By
Coker Onita
Anybody who has watched Mr. Nyesom Wike’s tyrannical approach to governance will say with confidence that, last week, for the first time in his life, he met his match in a young Naval officer, Lt. Commander Ahmed Yerima.
lt is not unusual for Wike to shout and intimidate his subordinates. He has been alleged to rain blows and dirty slaps on subordinates when he was Executive Governor of Rivers State. Who can stop him?
The latest altercation started when Nyesom Wike visited a site in Abuja, apparently to drive anybody occupying it away and secure the land. Unfortunately, Wike met Lt. Commander Yerima on ground, guarding the place. All attempts by Wike to order them out of the premises proved abortive. To Wike, the young officer was foolish and Yerima replied with respect:”I’m not foolish Sir”. Wike poured more invectives with the intention of provoking a reaction. The young officer replied stoutly and firmly that he was on orders from a superior officer, a retired Chief of Naval Staff.
With Wike’s tail behind his legs, he left with his demolition gang without achieving the set mission. What a shame!
One day, Governor Nyesom Wike was addressing a crowd when he caught a traditional ruler echoing his tantrums. What did he do? He promptly turned his attention to the traditional ruler, rained invectives on him and finally warned him not to try any “nonsense” with him, otherwise, he would be “dethroned”. The story went viral at that time. That’s Wike for you, the despot.
Wike was the Lord Manor, the Imperial Majesty, the Emperor and Executive Governor of the oil-rich Rivers State when he held sway. Nobody is too big to be Ieft alone when he makes up his mind to insult, bully or denigrate. Not even Dr. Peter Odili, former Governor of Rivers State and his respected wife, Justice Mary Odili, a retired Justice of the Supreme Court. The list of such respected persons who had received the bad side of his mouth in Rivers State and even beyond is endless.
On his arrival at his new position as Minister, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Wike forgot he had left Rivers State, where his word was law, he brought the same aberrant attitude: brash, rude, uncouth, unforgiving, insulting, pompous and arrogant.
I knew it was a matter of time when he would run into trouble with the inhabitants of Abuja. Abuja is too sophisticated, metropolitan and star-studded for him to ride roughshod on people, especially the Military. The man is used to dishing out orders, however stupid or foolish they are and must be obeyed.
This fateful morning, his aides had reported to him the refusal of a Navy officer to allow them access the premises of a property allegedly owned by a retired Military officer. With that information, Wike thought he could get there and drive the soldiers away.
“Who be that person?” he must have arrogantly asked himself.
Instead of Wike to make the right contacts, he preferred to go there physically. There, he met his match. The young officer taught Wike a lesson in civility and decorum and left the place disgraced. And whereas, the reverse should be the case. Why should Wike go and confront a young officer who told him he had orders from his boss? Can’t Wike talk to the boss? Why would he intimidate the young officer? All efforts by Wike to provoke and taunt the officer proved abortive. Now, he has invited more trouble and embarrassment to himself. Two of his Minister colleagues were quick to come out and condemn him. The same reprimand came from a committee of retired Military officers. The follow-up damage control measures and lies are mere afterthoughts. What a shame!
Wike needs to learn a few more lessons in humility, decorum and decency. Everything is NOT politics. My humble take!
COKER ONITA IS FORMER PUBLISHER AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF,, TODAY’S CHOICE MAGAZINE, COLUMNIST AND EDITORIAL CONSULTANT, INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPERS LIMITED.
