By Jude Ndukwe<\/p>\n
I read with derision theinfantile missive of one Churchill Okonkwo which
\nhe mischievously titled \u201cFFKStabbed Nnamdi Kanu, Betrayed IPOB and Kissed
\nKwankwaso\u201d which was published inSahara Reporters of August 3, 2018. Itis
\nunfortunate that in attempt to score cheap points, use FFK\u2019s famous name
\ntoclimb to momentary limelight and satisfy his paymasters, Churchill
\nvitiated theseriousness of the struggle of IPOB and reduced it to mere
\npolitics out of theneed to satisfy his hirers. I would have ignored him
\nbut then on a secondthought, what does it take to enlighten an ignoramus
\nof Churchill\u2019s status.<\/p>\n
Let me start by making itclear from the outset that IPOB\u2019s struggle is
\nnot hatred for the Fulani, itwill amount to reducing the noble struggle of
\nIPOB for freedom and justice tohatred for the Fulani or any other tribe
\nfor that matter just like Churchillalluded to in that unfortunate essay of
\nhis. The fact is that it does notmatter who is president today even if the
\nperson is Igbo, IPOB would stillinsist on continuing with their struggle
\nunless a better, more acceptable andworkable option is presented before
\nthem.<\/p>\n
It is foolhardy if not outrightinsanity to allude that FFK defined the
\nstruggle for IPOB by instigating IPOBagainst the Fulani when it is very
\nobvious even to the dumbest of all dullardslike Churchill that Nnamdi
\nKanu\u2019s struggle against the Nigerian set up wastotally and absolutely
\nindependent of whatever opinion FFK holds againstcritical political actors
\nand drivers of the nation irrespective of tribe.<\/p>\n
It is the same FFK who has stoodsolidly by the former NSA, Col Sambo
\nDasuki, rtd, even though Dasuki is Fulani whilehe has subjected the vice
\npresident, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, a Yoruba man, torelentless criticism for
\nthe way the country is being run today. So, it is notabout tribes, it is
\nabout freedom; it is about justice; it is about fairness,and it is about
\nequity.<\/p>\n
Churchill and his well knownsponsors should have known better that FFK and
\nNnamdi Kanu only crossed paths inKuje prisons as a matter of divine
\narrangement and as a result of their commonsufferings callously and
\nwickedly imposed upon both of them for their courageby the same set of
\nFulani actors at the corridors of power today.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately for those who wrotethe script of sending the two men to Kuje
\nprison on different and questionablecharges, they did not know that they
\nwere inadvertently making themselvesavailable to be used by the Almighty
\nGod to arrange for the two lions south ofthe country to meet and strike an
\nunbreakable chord of friendship that no furyfrom hell can break.<\/p>\n
This was just like the biblicalJoseph son of Jacob who was thrown into
\nprison with the hope of seeing him rotthere but those who threw him in
\nprison did not know that that it was actuallyGod\u2019s plan to enthrone
\nJoseph, a stranger in Egypt and one who, by allstandards, was considered
\nan outcast, unfit and unqualified to hold anypolitical office in Egypt not
\nto talk of being their Prime Minister. The waysof God are indeed deep and
\nmysterious. God has a way of using the past toreinforce his supremacy in
\nthe present by repeating those same events of theold in our time.
\nUnfortunately for some of those who call themselves Christians,they are so
\nblinded with religious pride that they cannot see what God is doingwhile
\nthe Fulani, just like the children of Issachar in the Bible who
\nunderstoodthe signs of the season, understand the signs of the time and
\nhave seized theopportunity to \u201creconcile\u201d with FFK, and like FFK himself
\nsaid, \u201cwe had awonderful time and a fruitful and productive discussion
\nabout national issuesand the way forward\u201d, after the visit of Alhaji Musa
\nKwankwaso to his home.<\/p>\n
How the Churchills of this worlddon\u2019t understand that what is happening is
\nGod\u2019s divine arrangement isbewildering. Joseph was true to his faith and
\nconvictions, he was imprisonedbut God elevated him using the same
\nstrangers among whom he lived. It was thesame thing with Daniel, the same
\nthing with the three young Hebrew men throwninto the fire etc. \u201cWhen a
\nman\u2019s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemiesto be at peace with
\nhim\u201d (Prov. 16:7). Churchhill should go and understand signsof the time.<\/p>\n
One is also not surprised thatChurchill Okonkwo has allowed himself to be
\nswayed by filthy lucre toneedlessly and vainly attack FFK in an attempt to
\nstop a God-ordained destiny forhim from coming to fruition. After all even
\nHerod embarked on such a mindless courseof murdering infants just in an
\nattempt to stop Christ from manifesting. Even inRevelation chapter 12, the
\ndragon fought ruthlessly against the woman in anattempt to stop her from
\ngiving birth to the son but she was given wings withwhich she flew beyond
\nattacks. Let those who have understanding ponder on thesethings!<\/p>\n
Churchill in that article of his quoteda lot of verses from the Bible and
\neven alluded to his pastor at one pointshowing that he is a Christian.
\nSadly, this is one Christian who lacks thespirit of discernment to
\nunderstand what God is doing in our time and clime. Heforgets that even
\nJoseph, the son of Jacob still went ahead to reconcile withthose who sold
\nhim into slavery as long as that would make the purpose of Godfor Israel
\nhis home country come to fruition. After all FFK\u2019s disagreement withthe
\nFulani was nothing personal but based on national interest. His
\ncriticismsare based on the grave injustices meted out to Nigerians by a
\ngovernment whosemost powerful cabal is peopled by the Fulani. FFK is
\nsometimes also riled thatdespite the evil perpetrated in the land by a
\ngovernment led by the Fulani andthe notorious Fulani herdsmen terrorists,
\nhardly does any Fulani elite condemnsuch dastardly acts by the murderous
\ngroup nor the tyranny our nation hasbecome.<\/p>\n
So, if after all his criticisms,some leading Fulani actors have eventually
\nseen the light and gone to FFK toconsult with him, telling him that all he
\nhad been saying about the happeningsin the country are true and have
\neventually sank into them and that they wereready to join forces with him
\nand his party to oust this current governmentthat has allowed so much
\ntears, sorrow and blood to flow in the countryceaselessly, it is Nigerians
\nthat gains at last and it shows that even the sameelites of Fulani stock
\nwhich FFK has been criticizing for the sorry state theruling cabal has
\nturned our country into understand that FFK\u2019s interest wasnothing personal
\nbut for the good of all. In the end, we all including theChurchills of
\nthis world benefit from a nation run according to the will of thepeople
\nand the rule of law rather than the brute of force.<\/p>\n
The allusion that FFK waswelcoming the Kwankwasos, to his Abuja home for
\nhis selfish political reasons isbalderdash. FFK does not need to welcome
\nthe new defectors to PDP to his hometo show that his stance on national
\nissues are pristine and noble. After all,even in the PDP there are staunch
\nFulani members including the legal luminaryand former minister of Special
\nDuties under President Goodluck Jonathan, AlhajiKabiru Tanimu Turaki SAN,
\nand other notable Fulani PDP leaders across board. Itrather shows class
\nwhen you open your doors to those people considered for youas sworn
\nenemies by enemies of friendship and progress.<\/p>\n
FFK has earned for himself theright for his home to be turned to a
\npolitical Mecca of some sort. Any presidentialaspirant worth his salt
\nknows that FFK has become a factor in moulding opinionsand influencing
\nnational discourse to his side. That Buhari has indeed becomeso unpopular
\ntoday that his hitherto diehard allies like the Sarakis, theAtikus, the
\nKwankwasos, the Tambuwals, the Hunkuyis, etc have abandoned him inquick
\nsuccession is largely due to the courageous works, words and writings
\nofFFK who has refused to buckle under grievous threat to life unlike
\ncertainpeople who quickly jump ship to Buhari\u2019s party, the APC, just upon
\nbeing shownpapers of investigations against them.<\/p>\n
World over, noble men who haveproved their fidelity and consistency to a
\ncause even if it amounts to dyingfor that cause attract to themselves
\ngreat men because at certain levels, thesegreat men want to associate with
\nonly those they can trust, and FFK has provedbeyond every reasonable doubt
\nthat he can remain friends with the Igbo andevery other tribe without
\nbetraying one for another but uses that opportunityto ensure justice and
\nfreedom for all. Fidelity is a virtue of the tested andtrusted!<\/p>\n
Contrary to the gibberish spewedby Churchill, FFK has not and cannot
\nabandon his bosom friend Nnamdi Kanu nomatter the circumstance. Just
\nbarely two weeks ago, precisely on July 21, 2018,FFK was in Umuahia the
\nAbia State capital to bury his mother-in-law who passedonto glory, and the
\noccasion and venue were abuzz as IPOB high command and membersdid not only
\nstorm the venue of the burial ceremony in their numbers, they camefrom
\ndifferent parts of the southeast, chanting solidarity songs and hailingFFK
\nto high heavens for his resilience and support to them and to Nnamdi
\nKanueven when they thought they had been abandoned by all.<\/p>\n
If the meeting at the burialceremony was agog, the one at the residence of
\nNnamdi Kanu where FFK proceededto go and see a multitude of IPOB members
\nwaiting for him was boisterous andvociferous. Nnamdi Kanu\u2019s residence that
\nhad been scantily active since theunfortunate \u201cOperation Python Dance 2\u201d
\nincident suddenly came back to life once again. Thenews of FFK\u2019s presence
\nthere spread like wild fire and before you could sayJack Robinson, people
\nhad trooped from all corners of the region to come catcha glimpse of their
\n\u201cNwanne Di Namba\u201d, withmany acknowledging the fact that it takes uncommon
\nmen with great value andvalour to stick to their friends in the face of
\ngrievous adversity like thatsuffered by Kanu and IPOB. The people were
\nmesmerized that FFK thought itworthy to encourage them not by phone or
\nthrough his numerous intellectualessays laden with incontrovertible
\nhistorical and prophetic facts, but topersonally come all the way to see
\nthem and restore their hope in the struggleeven if he had the easier
\noption of returning to Abuja immediately after theburial of his
\nmother-in-law as some in his position would have done.<\/p>\n
While encouraging the IPOB crowdto be law abiding, FFK was unmistaken in
\nreminding them that theirs was a just struggleand that that which they are
\nstruggling for is recognized in the UN Charter onhuman rights. He
\nadmonished them that while they keep the struggle alive, theymust not
\nforget to also be orderly and continue to maintain their stance of
\nanon-violent struggle until such a time when their wishes would come to
\nfruitionone way or the other. The crowd went into wild jubilation when FFK
\nremindedthem to count on him as a true friend who will never abandon them
\neven if itmeans him standing alone with them. Videos of the event are on
\nyoutube.<\/p>\n
The people including IPOB membersknow their true friends, and no matter
\nthe bitter calumny spewed by a demented heartlike that of Churchill
\nOkonkwo, FFK shall not only remain the people\u2019s voice buttheir champion
\nand a toast, both of the high and the mighty and the common man.That is
\nhis destiny, and no one can abort it.<\/p>\n