Focus
The Editor In A Time Of Crisis
This topic reminds me of two recent personal incidents. I was in the office on the morning of Tuesday, July 13 when a colleague rushed in with his phone.
He seemed quite animated, but there was also an edge of anxiety about him as he thrust his phone forward, stopping mid-speech, and asking me to speak with the caller. I didn’t know who it was. So, I motioned to my colleague to end the call first and sit down.
He did, collected himself, and spoke. A federal minister, one of the very influential ones in this government, had just called him to complain about LEADERSHIP’s lead story for that day, entitled, “Nigeria moves to tackle terrorists with robots”.
He said the minister was livid that our story was an expose for Boko Haram and a great disservice to Nigeria’s war on terror. Even if the editor did not know, how come Azu, the Editor-In-Chief, also failed spectacularly to see that that story was leaking a vital state secret to the enemy?
I called the minister back on my colleague’s line. In vain did I try to explain that the story was actually a report from the Senate’s plenary. It was open and live. We were obliged, like other newspapers, to cover and report it.
In any case, why should a story about the planned use of drones be deemed a national security breach, when the military routinely calls press conferences to announce its order of, payment for and arrival dates of US-manufactured Tucano jets, one of its prized assets in the war on Boko Haram?
But the minister is not alone, as I found from this second incident days ago. A statement on behalf of the government by the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari and former President of the NGE, Malam Garba Shehu, on Monday, suggests very clearly that the government seriously thinks that the media has insecurity on its speed dial, stored with the shorthand: if it bleeds, it leads.
For example, the government said, if only the press would replace the ubiquitous phrase “rising insecurity” with “declining insecurity”, we might indeed begin to witness not only a decline in insecurity, but also a totally different perception of the decade-and-a-half-long war on terror. And doubtless too, we might also begin to see, without the malicious veil of bias, the great strides that Buhari has made in degrading, if not exterminating, Boko Haram.
But wait a minute. Is the media as powerful as it is often acclaimed and its forces as potent and even malevolent as the Morning Journal at the hands of William Randolph Hearst in the 20th century? Are media managers, especially editors, supposed to descend the conflict arena as mediators, partisans, neutrals or agents of peace? Or as a combination of these?
Or was the US late-night show legend, Jon Stewart, right when he told the New York Times recently that when journalists pose as change agents, it’s either they’re taking themselves too seriously or perhaps those who believe them are taking them too seriously?
I’m not sure I have the answers. But I would be silly to think that you are here for the gospel of Peace Journalism, after which you would return to a world where the journalistic lamb and the societal lion would lie side by side. It would be naïve to believe – or even think – so when journalism itself, if not politics, is facing a conflict of obsolescence.
Buzz words, key words
It may be useful, at this stage, to explain the context in which I would be using three key words: conflict, mediator, and editor.
First, conflict. When interests clash and disagreement occurs, and such disagreementsescalate, we have conflict. Although the basis for conflict, whether at individual or societal level, might vary, most conflicts are as a result of differences in opinion and scarcity of resources.
Here, I am dealing with conflicts involving groups defined by political affiliation, ethnicity, nationality, religion and other social identities. Over the past three decades, we can say that these conflicts have reached staggering proportions.
There is hardly any region of the world where there is no violent conflict. And there is hardly any sub-region within Africa where there is no violence from conflicts.
If we look closely at groups that may operate to trigger or constrain violent struggles, politicians and faith leaders are high on the list. And we have seen how easily any or a combination of these groups can devolve into or stoke fanaticism, extremism and demagoguery.
Unfortunately, conflicts around the world have cost too many lives, brought too much suffering to too many ordinary people and have displaced even more, depriving them of their homes and livelihoods.
In 2003, Roy and Judy Eidelson’sDangerous Ideas identified five individual-level core beliefs and group-level worldviews which, according to their research, propel groups towards conflict. The five core beliefs are superiority, injustice, vulnerability, distrust and helplessness.
Time will not permit me to do an extensive review of this interesting theory or to deploy it as an analytic tool to deconstruct the Nigerian situation. Briefly, however, this theory explains why beliefs and worldviews, such as injustice and ethnocentrism – and not the media – are drivers of conflicts in Nigeria since independence till the present time.
Mediation, the second key word, is a voluntary process in which an impartial intermediary (the mediator) facilitates communication and promotes reconciliation between the parties which will allow them to reach a mutually acceptable agreement.
Mediation is often the next step if negotiation proves unsuccessful. In mediation, the parties in a conflict or their representatives have an opportunity to explain their views of the dispute. Mediation helps each side better understand the other’s point of view.
And the third, editor? One of the most pragmatic definitions I have known is the one by my teacher, Professor Olatunji Dare. He described the editor as “the one who decides what gets published.” If you find a better description, please send it my way.
How do these three factors interact and interrelate? What roles do their interactions play in the emergence of conflicts, and where exactly does the press stand in the mix?
Watchdog and warfare
The press is said to be the watchdog of society; it is supposed to sound the alarm when all is not well, to bark when the bad guys are roaming the block.
While it may be sensible to assume that the editor, guided by the basic professional requirements of accuracy, balance, fairness, objectivity and facts should exercise reasonable judgment, there is the temptation to over-estimate the role of the media in building consensus or mediating peace.
But which editor – which Nigerian editor – so desirous to cultivate peace and build consensus, can try any of the top non-journalist, media influencers for size? Yemi Alade, Tiwa Savage, and Funke Akindele have among them, 42.3 million followers on Instagram alone – and that was before the Tiwa sex tape!
The top 10 Nigerian editors don’t come close, even if you throw in their media houses to make the number and add their entire social media footprint to the bargain! If current warfare is for hearts and minds and the cyberspace is the theatre, how can editors influence outcomes with such limited reach?
Outside textbooks or what officialdom may mislead you to believe, the job of “holding the line”, to use the phrase by journalist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Maria Ressa, is messier and far more complicated in real life than it is at a lecture.
That said, the media is like a double-edged sword, and in some ways, too, like fire – it can help to cook a meal; it can also set the house alight. The media can act as both a catalyst in conflict prevention, while it could also potentially inflame it.
In the context of our discussion, conflict, mediation and the media may be seen as connected dots on different points of a long, wobbly line.
When conflicts break out, between state and non-state actors for example, as the case is between Boko Haram and the Federal Government, battles are not limited to the warfront. Each party engages in a struggle for mindshare with the editor and the press caught in the middle.
The parties in a conflict are often concerned with making sure that the majority of people are on “their” side. And at the centre of that battle is who controls the narrative in the media and public spaces. As a result, there is a lot of potential for misrepresenting facts in the struggle for control and distribution of information.
Conflicting parties understand that information is power and insight can impact public discourse. They know that perception can be influenced by access to the media, as the Taliban have amply demonstrated in their second coming in Afghanistan. Key actors in a conflict thus seek to manipulate public perception;depending on their relative position of power and/or control of resources, they seek to either minimise or exaggerate a conflict.
As Steven Livingston, professor of Media and Public and International Affairs at the George Washington University put it, weak actors in a conflict tend to use the media to “socialise” a conflict, while actors in a dominant position tend to use the media to “privatise” it.
By using the media to socialise the conflict, weak actors in a conflict solicit and enlist supporters in their cause against a greater power by highlighting the perception of being the “victim” and painting a picture of suffering. On the other hand, by using the media to privatise the conflict, dominant actors in a conflict limit attention to or awareness of the conflict.
The former uses the media coverage to draw attention while the latter uses the same media coverage to downplay the conflict.
From available analyses, international media err more on the side of actors who socialise conflict than those who privatise it. Conversely, local media more often pitches its camp more with the dominant actors than it does with the weak actors. It is therefore dangerous for a third party in a conflict to base its response on the substance and timing of the information received from one or a few sources of information.
After all, it was Harry S. Truman, the 33rd president of the United States, who once said, “You can never get all the facts from just one newspaper, and unless you have all the facts, you cannot make proper judgments about what is going on.”
Role of the media in conflict
The editor does not exist in a vacuum. To understand the role of the editor in a conflict – or peace in time – it might be useful to first examine his or her role in the workplace, since editors are by and large, catalysts in the media space.
In a paper by Joseph Olusegun Adebayo and Blessing Makwambeni, entitled, “The limits of peace journalism”, the authors examined the role of the press in three elections in Kenya – in 2008, 2013 and 2017.
They concluded that while reportage in the Kenyan press was implicated in the violence that pushed the country to the brink of war in 2008, by brazenly taking sides and pitching ethnic groups against each other, the press played a significantly positive role five years later in the next election.
In a twist of irony, however, the same press which was hailed for professionalism and restraint in 2013, was condemned yet again in 2017 for “sacrificing democracy on the altar of peace.” It was accused of downplaying massive rigging and election fraud for fear that such reportage might stoke violence. It appears that heads or tails, the press loses!
One eyed-town, one-eyed king
Why, in spite of its shortcomings and limitations, is so much faith invested in the ability of the press to “hold the line” and perhaps also act as a catalyst for conflict resolution and consensus building?
Section 22 of the 1999 constitution requires the press to hold the government accountable. It’s also important to keep in mind that the press played an important historical role not only in helping the country attain political independence, but also as a champion of the common cause during decades of military rule when freedom of speech was severely abridged. So, there is both a statutory and a historical imperative for the press to shine the light.
The draw towards the press could also be as a result of a growing loss of confidence in other mechanisms for conflict management and resolution. The police are overworked and underpaid, the courts are not better off, while other mechanisms for mediation and arbitration are either comatose or out-of-reach.
If the Nigerian fish is rotting from the head, it would be gratuitous to claim that the press is in good health. The misery of some editors who may even strive for professionalism, is compounded by largely compromised ownership structures, redundancies, poor remuneration, and a weak ethical fiber further undermined by poor regulation; not to mention the onslaught of fake news, which appears to have significantly tarred civic spaces and tainted journalism in the eyes of outsiders.
The media is, by and large, plagued by the same social malaise threatening other segments of society, except that perhaps there remains a flicker hope that in the plurality and diversity of the press and drawing from its rich historical legacy, there might yet be redemption.
Out of the ashes, the Editor
The question is how? How might the press regain lost grounds, rebuild confidence and win back public trust, which is an essential tool in its role as:
a) Information provider and interpreter
b) Watchdog and gatekeeper
c) Policy influencer and agenda setter
d) Promoter of peace and bridge builder
There are some institutional changes that might help not just the newsroom, but also the editor, become more efficient and effective.
The most urgent, for me, is a professional framework. The Nigerian Media Council Bill is trash. It should be left in the garbage heap to suffer the slow, painful death that it deserves. But there’s a vacuum. Once the local Ombudsman announced by the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), is up and running, the association should move quickly to establish a co-regulatory framework for the industry, with South Africa as a useful model. The watchdog cannot – and should not – be above transparency, if it hopes to win public confidence.
Also, as the recent collaborative work on the Pandora Papers has shown, editors can work with colleagues across boundaries to share resources for the common good. The redundancy level in a number of Nigerian media houses – idle presses, huge office spaces, large inventory of unsold print copies, and the trove of unused daily news content – is extraordinary. Yet empty pride keeps them not only from introspection, but also from the economies of scale that could come from sharing resources.
The 21st century editor is at a crossroads. In the journal, “International media and conflict resolution: Making the connection”, John Pauly, a communication scholar at Marquette University, wrote: “Traditionally, journalists viewed themselves as disinterested witnesses or observers to conflict, present only to report on facts. More recently, the public journalism model has advocated that journalists take a more active role in educating and helping the public craft solutions to the problems of the day.”
As the editor iterates, integrates and manages interfaces, developing electronic copies of newspapers and streaming content to ensure presence on virtual platforms in order to escape the conflict of obsolescence, he or she also needs to navigate with caution, checking, cross-checking and fact-checking.
He or she is an easier prey for politicians, demagogues, extremists andYahoo Boys on virtual space than he is vulnerable to the recalcitrant vendor or distributor in the street corner.
Moreover, the citizen journalist more often than not, does not know or play by the rules of institutional journalism. These are challenges that confront editors and will test their capacity beyond the theories of mass communications.
How successfully journalists manage the innovations and issues technology throw at them would determine whether or not and now far they succeed as mediators.
To paraphrase Pauly, journalists and editors need to take a more active role in educating and helping the public find solutions to the problems of the day. In other words, the continued relevance of journalism, whether in peace time or in time of crisis, lies just as much on its inventiveness as in how it reinforces the agency of the citizen.
That is where journalism should its stand. Not with extremists, fanatics and demagogues. And certainly not with politicians who love to fake outrage in the daytime, but at sunset find time for photo ops with bandits strapped to the teeth with deadly weapons.
We can and should find our own way.
By: Azu Ishiekwene
Ishiekwene is the Editor-in-Chief of LEADERSHIP
(This is a slightly modified paper he presented at the 17 Annual Conference of the Nigerian Guild of Editors in Abuja on October 21, 2012).
Focus
Reminisces On Tributes To Mrs Adeline Ndalu Jaja
Live not as though there
were a thousand years ahead of you. Fate is at your elbow; make yourself good while life and power are still yours,” so said the Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher, Marcus Aurelius, who had spent valuable time in meditation, and from deep moments of reflections.
The counsel was in recognition of death, nonetheless, as a marker of the ephemeral nature of life. A necessary end, that would come when it may, and never cared at what age of a person it strikes. So, at 87 years, death struck and Mama, late Mrs Adeline Ndalu Jaja (Nee Ohochukwu) yielded and was taken to glory.
Late Mrs Adeline Ndalu Jaja (Nee Ohochukwu) was mother-in-law to the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara. Mama was a loving mother to her first daughter, Lady Valerie, the wife to the governor.
Mama’s death weighed heavily. The feeling was painful. The memories traumatic. Death, always left pain of loss that ran deep, discomforting and grave. When it happened, it affected, not only the surviving kin, the children, church, but the entire community because it would be a serious loss to it’s identity and continuity.
It was on Saturday, March 16, 2024, that the earthly remains of Mama Adeline Ndalu Jaja (Nee Ohochukwu) returned to mother-earth in a blaze of glory. She was buried in Opobo Town, the capital of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The events that led to the interment were wrapped up as a festival of sort. This was despite the fact that, originally, the plan was to have solemn sessions, such that offer an atmosphere to encourage deep reflection, remembrance and to celebrate the life of Mama.
Regardless, all outlined intentions were achieved. It was festival cum solemn assemblage. Many people were attracted to attend, across spheres, professions and vocations. Tributes were in rich supply, paid.
First, it was the Service of Songs at St. Andrew’s Anglican Church in Mile One, Diobu, in the heart of Port Harcourt City on March 13. Then, the Funeral Service held at St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Opobo Town on Saturday, 16th March. The outing and Thanksgiving Service was on Sunday, March 17, at the same church venue.
All those who attended bode farewell to Mama. They left with unforgotten experiences of what they encountered, which was how well Mama lived, as conveyed in the tributes that were paid.
The witty, energetic, and optimistic personality of the Matriarch were sumptuously acknowledged. She taught many persons the lessons of how to embrace and celebrate life. Mama was generous with what she had, defended the weak because she was outspoken and brave. She was never shy to stand in the gap, looked out for the less privileged, promoted the common good as a disciplinarian, and with visionary leadership, shaped many lives positively.
Born on May 17th, 1936 at Nkarahia, Isiokpo in Ikwerre Local Government Area, Mama was an enterprising business owner and remained a devout Christian until her death. As an unrelenting activist, she uplifted humanity, worked to promote timeless virtues that make life valuable. She was the third daughter of four children born to late Elder Maxwell Wahusie Ohochukwu of Isiokpo in Rivers State and Margaret Uwakwe from Umunjam, Mbieri in Mbaitolu Local Government Area of Imo State.
Mama attended the St. Peter’s Primary School in Isiokpo where she got her First School Leaving Certificate, and eventually graduated from standard six. She got employed into the Nigerian Police Force in 1962 and eventually retired in 1997.
Late Mrs Adeline Ndalu Jaja found love in late Senibo Ebenezer Gberepikima Jaja (Senior), and eventually married him. She was blessed with five children, and the wife of the Rivers State Governor was her first daughter. Her worldview was shaped by the values of hard work, respect for others, integrity and perseverance. She died on December 17, 2023.
Reminisces of the tributes to Mama are compelling and memorable. Governor Siminalayi Fubara recalled how close he was with Mama when he spoke at the Service of Songs: “Mama was a great woman. She made me marry her daughter because of what she saw in me. When Mama believed in you, she would go all out for it. I feel so sad that all the mothers in my life; my mother and my mother-in-law, that would have enjoyed their support to me, have all passed.”
While speaking at the Funeral Service, Governor Fubara harped on the need for people to learn lessons from the life that Mama lived. He said: “We are all here this afternoon to say bye-bye to Mama. But I want you to go home with something. And by the grace of God, I don’t think there will be any counter to the point I will make.
“How do we live our lives? Can we live in such a way, that when we are no more, our names can open doors for our children? That is what I want you to go home with.
“Mama has lived her life, and it has opened a lot of doors for her biological children. Even those people that are close to Mama, when you mention that you know so and so person, doors will open.
“So, I want everybody here, to go back and reflect on it. You must live life, so that when you are no more, and our children who are left behind when you are gone, when they mention our names, let that name open doors for them. I feel that is the greatest virtue parents should leave for their children.” Serious food for thought!
But one of the most touching is this from Governor Fubara: “Mama was not just my mother-in-law; she was more than that. From the very day I became a member of their family by marrying her daughter, she took and related with me as her son. A strong woman of faith, my family and I enjoyed immense love, support, and prayers from her presence in our lives. She was always there for us throughout her lifetime.
“Though we mourn her departure, I cannot but be proud of Mama’s remarkable lifetime of service to the nation, God and humanity and her legacy of positive impacts and accomplishments.
“As a police woman, she was respected for her honesty, discipline, and fairness. As an entrepreneur, she was focused, hardworking, and resourceful. As a devout Christian, she loved and served God in diverse ways, and contributed to the development of the church in her community, Opobo. She was also an exceptional woman, a responsible mother and grandmother, a disciplinarian, yet compassionate, generous, and always there to lend a helping hand to everyone who came her way.
“I will forever cherish the great moments she shared with my family and me, and be ever thankful to God for the fact that Mama will continue to live because of her positive impacts and glorious legacies.”
Another tribute inspiring introspection from Wife of the Governor, Lady Valerie Fubara reads: “Indeed, my mother was an inspiring soul, who was always there for all, even when they come with their challenges of any kind. Her home was widely open to all, as her hospitality made people around her feel important.
“Mummy was the most loving, humble, compassionate, understanding, family-oriented woman, and one of the most beautiful souls one could ever ‘encounter’. If there is reincarnation, I will choose you a million times. Your life was indeed a blessing, your memory a treasure!”
That event was also attended by the Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri. He paid his tributes too, saying: “I know how I felt losing a father at 88 years, and so, no matter how old your parents are, whether it’s 100 years, it can be painful. But we would have wished that she would have died thereafter, particularly against the background that her daughter today is the Number One Lady of Rivers State, but we can only wish it, but God decides when anyone of us would go. So, I urge you to take heart, as her legacies and memories will continue to be a guiding light for you and the family.”
Rivers State Deputy Governor, Prof Ngozi Odu said, “During her lifetime, Mama was known as an amazing woman who positively touched the lives of many with her kindness, grace and the love she shared with those around her.
“She was a police officer who was loved and erected because of her integrity, diligence and commitment in the discharge of her duties which will forever be remembered by all those who knew her.”
The Head of Rivers State Civil Service, Dr George Nwaeke, wrote: “Mrs Jaja’s remarkable legacy, as reflected in her age of 87 years, reminds us of a life well-lived, imbued with wisdom, love and lasting contributions to her community. We can only imagine the depth of your loss but hope you find solace in the memories you shared with her and the knowledge that she touched many lives in meaningful ways.”
Her son, Dr Ebenezer Gberepikima Jaja (Jnr) said, “If this, however, is the last time I get to say goodbye to mother, I will do it with the knowledge and understanding that I consider myself to have been gloriously blessed to be your son.
“You touched not only my life, but the lives of many others by your selfless and countless acts of kindness. Mama, you always gave and never expected any favours in return – not even when you needed it. You were a no-nonsense disciplinarian who made me stay within certain parameters, which I had to obey to be on the up and up. You always ensured I stayed focused and on course in everything I did. Your discipline was based on love, God’s fear and ultimate care. You were also generous, almost to a fault.
“You were a fulfilled and accomplished woman. The evidence is obvious and manifest in us, your children, who you raised uprightly, successfully, and worthily… Sorrow is not enough to wash away your wonderful memories. You were simply the best; just knowing that you are the apple of God’s eyes is enough for us. I love you but God loves you more!”
Her second daughter, Engineer Vanessa Donald Banigo also reflected on the life Mama lived, saying, “Though as a fact that death is inevitable, regardless of the age, I would have wished my beloved Mummy could live forever… Your departure has somewhat placed me empty, as I could recall living with me, you became my guardian angel, and a source of strength… With you, I never had any reason to say I am broke, because you were always there to lend or give me instead.
“You taught me how to be bold and strong in the storm of any challenges, because you were a woman of wisdom. You taught me that prayer is the only source of greatness. Words alone cannot express how I feel right now. I truly miss you Mummy! You have fought a good fight, may you be crowned with the crown of glory in the heavenly kingdom”.
The St. Andrew’s Anglican Church of the Niger Delta Diocese said, “With each step, she illuminated the path of righteousness, her unwavering faith, a beacon in the times of darkness. Though trials and triumphs she held fast to her beliefs, in every word spoken, in every gesture relief.
“Her kindness knew no bounds, her compassion, profound, in serving others; true joy she found with a heart full of love, she touched lives near and far, leaving behind a legacy that outshines every star.
“Paying dues with diligence, fulfilling each vows, her commitment to serve an example unsurpassed. Though she is departed from our earthly sight, her presence lingers, a guiding light. For in the hearts of those she touched, she will forever remain.
“A faithful woman now free from earthly pains. As she joins the church triumphant, let us rejoice and sing, and not mourn, for she has found eternal peace on angels’ wings.”
Bishop of the Diocese of Evo, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Province of Niger Delta, The Right Reverend Innocent Ordu, said, “We thank God for giving Mama a long and fruitful life during which she touched the lives of many positively by her honesty, sincerity, integrity, devotion and selfless service to her family and the community.
“Your Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, this death of your dear mother-in-law must have come to you as a rude shock, particularly at these challenging times when her presence and admonitions would have been a great source of support and encouragement to you. We urge you, however, to be of good comfort, knowing that she us now resting in the arms of the Lord after her labours here on earth.
“Our dear Lady Valerie, what counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that determines the significance of the life we lead. Your mother is an expression of thus fact. More so, a mother’s love, they say, is eternal. We, thus, encourage you to hold on to that infinite love of your mother and let it be your guiding light.”
The Chief Medical Director of Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Prof. Chizindu Alikor said: “Auntie Ploice was a remarkable soul who embodied strength, warmth, kindness and commitment to family and community. She was a beacon of wisdom, a custodian of history, and a source of inspiration.
“Her presence lit up every room, and her giggling was a melody that brought joy to all fortunate enough to share in her company. She approached life with resilience, and a unique blend of grace and determination that left an indelible mark on everyone around her. Her role as a mentor and guide extended far beyond familial bonds; she was a source of support for all who sought her wisdom. Her compassionate nature and genuine interest in the wellbeing of others made her a pillar of strength in times of joy and sorrow alike.”
Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu said, “Your mother’s unwavering dedication and professionalism as a police officer leave an indelible mark on the history of the Rivers State Police Command… Throughout her distinguished career, she served with distinction in various capacities and State Commands, including Edo, Abia, and Rivers states… While we mourn the loss of a remarkable individual, we draw strength from the profound impact she made during her lifetime. Her commitment to service and the invaluable legacy she leaves behind will continue to inspire generations to come.”
Chairman, Nigerian Legion, Rivers State Command, ACG Rev Canon Charles Hart said, “We mourn with you and celebrate the extraordinary life of a remarkable mother, who was, indeed, a mother to all. She was a shining example of motherhood, kindness in her services to the people of Opobo Clan.
“Whilst her death has left a gaping void among the ranks of mothers, I encourage you, however, to take solace in the fact that she lived a fulfilled life and left behind an enduring legacy.”
The Accountant-General of Rivers State, Uche Ideozu said, “The demise of your dear mother at this time is not only a great loss in your beloved family members and close relatives, but also one that affects the good people of Rivers State at large. Because we cannot question God for choosing to call her home at this particular time, we can only but take solace in the fact that He permitted her to leave her footsteps in the sands of time.”
Also, the Forum of Permanent Secretaries in Rivers State said, “Sir, the passage of Mama came as a great shock not only to the Permanent Secretaries in the State Civil Service but to the entire people of Rivers State. We have truly lost a virtuous mother and a great daughter of the State who served her fatherland as a police officer and contributed immensely to the peace, security and development of Rivers State and Nigeria in general.
“We are, indeed, saddened by her sudden departure at this time that her motherly love, care and wisdom is much needed to move Rivers State forward. However, as mortals, we cannot question our Maker, the Almighty God.
“We kindly urge Your Excellency and your entire family to be consoled by the fact that Mama was a great mother who lived a life worthy of emulation, created positive impact while she was alive and was loved by all. She would be greatly missed.”
Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Chairman, Dr Enyiada Clifford Cookey-Gam said, “Your mother was a peaceful and disciplined police officer, who served the nation meritorious in her days of service. She was a quintessential mother, and a good Christian. Indeed, her death is an irreplaceable loss to you and your family. However, may the impeccable lifestyle she lived, and the loving memories of your mother console you at this time of grief.”
The Queen Osunju Jaja House said, “We are indeed, short of words but we are consoled that she lived a good and peaceful life before her sudden demise. She was indeed a kind woman who extended her kindness and love to all those who interacted with her in her sojourn on earth. Her pleasantries, firm mien, hard work, discipline, industry, and good official conduct in public service bear testimony to the great personality of Late Mrs Adeline Ndalu Ebenezer Jaja. We are indeed proud of her that is why we call her ‘Mama Police’”.
Rev Dr. Peter Finebone and Evangelist Ibiene Peter Finebone emphasised that: “As a retired police officer of the Nigerian Police Force, Mama was a peace-maker and a disciplinarian, which she inculcated to her children. She was a woman of many feathers and of distinct characteristics.”
These are only but a few of the flurry of tributes paid in honour of late Mrs Adeline Ndalu Jaja, at activities celebrating her final interment in Opobo Town. These tributes would remain stark reminders of the legacies she left behind. Like they say, these are memories that would remain indelible in history for centuries to come. Goodbye Mama!
Chukwudi is the Chief Press Secretary to the Rivers State Governor, and writes from Port Harcourt.
By: Nelson Chukwudi
Focus
The Belligerent Rantings Of Tony Okocha
Discerning minds are definitely amused by the new found occupation of Rivers State Caretaker Committee Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Tony Okocha. It is amusing because each time he speaks or writes, he apparently exposes the height of his crass ignorance. Rivers people, however, know exactly where he draws his energy from in his new found hatchet job.
Rather than face the task of adequate representation of Rivers State in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), he rather chooses ignominy and belligerent ranting as an insane alarmist. Anyway, that, of course, is the only way he could possibly justify the filthy lucre from his demigod and benefactor.
Indeed, one would not have dissipated energy dignifying Tony Okocha with a response, considering his unstable character which inspires his bunch of false and uninformed diatribes. Made toxic by his rabble-rousing antics, he now can be aptly labelled “Toxic Tony Okocha”.
All caught-up in his toxic state, Okocha deliberately refuses to see through logical reasoning and constructive criticism. Instead, he chooses fiction over empirical facts.
In his recent tantrums, he has been quixotically sounding sarcastic in his posers.
He apparently chose devilish propaganda without corresponding empirical evidence as he failed in his uninspiring tirades of comparing Rivers State with Borno, Lagos, Kaduna, Niger, and Akwa Ibom States without showing the benchmark for such tasteless exercise.
Today, it is obvious that the main man in Rivers State engaged in foolery and falsehood as his article in trade is Toxic Tony Okocha. Just for filthy lucre, he has been quite unreasonable with his campaign of calumny which does not reflect the reality on ground in Rivers State. Someone should educate Okocha that his approach is definitely not the right way to play the role of opposition.
Toxic Okocha needs to stop this deliberate attempt to distract by focusing attention on efforts to reconcile a fragmented and factionalised APC in Rivers State. Okocha needs to stop this meddlesomeness in the workings of the State Executive Council and the relationship between the Executive and the Legislature, which he is partly instrumental to, and focus on bringing all APC members together and holding regular Executive Committee meetings with all stakeholders in his party.
Any living citizen of Rivers State that in his clear conscience supports Tony Okocha’s perfidious perdition and foolery is not only wickedly complicit to the machinations of servitude, but an enemy of strategic development that is being propagated by the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara.
Which responsible citizen will be unhappy that civil servants are being promoted and earmarked to earn corresponding wages? In fact, Tony Okocha and his cohorts have not been happy that the funds their demigod had been covetously syphoning are now being used for the welfare of Rivers workers. So, his assignment is to discredit every good effort of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
It is instructive to inform Toxic Okocha that Sir Siminalayi Fubara is judiciously deploying the resources of the State for the utmost development of the State and the welfare of the people.
Furthermore, Okocha now sanctimoniously sees Rivers women half naked in protest against servitude and reckless intimidation of their sons as abominable, but never saw any infractions or condemned it, when in 2019, the same women protested half naked to defend their mandate that they freely gave to his benefactor. What a hypocrite? A case of removing a speck in another man’s eye but having a log in your own eye.
Okocha attempted to query Sir Siminalayi Fubara for expending Rivers State resources without an approved budget. Indeed, one can truly see that Tony Okocha is suffering from fixated amnesia, perhaps hallucinating on the idea of Governor Fubara re-presenting a budget already passed and signed into law to an assemblage of men suffering from legitimacy questions. The legitimate members of Rivers State House of Assembly have done their bit on the 2024 budget, and the budget is already operational. If Tony Okocha is aggrieved and not satisfied with it, he should go to court to challenge it. Period!
In the eyes of Tony Okocha and his benefactor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara is guilty of their own infractions, but in the eyes of the law and the good people of Rivers State, whom SIM holds their mandate, Governor Fubara is well acquitted and doing the right thing to totally liberate them from the shackles of servitude and criminal greediness.
Apparently, in Rivers State, we live in two worlds: one that accommodates all Rivers people with Sir Siminalayi Fubara; and the other where Toxic Tony Okocha and his benefactors live with the wicked intention of perpetually enslaving and suffocating the people for their selfish interests.
It may be trite to reiterate, but it is a fact that whatever revenue accruing to Rivers State is being prudently utilised by Sir Siminalayi Fubara to better the lots of the people. We need not remind Okocha that, because of his crass ignorance, he could not drive his earlier narrative of Siminalayi Fubara squandering over N140billion. This is because he did not remember that Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s signature project, the Port Harcourt Ring Road is worth over N195billion, with a down payment of N150billion. Of course, the project is funded with a loan serviced from the State’s monthly allocations. Besides, Governor Siminalayi Fubara has also embarked on several other life-impacting projects that the wicked will pretend not to see in their blind criticism. The projects include the 20,000 units low income housing; rehabilitation of the Aleto-Ebubu-Eteo Road; the Bori and Elelenwo internal roads; the extended 12.128-kilometer Egbeda internal roads; the rehabilitation of various roads in the Port Harcourt metropolis; the N4billion MSMES fund; payment of WAEC/NECO fees; completion of all inherited projects from the previous administration, the State Government intervention to boost the productive capacity of the DADTCO Rivers State Cassava Processing Factory, and efforts already in top gear to resuscitate the Rivers Songhai Integrated Farm, and other agricultural transformation investments of Government abandoned by the previous administration for eight years, among others. Does Okocha need all the projects of Government ongoing in the 23 local government areas listed for him to realise that he has been delusional?
In fact, Tony Okocha acknowledged that Governor Siminalayi Fubara is also paying the corresponding wages to the promoted civil servants in the State in addition to the Christmas bonus they received. He should also know that Governor Siminalayi Fubara is paying pension and gratuities, including death benefits of retirees that were abandoned by his benefactor for eight years. The Rivers State Secretariat Complex now has water and power supply, a huge infrastructure investment, providing working offices for thousands of Rivers people but was also abandoned for eight years. These are funds his benefactor was initially frittering away in the past while Rivers people languished in abject poverty.
Similarly, the calculated attack by Okocha on Governor Siminalayi Fubara is nothing but an assigned, coordinated political propaganda to taint the efforts of Sir Siminalayi Fubara. It is clear testament that as a crack technocrat, Sir Siminalayi Fubara has been quite prudent in resource management since his assumption of office. So, insinuating, without facts, that he is sponsoring rallies of the SIMplified Movement across the 23 local government areas under the disguise of thanksgiving with Rivers State fund is nothing but imaginary summation.
One wonders if Toxic Okocha is not aware that Sir Siminalayi Fubara is gaining organic support from Rivers people, old and young, just because of the strategic policy actions that are directly affecting their lives positively. In fact, he should know that liberated Rivers people are ready to mobilise and mop-up whatever funds they may have anywhere to galvanise support for Sir Siminalayi Fubara to enable him succeed. He does not need to spend state funds to gain the people’s support. No. The earlier Toxic Tony Okocha and his cohorts realise this, the better for their health before they relapse into incurable high blood pressure.
Tonwei, a public affairs analyst, writes from Port Harcourt.
By: Ebare Tonwei
Focus
Fubara : That Akpabio’s Needless Outburst
Sir Siminalayi Fubara is the current Governor of Rivers State. Godswill Akpabio is the current President of the ninth Senate. The latter was two-time Governor of Akwa Ibom State and Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs. The former was the Accountant-General of Rivers State under then Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, with whom he is now estrangedz.
Both Amaopusenibo Siminalayi (Sim) Joseph Black-Fubara and Godswill Obot Akpabio met on Saturday, March 9, 2024, at the funeral ceremony of late Access Bank chief, Herbert Wigwe, who died alongside his wife, son, and a friend in a helicopter crash in the United States.
Fubara, being the governor of the late Wigwe’s State, was the chief host of the retinue of mourners at the obsequies of the Wigwes, while Akpabio who also hails from the South South geopolitical zone as the deceased and the governor, represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
You would expect that protocols allowed the governor to dictate the pace of the ceremony even if the President of Nigeria or his representative was there.
I dare to say that Akpabio misrepresented the President of the federation by what he said thereafter.
Ask me how.
A grieving Fubara took to the stage to explain the vanity of life. He did it so eloquently and his speech reminded those present that this life is not worth the struggle. He wondered why we had to struggle to kill, maim, get political power, become rich only to die the way the Wigwes died.
“This one has to do with our political class. What is all this struggle about? You want to kill…, you want to bury. What is it all about?” he asked.
His speech was moving, even though it sounded too harsh on the political class to which he belonged. It moved many to tears. Those who thought they had shed enough tears since the deaths occurred cried a little bit more considering the circumstances and its connection with the governor’s speech.
But not for Akpabio. Everything to him is politics. There are no bounds when it comes to playing it. It does not matter whether the occasion is a burial ceremony or a church service. He must seize every opportunity to play to the gallery, and that was exactly what he did at Isiopko last Saturday.
“If there’s nothing in it, don’t struggle,” he fired back at the governor. No respect for protocols. No regards to the nonagenarian father of Herbert.
He took the microphone and told Fubara to stop shedding crocodile tears. He told the state chief mourner that if he felt the struggle was not worth it, he should not get involved in it.
He did not understand the import of the governor’s speech. He could not just as he did not understand that he goofed when he announced in the hallowed chambers of the Senate that money had been transferred to the accounts of the Senators to enable them to celebrate Christmas. When his attention was drawn to the gaffe, he tried to correct himself in the most annoying manner possible. He gleefully announced that it was not money that was sent but prayers.
Watching him that day, I felt like a child in a kindergarten. I wondered if he understood the harm his open microphone gaffe did to struggling Nigerians who were irked that while they were thinking about where their next meal will come from, their leaders were sharing money like children sharing cabin biscuits at a children’s end of year party.
He is known to have spoken on many occasions in a manner that is beneath the office he has occupied and the current one he occupies.
Nigerians may have gotten used to politicians’ loose talk that nobody bothers anymore. Many public officers speak in like manner when discussing serious issues ailing the nation.
But what surprised zzmany was that at Akpabio’s level and the position he occupies, he ought to know that certain things are better left unsaid. Even if Fubara did not sound tough like his predecessor/godfather, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, the fact that the occasion was a funeral ceremony would have taught him to exercise restraint and leave that petulant response for another time, maybe when they meet to settle the roforofo fight between Fubara and Wike.
You see, my friends, in civilised climes, the likes of Akpabio should be in one federal correctional centre, awaiting trial over corrupt allegations levelled against him while serving as governor.
Unfortunately, ours is not a sane clime or a civilised one. Therefore, no court of law has, will ever commit such characters to jail terms for what they did while holding public trust.
It is for this and other reasons that the likes of Akpabio will never learn that words have meaning and that, like the Yoruba will say, ‘it is not every cloth that is spread outside.’
Akpabio displayed a worrying behaviour in his response to the speech by the governor, and all who have his ears should whispper to him that the future generation looks up to leaders like him to show them the way. He should be told that, like Fubara said, this life is fleeting and is not worth the fights and struggles.
Here today. Gone tomorrow.
The Wigwes were here and they are now gone forever.
So shall Akpabio and all those who are privileged to hold publuc offices and who see politics as ‘door or die affair,’ and who have no qualms how it is played.
Words have meaning. Let those who use them weigh their public utterances. History does not forget.
Chukwuelobe is a public affairs analyst and former media aide to former Governor of Rivers State, Dr Peter Odili.
By:
Fred Chukwuelobe
-
Oil & Energy3 days ago
NNPCL Lists Transparency, Accountability, Others, As Transformation Drivers
-
News3 days ago
Trafficking: Beware Of Fake $900 Jobs, NAPTIP Warns Nigerians
-
Focus3 days ago
Reminisces On Tributes To Mrs Adeline Ndalu Jaja
-
Nation1 day ago
Ododo Applauds Security Agencies Over Rescue Of 43 Bus Passengers
-
Education3 days ago
Bill To Increase UBEC Funding Passes Second Reading
-
News3 days ago
Food Prices Rise In February 2024 -NBS
-
Niger Delta1 day ago
Bayelsa Community Set For Youth Election, Inaugurates Eleco
-
News1 day ago
Deputy Gov Urges Rivers Youths To Read Impactful Books