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THIS IS WRITTEN BY THOMAS TOMAS OF GLOBAL CONCORD
ONOFIOK LUKE: Of Insanity and Notoriety
Some years back I wrote a piece in this column, titled: “Between Popularity and notoriety.” In that piece I had made effort to espouse the difference between the two words, and also made it clear that there’s a thin line dividing them. I maintained that a man can be notorious but people mistake that to popularity.
One by one
The large crowd
Of spectators and judges
Hurriedly left the scene
In amused contempt and anger
As they discovered
After waiting for some hours
That the contestants were
The crawling millipede
The easy-going snail
The confused crab
The crafty but sluggish tortoise
And the slow but dangerous ant
…they clearly lacked
The agility and speed
Needed for the great contest!
– Solomon Unoh
The large crowd
Of spectators and judges
Hurriedly left the scene
In amused contempt and anger
As they discovered
After waiting for some hours
That the contestants were
The crawling millipede
The easy-going snail
The confused crab
The crafty but sluggish tortoise
And the slow but dangerous ant
…they clearly lacked
The agility and speed
Needed for the great contest!
– Solomon Unoh
Some years back I wrote a piece in this column, titled: “Between Popularity and notoriety.” In that piece I had made effort to espouse the difference between the two words, and also made it clear that there’s a thin line dividing them. I maintained that a man can be notorious but people mistake that to popularity.
I elected to write that because of the debate and confusion in Akwa Ibom and other parts of Nigeria concerning the person of Chief Godswill Akpabio, the then Governor of Akwa Ibom State. Let me repeat what I have always said without fear of contradiction that “Godswill Akpabio was (and is still) the most hated person in Akwa Ibom State.” He inflicted that upon himself due to the kind of life he chooses to live. Before now, precisely before and during his governorship election in 2007, he was one of the most loved Akwa Ibom persons, hence the reason he was over-whelmingly supported across the state. So, if anybody says the election that brought Akpabio to power in 2007 was rigged, tell him it happened then because everyone wanted him.
Just like Akpabio, Barr. Onofiok Luke may think he is too popular and dare to cross the thin boundary between popularity and notoriety simply because some food-is-ready youths in the state are running after the stolen/diverted money in his kitty.
A popular person is always cool-headed and not someone who romp around. A popular person is always organized, and rejects the temptation of showing off, but a notorious person is always fun of rumbling. Last Friday, Mr. Onofiok Luke in his profanity and mad quest for cheap popularity caused a stampede at Ibom Plaza when he, out of sheer political insanity caused by over-excitement, threw a whooping two million naira (N2,000,000.00) of tax-payers’ money against the CBN policy for the hungry youths and hawkers at Ibom Plaza.
May I tell my “Nsit brother” what no one has ever told him: that is not the best way to show generosity. You don’t simply walk to a market and throw some “change” just to be in the news or to be noticed. If you really mean to give money to people, you should have invited them to an open place, ask them to queue up and you make the donations in a civilized manner. But throwing money in the market for hundreds of people to rush over it is insanity borne out of pomposity. Very few people were able to pick the money, others only got wounded for nothing – This is infantility of the century!
Throwing money in the market for people to rush over it just to get cheap popularity is not only idiotic, but a nullity, because millions of youths/people can also hover around anybody, even a ten year old child that stand on a table in the market and throw money around – who doesn’t need money?
Am I going too far? Hmmm, even if; but let me say this: Kufre Okon who is the Chief Press Secretary to Mr. Luke can also attract similar crowd if not more, if he goes to Ibom Plaza with two million naira and start throwing around. Even Ifreke Nsewo my friend, who rushed to facebook and tagged Mr. Luke’s sacrilege and insanity “Massive street credibility” (whatever that means to him).
I am always disappointed by media practitioners in the state because their practices are geared towards promoting things, ideas and actions that should be condemned. I was ashamed when they posted on their facebook pages that “the Speaker, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly begins his campaign tour for Udom Gabriel Emmanuel at a place they were describing as street Court for Umana’s supporters before. According to Onofiok, he said that the online report on analysis which we carried out early this morning make him (sic) to rise from his office. (sic).
“While briefing the youths at Ibom Plaza on why they should vote Udom and dump Umana, he donated 1 million naira to the youths and 400,000 to two vendors who usually supplied him papers when he was a student. Also promised to call for refreshments day with the interim governor (Udom Gabriel Emmanuel) at plaza” (sic).
Just like his godfather, Hon. Onofiok Luke will soon incur the wrath of the people because as day passes by, he exhibits the characteristics of the former governor in utterances, self-aggrandizement, pomposity, etc. What he did at Ibom Plaza recently is an attempt to mock the poor youths of the state. Ibibio people say: “anek-unek idiongoke ke edem ina ukwang”, literary meaning that one can make mistake without knowing. I do not hate the Speaker, but to be honest with him, he has proven to the whole world that he is over excited, and over ambitious to rule over other men without their consent.
My candid advice to Mr. Luke is that “Mbon etiikhe etok ekoong eyem yak oduo yak ommo esak.” All those that are urging him on; all those that are applauding him to go hay-wire; all those that are telling him that he is too popular are covertly wishing his downfall. I rest my case.
But let me end by borrowing the words of John Eyobio:
Here, I confess to you
my tender feelings
not ‘cause you’re cheap
like yam peelings…
and I need your rejoinder
with fullest assurance
though, a bombshell could be
conceded with fullest endurance….
THIS IS A RESPONSE BY UBONG SAMPSON, AN EYE WITNESS AT THE EVENT
Good morning to you my good friend, Thomas Tomas.
In this pieace I have seen good proverbial words of advice worthy of
keeping, especially in a Nigerian polity where dishonesty, distrust and
betrayal is the order of the day. Good one sir. But also in this
same piece, I have seen twisted and distorted facts (whether
erroneously or intentionally) as regards the issue at hand. And lest
these twists and distortions lead others, especially the vulnerable ones
astray, here is a true version of the scene which you made a subject
matter.
That event of Friday, Januray 22, 2016 at Ibom Plaza was never planned or prearranged by either Barr Onofiok Luke the speaker or anyone. Mr Speaker was on his way to the governor's lodge and while his convoy was driving past a gathering of people at Ibom plaza in a somewhat rowdy scene, he spotted a vendor he knew years back and immediately ordered the convoy to stop. He came out of his car, called the vendor by his name, held and hugged him with passion. Of course as it is no longer news, the sight of Onofiok Luke gathered an unmobilized crowd of people who ran to welcome their own "street fellow". And despite not going there for them, he ordered his security men not to hinder anyone from coming to him. He actually addressed the crowd and told them why he stopped, while introducing the the vendor to the crowd as his very good friend who alongside one other vendor, used to allow him free readership of their newspapers and sometimes also sold to him on credit.
While requesting that the other vendor be contacted and brought to him, he asked that the one at hand be made to join him in his car to get his own N200,000 pledge.
Now the crowd. Sir, Mr Speaker in his kindness, could not just leave the crowd who was in a controllable number then, without anything, even when he never planned for such. That was why he said and I quote: "I did not here for you, but I'll make sure you all have something worth a dinner meal for the night". At first, he pronounced the sum of five hundred thousand (N500,000) and randomly chose ten people from the crowd to share the money to ten queues which he asked the crowd to divide themselves into. While the sharing arrangement lasted, the news (expectedly) and the crowd was increasing gradually but with speed and upon noticing this, he had to increase the sum to a million naira. He did not throw a note at the crowd, he personally stood in the midst of the crowd to ensure the money was shared with decorum.
Now brother, have you stood where a crowd of people are waiting to get something and can you really tell how the experience is usually like, considering the stubborn and impatient nature of humans? That was what Mr Speaker experienced, and he almost got lynched by the crowd that refused to obey a simple instruction of queuing behind ten selected persons. He had his white shirt badly stained and could not meet the governor thereafter without going home to change, yet he was never in a hurry to leave until he was sure things went on well. So whatever struggle occurred there was between the sharers at the edge of each queue and those in the queue.
Responding to the politically raised issues... Sir, we do not have to politicise everything just to suit our political interests. It makes the whole thing boring to people like myself with no political interests and murders every bit of enthusiasm and essence of joining words in issues that would have made good points for public/social debate. But come to think of it, even if Onofiok Luke was to campaign for Udom Emmanuel, what is wrong about campaigning for his fellow party man, more so, governor of his party? Why are you supporting your own candidate and campaigning for him without anyone querying you, but think Onofiok Luke should not?
Be that as it may, sir, I wouldn't want to send any blame your way, considering that you may be writing just what you were told, except that you should have contacted the other party before going public with your judgments. However, the gesture of Mr Speaker which was purely good-intentioned may have caused some negative aftermaths, but we must understand that it is just in his nature to show kindness wherever he goes. It's a habit he's inculcated over the years, even when he barely had enough for himself and this has obviously become an addiction. Please whoever has problems with that disposition of his should learn to live with it because it the problem is just insoluble.
That event of Friday, Januray 22, 2016 at Ibom Plaza was never planned or prearranged by either Barr Onofiok Luke the speaker or anyone. Mr Speaker was on his way to the governor's lodge and while his convoy was driving past a gathering of people at Ibom plaza in a somewhat rowdy scene, he spotted a vendor he knew years back and immediately ordered the convoy to stop. He came out of his car, called the vendor by his name, held and hugged him with passion. Of course as it is no longer news, the sight of Onofiok Luke gathered an unmobilized crowd of people who ran to welcome their own "street fellow". And despite not going there for them, he ordered his security men not to hinder anyone from coming to him. He actually addressed the crowd and told them why he stopped, while introducing the the vendor to the crowd as his very good friend who alongside one other vendor, used to allow him free readership of their newspapers and sometimes also sold to him on credit.
While requesting that the other vendor be contacted and brought to him, he asked that the one at hand be made to join him in his car to get his own N200,000 pledge.
Now the crowd. Sir, Mr Speaker in his kindness, could not just leave the crowd who was in a controllable number then, without anything, even when he never planned for such. That was why he said and I quote: "I did not here for you, but I'll make sure you all have something worth a dinner meal for the night". At first, he pronounced the sum of five hundred thousand (N500,000) and randomly chose ten people from the crowd to share the money to ten queues which he asked the crowd to divide themselves into. While the sharing arrangement lasted, the news (expectedly) and the crowd was increasing gradually but with speed and upon noticing this, he had to increase the sum to a million naira. He did not throw a note at the crowd, he personally stood in the midst of the crowd to ensure the money was shared with decorum.
Now brother, have you stood where a crowd of people are waiting to get something and can you really tell how the experience is usually like, considering the stubborn and impatient nature of humans? That was what Mr Speaker experienced, and he almost got lynched by the crowd that refused to obey a simple instruction of queuing behind ten selected persons. He had his white shirt badly stained and could not meet the governor thereafter without going home to change, yet he was never in a hurry to leave until he was sure things went on well. So whatever struggle occurred there was between the sharers at the edge of each queue and those in the queue.
Responding to the politically raised issues... Sir, we do not have to politicise everything just to suit our political interests. It makes the whole thing boring to people like myself with no political interests and murders every bit of enthusiasm and essence of joining words in issues that would have made good points for public/social debate. But come to think of it, even if Onofiok Luke was to campaign for Udom Emmanuel, what is wrong about campaigning for his fellow party man, more so, governor of his party? Why are you supporting your own candidate and campaigning for him without anyone querying you, but think Onofiok Luke should not?
Be that as it may, sir, I wouldn't want to send any blame your way, considering that you may be writing just what you were told, except that you should have contacted the other party before going public with your judgments. However, the gesture of Mr Speaker which was purely good-intentioned may have caused some negative aftermaths, but we must understand that it is just in his nature to show kindness wherever he goes. It's a habit he's inculcated over the years, even when he barely had enough for himself and this has obviously become an addiction. Please whoever has problems with that disposition of his should learn to live with it because it the problem is just insoluble.
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