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Ndigbo: Time to look beyond Hope Uzodimma and see the danger ahead
“Don’t mind the media shout; do the job I command you. If anyone accuses you of human rights violation, the report will come to my table, and you know what I will do.
“So, take the battle to them wherever they are and kill them all. Don’t wait for an order. Don’t sit and wait for them to come; take the attack to them and don’t lose your arms to criminals.”
This was a statement attributed to a police officer – not a low-level officer or even a Divisional Police Officer (DPO), in one nondescript station in a remote village. This was said to be from Alkali Baba, the Acting Inspector General of Police (IG), Nigeria’s number one policeman.
Perhaps, he was reading the riot act to his officers and men as they readied to storm a hideout somewhere in Sambisa Forest, where Boko Haram terrorists, have camped for the better part of their decade-old bloody campaign against Nigerians or other parts of North East communities, that have turned into human abattoirs with the daily gory tales of mass butchering of people. No!
Okay! The police boss, must have been speaking to his personnel to launch a merciless attack on the bandits running riot in the North West of Kaduna, Zamfara or Katsina, home of President Muhammadu Buhari. No! What about those slaughtering Nigerians in Benue and Jos? No still!
The eerie charge, was to operatives in Igboland, hitherto, acknowledged as the safest part of Nigeria, with Anambra State, mounting it on a standard and celebrating it – safety in the land – as one of its major achievement in the last eight years now.
Of course, the implication of this order would not sink in to those insulated from the trend of events in Nigeria in recent years, especially in the past six years, where the country has sunk deeper into the seeminly irredeemable morass of terrorism and banditry activities.
But why choose the South East for such outrightly outlandish command and what is the implication in the context of the relationship between the area and the central government of Nigeria in the Buhari years? Since the break of 2021, South East has not known peace. The setting had been laid earlier with strange gunmen attacking security personnel and formations in various communities, first, in Anambra State, including the state capital, Awka.
As the people wondered at this strange activities of the gunmen who seemed to have singled out men of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), the attacks gradually seeped into other states within the zone, with more attacks in Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo and Abia almost with the same pattern. As the apprehension grew more and more, given the suddenness, the precision and successes of the operations, which seemed to take place without any counter from the security operatives, the public became more confused and troubled.
The din on the commotion however become quite deafening when the most ambitious strike came, with the invasion and burning of the headquarters of the Imo State Police Command and Owerri Correctional Services, which was broken into and the inmates released, That not only enlarged the frontiers of the problem, but set off different permutations began and finger-pointing by different actors.
This singular incident, which took place on April 5, 2021, practically raised the danger bar from amber to red-colour. It also introduced the hydra-headed dimensions the situation has now assumed.
Before this period, Hope Uzodimma, Governor of Imo State had been embroiled in a running battle with the Indigenous People of Biafra over the activities of Eastern Security Network (ESN), around Orlu and Orsu local governments of the state. The governor’s invitation of the Nigerian Army personnel to flush out the ESN operatives, who had overwhelmed the police, had sparked off intense debate over the propriety of the action.
At first, many people had wondered whether the strange phenomenon was a continuation of the battle, while others debunked it with the argument that it did not fit into the modus operandi of IPOB or ESN.
Could it be the handiwork of political actors in the state then? Before now, there had been no love lost between Uzodimma and his last but one predecessor, Rochas Okoroch, same as Emeka Ihedioha, whom he displaced from office in controversial circumstances. Are they responsible. Both promptly denied involvement. In fact, Uche Onyeagocha, the Secretrary to State Government (SSG), in the Ihedioha government, had to particularly appear on Channels Television to exculpate the ex-governor’s camp.
Enter the immediate past Inspector General of Police (IG), Muhammed Adamu! In less than 24 hours after the April 5 attack, he identified IPOB as the culprit. This open and shut conclusion, even without any formal investigation, not only raised eyebrows, but set tongues wagging. How did he come to such conclusions so soon after? That gave the impression in certain already suspicious circles of work from an answer.
Unfortunately, the former IG, was sacked minutes after that unholy outing, making it impossible to follow the lead he provided. Regardless, it effectively introduced the Federal Government into the mix. The argument began to firm up that the South East was indeed being primed up for something more sinister than they had received in the past few years.
Since then, with the consistency of the attacks and the peculiar characteristics of the operations of the ubiquitous unknown gunmen propelling them, not a few Nigerians have begun to look at the matter beyond the Uzodimma-IPOB confrontation.
With IPOB, not known to shy away from its activities, denying involvement, the search for the culprits, have now been extended to many other forces outside the South East. There is the apparent impression that such forces are merely making IPOB the fall-guy.
Incidentally, Uzodimma, early enough seemed to have seen through this gambit, as he, all but, exculpated the pro-Biafran group. For him, it was almost the biblical case of the hand of Esau and the voice of Jacob.
Emerging from a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on April 23, Uzodimma, had told State House Correspondents that the attacks were politically-motivated. His contention was that it was targetted at pulling down the government in Imo and that of Buhari.
“From 2015 till today, I thought what the problem would be is people saying that there is no job creation, people are not feeding, salaries are not paid, infrastructures are going down, social interventions are not approved by the government. These things are there, available, a passmark for the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Now, people are no longer talking about that, rather what they are doing is to sponsor crisis, to the extent that those funding this banditry are politicians, which I challenge and call on security agencies to make their names available to the press because what they want to do is to distract a government that is focused,” he said. Propped further, he said the names of the sponsors would be made known soon as investigations were being concluded.
A day after the governor’s outing in Abuja, his Omuma, Oru West country home came under attack by the marauders leading to the burning of some cars and other structures in the expansive compound in addition to the killing of two persons within the community.
This thinking was further strengthened when the governor in a statement by his spokesman, Oguwike Nwachukwu revealed that most of the people arrested were outsiders and not Igbo, further alienating the IPOB imprimateur.
The statement, said: “We will crush anybody that attempts to cause mayhem or attack Imo people again. Government cannot surrender to blackmailers, hoodlums and perpetrators of violence, who have sworn to make the state ungovernable.
“Over 400 of those who carried out the threats on the state in the past have been arrested and undergoing trial at the courts. The good thing is that over 70 per cent of them are not Igbo.”
Flowing from this, the abiding questions therefore are who is procuring these people to attack Imo and by extension, the South East and for what motive(s)? Concomitantly, why are the attacks more pronounced at the moment in Imo and Ebonyi, the two All Progressives Congress (APC) states more than other states?
Is it possible that some people are sponsoring the mayhem to blunt the edge of their weapons to fight for space in the party, hitherto dominated by people from other places? Before now, one of the major arguments against the South East not benefitting from the APC central government is that their people are not in the party. Today, with two states being controlled by the party, that argument has fallen flat on its face.
In fact, insiders say that the strident voices of Uzodimma, Umahi and other big wigs have become a strong whip lacerating the conscience of the party about the Igbo question both at the group meetings and individual levels. With the prospect of more governors from the area joining, as is being speculated this situation may further be accentuated.
Indeed, is this part of the 2023 calculations? Since his election as the new President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the Igbo pan socio-cultural organisation, Nnamdi Obiozo has shown his intention to pursue the project of the next Nigerian President coming from the South East.
He has used every opportunity to canvass for it, while putting his cerebral and intellectual prowess on ground to deal with some of the negative questions being raised against the project like Ndigbo not speaking with one voice.
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Hear him in one of his outings: “The truth of the matter is Ndigbo have a convincing argument to present before the country. And for those who are willing are open-minded, they will understand indeed how compellingly reasonable it is for them to support South East to produce the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria the next time around.
“In fact, when people talk about justice or injustice, it is because it has not affected you and you think it will not come to you. In 2013, I said that the injustice meted to Ndigbo would be going round, I also wrote why Ndigbo are angry. Today, all the youths in Nigeria are angry. They’re angry, because what affected one group like an isolated case, has become like a plague. So what do you do?
“Ndigbo are getting ready and they’re fighting. Like every battle, you need a very few good men to win. It takes a few to achieve victory for many. Speaking with one voice is not political or democratic now! One voice is dictatorial. One voice is unacceptable in a plural society, especially in an irrepressible pluralist society like Nigeria; certainly irrepressible individualists like the Igbo.
“What are Ndigbo bringing. In fact, they’re bringing visible and conspicuous achievements and capacity to turn these national difficulties into dividends for Nigeria, obstacles into opportunities.”
With the such quality argument coming from the highly-cerebral and cerebrated diplomat, it all goes to show the preparedness of Ndigbo to meet others at the intellectual level, while the politicians tackle and defend the political front.
So what next? Is it a coincidence that an announcement was recently made about how Ndigbo through IPOB were planning to attack Lagos – a city with the highest concentration of Igbo investments in the world? Is it also a coincidence that an Igbo son was the one who made the announcement in a video that went viral? Who would gain by that obvious attempt to knock the heads of the Yoruba and Igbo together?
However, IPOB, on its own and a sizable segment of Nigerians believe the development is a far more sinister scheme than politics. Nnamdi Kanu, the IPOB leader and his men are making a strong case that it is an extension of the terrorism going on in the northern part of Nigeria that is stealthily being transported down south, with the active connivance of the Federal Government.
Buhari, who has been accused of prosecuting a Fulani agenda, is said to have rekindled the hitherto abandoned project of the north’s quest to dip the Koran in the ocean, an euphemism for taking over the entire, Christian-dominated south and forcefully converting them to the Islamic faith.
A statement from one Osita Nwokosisi, who claimed to be the second in command of the ESN, vehemently denied his group’s involvement in the shooting of policemen, called on Ndigbo to wise up to the plot wipe out Ndigbo.
“In the name of God and whatever you worship I appeal to you to listen to me. ESN is not Unknown gunmen. We have no hands in the shootings of policemen and army officers. We have no hands in the Awkuzu killings. We did not kill anyone in Ozubulu. We cannot point a gun at a fellow Igbo. We cannot slit the the throat of women and children of any ethnic group, no matter the provocation. We are not barbaric animals! Above all, we are not criminals. ESN hereby disassociate ourselves from the carnage in Igbo land.
“Who are unknown gunmen? The Federal government sponsored the deadly Fulani killers and the Al Shabaab from Mogadishu to cause mayhem in the South East. Their intent is to overrun the Igbo nation. The South East, especially Anambra State has been surrounded by these people. They are the ones doing these shootings. The Governors are aware of this fact but it is too late for them to act now. A horrible genocide, never heard of in history is about to befall Ndigbo. They planted Fulani’s at the helm of the security outfits all over the South East with the mandate to fulfil their Jihadist agenda. Please investigate if you doubt,” he added.
He further revealed that the modus operandi were to disarm the Igbo communities, destroy the security networks and instill fear into the people before launching their attack on the now completely vulnerable people, adding that parts of these had already been achieved substantially and the execution was now at the final stage.
Scary? Definitely! But there is no way IPOB and the ESN could wash their hands of the impending doom even if true. Much as they want to blame outsiders, they practically watered the ground for them to carry out the plot. Long ago, well-meaning Igbo people, including Ohanaeze and the governors have been urging them to tone down their dangerous rhetoric.
Kanu, the leader, not only took ownership of some of the atrocities attributed to the group, but was actually overheard giving orders for the armed group to wipe out anybody who stood on their way of ridding the South East of Fulani herdsmen, including police, army and other security operatives.
Attempts by Igbo leaders to mitigate the situation including the creation of Ebubeagu, the South East security network, were seen as acts of sabotage with Kanu and IPOB forbidding its existence, warning of dire consequences for anybody associating with them.
Now that the chicken seems to have returned home to roost, the same Kanu, IPOB and ESN, seem as helpless as the people who have become the victims of the onslaught. Like in the Libyan scenario, where every institution the NATO forces wanted to bomb was labelled, command and control centres, as they laboured to kill Muommar Ghadafi, every youth in the South East now lives in fear of being labelled a member of IPOB or Unknown Gunmen, willy-nilly! The implication of this is at best arrest and torture if not outright death, given the order of the new IG.
Yet, this must not be an excuse to take the eyes off the ball as to the issue at hand particularly the much-advertised raison d’etre attributable to the situation. After all, there is no IPOB or ESN in Kaduna, where thousands have been slaughtered. There is no IPOB in Jos, Taraba or Benue. Even in Zamfara and Katsina, there is neither IPOB nor ESN, even as they continue to boil.
Besides, has anyone forgotten the controversial prediction of Obadiah Mailafia? The former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), appears to be spot-on with his prediction of the sequence of events. Recall he had warned that the streets would become the next theatre of war in that famed 2020 interview, where he fingered the infamous Fulani herdsmen as the culprits.
Remember he also forewarned that the group, he argued was no different from terrorists, working with active cover from the government in power, would leave the bush and enter the towns as their next stage in the bid to take over Nigeria. Remember he warned that the entire rainforest, including the South East, has been surrounded and the actual war would break out in 2022. Doesn’t the present situation look exactly like that eerie scenario he predicted?
In the end, whether it is Uzodimma’s reading of political motives, IPOB’s ISIS bent or Mailafia’s Fulani herdsmen doomsday prediction, the fact remains that the current situation is beyond the ordinary and requires extraordinary measures to counter in order to avoid the monumental catastrophe that is coming.
What to do? There must be a rallying cry. Every hand must be on the deck to save the situation in Imo. South East governors must rally behind their colleague in Imo, forgetting all political inclinations. Igbo leaders home and abroad must oil their contacts, domestic and international to get the world intervene in the situation. IPOB must tone down its rhetoric and refrain from giving impetus to the odious situation. Those in the professions – journalists, lawyers, rights activists and social crusaders, trade unions, traders associations – everybody must pool resources together to save the situation.
Those who still hug the idea of making it an Uzodimma affair with the aim of vanquishing him, either for individualor politicall purposes, may soon discover the hard way that they are treading the wrong road that could only lead to perdition. Whatever dispute exists must give way immediately. The wise counsel of the elders that there must be a concerted effort to save the chicken from the hawk first before retiring to question why it wandered towards the bush.
For the governor, his role is to ensure that he is not complicit in the entire gory scheme. Unlike many others, no Igbo man is unaware of the consequences of blood. Shedding of blood, especially of the innocent is the height of crime any Igbo man would commit. This much was depicted in the fall of Okonkwo, when he slew Ikemefuna in Chinua Achebe’s classic – Things Fall Apart. A lover of whites with the trademark red cap, which signifies purity, the governor ought to be aware of the damage the splash of innocent blood would do to his being as an Igbo, a prominent one for that matter.
Against this backdrop, he must ensure that only the guilty get their fair comeuppance while the innocent are let off the hook. Already, there are stories of indiscriminate arrests of the innocent, apart from the mass killings of youths.
One of them was the trending video of a woman, who claimed that his son was spirited away from her restaurant at Ogbo Oshishi market by some unidentified policemen. There are many more of such. The governor, must try his best within his limited powers even as the Chief Security Officer of the state to personally inquire into these agonising stories. If it takes visiting the suspects and individually interviewing them to ensure that the innocent do not suffer, it would suffice. Nothing should be too much sacrifice to achieve that end.
Unfortunately, he must rely on the same security operatives to get at the root of the matter and carry out these duties in this regard. Any Nigerian with a faint idea of how the system works know that the present situation presents a bazaar opportunity for the police and other security agents, who not only love to vent their frustrations on the vulnerable in the society, but use them as a meal ticket at periods like this. The rest of the story could only be imagined.
Thankfully, the IG’s kill and go order did not go unchallenged as some prominent Ndigbo have taken him on. No less is expected in rallying behind Uzodimma at this time. For as the Igbo say: Ihe ka nte bakwutere nte n’onu (A stronger predator has entered the hole of the cricket). Agwo no n’akirika (the snake has find its way into the dry grass).
Posted by Sunny Igboanugo | 29 May 2021, 07:19pm
There is a local saying in Nigeria that when a child washes his hands clean, he will dine with elders. But for Dr. Aja Uwa, a lecturer with the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), that popular saying has even been stretched further – he is not only dining with elders, but with kings.
That was the status to which he was elevated when he bagged the enviable title of Chimerem Eze 1, of Coca-Cola in Nigeria – a title that has put him in good stead to sit at the high table of the global giant to enjoy the fruit of his labour that came out of dint of hard work that has catapulted him to become one of the highly rated associates of the conglomerate in Nigeria.
The event to commemorate this new status, was not only officially acknowledged by the company, but had the imprimatur of royalty as it was sealed, like the coronation of a king by no less a king himself than Eze Geoffrey I. Ejimogu the Anunu 1, of Umuanunu.
Venue was the Coca Cola depot at Umuanunu autonomous community in Obinze, Imo State. With that crown, garland and other paraphernalia of royal authority, the event was sealed. Date was Friday, February 23, 2024.
From all indications and given the testimony of those, who honoured him, the university don, did not pick to this enviable position from the streets, but rather, he attained it by dint of hard work, struggling night and day to close the gaps speedily and achieve milestones in the most remarkable way.
Chidozie Okoro, Commercial Manager, Owerri Commercial Territory, spared no glowing words in acknowledging the contribution of Uwa, currently Senior Legislative Aide (SLA) to Senator Professor Anthony Ani, the newly elected senator representing Ebonyi South zone in the National Assembly.
At the event where the erudite scholar was garlanded with pomp and pageantry in flaming colours, he said his outstanding performance in the sales of the company’s products, was impacted immensely on the fortunes of the global brand, praising his meteoritic rise in the business.
Hear him: “Aja delivered a record distribution feat of 1.2m of the company physical cases of products which included bottles, cartons and other packs within the year 2023. His total performance of over 1.2million cases, attracted a revenue of about N2billion in turnover to the company. It’s such performance that earns him what he is enjoying today.”
Giving further insight, he recounted how Uwa started his business with the company in 2015 as a one way pack dealer, meaning he was not allowed to sell the bottled products of the company as a one line dealer, but within five years of doing business with the company, became a mega distribution partner of the company in 2020.
“Today Dr.Aja Uwa is the number one distributor in the Eastern region comprising states like Imo, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Bayelsa, part of Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi. This feat has been maintained steadily since the past three years till date,” Okoro said.
He added that even outside the shores of Nigeria, the don had also earned immense recognition, having maintained the number one role leads in the Atlanta promo which allows the leading distributor to travel to Atlanta, United State of America with all expenses sponsored by the company to visit the operational headquarters of Coca-cola for over a week.
He added: “Dr Aja Uwa, is heading to win the ticket to Anfield, a promo that will enable him to watch Liverpool matches live, fully sponsored by the company, as he remains till date the highest distributor of the company’s Energy Drinks. For all these feats, the company Council of Elders resolved to induct him into the prestigious club of kings of the company.”
On his part, Uwa told reporters at the event witnessed by his colleagues from FUTO, friends from the Senate Wing of the NASS, staff and customers of Coca-cola brands, that the recognition was the first time such eminent body in the company would be taking a decision of this nature.
Expressing surprises for the huge recognition, he said: “I least expected that my humble inputs would deserve this magnitude of attention. The reward for good work is more work. I’m going to double my efforts to achieve more. I cannot afford to let anyone down at this point given the confidence reposed on me.
By Sunny Igboanugo
They beseeched, they pleaded, they remonstrated, they begged, they argued, they were snubbed, they were denied and then – they died! They died hoping and believing that it might happen before their own eyes and in their lifetimes.
These were great men of the South East. They were sons of Igboland. They grew, lived and achieved great things for their people and their country. Yet, the common denominator is that they all died with apparent broken hearts.
This is the story of Mbazuiluike Amaechi, Ben Nwabueze and now, Chukwuemeka Ezeife. They died in that order. Amaechi, a veteran in Nigerian independence struggle, who as a member of the Zikist Movement, a group that was in the forefront of that struggle, joined other individuals and groups to liberate Nigeria from the shackles of colonialism.
Having risen the ashes of the struggle to the position of the first Nigerian Minister of Aviation, the late nationalist from Ukpo, in Nnewi South Local Government Area, had contributed his own quota to the galloping development, which the first republic, known as the golden era of Nigeria achieved. Yet, he died a broken man, his one wish at his last days and hours denied him.
Leading a group of Igbo leaders to Muhammadu Buhari, then President, on November 19, 2021, he had specifically pleaded that Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who had remained in detention since he was forcefully brought back from Kenya in July of the same year be released to him personally.
He even went further to plead with the President, that if released to him, he would personally leash the IPOB leader to ensure that he would refrain from his utterances and personal attacks on the former President, not only because he was in support of his campaign, but because he wanted to see peace reign in Nigeria as his last wish.
Hear him: “I don’t want to leave this planet without peace returning to my country. I believe in one big, united Nigeria, a force in Africa. President, I want you to be remembered as a person who saw Nigeria burning, and you quenched the fire.” Yet, in vain, he waited. Buhari, who during his eight years ran his infamous 95-5 per cent government against Ndigbo, never acceded to the request.
Before he died on November 1, 2022, the following year, Amaechi, whose profile rose beyond Nigeria, as he was said to have hidden Nelson Mandela, the former President of South Africa in his house in Nigeria for six months to prevent the Apartheid authorities in his country from arresting him made another pitch for the same IPOB leader, saying: “There is only one key to the solution to killings in Igbo land now, and that is the release of Nnamdi Kanu.
“If that young man is released, you will see all these criminals who spring up claiming to be agitating for the release of Nnamdi Kanu while their real intention is to rob innocent and unsuspecting people, will go into hiding because they will have nothing as a reason to come out.
“IPOB has disowned them and has even taken measures to apprehend them but as you know, criminals will have their ways of operating and claiming one fake thing or the other, but they are simple criminals operating one way or the other.” Again, he was rebuffed and his plea fell on deaf ears.
Foremost constitutional lawyer and by then the oldest Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), was no less enthusiastic. He told Buhari that whatever difficulty he could be having releasing Kanu, the gesture would be a good one and the outcome would also be positive. Buhari, was quoted as telling the delegation: “You’ve made an extremely difficult demand on me as leader of this country. The implication of your request is very serious. In the last six years, since I became President, nobody would say I have confronted or interfered in the work of the Judiciary. God has spared you, and given you a clear head at this age, with very sharp memory. A lot of people half your age are confused already. But the demand you made is heavy. I will consider it.”
Nwabueze, who applauded the President for even giving the request a thought, said: “I applaud your decision to consider the release of Nnamdi Kanu, notwithstanding as you said in your statement, that granting the request will have great consequences.” On October 30, 2023, Nwabueze died, not witnessing Kanu’s release.
Enter Ezeife! He was one of the most virulent and consistent voices in the push for the release of the IPOB boss. In fact immediately the news broke that the Court of Appeal had ordered the release of the IPOB leader, he practically rolled out the drums to celebrate, as it signified the removal of the barrier the former President spoke about.
Hear him: “The hearts of kings are in the hand of God. We pray to move Buhari to do justice, to respect the court – his own court. The ASUU people have gone back to school in obedience to court order even though they were not happy with it,” he said.
“Now let our government lead by example and comply with court order. What I heard was that Nnamdi Kanu was discharged and acquitted. But the government can put words in the Court’s mouth that he was only discharged.
“But even at that, if he was discharged of the heinous crimes accused of, that’s even enough reason to free him by the Court’s decision. When we went to the President, we got a very good response from him about releasing Nnamdi Kanu. [Later, I got personal] information that the President wants to release Nnamdi Kanu and Sunday Igboho.
“And [later] I heard only of Igboho being set free from charges against him while Nnamdi Kanu is still there. May God make it that the President will look at the state of the nation and release Nnamdi Kanu. God has created a situation in Nigeria where all eyes are not opened where nobody can say my religion, my tribe, etc.”
But he was wrong. Of course, Buhari dug in. After days ran into weeks without obeying the court order, he finally dashed the hope of the Igbo and other Nigerians, who had joined in the campaign by appealing the appellate court’s judgement. Today, more than one year after, Kanu has remained in detention. If anything, those who took that historic journey to the Presidential Villa, Abuja are going one after the other.
The most ironic is that of Ezeife, who chose the eve of the pronouncement of the Supreme Court on the matter to depart. May be his spirit had forewarned him of a greater blow from the court and he decided to depart rather to wait to feel the impact alive. Alas, against all odds and expectations of many, the apex court, toed the line of the hardliners, who believe continued incarceration of the IPOB boss is the way to go.
“The Court of Appeal was wrong to say that the Federal High Court can no longer try Mr Kanu. The appeal is allowed and the cross-appeal is dismissed,” the apex court, held in the judgement prepared by Justice Garba Mohammed, but read by Justice Emmanuel Agim, adding: “Our law is that evidence illegality obtained is valid before the court. A violation of Mr Kanu’s right should have been by way of civil proceedings. That is not our law for now.”
With this pronouncement, it is back to the starting point. The matter is probably returning to the Federal High Court, where it was seated before Justice Binta Murtala Nyako, before the intervention of the appeal court. Many had hoped that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, would do what his predecessor did not.
Since he had no dog in the fight as was the case between Kanu and Buhari, he might exert the influence which a Nigerian President wields to end the entire macabre dance, many had thought. But as it were, they were wrong. For one, there is no indication that the President, who had promised to continue the legacy of the former President, may not have inherited his obvious and time-tested hatred for Ndigbo. And for good reason(s) too!
If anything, is it not obvious that the people and their area are being excluded under Tinubu? In fact, did it not even gain more verve? And if the hindsight could be the guide, it might not be far from same reason of being rejected in the polls. Tinubu’s fate 2023 presidential election was even worse that Buhari’s over the years.
Were this the case, then, the soul of Ezeife, just like Nwabueze and Amaechi, would have to find other reasons to rest in peace or in the alternative, remain restless. For surely, the prospect of Kanu coming out of that dungeon soon, appears quite faint. In fact, Ndigbo should hope the situation would not be grimmer!
How often has it been said – you do not mix business with pleasure. How true is it? Well, with a full impetus, the answer was delivered in clear terms to this age-long dictum, last weekend – not in all cases do business and pleasure not mix! In fact some businesses and pleasure are like Siamese twins – inseparable. That much was proved by Intercontinental Distillers Limited (IDL), Nigeria’s foremost producers of wine and spirits for the two days they locked down parts of Lagos.
Between Thursday, 24th and Friday, 25th of November, 2023, every visitor or passerby within the precincts of Isaac John in the Government Reserved Area (GRA), Ikeja, must have noticed something unusual as the route was lined with cars of all shapes, models and sizes. Inside the imposing Radisson Blu, located in the highbrow street, showed the company spared no cost in returning the favours of their customers by giving them first-class treatments – a carnival of some sorts, worthy of every expression.
The event, which was the 2023 edition of the IDL Distributors Award, to reward customers for their loyalty, also included the re-launch of Teezers cocktail brand, and the unveiling of the new packaged products. But it was clearly beyond that by the other activities daintily choreographed to fit into the entire show. Like the fine work of a weaverbird the guests, right from their arrival on Thursday to the time they finally retired to their rooms, some in the early hours of Saturday, witnessed a sequence of events sure to remain in their memories for many years.
Emerging from their rooms on Thursday evening, the distributors and other guests were first treated to a dinner after which they sat down to enjoy a superlative performance by Nice, one of Nigeria’s current celebrated music stars followed by a welcome party that stretched far into the night, enabling them to meet, greet, mingle and exchange banters, amid tables filled with exquisite food and drinks from the company’s stable.
The next day was kicked off with a breakfast, health and business talks, followed with lunch, makeup, green carpets and picture sessions that preceded the major event of the awards and the unveiling of the new product and designs to the guests at the banquet hall of the hotel, which was filled to capacity with the guests.
The glittering presence of some of Nigeria’s A-list celebrities in the Nollywood and BBNaija brands, accentuated the kaleidoscope of colours from the gaily-dressed awardees, guests, management and staff of the company, as well as their friends and well-wishers, which blended with the interludes of musical performances to create the perfect concept of entertainment, enjoyment and pleasure.
IDL management with some of the awardees
Aare Hope Gbagi, IDL’s Head of Sales, captured the raison d’etre of the event when he told the audience it was the company’s idea of rousing their major stakeholders – the distributors out of their daily routines of business to a different arena of relaxation, necessary for their physical and mental health, particularly considering the stiff and challenging economic situation in the country.
Congratulating the distributors, whom he said deserved special welcome for surviving the harsh business climate in the country, particularly the various challenges of the year 2022, he added: “This ceremony presents us with a unique opportunity to pull you our distributors out of your daily routines of buying and selling to a beautiful atmosphere to unwind and relax and by this idea, contribute our own quota in improving your mental health, which is part of our discussions earlier this morning.”
Elaborating on the necessity to fete the distributors, Engineer Patrick Anegbe, Managing Director of the company, said the event was a testament to the amazing partnership IDL shared and the impressive achievements both accomplished together in-spite of the unfavourable business environment in the country.
He said: “Today, we embrace the theme “Beyond Limits” which perfectly reflects our collective journey of surpassing boundaries and pushing ourselves to new heights. Each and every one of you have steadfastly navigated through challenges and persevered in the face of adversity. Your dedication and unwavering commitment have uplifted our business to new levels of excellence.
“To be more specific, the Theme, “Beyond Limits” to you our distributors implies:
- Experiencing products that go beyond your expectation.
- Experiencing opportunities in sales of both successful and new brands for the growth and success of your business.
For us in IDL; the theme implies:
- Showcasing innovative products.
- Strengthening customer loyalty and building long term partnerships.
- Highlighting the company’s commitment to continuous improvement and pushing limits.”
Speaking specifically on the challenges, he added: “One of the most significant challenges we faced as a manufacturing company and partners was the high cost of doing business. Market conditions became increasingly unstable; prices of input materials continued to rise almost on a daily basis; energy cost went up due to high cost of diesel. The foreign exchange (FX) required for raw materials, equipment and spares was not readily available and our roads continued to remain in deplorable state, making movement of goods from one part of the country to another difficult and expensive.
“Our dear business partners, despite the unfavourable business environment you had to contend with in 2022, your performance at the end of the year was impressive. This is indeed commendable and we are sincerely thankful to you all.
Dorothy Anegbe, displaying her trophy
“IDL as a company also strived relentlessly in 2022 to tackle the challenges encountered head-on through strategic planning, operational efficiency and investment in technology. We have pioneered processes that empowered us to thrive in the face of adversity. To ensure more availability of our brands to our esteemed distributors the future, we have invested heavily in capacity building. You will therefore start to notice improvement in supplies of our products from the beginning of next year.
“We will continue to exhibit our strength in research, new products developments and innovative activities to keep our brands above others in Wines and Spirits industry in Nigeria and make doing business with us more interesting. I want to make a passionate appeal to our valued distributors to always ensure that you buy across the range of our brands whenever they make purchases. This will ensure improve growth and profitability for your business.”
The introduction of the Teezers cocktail brand, which also now comes in three flavours of orange, ginger and lemon to the audience, clearly underscored the reason IDL maintains a leading role in the entertainment industry, where premium drinks remain the major partner. The audience watched as the performance of a group of young men and women told the story of its re-launch through a breathtaking choreographic show, decked in suspense and eventual revelation.
Mobolaji Alalade, the company’s Head of Marketing, who put the show together, explained that the fresh move came out of the need to close the gap of the limited cocktail variants in Nigeria with the needs of the consumers.
Hear him: “Today marks a new beginning – a beginning of changing the fun narratives within the Cocktail Sparkling Drink Category of the Wines and Spirit business in Nigeria and Africa at large. This game changer is the relaunch of Teezers Lime/Lemon as well as the Teezers Apple Sparkling Cocktail Drink and the introduction of two brand new variants -the Orange Flavour and Lemon and Ginger Flavour which is non-alcoholic.
“With the limited variant options available within the Cocktail drink category, the highly youthful Nigeria population have been yearning for more fun options. Intercontinental Distillers Limited (IDL) equipped with research findings and consumer feedback rose up to the challenge of closing the gap and has now redefined the category with the revamp and consequently the relaunch of its already existing variants as well as the two new exciting additions – Teezers Orange for those who love the refreshing citrus flavour and the sense of energy its vibrant colour gives, while the Lemon and Ginger non-alcoholic flavour will cater specifically to children and teetotallers so as to ensure no one is left out.
Some of the celebrities at the even
“Today, Teezers Sparkling Cocktail Drink has been upgraded from 300ml to 400ml in a contemporary, trendy, easy to carry bottle definitely offering our Consumers more. The brand label has been redesigned in sync with the spirit of the new age while the logo now radiates the elegance and youthful fun filled nature of the brand.
“Apart from presenting to you the new look of Teezers and the new additions to its variant bouquet, we unveil our new marketing campaign ‘More fun’ which underscores the brand’s unique preposition as the Master of Fun. As such, the brand will be engaging directly with the core consumers across all leisure destinations at all touch points in Nigeria.”
Indeed, the event, packaged by ISO-BLACK Concept Limited, a vibrant multi-channel brand communication solution and support services concern, lived up to its billing as the Master of Fun in Nigeria. The huge success of the third edition of the agency’s involvement, which included the design, deployment and execution of all the programmes, not only underscored a full grasp of the environment, but provided a demonstrable evidence of taking the gown to town in the fun business.
Anegbe
For the over 300 distributors that were feted at the occasion, and others who did not make list, the words of Dorothy Anegbe, Managing Director, Ogbohu Nigeria Enterprises, Sango Ota, who picked the star prize during the event, would continue to ring a bell.
“I pray that God should continue to be with them. They will grow from strength to strength and we will be able to come here and collect award.
How else to prove a partnership that works and the saying that indeed, for IDL and its stakeholders, business and pleasure indeed do mix.
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