By Austin Ogwuda
THIS Reporter can vividly recall during the turbulent Senate under Senator Bukola Saraki leadership and the Presidency under former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2017, the axiom: ‘speak the truth you die; you lie or fail to speak the truth, you still die’, resonated.
Unfortunately, many did not so much believe what he was saying and labelled him as a jester or loquacious, controversial legislstor, political joker, etc.
Remember him?
Senator Dino Melaye who once upon a time represented Koji West.
He had, in his usual outburst has said, “You speak the truth, you die; you lie, you die. Melaye Daniel Dino has decided to speak the truth and die”.
Melaye had stated that in reaction to a letter from the then Attorney-General of the Federation/ Minister of Justice.
That Attorney General of the Federation/ Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami had written the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, saying it would be sub-judicial for the Upper Chambers to insist that the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Col. Hammed Ali (retd.) should wear the NCS uniform.
But, Melaye roundly carpeted the then Minister and said, “What we have from the Attorney-General of the Federation is an insult on the institution of the National Assembly and the Senate to be precise.
“I ask again, where did the Attorney-General of the Federation who we screened on this floor derive his powers from to authorise, direct the Senate or suggest to the Senate how to carry out our constitutional mandate?
“The Attorney-General has no such powers to suggest to us, to direct us, to motivate us, or even imply by inference how we should carry out our duty”, he stated furiously.
Needless to tell how members of that particular Senate who resisted to wear the rubber stamp toga were punished unjustly. But did they care a hoot?
No!
Although there were stiff and deliberate resistance to shut them out from coming back, some faced trumped up charges, yet they kept their heads high and history has remained kind to them till date.
Now coming to what prompted this piece, I was shocked that many elders including traditional rulers in Delta State who are supposed to speak out courageously condemning the killings of the Soldiers at Okuama on one hand and on the other hand, decry the perceived human right abuses purportedly perpetrated by the Military as well, but they chose to keep mute.
Rather, some of them were busy massaging the ego of the Military.
But one of them stood out and wasn’t at all, economical with the truth.
Probably because of his pedigree but one wonders why some of our traditional rulers and elder statesmen who are already approaching the departure hall for that inevitable ‘flight’ to the great beyond in joining their ancestors should chicken out at a crucial time like this beats my imagination.
And that “super man’ traditional ruler is no other than the Ovie of Umiaghwa Abraka kingdom
in Ethiope East local government area of Delta State, Nigeria, His Royal Majesty Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Lucky Ochuko Ararile (rtd.).
Speaking at a Thanksgiving Service held at the First Baptist Church, Oria to mark his 12 years on the throne, the Ovie was blunt to a fault over the Okuama massacre.
Although he was sympathetic over the killing of the Soldiers but he was also quick to tell truth to power by calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to order the Military to immediately vacate the ravaged Okuama community now looking like ghost town.
He also carpeted the Military for engaging in such peace mission that could’ve easily be undertaken by another sister agency.
He then advocated that inorder to avoid a repeat of the casualties suffered by the Military, every security agency should stick to their primary duties.
Hear him “In Nigeria, the Army does the job of the Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) does the job of everyone else. The only job that others cannot do is that of the Airforce because they cannot fly planes”.
“Even amongst the same security outfits, some persons are not allowed to do their jobs. For instance, in a murder case moved out of Abraka to Abuja, how do you move witnesses there too during a Police investigation?
“If the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) does not have what it takes to complete such an investigation, Abuja should give him the needed backing and not move cases out and in some cases release suspects”.
The outspoken monarch was very emphatic that the President should prevail on the Military to vacate Okuama “as residents need to return back and try to get their lives back and start rebuilding”.
True talk, indeed!
The Townhall commends him for this courageous position instead of hiding under the esprit de corps mentality to sit down and watch many innocent citizens be trampled upon because of the mayhem and continue to suffer untold hardship in the forests where they are taking refuge.
Can other traditional rulers emulate him rather than shopping for politicians with deep pockets to pass vote of confidence in at random?
