Mefor, posted. I am reading it as we speak, and having a good laugh.
Jesus! They did not have the details of the arrears and gratuities they paid? At least, let us know which months and years they covered.
Their record books do not contain the money that Obi left behind? “Mmadu ana aghọ onwe ya aghụghọ.”
There is no need to manufacture a war between brothers where one of them has repeatedly refused to fight. Let us interpret things as they are.
As for that laughable publication by Dr. Mefor, we shall set the record straight shortly.
Valentine Obienyem
