Governor Alamieyeseigha and His Wahala

Governor Alamieyeseigha and his alleged money laundering story are now all over the news all over the world. As of now, I am just in the sidon-look mode because as with most things Nigeria, this could be another hoax or before you know it there will be an official statement saying “this was just a misunderstanding,” or that the officials in London were “quoted out of context.”

But if the allegations are true, I can imagine the followings or a combination of the following scenario:

1. A cross-section of the Ijaw elite and their posse saying Alamieyeseigha was set up by Obasanjo or by those who are against his position in relations to the resource control matter
2. That Alamieyeseigha was set up by a group of Ijaw radicals who are opposed to his political aspirations and are also working in concert with Odili of Rivers State to topple his vice-presidential bid
3. Upon his arrival in Nigeria, there will be masses of “ordinary and peace loving” Nigerians at the airport and in Yenagoa to welcome him home…giving him a hero’s welcome
4. Right now, there is work in progress to galvanize the masses to go on protest match in support of the governor. And if care is not taken, the planned protest may get out of hand and the destruction of lives and properties may follow
5. His proxies are now busy consulting spiritual advisers — the pastors, the faith healers, the Babalawos and the voodoo priest and so on and so forth — to offer special prayer of deliverance from evil machinations.
6. And sometimes within the next 45 days, there will be prayer sessions praising God for his benevolence and deliverance from evil doers. Then a big celebration will follow…food and drinks will flow!
7. You will have throng of Ijaw elders and rulers paying him courtesy call and pledging their support and allegiance
8. Alamieyeseigha will be offered dubious chieftaincy title(s) by some dubious elements of the society proclaiming him the best of this and the best of that
9. A groups of editors and commentators will be paid off and told to “take am easy” on Alamieyeseigha and to also offer a different narrative of events
10. Alamieyeseigha himself will come out strongly — while addressing the World Press — claiming his innocence; claiming that he was set up by some unscrupulous elements within the Nigerian polity — painting himself as the victim
11. He will go on to deny owing homes or investment portfolios anywhere in the world; he will tell us that he is a born-again Christian and then point to God as his only witness; he will tell us that he was “already a rich man” before he joined politics and became the governor
12. Or he might even deny ever being arrested. That he was merely invited by the police to clarify some issues. He will then threaten to sue the Nigeria media for soiling his reputation
13. DSP Alamieyeseigha will go before the “ordinary people of Bayelsa” to highlight his achievements and tell them that through them he is doing God’s work; that he was raised by his parents to be honest and truthful; that he has never stolen a kobo from them…ever!
14. He will rant and rave and rave and rant against this and that and that and this person or persons.

On the other hand none of the aforementioned may even happen if the Obasanjo government or the British decide to teach him a lesson in order to set a precedent, instead of allowing him to go free as they did Dariye of Plateau State. Dariye has/had powerful backers…does Alamieyeseigha?

Ha, Alamieyeseigha’s wahala, if guilty, must not become Ijaw’ wahala; for this man has set us the Ijaws back two decades in terms of growth and development. He was already a disgrace and a monumental failure long before all these happened, anyway.

Here is a governor who could not answer simple questions such as: (1) prior to 1999, were you in a position to own all the properties and investment portfolios you now own outside of Nigeria; (2) How much do you make in terms of salary to be able to afford the tuition and living expenses of all your children living and schooling in the USA and elsewhere; and (3) can an independent auditor verify that you have not stolen or misappropriated the people’s money since coming to power in 1999?

“Today the Governor is in the US, tomorrow he is in Paris, and the next day he is in Casablanca or in Abuja. What is he running away from? He should sit in Creek Haven and among our people to do his job. Traversing the globe will not do our people any good. The dollars and euros being spent on hotel accommodation, air-tickets, security details and other miscellaneous expenses are better spent on our people and on our collective challenges. Come to think of it: what has he learnt by junketing the globe? What American, European or Asian idea/ideal has he implemented in Bayelsa? What Asian, European, or American governing philosophy had rubbed off of him? In all his many travels overseas what has the Governor learnt and implemented that is to the glory of Bayelsa and Ijawnation?”

“History, Alamieyeseigha must understand, is never kind to those who, in times of crisis failed to step up to the plate. Ijawland is in a crisis. Posterity is never kind to those who failed to make a difference in the lives of their people. This governor has all the chances in the world to be on the right side of history, but he is slipping and sliding and about to drop the ball. My prayers are with him. The governor has no reason to fail. He has no reason to be an underachiever. He has no reas

on to be a mediocre governor with average achievement. No. My God, no!”