The Height of Ingratitude, Cynicism and Senseless Opposition in Ebonyi State – Okwadike

To sound very modest, no state in the Southeast of Nigeria has enjoyed the so called dividends of democracy like the people and residents of Ebonyi state. The state has gone from being the dirtiest, most backward in the region, to one of the most developed state in the country, by all indices. All these happened in the last six years, thanks to the unprecedented development strides of Gov Dave Umahi.

A state which has about 75% of its urban roads paved, all roads linking all local governments to the state capital done and over 80% of the rural roads either done in concrete or asphalted, has offered so much to the people in a record time. The standard of Public structures or buildings in Ebonyi state, are not found any where else in this country. All the good things that make life more meaningful and people happy and loyal to their leadership, are found in Ebonyi.

Though the majority of the people, the masses, who never had it so good, are happy with the amazing rate of development in their state, but a minority segment of the population: desperate politicians or so called “elites”, are not. Those who have either embarked on a smear campaign against the government or aligned with some disgruntled elements, haters of the people and enemies of progress, to engage in senseless opposition in the emerging frontline state of Ebonyi, will definitely fail woefully.

The people of the Southeast are concerned and seriously frown, condemn and reject a contrived video, which sought to get the peoples’ attention for the wrong reasons, was made viral by some sposored criminal elements. The said video which was purported to have been a forceful eviction of an old northern family from the only home they knew and had lived all their lives, was not true, could not be and was not believed by the people it was targeted at. It was an excercise in futility, stupidity and evil, to say the least.

Both the government and security agencies in the state, who knew exactly what took place in the said video, had issued statements respectively, debunking the voice that was imposed on the background of the video. The said voice, claiming to be forcing a peaceful family to evacuate, was intended to mislead and endanger lives. The authorities assured the concerned public that the perpetraitors will soon be smoked out and brought to justice. They definitely were ignorant of what they were doing, but that can never be an excuse this time. There must be consequences.

The true and short story behind the video is that a northern family who had spent the greatet part of their lives in Ebonyi, with all their children born in there, some of them are even in the employment of the state government, had their aged father voluntarilly retiring back to his native Taraba to spend the rest of his life. It happened long ago. He was neither forcefully evicted nor under anyone’s threat to leave the state.

The voice failed to convey the mood in the said video where the man was calm and unruffled while he inspected the demobilization of parts of his old home.

The contrived video was senseless or insensitive to the security of the lives and properties of lgbos living in the north, who could be caught in a reprisal. It is unimarginable to think that the sponsors of such contrived video, did not consider both the implications and or likely consequences of their action.

When opposition or politiking becomes senselessly, insensitive and aimed at undermining the efforts of lgbo leaders and the SE Governors’ Forum to protect lgbos outside the region, there’s need for a concerted effort to stop them. They are enemies of the people who could not have done such in any other state of the region, but abuse the fact of Ebonyi Governor’s tolorance level

What happened was neigther about Ebonyi nor a mere political opposition, but clearly a sponsored attempt to put countless gbo lives in danger.

We hope that the ongoing investigations by both the state and the federal security agencies to unravel or get to the root of that ugly incident by bringing the perpetraitors to.book, yields positively, to deter others like them.

Igbos are united behind the Ebonyi government and condemn that despicable display of stupid ignorance, dangerous and criminal opposition in that peaceful state.

Okwadike