The roughshod treatment and eventual death of a Nigerian by the Spanish agents has exhibited perfect lineaments of Nigerians that had been repressed by unknown soldiers or government. That unheralded destruction of Osamuyia on June 9, 2007 evoked the sweetest passions among Nigerians all over the world. It was an unprecedented move which will from now on define how Nigerians are treated abroad.


Having confirmed the truth that led to the unceremoniously brusque manner in which Spanish government stuffed out Osamuyia’s life, Nigerians moved in a swift sense to alert the universe about the way we have been silently killed by different law enforcement officials.

Within a twinkle of an eye, Nigerians all over the world mounted a protest letter, which was signed by over three thousand comforters. They followed this by a peaceful march to Spanish Embassies around the world on Friday 29 – to deliver their sorrowfulness neatly packaged inside the envelope.
 

I salute these Nigerians. I take my hat off to them. It was an action likely to place them in a golden book when the history of Nigeria is truly told. No intention to exaggerate. I know I’m being sentimental but please allow me to wallow as a relief; you may criticize me later.

My sympathy is not actually for the dead, but for the living. I am mournful and pensive because of you and I. I tell thou the lamentable tale of me because of my children and yours. I am heavyhearted but gladden because Nigerians all over the world have set the pace. They have cried to heaven to stop the primitive culture of torture being exhibited by these western officials.
 

I salute their purpose and determination. I salute the oneness spirit that gears the hearts of Nigerians to a call. I salute the sweat of our grandmothers who have originated our thought; and so we don’t have to wait for Godot, because expecting manner from our government to protect us is like self mockery.

I salute Ahaoma Kanu of National Daily Newspaper who is also the coordinator of the June 29 protest to Spanish Embassies. I salute Nigerians all over the world. Bennie Attoh, Kingsley Iwu, Simon, Bosede Olatunji, Reginald, Peter, Kaycee K Theo, Peter Clever, Angel, and Benin Union in Ireland, Ugo Daniels and Baba Aeniyi in Cyprus, Chris Isiguzo in Finland, Ogbemudia T Ode-Idahosa in Egypt, Olasupo Babatunde in Turkey, Gbenga Odjo in Burkina Faso, Taiwo Danjuma in Switzerland, Ofonime Andrew in Canada, Elie Smith and Kola Afolabi in France, Adigun Olosun in Germany, Charles Ezugha in China, Adeola Aderounmu, Iriemenam Emeka, Peter, Sola Balogun, Henry in Sweden.
 

Derrick Dog, Malaysia; Olufemi Oladehin, South Africa; Peter O A Jolad, Brazil; Oguzie J.J, Italy; Sam Adebowale, Spain; Tunde Solanke, NAR, Paul Adujie, Taiwo Olorede, Bolaji Aluko, Oluwaseye Olusa, Anaelechi Onwnwanne, Ogaga, Efrain Perez in USA; Charles Ezugha, China; Victor Oshioke, Austria; Onome Akpodiete, Japan; Walter Obiora, Senegal; Temple T. Nwafor, Algeria; African Community Netherlands; In Nigeria are Eezeebee, Kunle H.T. Olakunle, Okey Martins, Ugochukwu Okafor, Nathaniel Oriasotie, James ezenwa, Gemini T-Okoeguale, Simon Apeh,  Ebi, Rose Mordi, Sunny, and Anthony Obonade.

And especially the UK Group. Wale Akin, Uncle Tisha, Angela Bruce, Anoited, Eja, Anne Mordi, Folayan Osekita, Tony Ishiekwene, Ishola Taiwo, Abike-Ade, Victor Akara, Babajide Ojo, Kelechi Akwiwu, Bukky, Owoh, and of course Uche Nworah who anchored the interviews and wrote to many organizations including the Amnesty International. You are all marvellous in this regard because you have infused therapeutic solutions into the veins of Nigerians.

While the death was a harrowing experience for most Nigerians, their government prevents from decaying their usual strong silence. The murder of a Osamuyia in Spain is less important. After all, Nigerian former first lady also died in that region. The culture of dying in Spain with puzzling terseness may gradually becoming an addiction. Interestingly enough, a Spanish citizen, Ruth Diaz-Ufano, strongly condemned the killing saying, ″It is absolutely terrible. I am ashamed to be Spanish″.

Although we have set an example for Nigerian government to follow, the journey has just begun. As from now on, any inhumane treatment of a Nigerian should be treated with integrated social concern. If it pleases our embassies, let them not open their ears or eyes to our cries. But one thing is certain: the era of silent killing or animal-like killing of Nigerians is over. We have moved to curb their untoward ribaldry.
 

It is perhaps ironically humorous, for it takes this vicious kicks of Osamuyia before one can appreciate the other side of Nigerians. Even if we are not actually doing it for Osamuyia, the message of our grief is clear: we can protect ourselves. We put our differences aside to create a symbolic in depth game worth the candle. I salute what we stand for – in this regard.
 

Egun nla nii Kehin Igbale. How can I forget Big K (that’s what they call him, and I have an insane wish to see his name longer than this) whose quick response unfolds the protest. These Nigerians are using the power of technology to define the way Nigerians all over the world should be respected like a glorious spring morning. And by this they have managed to divulge further the frivolity of their government when it comes to welfare or shielding them from danger. In case they don’t know, nigeriavillagesquare.com has gradually become a young child whose talents excite wonder and admiration; she is a voice.
 

The story is the same from Brazil to United Kingdom to America to Lebanon: strong and annoying silence from Nigerian government over the controversial deaths of its citizen in foreign countries. Or has anybody have any information that our government is actually doing something over Osamuyia’s untimely death.  Or there’s nothing concern Osamuyia’s government regarding his demise? I just need to know. Hum,  Bi oni igba ba se pe igba re, la se ba pe (whatever the owner of the calabash call it is what others will call it for him. I beg where is Wole Soyinka or Chinua Achebe?)
 

For example, Paul Adujie described how his efforts to make the Nigerian Consul General in New York, Ibrahim Auwalu, stamp the protest letter was cunningly thwarted. But Adujie should have known better. That’s the reason I didn’t bother myself going to our embassy here in Budapest. Says Taiwo Olorode, "There was even a lady employee of the Consulate who went our of her way to alert security people to remind us not to distribute the leaflet (in our Nigeria House fixtures) or anywhere around it".

 

In his own contribution, Nigerian Deputy High Commissioner in London, Dozie Nwanna, engaged the "protesters in free for all fight that brought the police to calm the situation," according to NVS.  Well, twenty days after the killing, Nigeria Tribune reported that Osamuyia’s government gave the order in writing through the NCAA (Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority) to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Nigerian Embassy in Spain for action. Hum, it’s never too late but I am much more interested in the outcome rather than the beginning, because such investigations had been suppressed in the past.

Meanwhile here in Hungary where I am hiding like a timid rabbit, it’s quite a task to organize a protest of this magnitude, especially when the incident occurred somewhere else. Besides, most Nigerians here often feel unconcerned about an issue unless it directly affects their lives. Please don’t blame us, for the language barrier is another ball game. Anyway, I informed the Nigerian Union Caretaker Committee about the protest but never heard from them. Perhaps they have an important and serious issue at hands for now.

So off I went to the Spanish Embassy in Budapest on Friday 29th after a slightly tentative approach. I called the Spanish Embassy and informed the Ambassador’s office about my intention. Half a loaf, they say, is better than none. I eventually spoke with one Hollai Zoltan who told me I could come to the embassy at noon according to my request. And so I delivered my sorrow and that of others in a neatly parked white envelope.

 

 

Copyright 2007                          mysmallvoice@yahoo.com

 

Robot  Villager

# 1 Within a twinkle of an eye, Nigerians all over the world mounted a protest letter, which was sig...Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 04.07.2007 12:54

Mikky jaga  Villager

# 2 Ironically, while Spain was killing a Nigerian immigrant, another Nigerian youth is busy rescuing Spain from the jaws of defeat at the ongoing U20 World cup. The young lad goes by the name Sunny Stephen. Born and bred in Lagos, he sought for greener pastures in Spain and is doing wonders for the land of racist killers. One only wish he would not be dispatched to the great beyond after the racist Spaniards found him no longer useful. What an irony indeed!!! Posted by Mikky jaga| 04.07.2007 14:48

akuluouno  Villager

# 3 MJ, Do u blame the poor young man. Do we have a country?:mad::mad::mad: Posted by akuluouno| 04.07.2007 15:40

mulan  Villager

# 4 Thanks Hakeem for your small voice. And to all my fellow villagers I too salute... Posted by mulan| 04.07.2007 15:48

bababoyz  Villager

# 5 The efforts were laudable and i join you to salute all. Posted by bababoyz| 05.07.2007 09:57

WaleAkin  Villager

# 6 The biggest salute goes to the Episcopol of NVS, Big K who is the Mastermind, Chief Planner and All-Round Messenger of this noble cause! Thanks Hakeem! Cheers, Wale Posted by WaleAkin| 05.07.2007 12:07

okenikpoto  Villager

# 7 I salute you also for all your efforts. The big salute goes to Big-K, Uche Nworah, Anne Mordi, Ebi Bozimo and all the other villagers who put all they were doing at hold and came out to stand by the cause. As the Igbos will say, DAALU NU. Posted by okenikpoto| 06.07.2007 22:18

keem  Villager

# 8 Spain apologies over Akpitanyi's death From John-Abba Ogbodo, Abuja FOLLOWING the public outcry, which greeted the death of a Nigerian, Osamuyi Akpitanyi, in the hands of Spanish security operatives, Spain has tendered an apology to Nigeria with a promise to carry out a thorough investigation. The Spanish ambassador to Nigeria, Angel Losada, offered the apology on behalf of his country on the floor of the House of Representatives yesterday just as the Speaker, Mrs. Patricia Etteh, asked the Spanish government to arrange for the transfer of Akpitanyi's remains to the country to save his parents further agony. The Speaker frowned at the torture the Spanish security operatives meted out to Akpitanyi to the point of death. She observed that the country should have contacted the Nigerian mission in Spain if they had any difficulty in dealing with the deceased. She noted that from the investigations carried out so far, she was not sure if the Spanish laws provided for the kind of treatment that was meted out to the deceased. Etteh told the ambassador that the country was worried that the corpse of the deceased was still being kept in Spain instead of being released to the parents for burial. She then asked the envoy to ensure accelerated investigation so that the body could be released for burial. She added that in the Nigerian culture, families affected by such misfortune would not rest until the corpse was buried. "I believe that the issue at stake is something that we are going to discuss outside the camera but since you have touched the issue, I think it is only nice for me to touch that aspect as well. "We received a motion on the floor of the chamber alleging the torture the Spanish government meted out to one Nigerian on his way back to the country. On our own side, we never knew the cause of his death but we heard about his death and we realised that whatever the problem was, it was better for you, your government to deport him than to bring him back to the country dead. "But you have mentioned two issues concerning rape and refusal to be deported. Well, I quite agree with you but all the same, we have an embassy in Spain which I think your government should have talked to in such a way that they would have looked for ways and means of bringing this illustrious son of the country back alive", she said. Still stressing the need to follow due process in a matter like that, the Speaker said: "Again, with the complaint you have given, I think we still need to sit back and look at these issues behind the curtain instead of washing the dirty linen outside but all the same, I am quite sure the post-mortem has been concluded. If it has not been done, we will want the Spanish government to expedite action on that and ensure that they return the corpse to the country so that the police can see it and (the parents) can bury him. Lying there in Spain is not going to help the situation. It is not going to help your country, neither can it solve the problem on the ground but if he is buried, we will want to follow the rule of law to ensure that whatever is the cause, we will want to go into it. I know that the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Nigeria will be sending out a powerful delegation to go and see what actually happened because you have given us your side of the story but it is pertinent for us to go out there and see things for ourselves. It is good for the government to know what really went wrong. Even if your account was right, that does not warrant a death. If you have a law that says if anybody rapes or refuses deportation, you can go ahead and kill the person, so be it but if you do not have any law to that effect, I believe that he (the deceased) had a country that you could deport him to rather than tie his hands to the extent of killing him. I don't think that is good enough but I am not here to apportion blame. I don't want to blame you neither do I want to blame the dead. We want to have his corpse back in the country as soon as possible." Earlier, the Spanish Ambassador had regretted the incident and pleaded that it should not be allowed to affect the diplomatic ties between both countries. Losada who later had a closed door session with the leadership of the House and members of the ad-hoc committee probing the killing, maintained that Akpitanyi died in a hospital in Spain and not inside the aircraft as being rumoured. He said the incident was unfortunate but insisted that Spain is not an emigration country. Losada said the Spanish government was equally worried over the matter and assured that everything would be done to get to the root of the matter. The envoy said there were reports from Nigeria indicating that the deceased had been indicted in Nigeria for rape and murder. "I first want to assure you that we all share the idea that there is nothing, nothing that can really justify or excuse the death of a person, whatever he had been or whatever he had done. I want you to believe that Spain is a country where there is rule of law. The judiciary has taken up the matter. It is under the jurisdiction of the judge. This morning, I have been trying to reach the judge and you know how justice is also. When justice starts, you never know when it will end but I tell you that we will go to the end. We are a country of rule of law. The responsibility will come out. I assure you. We have made all necessary contacts with your government. Your Ambassador has been with my Minister of Foreign Affairs. Your Ambassador has been with my Ministry of Interior. He has also been with the King to show you the high level of interest that we give to this case. I want you, please to understand that this is a terrible case. "Actually, Spain has a lot of deportees and that is the first time something has happened to a deportee. I know it a terrible case and I say it again, nothing justifies the death of a person. But for this person, that was the third time he was asked to go out of the country. The first time he was given the ticket and I am sorry you have to go, you know for criminal offences, certain criminal offences in the country. He did not go but stayed. The second one, he was summoned by the police. He went into the plane, made a terrible noise in the aeroplane and the captain of the plane said I cannot accept him", the ambassador said. Losada further told the Speaker that despite the incident, he still believed that every person should be allowed the right to live and said that a letter of condolence had been written to the family, adding: "This matter is taken seriously by our government." He also said he felt bad reading in the press that Spain is a racist country. "It is not true. We have perfectly integrated, we are perfectly working in your country'. He added: "Spain has never been a country of immigration, it has always been a country of emigration and that is why we have a lot of immigrants who come to our place." Losada again, tendered another apology, saying: "It is very sad what has happened. Whoever he was, whatever he has done, but I really hope that this will not injure the excellent relations that we have. I am going tomorrow on a trip for two weeks, I will really hope, your Excellency, that the matter does not heat up again. This will be treated and really the justice of Spain will make its own duty. I can assure you that the law is supreme in Spain as it is also in Nigeria." He said Spain was putting plans to hold a conference for African parliamentarians and Nigeria was one of the countries expected. Posted by keem| 17.07.2007 03:18

calist  Villager

# 9 Kudos to Hakeem Thanks for the good work You have represented. Posted by calist| 18.07.2007 07:46