By Paulinus Nsirim
Our attention has been drawn to an article titled: “Garrulous Wike And His Presidency Mirage!”, written by Ray Morphy and published on his regular Leadership Newspaper Column, ‘Tuesday with Ray Morphy’.
From the title alone, one would immediately infer that this is another hack installment in the Wike bashing enterprise; an irresistible temptation and authorial escapade which a host of Newspaper columnists, most of whom are always certainly ‘alerted’ with a burgeoning bump in their account balances, have resorted to, in typical fashion.
To set the records straight, let us state unequivocally that we have nothing personal against Chief Ray Morphy’. Afteall, he is the “Mgba Ntol, Njoram Mfan, Ovar Okan, Nkpume Utonkor! Shaman!” (his traditional title we assume), as he described himself, in a revealing epistle to his Governor, Sir Ben Ayade titled: “He never listened”. Of course we will have reason to revisit these two references further in this rejoinder.
Ordinarily, we would not have bothered to join issues with Chief Ray Morphy’, not only for the reason that he was a Former Special Adviser to Gov Ben Ayade on Strategy and National Contact, but most importantly, out of deferential reverence to his revered father, Late Chief Iwong Inyam Morphy, who played gladiatorial roles not only in shaping the proud Ogoja Ethnic Nationality’s development and charting a course for its future but indeed in heroic narratives how he saved the Ogoja Nation from annihilation during the Civil War.
He was also a former Chairman, New Nigerian Newspaper Limited, a journalistic trait which of course his Scion, Chief Ray Morphy has inherited.
It is therefore quite surprising and disappointing that Chief Ray Morphy, for whatever fee, would pick up his pen and write against a modern day political Maverick like Governor Nyesom Wike, who is unquestionably displaying the admirable traits of courage, patriotism, valour and fearlessness, which his own father exhibited as an older generation political icon, and for which he is still being celebrated today and will be seranaded in folkloric songs for generations to come.
It is even possible that so many Ogoja citizens, when they see and hear Governor Wike today, will be reminded with great nostalgia, the redoubtable deeds of the legendary late Chief Iwong Inyam Morphy, the iconic hero of Ogoja kingdom, who would have frowned from the great beyond, to see what his son wrote about Governor Wike. It is indeed sad.
Like we stated earlier, we have nothing personal against Chief Ray Morphy and we are even pleased to know, by his own admission, that he knew Governor Wike personally before he became governor. But several misinformed analysis and misleading innuendos in his article, which particularly bother on integrity and leadership responsibilities, must be addressed, to set the records straight.
For example, Chief Ray Morphy talks about multiparty democracy, which should operationally embrace bipartisanship and tolerance of criticisms or opposing views, which are as important as integrity and accountability. Indeed this is the utopian fallacy of great theoretical mettle, which many Nigerian columnists and analysts deliberately offer, while being economical with the truth which defines the peculiar brand of democracy we operate, and are quick to sound intellectual with such academic no-brainers.
While we wish appreciate Chief Morphy’s candid and honest admission that Governor Wike deserves credit for his infrastructural development of Rivers State, which are shining brightly for all to see, we actually find it quite funny that for a man who himself has ventured into the robust terrain of partisan politics, albeit surreptitiously attempting unsucessfully to ride on the fame of his late projenitor, would now say in the same vein, that Governor Wike is yet to learn the fine art of statesmanship and makes politics seem a constant war between him and his numerous opponents.
In his examples of Governor Wike’s lack of statesmanship and intolerance of criticism, he mentions the recent incident involving Hon. Farrah Dagogo, and the only thing to say in response is that Ray Morphy is unfortunately ignorant of the facts of the situation. The matter is now however before a competent court of law in accordance with due process, instead of dictatorship, where charges have been brought against him.
We want to categorically tell Chief Morphy that he cannot and does not know Rivers State and its people more than the Governor and the Chief Security officer of the State. His peripheral references and obvious misinformation on the matter, has rendered his argument inchoate.
In the case of Godwin Obaseki and his Deputy, it would have been sufficient to tell Chief Morphy that this matter is the internal affairs of the PDP, but then, need we also remind him of how Governor Wike’s hotel was placed under siege by the police for three days, when he went, on the directive of the PDP leadership, to deliver Edo state?
Do we need to remind Mr. Morphy of how Governor Obaseki visited Government House Port Harcourt to appeal to Governor Wike, to use his considerable influence to intervene and pacify those who were against his defection and automatic ticket, and how the same Governor Obaseki forgot his egotistical ‘delusions of grandeur’, when he was on his knees begging the PDP leadership, to accept him and his Deputy and bring them under the big umbrella? Ray Morphy should do his homework properly before dabbling into issues he has scant comprehension about.
As for Govenor Wike’s criticism of Governor Ben Ayade as a ‘419 Governor’, we need not go too far, but only have to refer Chief Morphy to his own bitter epistle to Governor Ben Ayade titled: “He never Listened”, in which after his 10 point whitewash of his own Governor; points which were all saturated with “419” characteristics, the Ogoja Chief ended his hardknocks on Governor Ayade with the following words: “Now you know WHY I RESIGNED THAT APPOINTMENT! Today, I stand tall because I am vindicated! But I am saddened by the wasted years!”. And this was way before Ayade came into Governor Wike’s crosshairs.
And ofcourse we can understand and sympathise with Chief Morphy’s obvious chagrin over Govenor Wike’s admonition of a Rivers Chief, which at that time was serious, but is now humorized and sadly recontextualized by detractors, who did not understand the gravity of whatever situation had provoked the spontaneous ire of the Rivers Governor. Chief Morphy is: “Mgba Ntol, Njoram Mfan, Ovar Okan, Nkpume Utonkor! Shaman!” and his solidarity with that co-Rivers Chief is admirable but wasted just like his years as Special Adviser to Gov Ben Ayade on Strategy and National Contact.
On Governor David Umahi’s matter, Governor Wike beyond all the rhetoric, has already encouraged the PDP to initiate legal action against his defection, which is what every sensible and confident leader would do, but which sadly, most of our leaders who are only too concerned about securing power rather than deepening our democracy, have been deliberately avoiding. Governor Wike’s loyalty and commitment to the PDP and it’s interests, are unwavering.
And by the way, let us note with clear emphasis, that in the area of consensus building in multiparty democracy, no Governor or political leader in this country has done so much more to build consensus, entrench bipartisanship and embrace friendly opposition, like Governor Wike has done.
He is the only Governor in this present political dispensation in Nigeria and arguably in the country’s political history, who has invited opposition Governors and leaders like Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (who christened him “Mr. Projects”), Governor Kayode Fayemi (Chairman of Progressives Governors Forum and Ekiti State Governor), the Minister of Works, Raji Fashola, former Governors of Imo and Abia states (Sen. Rochas Okorocha and Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu) respectively and amongst others, to come and Commission projects all over Rivers State, in true celebration of bipartisanship.
Governor Wike is also the only Governor in Nigeria who has visited more Northern States and identified and empathized with them in their times of human and natural devastations and catastrophes. It is even on record that he has reconciled two Northern Governors in Port Harcourt, brokered peace in the PDP in several states, and even brought two top retired military leaders to embrace each other, after many months of bitter malice in Plateau state. These are real Nigerian stories in the public space.
Even recently in his presidential Consultative visits across the country, he was in Kano state where he bantered jocularly with Governor Umar Ganduje, who many Nigerians will remember, was the Chairman of APC Edo State Governorship campaign council, with Governor Wike leading the PDP, and the choice campaign language between both leaders, that added extra spice to the entire election process. Yet there they were basking in exchanges right inside Government House, Kano after an unprecedented state reception for a personal visit, which underscores the huge respect and acceptance Governor Wike enjoys in Kano.
Governor Wike was also fearlessly in Borno State, the hotbed of insurgency, to consult the PDP Delegates, and he was warmly welcomed in a grand reception, usually reserved for royalty and official national and foreign visitors, right inside Government House, Maiduguri, by Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, who had only words of praise for the Rivers Governor’s bipartisan political philosophy.
And most recently, we are proud to note the wonderful reception which Governor Masari of Katisina, the President’s own State, gave Governor Wike has completely nullified the lie which many columnists have been pedaling, that Governor Wike and President Buhari are ‘enemies’. The icing on the cake of that visit was his humble visit to pay respectful homage to the matriarch, Hajiya Aya Dada Yar’Adua, the mother of Late President Umaru Yar’Adua, who was also a former Governor of Katisina State.
Indeed, no presidential aspirant in the PDP has embarked on this kind of marathon tour across Nigeria to meet and interact with Nigerians in over 30 states across the six geopolitical regions of the country. This is indeed incredibly impressive and rather than celebrate the fact that Governor Wike has actually united Nigeria and bonded with Nigerians in the North, South, East and West, some writers like Ray Morphy are busy dwelling on pedestrian issues like quarells amongst politicans, which is actually an integral ingredient of politics all over the world. Was he paid for this uncharacteristic hack job?
Nigeria today needs a President who is brave, courageous, bold and is not afraid to visit any part of Nigeria, even without presidential toga of authority and paraphernalia. We need a President who will tell Nigerians the truth, call out those who are misleading and deceiving Nigerians, encourage Nigerian leaders to explore and exploit their comparative advantages in practice of true federalism, vocalize our problems and challenges and address them frontally.
We need someone who will lead by example, celebrate our victories and successes even as he is setting up functional structures and delivering quality infrastructure to consolidate and ensure more victories and define our place as a proud, safe, secure and economically viable nation, in the comity of nations.
Nigeria needs a strong, visionary, compassionate, astute, strategically articulate and pramagtically driven leader at this point in time in our history and Governor Wike has provided sufficient proof, that he is the man to lead Nigeria at a time like this. He knows the way, he will show us the way, and he will lead us all the way to the place of greatness where Nigeria belongs.
Nsirim is the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Rivers State.
