Ai tete m'ole, ole n mu oloko. (Yoruba proverb)
"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." -Albert Einstein.
"The real measure of your wealth is how much you'd worth if you lost all your money."-Anonymous.
"We are very delighted and happy that finally,the JUDAS of Abia Orji Uzor Kalu has been brought to answer for his sins. He has boasted several times that Ribadu is his personal friend. I know he said this as to ridicule the anticipated action of Ribadu and his men towards hid theft. Kalu has impoverished Abia state and should be made to pay for it.He should not only be made to pay back his loot, but should be jailed to serve as a deterrent to people like his stooge THEODORE ORJI(The OKIJA GOVERNOR). May God help Abia state and its citizens..Amen.
Orji Kalu is a big disappointment to the youths and should be thoroughly brought to justice. A visit to Abia state will keep any living being dumb founded as to why Orji has been making all the noise. We in America have been carrying him like a Lord untill some of us decided to take a trip home to see things for ourselves.Infact, the leadership Orji gave Abia for the past eight years is enough to dicourage any progressive mind from returning home.The Umuahia I used to know pre 1999 is now a shadow of itself, no electricity, no water, security situation is equal to zero and everywhere smells of VOODOOism. A visit to the government house is like visiting an Ocultic Temple where everything is done with signs and wonder. The men at the gate have signs which they will pass to themselves as a means of identifying if the visitor is one of them. Oh!! Umuahia, good old Umuahia, sweet home of the meek and nice, why has thou sons and daughters allowed evil men to turn YOU into an Island of evil doers? May the ancestors react to this question against Orji Uzor Kalu."
-Iroko22.(NVS villager)
Commentary on NVS on the arrest of Kalu.
THE CONTROVERSIAL MAN FROM ABIA.
No matter how one relates to him, one thing is certain, Orji Kalu, undoubtedly is a figure that can not be ignored in Nigeria's politics. Moreso, among the Ndigbos, he is not only held in high esteem but is among the leading politicians. Orji Kalu sealed his undisputable authority and leadership in the South east during the recently completed April presidential election where he emerged with the highest number of votes not only among presidential candidates from the South east but from the South south inclusive. Infact, Orji Kalu is so popular among his kinsmen to the extent that the number of votes casted for him in the 2007 presidential election was six (6) times greater than the hero of the civil war and the unofficial leader of the Ndigbos, the irresistable and tireless Ikemba of Nnewi, Odumegwu Chukwumeka Ojukwu!
Orji Kalu's influence and role in Nigeria's politics can not be overemphasized. Despite his young age, he has an enviable record of achievements. He is an accomplished business man. He was among the founders and bank rollers of the ruling party PDP. He has just completed two controversial terms in office as the governor of Abia state.
To millions of Ndigbos, he is an embodiment of what they have longed for in a leader of their generation and the 21st century. Ndigbos adure him for his entrepreneurship spirit, audacity and doggedness.
However, as a Nigerian and non-igbo, I am more concerned about other aspects of Orji Kalu's personality. I am more concerned about how faithful is this man to Nigeria? I am more concerned about the extent Kalu is ready to go in order to achieve his political ambition. I am more concerned to know if Kalu is willing or has already jeopardised or compromised Nigeria's security in order to achieve his political ambition. To be more blunt, I am more concerned whether Orji Kalu is divulging state secrets to the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency in exchange for political endorsement and financial support.
Fellow Nigerians, I am asking these questions sincerely without any prejudice or bias neither against the person of Orji Kalu nor the Ndigbo, a nation that I have so much admiration for. Infact, suffice to say that at the initial stage of the presidential election when different candidates were being proposed by Nigerians, I almost joined the bandwagon of those clamouring for Kalu's candidacy not until I came back to my senses and carried out an objective analysis of this man both in terms of his performance as the governor of Abia for eight good(?) years and the way he went about his campaign for the Aso rock.
At a first glance, on the surface, Orji Kalu seems to have the potrait of an ideal Presidential candidate that Nigerians, and not only Ndigbos, have longed for; a very successful entrepreneur, two terms as a governor of abia state, erudity, youthfulness, doggedness, good health, international connections and a large following by his ethnic group. Unfortunately, after a thorough analysis of this man, I came to the sad conclusion that indeed "It's not all that glitters that is gold." As I have already written in one of my articles titled "How Ndigbos blew a very good chance of producing Nigeria's president in 2007. (Part 1)," If Ndigbos are thinking of ever occupying Aso rock in our life time, and want to be relevant in Nigeria's politics, then they should understand that Orji Kalu, definitely, is not the man they should queue behind. In short, they need to be very careful in how they choose their leaders. Sorry if I pork nose into your internal affairs, it's just an advise from a well-wisher. I would have loved to explain in details the reason for giving this advise, unfortunately doing that will mean diverting from the topic of this article. I don't want to give my antagonists another excuse to dissect me alive for no reason. We will leave that for another time.
However, I have more than enough reason to suspect or accuse Orji Kalu of being an agent of American secret service, the C.I.A. While I present my evidence before you, I want to appeal to you to assess my facts based on their merits, with an open mind and without any prejudice. For the sake of complete objectivity, while doing the analysis of the facts, let us try to forget at the moment our ethnic groups. Let us also seperate the man from his ethnic group and just analyse the raw evidence you are about to be acquainted with.
ITINERARY TRIPS TO WASHINGTON
As we may all recall, before and during the presidential campaign, Orji made uncountable number of visits to Washington, and held meetings not only with United States Congress men but with staff of the white house! My first suspiction was written jokingly in one of my articles titled " A battle cry to reverse the poor state of the nation. (Part 3)(nigeriansinamerica.com). In that article, I seriously criticised Kalu for his intinerary trips to Washington. Fellow Nigerians, can somebody please tell me why a Nigerian nursing a presidential ambition was holding regular meetings with U.S. congress men, senior staffs of state department and senior staffs of President Bush administration? As far as I know, though, I stand to be corrected there is no other presidential candidate that made so much trips to the United States and had so many meetings with senior U.S. officials. By the way, it is worth mentioning that after Kalu, Athief came second in number of trips made abroad. Could somebody please tell me why was Kalu not travelling around Nigeria to discuss his political, economic, social programmes and presidential ambition with prominent Nigerians, organizations and Nigerians as a whole? Why was Kalu always running to Bush like a puppy? What was Kalu discussing with these people? Was Kalu trying to get the endorsement and support of the United States as regards to his imbroglio with Obasanjo and his presidential ambition? If yes, on what terms was the endorsement or/and support given? In otherwords, what did Kalu promise the U.S. in exchange for its support of his candidacy?
Personally, I don't know of any American or even African nursing a presidential ambitions in their respective countries who has travelled to Nigeria to seek the endorsement of Nigeria. So, why was Kalu so desperate to get the endorsement of the U.S.?
My suspiction became even stronger when Kalu eventually announced his presidential ambition. As could be recalled, the official declaration was made in Lagos in the midst of the United States congress men! Yoruba ni "Ti o ba nidi, obinrin o nje Kumolu." Why were American congress men present at the official declaration of a Nigerian presidential candidate? Se won bi sorin m'eja ni? The congress men did not limit their support for Kalu just to their presence alone, they went as far as holding a mini press conference where they categorically stated that Kalu was not only the presidential candidate supported by them and the U.S. government, but they equally believed that Kalu was the only one capable of solving Nigeria's complicated political, social, religious and economic problems. Kilo le to yen? Nkan kan lati wa nibe! What do you make of that?
THE WHITE HOUSE DEMAND FOR THE IMMEDIATE AND UNCONDITIONAL RELEASE OF KALU.
If I ever had some doubts in the past as regards to whether Kalu divulged classified information about Nigeria to the C.I.A. at some time or the other in my analysis, they were completely put to rest after reading about the U.S. - to be precise , the White House demand for the immediate and unconditional release of Kalu by the EFCC. As we are all aware, Kalu was arrested by the EFCC on July 15, 2007 at Abuja airport on his return from one of his usual itinerary trips and was charged with embezzlement and abuse of power. Undoubtedly, as required in a democratic society that operates an independent and transparent judiciary system, the onus is on Kalu to debunk or disproove the fraud allegations levied against him by the EFCC. Despite the high level of corruption in Nigeria, nevertheless, we all know that the judiciary compared to the other arms of government is more or less independent and capable of conducting a fair trial. According to the law, an accused is considered innocent until the court passes a guilty verdict. I, and I believe millions of Nigerians too were completely shocked that instead of exercising some patience and give the court a free-hand to carry out its responsibilities, the U.S. government chose to jump the gun and started demanding for the immediate and unconditional release of Orji Kalu! What baffles me in this case is the fact thatamong the 4 former governors arrested by the EFCC, Kalu was singled out by the U.S. for release. What do you make of that fellow Nigerians? Are we to understand that Kalu is dearer to the White House than the other former governors arrested along with Kalu for the same offence? If yes, then why? Moreover, I want to bring it to your attention that the call for immediate and unconditional release of Kalu was made simultaneously by the U.S. congress, State department and the White House.!
TO BE CONTINUED.
abm1900@mail.ru
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