Date Published: 12/21/09

Iwuoha: The audacity of a frustrated Lunatic in Imo State By Greg Okey Nwadike

My friend, an online publisher based in Abuja has made it a point of responsibility forwarding to me articles written and posted online by one Ikenna Samuelson Iwuoha; an indigene of Nkwerre Local Government Area residing in Owerri, the Imo state capital.

Iwuoha’s materials, as detrimental as they always appeared against Governor Ikedi Ohakim, members of the governor’s immediate family and notable leaders of Imo state never actually won my interest until recently when they started becoming so much for my comprehension that I started wondering if the writer actually does any other job other than disparaging his leaders.

My curiosity equally climaxed when I realized that even those whom Iwuoha has been pouring his venoms  through his writings do not actually pay attention to him despite the weighty claims he often levels against them.

Any of these two reasons could be responsible for their possible show of nonchalance: either Ikenna Samuelson Iwuoha is a branded psycho in Owerri or that he has enough facts to defend some of his allegations. But even if the later was to be adduced, one wonders why Iwuoha has not approached any of the proper agencies responsible for economic crimes and legitimately pursue his cases against the Ohakim’s administration rather than resorting to blackmails. Yes, blackmails.

The ferocity, fierceness and cruelty of Iwuoha’s style of writing depict the rage of a wounded lion on a vendetta rebound. One of such materials titled “The Search for a Credible PDP Chairman in Imo state” actually took time in “rubbishing” all who really matter in the state leaving out recommendation for a viable alternative. Over twenty such other materials in my box follow the same trend that I begin to wonder what the motive of this writer is.

His constant inclusion in his writings of the number of e-mail addresses, online news agencies and publications that he had posted his articles to is a clear indication of someone clearly out to tar another’s image with a tar brush. It is cheap blackmailing or how else would anyone explain why this same writer would first syndicate text messages to people he intends to write against notifying them of his intention and the topic he intends to write about them. At the end, he leaves out those who called him for settlement and hits others who ignored his notification.

One of such texts as forwarded to a notable politician in the state recently reads thus: “The following write ups will be in the internet, newspapers and magazines any moment from now. (1) How Emma Ohakim loots Imo state; His growing up days and how he looted CBN. (2) Who is Chioma Ohakim? (How her children steals (sic), smokes (sic) and lives (sic) recklessly. Watch Out”

My Psychology teacher way back in the University taught me to study the background of every queer character I meet in order to enable me shape my relationship, understanding of the person and why he does most of the things he is known for. Family checks on Ikenna Samuelson Iwuoha did not give me any qualms coming almost from the same area with him.

A report from his kinsman sent to me as a text message reads thus: “…the guy is momentarily mad, dropped out of school due to strange illness, diagnosed as brain disorder, and completely estranged from his family and kinsmen due to uncoordinated behavior”

Further enquiries showed that following the removal of his kerosene drums by sanitation agents of the present administration under the Clean and Green initiative, Iwuoha had vowed to declare war on Ohakim and his administration and had aligned self with the administration’s political opponents who now hire him to fire missiles against Ohakim and everyone in his administration thereby discrediting the government.

Inasmuch as right of expression is a fundamental right given freely to people, when however this right is abused and expression by an individual becomes incoherent, disjointed and unfathomable to the public, a psychiatric attention becomes the only option. Mad men and women are allowed to roam the streets but violent ones as the vulture has no business with the barber.

Although Iwuoha’s persistent attacks against the governor and his administration could once in a while be tolerated for its nuisance value, but it was Dwight Eisenhower who warned that “every gun that is fired, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed, those who seek knowledge but are misinformed”

Imo people are tired of reading from those who write for the sake of heating up the state; those who suddenly became activists because they were denied certain political requests; those who make claims and run away when called upon to substantiate them. The case of Maximus Uba, another hatchet writer and the former Abia state governor Orji Uzor Kalu is still fresh in our memories. These duo are yet to appear before the state’s House of Assembly to prove their allegations against the state government.

It does not give us pleasure reading from outside the state some of the things the likes of Ikenna Samuel Iwuoha write against our dear state and its leaders. Every unguided utterance, even from a madman is viewed with some level of attention it deserves and this becomes unsavouring when it is embellished with lies and deceits.

Aggressions such that have been transferred to Ndi Imo by Iwuoha from his frustrations to life and self centredness is the reason for his persistent backwardness, complex, self blames and strangeness. No wonder his family has continually denied him and denounced his activities which are borne out of selfishness arising from the demolition of his shanty kerosene depot.

It is often said that “a man’s tooth ache is more important to him than an earthquake that killed one million people in China”. We seldom see the good in others but are quick to see their mistakes. To better Imo therefore, all must be selflessly and genuinely interested and involved without necessarily joining in violent controversy with the leaders.

Lincoln once reprimanded a young army officer for indulging in a violent controversy with an associate. “No man who is resolved to make the most of himself” said Lincoln, “can spare time for personal contention. Still less can he afford to take the consequences, including the vitiation of his temper and the loss of self-control. Yield larger things to which you show no more than equal rights; and yield lesser ones though clearly your own. Better give your path to a dog than be bitten by him in contest for the right of way. Even killing the dog would not cure the bite”   

Government is a powerful institution and those who must come to equity must come with clean hands. While not completely against those criticizing Ohakim’s government (for constructive criticism is the flavour of democracy), but I would not ascribe to Iwuoha and Uba’s diabolistic jargons that all about Ohakim’s administration is evil. By constructive criticism, one should be able to balance the flaws with the rights and proffer suggestions for the flaws. Remember that a barber lathers a man before he shaves him.

The world is full of grabbing, self-seeking individuals and it is the individual who is not interested in his fellow men who has the greatest difficulties in life and provides the greatest injury to others. It is from among such individuals that all human failures spring.

Greg Okechukwu Nwadike is a media practitioner based in Abuja, the FCT. He is the Coordinator, Imo Peoples Movement (IPM). E-mail:gregokeynwadike@yahoo. com

Greg Okey Nwadike

Discovery News Nigeria

Garki, Abuja

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