Dr Reuben Abati Breaks His Silence

I guess I should commence this rejoinder by confessing that the uproar raised by my 'involvement' in the Abuja land allocation by the ex-Minister Modibo to the EFCC strongwoman and others including top editors of my generation had pricked my conscience. For many decades I have been practising journalism (which has culminated in my reaching the zenith of the noble profession in the Guardian) I have never been associated with any scandal of this kind, one publicly revealed by an 'opposition' online news source, 'SaharaRaporters'. Of course Omoyele Sowore, my friend, and his anonymous reporters must have believed stumbling on a 'scoop' with the sole aim of tarnishing the good images of those mentioned in the so-called land 'deal' on their minds as they went about publishing same. I salute them all for their efforts and bear no grudges!

Let me declare here without any equivocation that I am neither shocked nor perturbed by the furore the report has generated within Nigeria and elsewhere outside our shores thus far. Whoever thinks that I am having sleepless nights over the exposé is deceiving himself or herself. But I must say nevertheless that I never knew before now that I had many detractors cum 'enemies' who are now feeding fat over a non-issue. I decided to remain silent before now to be able to come to terms with the limits of people's anger and indignation and the capacity of man to over-reach himself in matters that ordinarily should not be his business.

If the former Minister of the FCT decided, in his sound judgement, to reward patriotic citizens like us who have the courage to remind government of their responsibilities and failings what is the fuss about that? Even if we fight against the ills of the society including corruption through our media outfits does that preclude us from receiving government's largesse? The land gift we received had no strings attached to it, so we shall continue to criticise where criticism is called for and commend where commendation becomes necessary. It is not everybody in government that is corrupt or evil. We have those we can safely brand as 'paragons' even when we have many of their opposites within!

Apart from my parents who sent me to school it is only the Ibru family and God that can demand for any personal account from me or my transaction with those wielding power, some of whom are my friends. It is therefore ludicrous for some mortals operating mainly in the internet to want to put me down. While some are seeking attention through my name others are unhappy about my journalistic excellence; I refused to dignify their rantings with a response but for some passionate appeals from well-meaning Nigerians at home and abroad.

In Nigeria we often hear of people working hard without a good pay packet. We often hear about pensioners dying while waiting for the peanuts they took home as pension. In a nation where millionaires and billionaires are churned out daily by hook or by crook it is strikingly baffling how people expect me not to join the bandwagon of the rich and powerful. Journalists the world over do their job for fame and reward. Some are stupendously rich by the strenght of their characters, connections and 'right deals'. Others are living fairly well and waiting for mother luck to smile on them.

I never bargained for any land with anybody but it is not good as an African (and above all as a Yoruba elite) to reject a gift given without any condition attached -- and if one was attached then it is not to my knowledge. When the ex-Minister released the list of the land allotees and my name was included my happiness knew no bounds. That meant that those in authorities recognised the sharpness of one's pen and the power of readership one wields as a national and international columnist.

The damage control measures I had smartly applied seems to have failed me spectacularly. The hard-core critics are not impressed and they are hardening up their positions of antagonism. By writing studiously about the scammers that had wanted to play a fast one on me and my friends, the police and their raped Queen, the 'goat-robber' of Ilorin, and the St. Valentine of love and lust I had sought to comically relieve my detractors of their frustrations. But they are not pacified, rather they have kept up the pressure asking probing questions about the Abuja land with my hard-earned reputation doing the Naira dance of fluctuation.

Is it a crime for prominent journalists to be officially recognised and rewarded for their patriotic contributions to national development? Is Olusegun Adeniyi not doing well as President Yar'Adua's spokesman? Or other journalists in the state capitals providing their loyal services to the 'oppressors' we had collectively condemned yesterday? Does common sense not dictate that if you cannot beat the system (or change same outrightly) you join the system? Why are people not minding their businesses?

The inglorious era of wretched journalists or poor journalism is gone for good! We do remember with pathetic nostalgia when journalists would go to Oshodi market for suit and shoes or struggle for apartment in Ajegunle with thugs ('Area Boys' if you like). Now we are proud owners of choice plots of land, bungalows; we ride in modern cars and buy our attires in the best boutiques in choice capitals of the West: London, Paris New York!

I sincerely wish to thank those brave internet warriors (apologies to Prof. Pat Utomi) for standing up on my behalf to the malicious critics seeking my downfall. Special mention goes to 'Tonsoyo', my defender-in-chief, for his remarkable capacity as an 'Abati-abater'. His resilience has impressed me very much indeed! His reward awaits him the moment he steps his feet on the Nigerian soil and signals his presence at Rutam House.

Please someone should tell the glorified holier-than-thou critics like Rudolf Okonkwo, SOC Okenwa, Taju Tijani, Wale Akin, Okpia Egbe, Osita Mba and others to wait for their own turn. Whenever government remembers them (as I have deservedly been remembered) and decides to give them their own plots of land I swear by my grand mother's grave never to do any commentary on that. I shall overlook that for other dramatic things happening daily in our great nation whose full potentials has never been realised.

To conclude I crave your indulgence friends and well-wishers far and near. My major concern here is not found in the controversy sorrounding my latest material acquisition. Rather my apprehension stems from the fact that by taking legal possession of the parcel of land in our federal capital city I should soon start putting up a befitting country home. However upon completion of the building one is worried that another crazy dimunitive FCT Minister in the mould of El-Rufai could be appointed and acting dutifully on petitions, demolition of the structure like that of our own 'Chemical' Ali could well set in; or another EFCC Chair like Ribadu replacing Mrs Waziri could happen setting off an investigation of yours sncerely's precious gift in this regard.

I promise my faithful readers around the world one thing: I will be as critically analytical as before, as pungent as ever. I have neither 'sold out' to the oppressors nor allowed them to compromise my position against corruption, a cankerworm tearing down our national edifice. Remain mobilized everyone for the struggle ahead is a tasking one.

SOC Okenwa

Robot  # 1 | 18.02.2009 23:49

The inglorious era of wretched journalists or poor journalism is gone for good! We do remember with pathetic nostalgia when journalists would go to Oshodi market for suit and shoes or struggle for apartment in Ajegunle with thugs ('Area Boys' if you like). Now we are proud owners of choice plots of land, bungalows; we ride in modern cars and buy our attires in the best boutiques in choice capitals of the West: London, Paris New York!...Read the full article.

nijalaw  # 2 | 19.02.2009 14:23

So finally this article has been released on NVS. Bros Okenwa, a good one. His silence has become his albatross & his reputation is down in the dumps.

SOC Okenwa  # 3 | 19.02.2009 14:50

Thanks 'Nijalaw' for the compliments! The satirical piece must have been published out of some 'pressure'. Or how do you explain the reason behind its 'arrest' and 'detention' for days before publication after it was informally published, culled yesterday by a Villager from SR? The NVS management (especially Big K whose pro-Abati sentiments are public knowledge) ought to explain better what really happened and why and how the article 'spent' a couple of days in 'solitary confinement' before being 'released'! I remain loyal though to the NVS ideals, no hard feelings!

AwesomeO2  # 4 | 19.02.2009 15:55

NVS management finally found itself between a rock and a hard place. They had no way out of publishing the article, I guess. So Big-K had to do the inevitable thing. Publish the article a week late. That reminds me. Where has Ebe been? Ebe, where you at? Big-K did not get you to capitulate by inviting you to that party this past weekend, man? I’ve been waiting for some days now for you to comment on the movement of the Abati Abuja landgate thread. I mean, where were we when you and Big-K left for a party last weekend? Just asking!

Big-K  # 5 | 19.02.2009 16:12

=SOC Okenwa;327576>The satirical piece must have been published out of some 'pressure'. Or how do you explain the reason behind its 'arrest' and 'detention' for days before publication after it was informally published, culled yesterday by a Villager from SR? The NVS management (especially Big K whose pro-Abati sentiments are public knowledge) ought to explain better what really happened and why and how the article 'spent' a couple of days in 'solitary confinement' before being 'released'! Mr Okenwa I’d like to address the two insinuations you put up there: You submitted an article yesterday and it was published yesterday, so what do you mean by “days in 'solitary confinement' before being 'released'”? Were you expecting us to go pull your article from other websites? If you submitted prior to yesterday and it wasn’t published, shouldn’t you have contacted us to find out if the article ever made it to our pages. Even then, we are not in any way obliged (and cannot be “pressured”) to publish any submitted article or even explain.. On your other innuendo, I don’t know what you mean by “pro-Abati” sentiments, but my take has always been that I see no substantive allegation against him. If I was the one mentioned by Saharareporters, I would have reacted in a way that the pressure should have been on SR to buttress or retract their story. It’s RA’s choice to react or not (with the attendant implications), but we will not prevent him from having his say and space until he's truly found wanting. This is a stand I have made for RA and will make for any author. And with that, I bow out of all Abati talk until there’s something concrete to go with - and I’ll appreciate if you keep me out of it.

Miliki Way  # 6 | 19.02.2009 16:27

SOC Okenwa: Its time for you to speak up on this serious allegation that you've levied against NVS/Big-K et-al. 1. Exactly what date did you submit your article to NVS? 2. If in fact you actually submitted your article to NVS yesterday (Feb 18th), then why are you telling such a horrible lie by insinuating that your article was "arrested and detained" for DAYS? Your credibility is at stake. Thank You! Miliki Way

AwesomeO2  # 7 | 19.02.2009 16:41

=Miliki Way;327613>SOC Okenwa: Its time for you to speak up on this serious allegation that you've levied against NVS/Big-K et-al. 1. Exactly what date did you submit your article to NVS? 2. If in fact you actually submitted your article to NVS yesterday (Feb 18th), then why are you telling such a horrible lie by insinuating that your article was "arrested and detained" for DAYS? Your credibility is at stake. Thank You! Miliki Way Miliki Way: Whom would SOC Okenwa be responding to when Big-K already said that he was not going to address the Abati issue any further? You are not planning on making B-K change his stance. There will be another upheaval on NVS. We do not want to attempt to make any villagers respond to querries they are not interested in answering. I am personally afraid of failure. So far, we have not succeeded in getting Abati to act. Why would you want us to go through this again?

DeepThought  # 8 | 19.02.2009 16:49

=AwesomeO2;327620>Miliki Way: Whom would SOC Okenwa be responding to when Big-K already said that he was not going to address the Abati issue any further? You are not planning on making B-K change his stance. There will be another upheaval on NVS. We do not want to attempt to make any villagers respond to querries they are not interested in answering. I am personally afraid of failure. So far, we have not succeeded in getting Abati to act. Why would you want us to go through this again? SOC Okenwa made an allegation in public. He should substantiate it. He doesn't need to respond to Big K. If he doesn't respond, (and he doesn't have to) then he would be guilty of exactly the same thing people are blaming and accusing Abati of.

Miliki Way  # 9 | 19.02.2009 17:03

=AwesomeO2;327620>Miliki Way: Whom would SOC Okenwa be responding to when Big-K already said that he was not going to address the Abati issue any further? You are not planning on making B-K change his stance. There will be another upheaval on NVS. We do not want to attempt to make any villagers respond to querries they are not interested in answering. I am personally afraid of failure. So far, we have not succeeded in getting Abati to act. Why would you want us to go through this again? But that is the point, bros. We cannot demand accountability from Abati on the one hand and then be waiving same for SOC. He (SOC) has insinuated that Big-K is shielding Abati by delaying the publication of his (SOC's) article, a very serious allegation that Big-K has promptly responded to. Now, its up to SOC to tell us if Big-K is lying or if he himself is the liar. We dey wait.

Miliki Way  # 10 | 19.02.2009 17:04

=deepthought;327624>soc okenwa made an allegation in public. He should substantiate it. He doesn't need to respond to big k. If he doesn't respond, (and he doesn't have to) then he would be guilty of exactly the same thing people are blaming and accusing abati of. g b a m !!

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