By NWITE JOHN

Man, right from the Adamic era, has been struggling for freedom. Societies, the world over, try at every point in time to create homogeneous communities for easy understanding of their traditional/ cultural, economic, political and social beliefs. 

Politically, on October 1, 1996, the late military head of state, General Sani Abacha created Ebonyi State, alongside Ekiti, Nasarawa, among other states, just to salvage them from the servitude of their former neighbours-turned colonisers.

Spectacularly, the emergence of Ebonyi State in 1996 heralded unprecedented self-worth, infrastructural development and socio-economic turnaround among the hitherto despised and neglected people of Abakaliki extraction.

 Prior to the creation of the state, our other lgbo speaking states of  Imo and Anambra, particularly, never saw anything good in Abankaleke man. We were treated with disdain as if we were created by a lesser god. Abankaleke  was described as anthill of guinea worn, backward and good for nothing people. However, what those peddlers of hate and ill-feeling towards Abankaleke people failed to understand was that they caused most of the plights for the people. It was those ‘Agbaeli people’, as we call them, who were in government positions that failed to provide social amenities to the people, to stem the tide.

Though the rest is history now, as Ebonyi man has decided to take his destiny in his own hands.

 But alas, internal bickering, hatred, greed and arrogance are pushing Ebonyi people to the dark age characterized brutish, invidious and insidious life.

The recent removal of our revered Professor Ben Odoh, as the Vice Chancellor of UNIZIK, orchestrated by one Ebonyi big man politician is a recent case in point. For him, he has landed and no power on earth is above him. He has been heard in several fora where he boasted that he has never seen any man in Unwuekumaenyi, nay Abakaliki people, who can challenge him politically, economically and otherwise. But no, l likened him to a little nwanza bird, which after eating, challenged his personal god.

Men of goodwill should rise up and talk, for evil thrives in a society where men of goodwill refuse to talk or look the other way. 

Come to think of it, in the vicious, insidious attack on the appointment of Prof. Odoh as VC of UNIZIK, it was alleged that the governing council of the university did not follow the guidelines in such appointment. The governing council debunked such allegation and absolved Prof. Odoh of any wrongdoing.

Again, they used some staff of the Federal University Guasu to deny ever conferring professorship on Prof. Odoh; the university governing council came out clean and absolved the young professor of repute of any wrongdoing. As if these were not enough, they concocted another heinous lie that the young Prof. Odoh was never employed to teach in that university. What a hell of lies? Wait a bit, they will soon come out to tell us that the erudite Professor Odoh, never attended UNIZIK as an undergraduate.

The hand is that of Esau but the voice is that of Jacob. It is the untouchable big man,  the Ebonyi politician with Aso Rock maximum connection that is behind the ordeal of an amiable Ebonyi son. We know him and his antics. Let no one be deceived that it is the handiwork of ndi Anambra; that how can ‘onye Abankaleke’ be made VC of such glorious university, the UNIZIK!  Our problem is with us, the arrogant politician with Aso Rock connection.  The era of onye Agbaeli despising -onye Abankaleke is fast eroding. Now, an Abakaliki man is a scarce essential asset because of his intelligence, humility, ingenuity, hard-work and above all, honesty and transparency.

However, for the unsuspecting public, it’s apt to lay bare the crimes of Prof. Odoh so that they will not be misled by those propagating  acrimony towards him.

Prof. Odoh contested for the Ebonyi Central senatorial seat in 2015 against Senator Obinna Ogba and won, but it was hijacked by the powers that be. As a humble scholar and politician, he yielded to a call by the  former governor of Ebonyi State, Senator David Umahi, to serve as secretary to state government, SSG; he wholeheartedly accepted the offer and made remarkable distinction in his service.  

The genesis of Prof. Odoh’s ordeal

When Gov. Umahi noticed that Prof. Odoh’s profile, including his integrity, was soaring, he became apprehensive, threatened to sack him. He (Odoh) being a humble and smart lad resigned, a rare decision in our contemporary society. He did so just because of honour and integrity.

Prof Odoh was accused of tampering with FG/World bank agric fund; he personally invited and presented himself to Economic and Financial crimes commission, EFCC, for investigation and scrutiny; no fault was found on him.

Since then, the young professor has been facing a lot of trials and tribulations. In the build up to the 2023 general election, Prof. Odoh was accused of masterminding the murder of the late HRH Eze lgboke Ewa, which he knew nothing about.  At last, he was vindicated. All these are aimed at frustrating his governorship ambition. 

The evil machinations towards Prof. Odoh didn’t stop there; the hunter(s) wants him dead at all cost. It is heart-rending to note that there has been over seven assassination attempts on him. In  one of such attacks he lost some of his aides. But woe unto  that man that tries to curse whom God has anointed. 

The question is: what has Prof. Odoh done to warrant such attempts to annihilate him, pull him down, and even the hatred towards him? One thing is certain: the evil one supports today, is going to be fertile ground for one’s tomorrow’s ordeal. 

The thrust of this epistle is for unwuekumarnyi to rise up from their slumber and talk against the travail and tribulation against one man. It is for our traditional rulers to make a vow that enough is enough. It is for Ndi Ebonyi of goodwill to speak against evil. It is for the general public to condemn the evil.

Today, it is Professor Odoh; who knows whose turn it will be tomorrow.

For Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, we commend your efforts in the governance of the state. You have done well. We know your hands are tied, but the more you make definite stand with ndi Ebonyi, the better for all of us. Or to be with one man with excess power, against his own people. 

One problem with so many powerful Africans leaders, nay rulers, is that they have failed to learn a lesson that people are the common denominator in governance and so should not be treated with utter disregard.

As the 2027 general election is gathering momentum, may you see beyond the smile of the arrogant politician, who claims that he owns and pockets Ebonyi people.

In our local parlance, a wood carver says, he will not asked anyone around him to leave but the pieces of his carvings we chase them away.

So, I implore you, your Excellency to employ all your arsenals through good governance to earn  the trust of ndi Ebonyi the more. Together we can build Ebonyi state devoid of rancour and acrimony.

For no one is free until everyone is free.

So let there be peace and love among us.

•Nwite, a concerned Ebonyi indigene, wrote from Abuja.