The Lumine News

Category: Opinion

  • Power To Proclaim: We Are Challenged By The Ascension To Proclaim With Power, As Jesus Remains With US Through The Holy Spirit BY PETER OBELE ABUE

    Power To Proclaim: We Are Challenged By The Ascension To Proclaim With Power, As Jesus Remains With US Through The Holy Spirit BY PETER OBELE ABUE

     

    Grace, we understand, is the supernatural gift from God bestowed on all baptized Christians and as christians, we can not afford to turn our grace into disgrace. After his Ascension, Christ commands his disciples. “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15.” This power to proclaim comes with God’s grace and we have been given that power from the mandate by Jesus Christ himself. As we prepare to celebrate the solemnity of Pentecost, we are challenged by the Ascension to proclaim with power, as Jesus remains with us through the Holy Spirit.

    Unfortunately, most modern-day Christians lack the power to proclaim. They are afraid or ashamed to boldly stand for Christ and proclaim what they believe. The book of Acts of the Apostles, gives an account of the Ascension of the Lord and recounts jesus last to his disciples: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8)”. From these words, it is clear that power has been given through the Holy Spirit of God to all believers to proclaim the good news.

    Jesus goes up to heaven, now at the right hand of God, promises to send the holy Spirit in a special way on Pentecost, and he fulfils that promise. As we await this Pentecost, we are challenged to use this power to proclaim our faith in thoughts, words, and actions. As the saying goes, “God does not call the qualified, he qualifies the called”; so you don’t need to be a perfect person or very fluent in English to have the power to proclaim. Jesus did not call only those who have some position in the Church, but he calls each one of us to proclaim the good news and he promises that he will be with us till the end of time, so we need fear no evil. This mandate challenges each one of us to live our faith and to proclaim it boldly before everyone.

    The power of the Holy Spirit will change the Church, the community, and our individual lives, if we who follow the Lord and take advantage of this mandate. This is what the Church of Christ needs now more than ever. This is what will change the world and not a few timid churchgoers, not sure of where they stand. As St Paul says in his Letter to the Ephesians: ”One body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift (Ephesians 4:4ff) .” This can only be possible by the power of the Holy Spirit.

    Be not afraid!

    Disclaimer: The opinion expressed in this article is strictly that of the author, Peter Obele Abue and does not represent TheLumineNews or its agent.

  • Weaponization Of Poverty… BY AGBA JALINGO 

    Weaponization Of Poverty… BY AGBA JALINGO 

     

    Once, I attended an ANPP campaign event in Maidugri as a journalist and was privileged to be in the Governor’s convoy. The Governor then was ANPP. He was in company of a former National Chairman of the party, who was also from the North. (I want to withhold their names.)

    While the governor’s convoy was negotiating a wide roundabout in the center of Maidugri, there was a large number of young people running around and selling petrol in kegs. Obviously there was fuel scarcity and black market was thriving. In a later conversation which I overheard, the former national Chairman asked the Governor why he allowed so many people to run around with flammable liquid like that in the center of town? He warned that it was very risky and advised the Governor to do something about it.

    The Governor promptly replied in Hausa language that, it was election time and those boys selling fuel are the boys they use to disrupt elections when the need arise and any attempt to remove them from that point during elections will lure them to the opposition party. He said they are easy to procure and dispense and promised the Chairman that, they will be removed after elections, if the fuel scarcity persisted. I speak Hausa fluently so I didn’t need an interpreter.

    Let me give you another instance. I have also heard a political office holder from the South say, “Don’t worry yourself Agba, about those complaints. People are hungry, once you send them some money, all the annoyance will disappear.”

    These are two actual scenarios that I was able to shovel from my memory this morning to buttress the point that the perpetuation of poverty is a weapon of politicians and political organizations. They create poverty, and weaponize same for their self-benefit. There are well researched theories which have managed to show how politicians create poverty, manipulate poor people for their benefit and clip the poor to remain on the same level over a long period.

    Even amongst the people, we have weaponized poverty against ourselves. For most important persons in our lives and families, the comfortable time for them to give money or assistance is, when you want to entertain or when you are grieving. Like when you want to conduct a burial, friends and relatives will spend millions to travel across oceans, and from the cities to attend. WhatsApp groups will open for generous donations. When you are ill or want to start a business or fund education, you will be ignored. We are acquiescing to a vice.

    Successive governments have conducted numerous researches on causes of poverty, suggesting various policies, yet there is no political will to implement these policies and ensure poverty is addressed. But the worsening situation in the country is proving daily that, handing out tokens to the citizens like our leaders are doing today will not resolve any problem. It is rather creating a dependent citizenry and escalating an already fragile situation. Political realism should therefore open our eyes to the urgent need for sustainable poverty eradication methods that can enthuse the alienated population.

    Yours sincerely,
    Citizen Agba Jalingo.

    Disclaimer: The opinion expressed in this article is strictly that of the author,,l Agba Jalingo and does not represent TheLumineNews or its agent.

  • Why The Judiciary Should Not Be Dragged Into The Political Fray In Rivers State BY OKOI OBONO OBLA

    Why The Judiciary Should Not Be Dragged Into The Political Fray In Rivers State BY OKOI OBONO OBLA

     

    The antagonists in the political internecine warfare going on in Rivers State presently should not use the judiciary as sacrificial lamb through dragging political motivated cases to the court under the guise of asserting their rights .

    The latest injunction obtained on 10 May 2024 in the High Court ,Port Harcourt, by three members of the Rivers State House of Assembly against 25 members of the House, which restrained them from parading and holding out themselves as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly or meeting/sitting at the Auditorium of the House of Assembly Quarters at Aba Road,Port Harcourt or any other place whatsoever to purport to carry out the legislative business of the Rivers State House of Assembly, their legislative sears having been declared vacant pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

    This seems to me a dangerous escalation of the intractable crisis that has dogged and engulfed the State since 2023.

    It seems to me wrong for three members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to use the weapon of a court injunction to prevent 25 members from carrying out their constitutional responsibilities under the guise that their seats have been vacated.

    Who vacated the seats of these 25 members?

    I know as a fact that in 2023 27 PDP members of the Rivers State House of Assembly defected from the PDP to the APC.

    I know as a fact that under the 1999 Constitution, a member of a legislative house that leaves the political party that sponsored his election to join another political party stands to lose his seat.

    But the exception is when there is a splinter or crisis in the political party that sponsored his election, his defection would not affect his seat.

    Therefore, under the circumstances, could it be said that these 27 other members of the Rivers State House of Assembly that defected from PDP to APC have lost their seat?

    This is a legal question under the circumstances that only a court of law can determine.

    Therefore, he doesn’t lie in the mouth of the three members of the Rivers State of House of Assembly to determine the fate of their colleagues on the other side.

    The Rivers State House of Assembly has a 31 membership strength.

    A quorum of one-third of these 31-member House of Assembly is required constitutionally for it to conduct the business of the House.

    Accordingly , 10 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly is needed to declare the seats of 27 members that defected vacant.
    It is illogical or unconstitutional for three or five members to remove 27 members when, in the first place, they can not form a quorum.

    I think that the injunction obtained on 10 May 2024 by three members of the Rivers State House of Assembly against 25 other members is a desperate act to ward off the impeachment of Governor Sim Fubara by the majority in the Rivers State House of Assembly.

    I think it was a wrongful exercise of discretion by the learned trial Judge to have exercised his discretion in favor of these three members who applied for the order of injunction.

    The judge ought to have ordered that the 1st-25th Defendants should put on notice in order to hear their own side.

    It was wrong for the judge to have at the level of ex parte application to have agreed with the applicants that these 25 members have lost their seats.

    This is the reason why I was saying at the beginning of this write-up that the combatants in Rivers State should not drag the judiciary into their fight.
    @ Okoi Obono-Obla

    Disclaimer: The opinion expressed in this article is strictly that of the author, Chief OKOI OBONO-OBLA, and does not represent TheLumineNews or its agent.

  • Do We Vote For Development Or For Palliatives… BY AGBA JALINGO

    Do We Vote For Development Or For Palliatives… BY AGBA JALINGO

     

    Let me start by defining what palliative is.

    “A medicine or form of medical care that relieves symptoms without dealing with the cause of the condition.”

    If you are 30yrs today, and politically active, and commenting on social media, that means in 1999, when democracy returned to Nigeria and when Nigeria adopted the Constitution of the 4th Republic, you were barely 5 years old. You didn’t know anything politically yet. If you are 35years today, that means you were 10 years old. You will have little or nothing to say first hand, about the Obasanjo and Donald Duke years in office.

    Unfortunately for this demographic, for those who are active politically, they are more familiar with the word, “Palliatives” than the word “Development.” In fact, they confuse the latter for the former. For most of them, palliatives means the same thing with development. Anyone who dispenses palliatives is bringing development to the people. So when they vote, they don’t expect much. Once you can dispense some palliatives, the people will translate it to mean development, and they can even go to war for you.

    Consequently, instead of growing our generation and distribution of electricity to illuminate us, power businesses and factories, they are giving us palliatives, – supplying millions of solar street lights across the country. Yet electricity bills keep increasing amidst the darkness.

    Instead of building and equipping hospitals and insuring our health, they are giving us palliatives. They have reduced it to three-days health outreaches in our villages. Yet charges in government hospitals keep rising while they get their own healthcare abroad or in private hospitals.

    Instead of equipping schools, giving us years of expense paid and program scholarships, they are giving us palliatives. They have reduced it to parceling some few thousands in envelopes to distribute in open fields or wiring it to your account, and still call it scholarship, while sending their own children abroad or to private schools.

    Instead of deliberately building massive infrastructure, they are giving us transport palliatives. They are buying rickety foreign coaches, buses and refurbishing, buying keke and okada, to ride on aged roads and rails, while they are chauffeur driven in armored SUVs.

    Instead of building ‘water works’ to purify and distribute pipe born water to homes, they are giving us palliatives. They are counting the number of boreholes they have dug.

    Instead of building refineries to make fuel available, they are giving us palliatives. Sharing money and importing refined products and selling to us at whatever price they like.

    Instead of creating the enabling environment for jobs and earning a living, they are giving palliatives. Sharing wrappers, rice and meat and drinks and condiments to a pauparized population. It’s now all about palliatives, palliatives, palliatives, and nothing but palliatives.

    But it was not always like this. The aging infrastructure in Lagos did not emerge from the Atlantic Ocean. It was built. Abuja was built. The Federal Secretariat, National Assembly Complex, Supreme Court, Airports, 3rd mainland bridge, Carter Bridge, Eko Bridge, the now decrepit general hospitals across the country, the military barracks and facilities, the first generation universities, the hydro dams, the now failed East West road and several others, were started and completed.

    So why have we become so incapable of starting and completing so many things? Is our vote now for palliatives? Have we redefined the meaning of development or do we need to ask why our government has been reduced to palliatives instead of development? If you find the answer, you can share it with me.

    Yours sincerely,
    Citizen Agba Jalingo.

     

    Disclaimer: The opinion expressed in this article is strictly that of the author Agba Jalingo and does not represent TheLumineNews or its agent 

  • Surface Intelligence And The Limit Of Excellence BY JOHN GAUL

    Surface Intelligence And The Limit Of Excellence BY JOHN GAUL

     

    Surface intelligence includes a shallow appreciation and understanding of arguable issues, including a preliminary, pre emptive and flash impact of what a subject matter is all about .

    Surface intelligence generates from Surface understanding ,You can use it to describe a basic or cursory understanding of something, but not a thorough or deep understanding.

    Intelligence can be defined as the ability to solve complex problems or make decisions with outcomes benefiting the actor, and has evolved in lifeforms to adapt to diverse environments for their survival and reproduction.

    On the other hand Deep knowledge refers to a thorough and comprehensive understanding of a subject or topic. It involves not only being able to recall facts and information about the subject, but also being able to understand and apply this knowledge in a variety of contexts.

    Surface learning is the more factual information or surface knowledge that is often a prerequisite for deep learning. Deep learning involves things like extending ideas, detecting patterns, applying knowledge and skills in new contexts or in creative ways, and being critical of arguments and evidence.

    Surface intelligence comes from Surface learning, in Surface learning students focus on external goals such as getting a particular grade or award or pleasing or impressing someone else.

    These students tend to do only what is necessary and focus more on being able to regurgitate what they have learned rather than truly understanding and absorbing the material.

    One of the greatest challenge of our generation is that serious minded people who are bestowed with critical decision making process still groove with Surface intelligence.

    Unfortunately, their beneficiaries are also gifted with Surface understanding.
    Any society made up of surface thinkers is limited in excellence.

     

    The opinion expressed in this article is strictly that of the author, John Gaul and does not represent TheLumineNews or its agent 

  • Ganduje Cannot Not Find Justice In The Kanu Commission Of Inquiry BY JOHNSON BRISIBE

    Ganduje Cannot Not Find Justice In The Kanu Commission Of Inquiry BY JOHNSON BRISIBE

     

    What justice can the cockroach expect from a panel of inquiry set up and populated by chickens. The answer is none. No justice, no fairness, no equitable outcome, because the commission has only one secret charge: “Oga said you should find him guilty and commit him to jail.”

    All the motions being dramatized are aimed at confusing the ignorant public because the single minded mission is to bring Dr Ganduje to his knees on the charge of not having treated his former boss, Dr. Kwankwaso with respect for most of his reign as Governor. It is a clash of egos and a hubristic show of might.

    What Kwankwaso and his political son, Abba Yusuf are doing is to put to work, like the writer, Gustave Flaubert, the role of perception to create a multiplicity of truths and different versions of reality. For instance, it is their aim to create the perception that Dr. Ganduje, the immediate past governor is the most pressing problem of the state and that investigating him, not Kwankwaso, is the most brilliant thing to do.

    It is very likely that Ganduje has been shaken sore, breaking him however is going to take a long and protracted struggle especially since the two fellas pointing their second fingers at him also have the rest of their fingers pointing back at themselves. And Ganduje is in a position to know details of Kwankwaso’s shenanigans having worked with him for almost two decades..

    Already there is talk about local government funds ending up in Kwankwaso’s presidential campaign account. There is sure to be more pungent revelations from his two term governorship of Kano state and his work as federal Minister of Defense during which Ganduje was his deputy and Special Adviser respectively. The smelly air is surely not going to clear up soon.

    Or is it all about the battle for 2027? There has been talk about Kwankwaso considering to join the All Progressive Congress. Is the tactics aimed at getting Ganduje out of the way so that when Kwankwaso eventually joins the rulling party, he will be Lord over the whole of Kano state with no one left who is capable of struggling for a piece of the highly populated sub region?

    What is in this fight for the citizens of Kano, as hunger, deprivation, illiteracy and poverty continues to tear away at the people. How does distracting Ganduje put a morsel of food on the table of the people. As billionaires like Dangote and Rabiu continue to release palliative grains for the hungry millions of Kano, Abba Yusuf and his godfather are having fun playing high wire politics with the aim of crowning Kwankwaso political king in Kano. Is this what the multitudes voted for? Was this part of the bargain?

    Kano as a state and a people continues to lag behind in all the development indices apart from the startling hunger and poverty. As hundreds of thousands of young school age children throng the streets and invade restaurants for left over food, the only thing that borders the NNPP leaders is the battle for political superiority. There is no doubt that Abba Yusuf who is rumoured to have won his governorship in a board room trade-off is going to disappoint the people big time, having already lost focus from his campaign promises.

    A so-called populist ideology as the ‘Kwankwasia’ idea the NNPP trumpets should focus on improving the living conditions of the masses of its people in critical areas as healthcare, mass education, employment, food and nutrition among others. Yet the government in Kano prefers to orchestrate high drama as a substitute for genuine development ideas. Ganduje will certainly not find justice in the Kano kangaroo investigation commission. He is already vindicated by the sheer desperation and partiality of the governor of Kano state and his leg men.

    We call on the president, Ashiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to step in with a clear statement on his stand in the matter so as to bring order to what has become an APC in Kano state that has been completely invaded by officials and machinations of the NNPP. It is now clear that the Kwankwaso group cannot be trusted even as he mulls political cooperation ahead of 2027. It’s leaders are self absolved in their own egos and are not people to trust or do business with. A word is enough for the wise.

    Johnson Brisibe writes from Abuja.

  • One Of The Greatest Lessons I Learnt This Holy Week And About Life In General Is That Some Of The People Who Hate, Betray And Oppose What You Stand For, Also End Up Leading You To Victory Without Meaning To Do So BY PETER OBELE ABUE

    One Of The Greatest Lessons I Learnt This Holy Week And About Life In General Is That Some Of The People Who Hate, Betray And Oppose What You Stand For, Also End Up Leading You To Victory Without Meaning To Do So BY PETER OBELE ABUE

    VICTORY

    One of the greatest lessons I learnt this Holy week and about life in general is that some of the people who hate you, betray you and oppose what you stand for, also end up leading you to Victory without meaning to do so. If you agree with me on this, then you are about to define the meaning of Victory in your life; you are about to redesign a new strategy of happiness. Victory happens when you stop expecting the world to affirm you as a person; because in this world, half of the people will like you and the other half will hate you, no matter what you say or do.

    Let’s take the story of Jesus Christ for example (as Peter recalls in Acts 10: 34, 37-43), who came into the world and went about doing good (v. 38). He recruited a few confidants, with the hope of using them to establish a kingdom of love, but some of them betrayed him, while others stuck with him till the end. He was consequently handed over to be crucified. They mocked, scourged and finally crucified the very man who had the power to give life (v.39). At last the cross he was crucified on became the symbol of Victory after he rose again on the third day (vs.40-41). That’s victory for you.

    Some have likened the story of Jesus to some leaders in the recent past. In 2015, the then Nigerian President Jonathan lost election to his opponent. He had the power to manipulate himself to win, but he did not. Rather he accepted the humiliation of his defeat and turned around to congratulate his opponent. That’s Victory. Nelson Mandela of South Africa spent 27 years in prison, came out to forgive his jailers and subsequently became President himself. That’s Victory.

    Lets focus again on Jesus and how his story effects our life. In the gospel we hear about a certain unnamed disciple who followed Jesus to Calvary and remained with him throughout his Passion while others like Judas betrayed him and Peter ran away. After the resurrection, this unnamed disciple ran faster than Peter, “saw and believed” whereas Peter though seeing the same thing did not believe. Confronted with the signs of death (the tomb, the linen cloths and the shroud) the unnamed disciple recognized the victory of life while Peter could not (John 20: 1-9).

    You are that unnamed disciple. You will see Victory if you endure the pain of whatever humiliation you have been through and will go through if you look ahead. Victory will be yours if you forgive those who betray you and focus your mind on something rather positive. Victory will be yours if you accept the fact that life is not all about you, but about the peace and happiness of the people you serve. Victory will be yours if you stop deceiving yourself that everyone must like you and agree with you and affirm you because that can never happen.

    Begin now to understand the meaning of the Cross and how it can lead you to your resurrection (Victory) as it did to Jesus. Happy Easter !

  • How Can You Fine-tune Your Operational Strategies As A Service-related Business? BY JUSTINA OVAT

    How Can You Fine-tune Your Operational Strategies As A Service-related Business? BY JUSTINA OVAT

     

    How can you identify the most influential factors affecting service efficiency and tailor your operations accordingly, leading to enhanced customer experiences and improved business outcomes?

    What methodologies can you apply to identify critical factors influencing your success?

    How can you make informed decisions?

    How can you develop strategies that improve performance and enhance your customer’s journey?

    Ultimately, how can you optimize service?

    One way is through Sensitivity Analysis.

    Sensitivity analysis isn’t just for numbers; it’s a valuable tool for businesses navigating the critical role of service delivery.

    Service optimization relies on sensitivity analysis to fine-tune operational strategies effectively. By adjusting one aspect of service delivery while maintaining others constant, you can assess impact on overall performance and customer satisfaction.

    For instance, a restaurant might experiment with different seating arrangements, staffing levels, or menu options to see how each change influences wait times, service quality, and customer feedback.

    A hospital might conduct sensitivity analysis to evaluate the impact of changes in staffing levels on patient wait times, treatment outcomes, and overall satisfaction. By adjusting the number of nurses or physicians on duty while keeping other factors constant, such as patient volume or resources, they can determine the staffing levels that maximize efficiency without compromising quality of care.

    This analysis can help hospitals identify staffing strategies that ensure patients receive timely and effective treatment while also managing operational costs efficiently.

    Sensitivity analysis in the service industry can be applied by systematically varying one factor at a time while keeping others constant to understand its impact on key performance indicators such as customer satisfaction, revenue, and operational efficiency.

    Try this and don’t forget to share your experience with us.

  • You Think PhD Has Lost “Its Dignity” Because So Many People Are Now Getting It? Are You Kidding Me? BY FIRST BABA ISA

    You Think PhD Has Lost “Its Dignity” Because So Many People Are Now Getting It? Are You Kidding Me? BY FIRST BABA ISA

    I really think this is a joke sha.

    You think PhD has lost “its dignity” because so many people are now getting it? Are you kidding me?

    In a country of over 200 million people, how many persons have PhD? Wait first, don’t answer that one. Answer this one: trace your family tree – father and mother side- from 26th May, 1672 to date, how many persons have PhD? How many people are in your village, ward, Local Government and State… then how many have PhD?

    The truth is only a very small number of persons have been able to study up to PhD level. Very small number. Stop lying that PhD holders are everywhere just because you want to make the feat look ordinary.

    Everyone mustn’t get a PhD. No. It is not even an indispensable ingredient to succeed in life, but it is demonic to trivialise it because you don’t have it, can’t get it or not even interested in getting it. Stop that category of witchcraft, it is not good for your legacy.

    Getting a PhD is a massive achievement and those who have gotten it should be celebrated to the high heavens and inspire others to do same. There is a place to challenge them to improve society with their academic credentials but to talk down on the achievement, is a no-no.

    Please, I’m not talking about those who got “awarded” “PhD’s” in their dingy offices or rat infested houses or some rickety pictures-only conferences by phoney characters from criminal contraptions called institutions.

    Out of the blues you will just see them with a dirty looking gown smiling like retards and the next minute they are addressing themselves as “Dr” and everyone will just join the imbecilic charade instead of reporting “Dr” to the police. These ones should be rightfully denigrated.

    Finally, I want to congratulate all PhD holders, especially those who will be having their convocation tomorrow at the University of Calabar; and most especially Dr Mrs Onne Ikwen (see picture) my friend, a fine police officer, fantastic mum, kingdom lover and dear wife to my friend Eno Beké Ikwen. I’m super proud of you, Ma.

    This is what marriage or partnership should be: find her, marry her and improve her (vice versa). Don’t follow a partner who cannot improve your life.

    – F. Baba Isa (FBI).

    Disclaimer: The opinion expressed in this article is strictly that of the author, First Baba Isa and does not represent TheLumineNews or its agent.

  • Rumpus Over Payroll Padding In Cross River State BY DOMINIC KIDZU

    Rumpus Over Payroll Padding In Cross River State BY DOMINIC KIDZU

     

    A rash of accusations, counter accusations, and bush-shaking grandstanding about who did and did not pad the Cross River payroll have headlined premium news coming out of the state for two weeks without end. Take a front seat, folks, and watch the rollercoaster from the edge of your seats. Hollywood is knocking at the door.

    Hydra headed John Odey fired the first shot, which was suitably responded to by his ubiquitous targets, Uko Inaku, Ogbang Akwaji and Joseph Adie, all very senior state officials and close associates of former governor Ben Ayade, having been Chairman Civil Service Commission, Head of the Civil Service and Accountant General respectively.

    John Odey himself was no less awesome during the dark ages, bestriding the three-fold world like a giant collosus, having corralled the three critical offices of SA-Salaries, Auditor-General, and wait for it, Chairman IRS to himself alone, all at the same time! But sudden greatness comes along with a goatskin bag of hubris. As Brutus soliloquised about his friend Caesar, “the abuse of greatness is when it disjoins remorse from power.” He has sang the swan song (?) and everyone else in the room is taking the bath of the hornbill.

    Iwara Iwara of Hit FM broke the water pot, Beatrice Akpala tried to pick up the broken shards, leaving everyone else in perplexity about who the real heroes and villains are in this tragic tale. And as the intriguing narratives unfolds, what is no longer in doubt is the unconventional template and blatant impunity with which our poor state was run in the last eight years. And the sickening haemorage the public patrimony endured.

    The governor has been looking for a plug on the leakage like a needle in a haystack, trying to put a disheveled state together like a feather pillow bust asunder in a gale. I hope to God that John Odey is right and forthright with his bold accusations so that he does not become like the saying among my Irruan people “Olom ntseh ji Okpor, Okpor oji Olom” which translates to something like “The devil went to kill Okpor, but now Okpor has killed the devil.”

    The simple enigma is that the more people retire from service, the more the wage bill grows, like a thing of magic. Are mssrs John Odey, Uko Inaku, Ogbang Akwaji and Joseph Adie responsible for the mutant growth of the payroll, or is there a more sinister, well oiled criminal conspiracy under the rocks in the seabed? Are the four ‘accused’ and ‘accusers’ mere puns on a grander chessboard of power, money, more money and greed? As Mahatma Gandhi said “The Earth has enough for everyone’s needs but not for everyone’s greed”.

    Where are the fifty-two or fifty-four thousand civil and public servants in Cross River State? Where do they stay, where do they work? This racket appears rather massive to me. Have we even scratched the surface yet, I cannot say. What is certain is that the boat has already been rocked. Heads are inevitably going to roll as well. Even entrenched denizens and crocodiles may have to swim in shallow waters because one cannot make omelettes without breaking eggs.

    The other day I heard that the Cross River House of Assembly is recovering heavy duty construction equipment belonging to the state from private persons. Then yesterday, the House upended the lease of our 100-room facility in Abuja for N6m per annum. Who knows what bizzare repossession is next. To create a new narrative, Governor Bassey Otu, it seems, has his work cut out for him. It’s already one day, one story now, and the beat goes on and on and on.. … …

    (Dominic Kidzu writes from Calabar)

    Disclaimer: The opinion expressed in this article is strictly that of the author, Dominic Kidzu and does not represent TheLumineNews or its agent.