The year was 2001 the place was Lagos and I was just a bright eyed fresh Lawyer. I had practiced briefly in Eastern Nigeria then came down to Lagos in search of greener pastures. Searching for a good Law Firm, I had attended a few appointments when a friend, working with Festus Keyamo recommended that I come and ask Keyamo for employment. He opined that I would be his type of guy; same religious background et cetera et cetera. That is quite appealing, I said. To young lawyers like us, Keyamo was a hero; unknown pedigree, hard working, confrontational - the in-your-eye type, and a radical. The conversation shifted to Fryo and Omisore – the then talk of the day, and I expressed my strong impression at Keyamo’s scoop in that regard. But my friend was not so impressed. In fact he was dismissive and made some comments that were not entirely flattering. I countered with numerous examples of Keyamo’s fearless pain-in-the-arse prosecution of political shenanigans but he retorted with something to the effect of ‘what do you expect from someone that cut his teeth under Gani Fawehinmi, but unlike Gani who is a genuine fighter, Keyamo is a rabble rouser’. My subsequent impression of Keyamo was of someone in love with controversy, especially if it comes with maximum publicity – very huge black signboards and all. He loves fame with its appurtenances and seeks to milk it for whatever its worth. He fights corruption quite alright, much like a martyr would be willing to confront his oppressor knowing full well that he would not be required to make the ultimate sacrifice but nevertheless appreciates the fame, adulation and possible doors it will open for him – either to heaven, with life in view or power with material reward in view. It would appear that this strategy has done quite well for Keyamo. (In his own words; few fully built landed properties in choice areas of Lagos and Abuja; Three-storey office’ complex in FESTUS KEYAMO LANE, ANTHONY VILLAGE with about 18 lawyers and 12 support staff; An Abuja office building in Zone 6 with many lawyers and support staff. Houses and personal properties plus descent cars that even the rich also drive.) Surely, by no stretch of the imagination would you consider Keyamo “hungry”. Neither do I begrudge him (I hasten to add) After all, our country has done so little for us that we would not be reasonably expected to give back something for nothing in return. The Festus Keyamo I knew does not shy from controversy, and so when I read Omoyele Sowore piece, Your Troubling Silence-Letter to Festus Keyamo I eagerly looked forward to Keyamo’s response and on Sunday, January 11, 2009 I was not disappointed. But for his introductory ad hominem attack on Sowore, Keyamo’s Re-Your Troubling Silence-Festus Keyamo Responds was a classic dishonest and very unlawyerly rebuke to a naughty sibling. The contempt and bile was barely concealed. To be fair, when I read Sowore’s letter to Keyamo, I felt perhaps that Sowore had run out of more scandalous expose with which to torment Farida Waziri that he chanced on this article to fill the void. If a self-appointed title of “vocal critic and anti-corruption activist” now qualifies one as the conscience of the nation, I missed the memo. Keyamo lacks the moral fibre to qualify for that title, and therefore his silence and/or his present bias against Ribadu is not something for which Sowore should waste his ink. On the other hand, when Keyamo and other critics like him claim that all they saw in Sowore’s current crusade against Farida Waziri and her new EFCC is “ a bias that is deep-seated” in favour of Ribadu, (or per one MrOneNaija: “that regarding the activities of the EFCC in general, I consider that SR has consistently pursued a brazenly pro-Ribadu stance in its reporting to an extent that is bound to call into question its impartiality, if not its integrity”) simply amounts to standing the truth on its head. Saharareporters prominently exposed the Andy Ubah, Olabode George, Fani Kayode scandals in 2007. Even El Rufai and Nuhu Ribadu himself did not escape their Eagle eye. Surely, Keyamo and his ilk could not have missed Sowore’s stinging expose and harsh criticism of both Ribadu’s inability to prosecute notorious criminals under Obasanjo or Ribadu’s attempt to blacklist Obasanjos political enemies. But concerning the present Ribadu and El Rufai saga, which is the present bone of contention between Keyamo and Sowore, and at the risk of over-flogging the issue, I unrepentantly believe that Ribadu’s present persecution is both unwarranted and unnecessary. It is an attempt by a selfish and rapacious cabal to preserve their loot. A lot of people like me and Sowore saw tangible results from Nuhu Ribadu in his self righteous zeal to rid Nigeria of corrupt practices. The international community was also impressed and accolades rained down both on him and the Nigerian government. Nigerians anti-corruption rating showed steady improvement and the name of Nigeria was removed by the FATF from its blacklist of countries not cooperating in the fight against money laundering. Billions of ill-gotten wealth was refunded. On the other hand we are yet to witness any achievement from Waziri and her gang apart from witch-hunting. We appreciated the good works done by Ribadu under a difficult boss, Olusegun Obasanjo, but at the same time offered stinging criticism but the goal was always to prod him to do more and better. I praised Ribadu here when he did well, but criticised him here when he behaved like Obasanjos attack Dog. Having said that, may I humbly submit that the present spat between Festus Keyamo and Omoyele Sowore is a waste of ink and of saliva. Even as we talk, massive looting continues in Nigeria, by the guys that believe that Nigeria’s commonwealth is their private estate. Therefore engaging in this intra-squabbling is tantamount to ‘neglecting the ministry of the word of God to minister to Tables’. In the Igbo language we term it, oku n’agba ulo, nwata ana achu oke. We have a common enemy, let’s not lose our focus! Nigeria has been blessed with a huge army of bright and articulate young sons and daughters with a consuming hunger to build a greater and better nation. Although we got so little from that country yet we are determined to give lots in return. Sowore and Keyamo belong to this breed. Each of us in our different ways, according to our different callings seek to build a greater nation and rid Nigeria of this evil that seek to consign her to a state of perpetual underdevelopment- corruption; Keyamo using the instruments of the law, and Sowore through journalism. Both have one thing in common – raw courage. Keyamo and Sowore belong to that rare breed of young men with a strong sense of moral courage that seems to derive their kicks from danger and risks. True to Keyamo’s “immodest” claim, I was impressed by his prosecution of Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi in 1999 and his case with the operators of the Police Equipment Fund. On the other hand, his motive in other cases he neglected to mention remains suspect. Sowore on the other hand burst into national consciousness with his explosive interview with Governor Orji Uzor Kalu with his ‘PDP is a den of murderers’ fame and Gbenga Obasanjo’s mind boggling revelations. On the hand, the motive for some other exposes like ‘Yar’Adua was once a mental nut case’ remains suspect. However, the truth remains that both have aggressively and fearlessly fought against political corruption and abuse of power. Whatever each person’s motive in this endeavour, I still subscribe to the apostle Pauls word at Philippians chapter 1 verse 15 to 18: “It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so in love, the former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice”. elsdaniel@yahoo.com
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