OPINION: Wike’s N500 Million: When Ambition Makes A Man Crazy |The Source

By Collins Opurozor

Chibuike Amaechi. He also said Rotimi became his name one way or the other. You remember that former Governor of Rivers State? He sometimes appears taciturn, sometimes even effeminate, but he always appears foxy. A lion roars. A fox is cunning. A lion is masculine. I don’t know how an Amaechi became known as the Lion of Ubima, his village, instead of the Fox of Rivers State. I still don’t know how such unmetaphorical identity came about. But, I think, as always, Jesus is the answer.

So, Chibuike once said a few things about Nyesom Wike. They are both Igbo who may not wish to identify as such, or they are both non-Igbo who are being coerced into Igboness. Jimanze Ego-Alowes, now writing from the Heavens, once recommended while on earth that DNA tests were the final, conclusive phase of the identity debates. So, sincerely, I don’t know where the both came from. Until they agree to DNA tests and show me the results, Jesus shall remain the only answer.

So, Chibuike was speaking to BBC Igbo. He was speaking Igbo. His Igbo language quickly reminded me of one Lagos boy in our days at Nsukka. “My mama tell me say I be Ibo”. That was the only proof that fellow had that he was Igbo. When that fellow tried to speak, he spoke exactly like Chibuike Amaechi, who was asked by BBC Igbo what his “uche (mind)” was about the 2023 presidential election, and he replied “enweghi m uche (sense)”. But, interestingly, he also said Wike talks and acts like a child (without uche), and that Wike does not have the capacity to govern, and that he could not have made Wike his successor, and that it was Madam Jonathan (There is God o!!!) that made Wike governor. Amaechi smiled wryly, and mocked the Jonathans (now the husband and wife) whom he alleged Wike has abandoned like a bad habit.

There is a difference between to rebut and to refute. They both suggest nearly the same thing. But Wike did neither. If he had “uche”, shouldn’t he have at least reminded us that Amaechi was out to discredit him and destroy his “giant strides?” Some would have believed him. Even Rochas Okorocha visited him and refused to go with Uche (Nwosu). Funny Rochas!

Today, it was reported that Wike gave to Sokoto State N500,000,000 for whatever purpose. For those who are not so good with numbers, Wike gave Sokoto State Five Hundred Million Naira. It means one billion Naira divided by two. What did he get in return? A wonderful opportunity to take photographs with his fellow governor and an emir. I remember watching Wike sometime in the past pour insults publicly on a revered traditional ruler from Rivers State. And Bob Marley sang, “Emancipate yourself from mental slavery…”

A Fulani scholar recently told me that Wike wants the Governor of Sokoto State, Tambuwal (my mother calls him Tambawa), to pick him as the PDP Vice Presidential Candidate come 2023. This bookworm however said that Wike would never be allowed to be on the same ticket with Tambuwal, and averred that Wike might do the unthinkable to replace his boss when victory is finally achieved. I don’t know about that. But I know that Fulani scholars have read more books about the character and political tendencies of the Igbo than Igbo scholars have read about the Fulani. This debate will continue elsewhere, maybe after Wike’s DNA test.

So, it may be true that Wike wants to be in Aso Rock. And for that reason, the woes of Rivers people can wait while the needs of Sokoto can be met. This is unfortunate! This is the root cause of the  militant activities in the Niger Delta. Sellouts, loafers and nitwits who betray the genuine expectations of their people just for political favours!

I know Wike has been inviting some political leaders to Rivers to show them the rural roads he has completed. But let him be sincere enough to tell them that the funds for those projects were from the local governments, not the state. Let Wike tell Rivers people what the jumbo allocations to the state have brought to the them! Let him convince Rivers people that their priority has become to dole out half a billion to another state in the far North. Which disaster in Sokoto can be worse that than the economic hardships occasioned by Covid-19? What economic recovery plan has Wike offered Rivers people?

I want to sleep. Ambitious people have never won the Presidency of Nigeria. The only way to be in the Presidency is to have no ambition. Jonathan. Shagari. Yar’Adua. Obasanjo. They had been less ambitious, even unambitious. When Buhari lost his ambition, they gave him Aso Rock. Zik had ambition. Awo had ambition. Abiola had ambition. Ekwueme had ambition. Did they win? Atiku has also been accused of being too ambitious. Osita Chidoka once said that Igbo people are known for their uche, uchu and egwu chukwu. Let Wike work on his mind, rededicate himself to lofty ideals and reconcile with his God. I don’t know what will happen tomorrow. But I do know people who did what Wike is doing never got close to Aso Rock at last. I need to sleep.