FROM time to time, the vanishing tribe of bunkums inexplicably opposed to the former governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Kalu, hallmark faceless and nondescript outfits that indulge in pathological and dysfunctional dissemination of concoctive yarns spun in Umuahia. One of such pedestrian stupefactions with a nomenclatural duplicity of “Abia Stakeholders (sic) Forum” on Sunday, December 21, 2014, took a full-page advertorial swipe in THE NATION, Page 78, for a preposterous and poorly-written rejoinder to an earlier olive branch extended by Dr. Kalu in his rapprochement with those who disagree with him and in precipitation to his recurring apology to Abians for inadvertently foisting Theodore Ahamefule Orji, a man in the vanguard of fluke legacies, on them. The empty rebuttal was entitled “Re (sic): Now is the time for peace and reconciliation”.
It is either the person who scribbled the trash did not read Kalu’s two-page treatise or did not comprehend the content. This reminds me of Abraham Lincoln’s evergreen words: “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubts.” If such limitations were pigeonholed, there would have been no need for this subject.
The tepid and thoughtless rejoinder was signed by three fictitious characters on behalf of their imaginary members with no official address or contact details, typically! This is not the first and will not be the last. It is obvious words have lost their meanings in Umuahia. If not, why would a bunch of rascally scallywags constitute themselves into “Abia stakeholders”? As I had posited last week, who are these “stakeholders” and who are not? When have a few government apologists become the conscience of a state, particularly my state? Stake-holding has suddenly become the pastime of government pikins in Umuahia—a dwindling clan of political jobbers are now loosely and drunkenly referred to as “stakeholders”! I am a major stakeholder on grounds of my aristocratic, scholastic and professional circumstances as a developmental journalist, among other critical backgrounds and prospects.
The war-mongers in their clownish rejoinder said they were “grossly embarrassed by that unnecessary effusion from Chief Kalu”. If these fellows were not cowardly agents of bellicosity whose real identities will never be disclosed, what is embarrassing about a peaceful man offering a hand of reconciliation? It is only in the insanity of sustained belligerency that such a development could be embarrassing.
What is it that is fundamentally wrong with Kalu’s proposition? Is it not better to jaw-jaw than war-war? Must political disagreements be allowed to become festering sores? A lot of hangers-on must be benefiting from the status quo and will do everything within their devilishness to sustain the imbroglio. There is no way anyone can rationalize this deviancy other than crisis jobbery!
Another excerpt from the forum’s kindergarten stuff goes thus: “Chief Orji Kalu is being uncharitable to his Successor (unnecessary capitalization) Chief T. A. Orji by blaming his woes on him. Abians know the difference between the locust years and the present time.” The tomfools who placed the advertorial in question should not arrogate any power to themselves. Kalu has never blamed ex-Gov. Orji for his political trajectory. A lot of people muddle up issues concerning Kalu’s political career and the inevitabilities of some undercurrents. T. A. Orji as an individual does not have the capacity, clout and competency to undermine his predecessor’s political fortunes. Again, this had been discussed on these pages with the fears of the Abia Senators’ Caucus and others justified during the conduct of those exercises.
Which “woes” are these vagabonds referring to? Kalu’s business conglomerate is flourishing with his latest membership of the Club of 50 Richest Africans according to Forbes international magazine and supranational economic investments. From all indications, Kalu, a founding member and one of the foundational financiers of the PDP, is having political ascendancy to the chagrin of his vicious detractors.
It is a monumental mistake to ever compare Kalu’s illuminative tenure with the present darkish one. It is akin to comparing water and oil, light and darkness, reality and propaganda, ad infinitum. Between 1999 and 2007, most Aba roads, for instance, had a fair utilitarian value unlike the current craters. When I hear or read about make-believe “legacy projects” of the present administration that are sparsely located in and around Umuahia.
During Kalu’s era, there was no systemic prostitution, no kidnapping of political foes, wilful repression of the media and systematic emasculation of free speech, among other infringements on freedom of information. No editor was abducted and handcuffed by 17 armed-to-the-teeth policemen from his Lagos home and driven to Umuahia in handcuffs at the instance of Orji, The former governor equally did not mess up his predecessor for any reason whatsoever.
Can anyone outside government circles volunteer and take me round Abia State to go and see Ochendo’s much-talked-about “legacy projects”. Are they located outside the purview of The Sun correspondents in the South East? The dilapidation of social infrastructures as captured by the national media is a clear testament to the glorious period of Dr. Kalu. It is not for officials of this administration to accept, but the people of the state.
As I had also pointed out elsewhere, there should be an acceptability/popularity contest/march between Dr. Kalu and Gov. Orji in major cities of Abia without any security details. Such an exercise will enable us to know whose tenure impacted on the lives of the people more, Aba residents that I know by years of domicile and association will stone T. A. Orji and toast to the goodness of the Kalu years. I am so certain and feverish of this suggestion that I can’t wait for it to take place.
The PDP leadership knew Kalu would withdraw from the senatorial race for obvious reasons. It is sheer stupidity for anyone to think that Kalu would go ahead to contest in a poll that had been officially manipulated by the PDP leadership to the favour of governors who are expected in return to deliver their states for ex-President Jonathan in next year’s elections. I am still amazed that this party duplicity was allowed to stand with the emergence of governors as tin gods.
In addition to this, most of the delegates, according to reports, were hugely compromised through dollarization. Kalu cannot be daft like his detractors as to walk on a path strewn with landmines. His withdrawal from the senatorial race on the platform of the PDP was the wisest decision. Any other step would have been foolhardiness. At the opportune time, his critics who said he chickened out will come to their senses and belatedly see the writing on the PDP wall when the scales would have fallen off their lachrymal eyes.
Concluded.