The acting Chairman of All Progressives Congress ( APC) in Rivers State, Chief Tony C Okocha KSC DSSRS , has queried why Governor Sim Fubara will subject rivers women to inhumane conditions, he described the move as ” A Misstep; exposing the vulnerability of rivers women to the world” . An article authored by chief Okocha reads thus “For the records, I am not the author of these pictures nor was my phone used to snap. These pictures went viral on new media handles. My friends and foes shared with me essentially to mock me.
Everyday, the gory sight of these pictures traumatise me.
Pictures of our vulnerable Grandmothers, Mothers, Wives and Sisters, clad half naked for a paltry and miserable lucre, orchestrated by a system that is supposed to protect their decency.
My sensibilities are insulted as I received myriads of phone calls and messages from all over the world, querying the reality or otherwise of this ugly scenario in our dear Rivers State.
I had made frantic efforts to dodge and claim ignorance or comsciously fall to the fallacy of red herring on the issues pointedly raised concerning the ugly pictures, but how would I succeed in dismissing with a wave of the hands, when the placards handed over to the women explain clearly that they are Rivers State women drawn from different ethnic stocks and local Government Areas?
In good conscience, can any reader truly deny the fact that these women, who can’t read nor understand the messages contained in the placards handed to them, were rented and hired and specifically directed to come half naked and walk the streets of Port Harcourt, from CFC junction to Polo Club in GRA phase 2, Port Harcourt for an offer they choicelessly because of striking hunger, couldn’t resist?
What was the central message around the inglorious walk? ~rile support for the shaky Governor Fubara?
Such ignoramus in this contemporary world?
What was it about order than as Gov. Sim will boasts “Pseudo Organic support”?
What an action so despicable, barbaric and unspeakable in the history of our clime!
How and Who convoked this eyesore?. ~A Pro Government group dubbed RIVERS WOMEN UNITE FOR SIM.
On that unholy event, Speakers after Speaker revealed the name of the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara as Chief beneficiary in the shameful charade of utter moral decadence and depravity.
The Government who ought to present as cynosure of excellence for her citizens before the world, is in this case, the crystal harbinger and proponent in chief, of the painful amoral act that was exported to the world.
In the Statement released by Glory N Sunday, the spokesperson of the aforenamed Pro-Fubara group, (organisers of the charade), she quoted the lead anchor of the group, Professor Roseline Konya, thusly:
“We affirm our resolve to support totally the Rivers State Government led by His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara in his efforts to protect Rivers State and realise the dreams and aspirations of her people.
The statement further noted ” As Mothers, we condemn violent activities in the State and also warn those who perpetrate them in order to further their political or other ambitions, to stop forthwith, as we will not tolerate them anymore”.
The question as to whether the avowals can be adjudged within the prevalent specificity, as noble or not, even in the face of a peaceful dispositions in Rivers State, shall be a topical issue for perhaps another day.
What we should query is the morality behind the dehumanisation, defiling and barefaced violation, of Old Rivers State Women as shown in these pictures.
Can the fledgling government of Governor Sim Fubara claim to be oblivious of this international disgrace sordidly heralded by their sponsored action?
Let us agree that the Governor, who is the beneficiary in chief, didn’t fund it. Was it palatable to his eyes and ears to see and hear Rivers Women clad half naked and convoked in his name or anyone’s at all?.
Is this action not succinct enough to engender negative publicity to Rivers State, just as it is generating and buzzing now?
What has the government of Gov. Sim done to save Rivers People from this palpable shame?
At best, the Government has only romanticised and applauded the obscene action perpetrated by their hired political contractors behind the ugly scene, by sponsoring radio appearances to denigrate on those who vehemently condemned the primitive and degenerate embroidery of violation of vulnerable Rivers women.
They cite the case of similar occurence in Ogu/Bolo in 2019 when Old women spontaneously went half nude to protest the attempt of the military to cart away with their electoral materials and results and switch it against their interests.
Bad as it was, but it is not the same as this one being procured.
In this case, the women were made to walk cladded half naked, from the front of the Corpus Christi Catholic Church by the popular CFC Junction, to the Polo Club in GRA phase 2, Port Harcourt, the epicentre of the shameful spectacle.
Whilst on the walk, the spokesperson reported that the women danced to the cherographies they were thought, while the political entrepreneurs/merchants ceased the liberty to reel and read out a 9 point resolution which was signed by the media officer of the Pro~Government group on behalf of the organisation, Ms Glory N Sunday.
How and who convoked this eyesore?
A pro~government group dubbed RIVERS WOMEN UNITE FOR SIM.
Who funded that ostentatious gathering?
Did the organisers of that event bring in their relatives half nude and intentionally announce them to the world?
Were those Speakers at the event on February 22nd, 2024 , not acolytes and appendages of Gov. Sim?. Were they not bold to unleash this heinous enterprise against womanhood and humanity (I shall name names if I am challenged).
Pictures and videos emanating from the scenes are handy.
The moral questions to ask are as thusly.
(1) Did those women drawn from different Local Government Areas mobilise themselves to the take-off point?
(2) Did the ones clad half naked willingly agree to it without financial inducements from the hunchos of the pro~Government group?. Can we say that if they gave in willy~nilly, they can be qualified as prostitutes or mildly put, the most amorous women in our society ?
(3) Who mobilised both the half nude women and the ones well dressed to the event?
Who were those that addressed the Women?.
Maybe the vulnerable hunger stricken Old Rivers State Women, they came on their own accord to also prove “Organic Support” for Gov. Siminalayi Fubara .
CONCLUSION:
I shall take this liberty to tersely respond to the hogwash which at best, can be classified as a whining tirade and jejunes scribbled by one Chukwudi, in his spectacularly failed attempt to make light, the issues I and the APC RIVERS, raised in the article “THE VIRTUES IN AUDACIOUS NOISE”, wherein, himself and one Boniface, both stranger hirelings, chronicled a number of projects which they ascribed and credited to Gov. Fubara.
What a desperate attempt at chicanery and hoax combined.
The duo could try those tissues of lies because they owe no commitment to Rivers People.
In my next article, if I hear pim, I shall name the contractors that executed those projects, the contractual sum and prove with documentary evidences, that the projects lyingly credited to Gov. Sim, were awarded and fully paid for by Gov. Wike (as he then was).
Wike, as a father, merely allowed those projects fully completed as low hanging fruits for his successor to commission in celebration of his 100 days in office.
The seeming poster project of ring Road which they pride and pace about with, was conceptualised and envisioned during the first tenure of HE, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi.
As beautiful as it was, Gov. Wike couldn’t discard or jettison it but redesigned it and allowed his successor to shine with it.
To prove this point, let Gov. Sim or his goons now talking tongues-in-cheek, show minutes of State Executive Council meeting where the ring road construction was canvassed as a pet/unique project of Gov. Sim.
Anyway, an Ikwerre adage holds that “anyone who wasn’t present and never participated when a corpse is buried, goes to exume the body from the legs.
Chukwudi and Boniface whoever they represent, came to the breakfast table too late.
I can’t be too angry with the two strangers on the rostrum.
Finally, I dare the Governor and his handlers to mention any project which originated, awarded and completed by Gov. Fubara in his 100 days in office.
If any is shown with verifiable evidence, l shall not only render unreserved apologies to Gov. Sim, but shall go to genuflect to him.
Rivers People know the prodigies of both Amaechi and Wike in the recent past, while in the saddle as Governors, in 100 days of their assumptions of office.
I shudder why and how and when “advise became a curse!”
One would have thought that our constructive criticisms couched in sound logic should wake up the Slumbering Governor Sim.
Rivers State has dangerously taken the passenger seat in the vehicle occupied by States.
The Governor must quickly identify and isolate and seek to correct the missteps and indiscretions and rudderlessness and cluelessness of his government and make deliberate attempts to take Rivers State out of her present squalor and dungeon.
Governor Sim and his RIVERS WOMEN UNITE FOR SIM, should apologise to Rivers State people, her women and entire womanhood in general, for funding and encouraging and applauding the moral suicide meted on those vulnerable women clad half naked and shown to the public and the huge shame brought to Rivers People.
The hues and cries of those vulnerable women when they saw them and their Children saw pictures on how they were disgraceful advertised, are so loud.
I am told through credible intelligence that a particular one, wants to commit suicide.
Gov Sim, pls your apologies will save this life and take away the shame on the faces of their children and relatives.
Note, we shall keep disagreeing not quarrelling until the purpose for a good governance in Rivers State is achieved.
Rivers State APC, as the main opposition party in the State, shall not be deterred, cajoled/psychologised into docility or hoodwinked howsoever, to back down on the noble course of speaking for the circumstantially speechless masses. “
Chief Tony C Okocha, KSC DSSRS JP.
Chairman (Caretaker Committee), APC Rivers State.
(Public analyst)
March, 16, 2024.
