Imo - Gov. Ohakim Humiliates Reverend Father (Priest) and Was Humbled By The Public
By Amby Uneze, 09.19.2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
The peace that reigned supreme in Imo State between the government and the governed was highly threatened about a month ago as a result of an altercation between the security personnel attached to Governor Ikedi Ohakim's convoy and a harmless Catholic priest, Reverend Fr. Eustace Okorie.
Many are of the opinion that such a minor misunderstanding that occurred on the road shouldn't have reached to a point of crescendo as it did, but for the overzealousness of the security officers attached to the governor who from all indication, wanted to create an impression before the governor that they were hard working.
The general consensus among many in the state is that if the security details have only cautioned the reverend gentleman there and then and never bothered to drag him to Government House where the governor�s Chief Security Officer (CSO) stripped him off his Soutine and singlet, and thereafter handed him over his superior, the state Director of State Security Services (SSS) who in turn ordered his detention for two days while demanding a written apology from the priest, the matter would have ended there without anybody getting to hear of it.
Ohakim�s supporters are quick to point out the fact that the governor did not bargain for this ugly incident at all. They argued that he was coming from his country home in Okohia in Isiala Mbano that fateful Sunday evening after hosting a party in respect of the purported victory of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) local government election held the previous day in the state.
The long convoy of the governor had on approaching a bend at Orie Akabo in Ikeduru Local Government Area, where the reverend father was as well returning from Atta in the same Ikeduru LGA, from the same direction the convoy was coming, all heading for Owerri, accosted the reverend who wanted to find a space to park to allow the convoy to pass. But what happened next was the abrupt stop of the convoy's first two vehicles that eventually dragged the reverend father and a lady occupant, who happened to be an unknown person to the reverend gentleman. The lady later confessed to have not known to the reverend father, but was only being assisted to Owerri after a long wait in the rain for taxi or bus, which were to no avail at the time.
Narrating his ordeal, Okorie, who is also the Assistant Parish Priest of Sacred Heart Catholic Parish in Oguta, Imo State, said �on that faithful day being Sunday, I was coming back from a vigil mass of one of us whose father died, after the vigil mass, it was about 6.30 to 7 pm and I was driving back to Owerri in order to follow them the next day, on getting to Orie Akabo in Ikeduru local government that was where the incident took place. I had the siren of this convoy and then there a taxi cab in my front and because of the ditches within and the narrowness of the place I had a little difficulty in packing behind the taxi and I stopped abruptly because of the siren.
In order to drive past the taxi cab and pack appropriately my first move was thwarted when the first pilot came down to my own car and I shifted my hand and he passed and I made the second move and the first pilot stopped in my front and those behind him stopped as well and I was in their middle. They came from their cars and bounced on my car, shouting, and I rolled down wanting to explain my difficulty of packing and before I knew what was happening they broke one of my side mirrors (the driver's side mirror). So at that point I opened the door, came out and demanded why my side mirror should be broken. With that exchange of words one of them told me don't you know that the governor was passing? I tried to explain but they wouldn�t listen, they dragged me into their own car while one of them drove in my own car and they took me into the Government House.
On whether they knew he was a priest, Okorie said: Definitely because I was on my Soutine and any person on sight would know that this is really a cleric. So on getting to the Government House, they took me to the sitting room down stairs and then introduced me to the Chief Security Officer (CSO) who now took me to his office, took my photograph and then took me to the office of the Director of SSS, where I was asked to remove my Soutine, my trouser and my singlet. I told them that I had cold and they said the only way they could allow me to be with them was that my singlet must be removed before they would hand-cuff me. At that point, I had to give them my singlet and they put me in a cell.
The incident happened around 9 pm so from that time in the evening till the next morning, I was brought out of the cell and was not allowed to go, so I remained in their compound while interrogation and the filing of one thing or the order took place till about 8.30 or 9 pm in the night when I was granted bail and asked to go by the Director of SSS.
The reverend father however said that he did not see the governor within the premises while his detention episode lasted, but confirmed that when the incident happened, they gave him the impression that the governor was in the convoy and was aware of what was happening. �Actually at the point I didn't see the governor, but those aides told me that it was the governor that asked them to bring me to the Government House.
He stated that the Archbishop of Owerri Ecclesiastical Diocese, His Grace, Most Rev. Anthony J.V. Obinna intervened in the matter the next day because his cell phones were confiscated by the SSS, which made it difficult for him to communicate to the outside world. Archbishop Anthony Obinna was only allowed to see me on Tuesday. I did not want to bother the Archbishop that night to tell him I was out, I only told his Secretary and the next morning being Tuesday when I came myself and saw him.
While describing the incident as very unfortunate, he said he holds no grudge against the governor over what happened. I hold no grudge against the governor; he is a human being like every other human being. He represents the state and the first instinct to man is self preservation. I can't die and the governor will be happy either will the governor die and I will be happy. So what I am advising those in authority is that they should remember that our roads here are not good enough for them to drive the way they do drive; and that they should know that a good number of people ply the same road. Therefore they should take caution and remember that even those who are driving recklessly their own lives are at stake, because when they die in that kind of driving it can be described as suicide. Because they owe their lives to God, so they have no right to take it by careless driving.
Speaking on his experience with the Director of SSS, Rev. Fr. Innocent Maduakolam Osuagwu, the Provincial Coordinator for Department of Church and the Society, specifically in charge of JDPC (Justice, Development, Peace and Caritas Affairs) of the Archdiocese said he had a specific directive to visit the Director of the SSS, Imo State, in company of others as a delegate of the Archbishop of Owerri Archdiocese, Most Rev. Dr. A.J.V. Obinna to identify the priest and get him released, as a mark of the relationship between the church and the state. �We went there to see to what extent the matter was and to get our priest released but unfortunately that wasn�t what happened. The Director of SSS, of course, was good enough to grant us hearing after spending much time there. But he was not forthcoming to see reason to our request, he was rather annoyed because he wanted to have our priest to write an apology for a crime he never committed and we insisted that that wasn�t the issue; our priest never committed any crime.
S o we pleaded for his unconditional release while they continue in their investigation, but he never obliged us our request. Although he never gave us the best of hearing; it was like he was the big Oga and he wanted to use the authority of the governor to do what he was doing. The following day I think when he must have slept over what we told him and the intervention of other people, he came to his senses and he released our priest.
He decried the state of insecurity in our society because we no longer are sure of those who are to avoid. Today it is true that we are talking about kidnapping in our state and people are afraid of kidnappers, we are even more afraid of the so called state security outfit that is supposed to give us courage to live and not to fear. And now we fear more from the harassment from the state security outfit than from the kidnappers because kidnapping is what happen is surreptitiously under cover. These are people who are ready to flout the law to flout peoples fundamental human rights under the guise of state security. That is the danger.
While this lasted, the governor personally led some members of his cabinet to the premises of Maria Assumpta Cathedral, Owerri to apologize to the Archbishop and the revered father. This apology, no doubt was accepted by those directly involved, but the next day, as if the governor's effort was to smear the problem, some of his media aides planted a distorted story in a local newspaper, thereby blackmailing the reverend father.
As a result of the �wicked� report planted by agents of government, the Archbishop and the catholic community were angered which exacerbated the incident. As the first official pronouncement by the Archbishop, who had earlier accepted the governor�s apology in principle had to challenge the governor and his government to express directly to Imo people, especially to the catholic faithful and other Christians, an apology over the incident and as well sanction, redeploy or remove those responsible for the alleged humiliation of the priest. In addition, the governor was also told to ensure that in the nearest future, Imo people, whether priests or not, are treated with respect and the fear of God even when the governor�s convoy is on the highway especially on the gullied and narrow highways.
The cleric observed that the incident resulted in a legitimate outburst of anger among Catholics and non Catholics not only in the state but beyond the shores of the country. He however, appreciated the sudden personal visit of the governor to the Archdiocese to apologize on the incident, but frowned profusely on the derogatory publication allegedly sponsored by the same government that came to render an apology.
Sensing danger ahead, Ohakim went ahead to render a public apology in a state-wide radio and television broadcast on Friday September 3, 2010. Ohakim remarked: Let me state that the unfortunate encounter was not to my knowledge. It was not ordered by me and did not receive my blessing. But the matter is such that, as the chief security officer, it is my burden to take responsibility. And I did exactly that.
Ohakim who stated that he as a Christian, respects ordained people of God, irrespective of denomination, added that notwithstanding his earlier apology to Okorie added: I hereby once more render an unreserved apology to Rev. Father Okorie, the Roman Catholic Church, and to the entire Christians in Imo State and Nigeria .
�As the chief security officer, I know the burden I carry, knowing the character of politicians in the State. But I want to assure you that as much as necessary, I shall ensure that excesses like this do not occur again. As Christians we are taught that to err is human; to forgive is not only divine, but our responsibility. Let us shame the devil; let us remember our Lord�s Prayer; let us put this ugly incident behind us and move on as one people not divided, but reinforced, by faith�, he stated.
Commenting on the incident, world acclaimed evangelist, Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai said that the crisis was the best thing that happened in the state which went ahead to signify that ordained people of God had to be respected and honoured and that it was an opportunity that god displayed to let the people of Imo State and Nigeria know that Governor Ohakim remains a humble and listening leader.
The State chapter of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in a press release signed by its Chairman, Pastor Cosmas Ilechukwu commended Ohakim for taking the responsibility for the misbehaviour of his security aides and apologized to both Catholics and the entire people of the state.
CAN also acknowledged with joy the Christian spirit of fortitude and forgiveness His Grace, Archbishop Obinna exemplified in the way he handled the unfortunate incident. The maturity of the Archbishop and his fatherly disposition, CAN said, helped to a very large extent to ameliorate what would have resulted into a major crisis in some other parts of the nation.
With this public apology by the governor, the matter is believed to have ended while Imo people are urged to embrace peace which had remained the hallmark of the unity of the people over the years.
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