MEND, 'Jomo Gbomo' and amnesty

By Levi Obijiofor

IN the ongoing struggle for the 'liberation' of the Niger Delta region, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has two vocal representatives who have over the years been at the vanguard of the campaign. I refer in particular to "Jomo Gbomo" and "Cynthia Whyte", two names that have dominated press reports on the Niger Delta conflict. Although they are regularly quoted by journalists, doubts remain whether "Jomo Gbomo" and "Cynthia Whyte" actually exist or whether the names are pseudonyms devised by the hierarchy of MEND to match the government's public information crusade.

In his press releases, often quoted mostly verbatim by lousy journalists, "Jomo Gbomo" cuts the image of an uncompromising, incorrigible, indestructible and invisible face of MEND. His language is tough, brusque, provocative and hard-nosed. He portrays MEND as an underground movement driven by the philosophy of "no defeat, no surrender".

In a letter published in The Guardian of Monday, 19 October 2009, and entitled "Jomo Gbomo and the programme amnesty," Ayo Olorunfemi expressed worry that "... after going through the list of the repentant warlords, one name was conspicuously missing and that is the name of the mouth-piece of the struggle, Jomo Gbomo. What is the significance of the amnesty without him? What would become of the hope for eternal peace in the region without him? Why pondering over those questions, I stumbled on an interview granted by Boyloaf, an ex-militant and he emphatically said Jomo Gbomo is a ghost, fictitious, imaginative and non-existent."

Whether "Jomo Gbomo" and "Cynthia Whyte" exist or whether they are mere phantoms in the arsenal of MEND's radical campaign, credit must be given to "Jomo Gbomo" for his or her unwavering commitment to MEND's motto, for his or her passionate determination to transform the Niger Delta region, and for his or her untiring efficiency in churning out retaliatory rhetoric about how MEND plans to assail and humiliate federal forces patrolling the streets and swamps of the Niger Delta.

In terms of effectiveness in propaganda, "Jomo Gbomo" ranks next to the legendary Iraqi Information Minister - Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf - who, during the last days of the Saddam Hussein regime in April 2003, kept telling western television audiences that there were no coalition forces inside Iraq and that those who managed to get into Iraq were already "committing suicide", even as U.S. forces encircled Baghdad and other major Iraqi cities.

The difference between Al-Sahhaf and "Jomo Gbomo" is that while Al-Sahhaf appeared regularly and physically on television and whereas he conducted open press conferences, "Jomo Gbomo" (if the person actually exists) chose to remain faceless and to utilise the Internet and e-mail technologies to draw the world's attention to the problems and injustices that confront the Niger Delta people.

New technologies such as e-mail and the Internet now serve as a forum through which marginalised groups and minorities such as the Niger Delta activists tell their stories and communicate their problems to the rest of the world. There are possibly two reasons why "Jomo Gbomo" uses the Internet and e-mail to communicate with journalists who cover the Niger Delta conflict. One: The technologies are highly valuable means of communication - they are convenient and they can be used from any location without compromising the identity of the user. The second reason has to do with self-preservation or personal security.

If Niger Delta activists must maintain their invincibility, it is imperative that they must rely on the technologies that guarantee them anonymity and safety. These guarantees are embedded in Internet and e-mail technologies, which explain why "Jomo Gbomo" uses the technologies for regular press releases. It is in these contexts that Internet and e-mail technologies serve as tools for the economic, social and political emancipation of marginalised groups (such as the Niger Delta people) in their struggle for self-determination.

As MEND celebrates the amnesty deal, and as President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua engages in endless photo opportunities with Niger Delta activists who have enthusiastically snapped up the government's official pardon, only a few people seem to be asking questions about where "Jomo Gbomo" and "Cynthia Whyte" stand on the amnesty issue. Have they accepted the amnesty offer? If they have accepted the deal, do they plan to travel to Abuja to take photos with Yar'Adua?

These questions are relevant because "Jomo Gbomo", as the official amplifier of MEND's voice, cannot sound conciliatory in one press release and issue threats in another press statement. The inconsistencies are not a good sign that MEND has genuinely accepted the amnesty. The key question is: Has "Jomo Gbomo" (if it is not a pseudonym) accepted the amnesty as Henry Okah and other leaders of MEND have done?

Yar'Adua and his men must be worried that nothing has been heard about the official position of "Jomo Gbomo" and "Cynthia Whyte". However, one good feature of the amnesty is that it has effectively unmasked the identities of some of the principal leaders of the disparate groups that operate in the creeks and waterways of the Niger Delta. Prior to the amnesty deal, the public had no way of knowing what the activists looked like. The public is now able to match the names they see in news reports against the faces of the men who signed up for the amnesty. The names include Henry Okah, the leader of MEND, Ebikalowei Victor Ben (also known as "Boyloaf"), Government Ekpemupolo (otherwise known as "Tompolo"), Ateke Tom, leader of the Niger Delta Strike Force, Farrah Dagogo (who calls himself the "overall field commander of MEND"), Burster Rhymes, etc.

In a speech to mark his formal acceptance of the amnesty nearly two weeks ago, Tompolo told journalists: "I and my people accept the offer of amnesty." He also pledged "to work with Mr. President to achieve the dreams of this country". In his response, Yar'Adua said: "I thank Tompolo and all members of his immediate team for accepting this unconditional offer of amnesty. Tonight belongs to you Tompolo. By signing this amnesty, you have demonstrated that the interest of the Niger Delta is better served through peace."

Yar'Adua and his senior security officials must be smiling that they have successfully pulled off the amnesty deal by offering incentives which the leaders of the various groups could hardly resist. Although it is too early to judge the success of the amnesty, at the moment it should be seen as a brilliant idea, a masterstroke on how to apply domestic diplomatic pressure to end a potentially destabilising conflict. But, I must emphasise, it is still too early to judge Yar'Adua's amnesty offer.

In a press statement released soon after Yar'Adua met with MEND leader Henry Okah, "Jomo Gbomo" said that MEND would turn its attention to corrupt governors once this phase of the campaign was concluded. This is indeed the right way to go. Part of the reason why the Niger Delta has been neglected for many years must be traced to high levels of corruption among political leaders in the region. Questions must be asked about what previous governors did with the federal funds they received for the development of their states.

While the argument must be made that previous federal administrations never considered the Niger Delta as a region that deserved special attention, the state governments must also be asked to account for whatever amount they received from the federal government. If the federal government neglected the Niger Delta region, so too did the governors of the states who received some money but failed to use the money to make a difference in the lives of the people in the region.

It would be a good idea for MEND and other organisations to hold the state governments to account. There is no point turning the streets into a shootout zone through mindless kidnapping of ordinary citizens who have absolutely nothing to do with the underdevelopment of the Niger Delta. Going after corrupt governors and former governors, including corrupt senior public officials would signal a significant shift in the way MEND agitates for fairness and justice in the region.

It is important for MEND to demonstrate that it understands the difference between responsible agitation for the development of the Niger Delta and careless activism that punishes everyone. If MEND wants to earn public respect and recognition, it must not punish those for whom it is fighting.

Robot  # 1 | 23.10.2009 01:43

...Read the full article.

Bode Eluyera  # 2 | 23.10.2009 23:55

THE ISSUE IS NOT ABOUT AMNESTY. YOU GOT THE PICTURE WRONG SIR. The efforts that you have pu into writing this article is appreciated. At the same time I just don't get the point you are trying to make. Are you trying to suggest that all the militants in MEND, especially Gbomo Jomo, should have laid down their arms and embrace Yaradua's ill-conceived amnesty. If that is what you are trying to envisage your article, then, I disagree with you completely sir! In the first place, the crisis in the N.D.is not about amnesty. And believe me if there is anybody that needs to be granted amnesty, it is definitely Tuwo Yaradua and the CRIMINALS surrounding/advising him - that include western governments and multinational oil companies. As far as I am concerned, with JTF still firmly in place in the region, layin down of arms by the militants amount to suicide. In addition, from the TACTICAL and STRATEGIC point, laying down of arms is wrong. The federal govt. led by Yaradua alias Mr Tortoise and Anti-rule of law just can not be trusted. The idea of taking the money of bonafide owners of resources and promising them to develop their territrories with their own money - as Yaradua is presently doing - is nothing but FRAUD - if we are to call a spade a spade. The crisis in the N.D. is as a result of the faulty political structure - which deprives bonafide owners the right to the use of their land and resources first and foremost for their own development all in the name of building a fake, undesired and non-existent One Nigeria - and the insensitiveness of the north to the plight of the N.D. It is possible that corruption miht be one of the reasons for the underdevelopment of the region, however assigning the whole blame to corruption will amount to hypocrisy. Corruption is a national problem in Nigeria but it has not hampered the building of a new capital in Abuja FROM SCRATCH by the north. Knowing very well that corruption is endemic in Nigeria, what stops the federal govt. from taking full responsibility and control of developing the N.D.as it did with Abuja? The amnesty is only another stage in the struggle of these down trodden people. It is far from being over. Very soon, it will dawn on the militants that they made a very big mistake in laying down their arms because Yaradua will not be able to meet their expectations. First, it is impossible to create jobs artificially. Secondly, it is impossible to pay artificial salaries to thousands of militants that the govt. claims have laid down their arms. There is going to be a BIG GAP between the personal expectations of the militants and the capability of the govt. Third, the kind of development he indigenes have in mind is completely different from what Yaradua and the bandits surrounding him are planning to carry out. What did Yaradua do for his own Katsina State when he was governor for good(!) 8 years. Therefore, my advise to the militants who have not dropped their arms is to take Tuwo Yaradua's words with a pinch of salt. COUNTLESS NUMBER OF EVENTS HAVE PROVED OVER AND OVER THAT THE GOVT. ESPECIALLY THE NORTH CAN NOT BE TRUSTED!!! All my pedictions as regards to what Yaradua was going to do with the amnesty came true. If you have any doubts, for confirmation, please read my series "How the Niger Deltans can get their freedom: The action plan!" and "One Nigeria: To be or not to be?" available on this site. Take note of their publishind dates. I predicted those PHOTO SESSIONS. The amnesty exercise is nothing but a plot by Tuwo Yaradua and the criminals, get some breathing ground and buy time to work out their next evil plan as regards to the continuos enslavement of the indigenes. The ONLY GUARANTEE the N.D. can be assured of is the one that will transfer political and economic power to them and the militants. ONLY THE EMERGENCE OF A SOVEREIGN COUNTY CAN GIVE THE N.D. COMPLETE AND UNCHALLENGED RIGHTS OVER THEIR RESOURCES BECAUSE ONE NIGERIA IS A 419 PROJECT THAT ROBS PETER TO PAY PAUL. My position is that 'every ethnic group should use their resources, mineral and human, to develop their respective territories. LET THE N.D. USE THEIR RESOURCES TO BUILD ABUJA FOR THEMSELVES TOO. NO MORE 'FREE LAUNCH' IN THE NAME OF A FRAUDULENT ONE NIGERIA PROJECT THAT WE DID NOT SUBSCRIBE TO!!! THE MILITARY AND NORTH HAVE STOLEN, SQUANDERED AND MISMANAGED MORE THAN $400 BILLION OF OIL REVENUES FROM THE N.D.!!!! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!! As regards to the pronouncements of ex-MEND war lords, what they are doing is called BETRAYAL AND TREACHERY. The movement is not about them. It started even before they were born. They don't need to endanger the lives of other militants who have chosen NOT to accept amnesty nor jeopardise the activities of MEND and other militant groups. It's very UNFORTUNATE that these guys are going to Aso rock to bow for Yaradua and take pictures with him. They have sold their birth rights for a pot of porridge. I will write in details about this in coming parts of my series. STAY TUNED.