EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde
So Far, So Good: My Submission.
Dear Sir,
I might be naive, but I cannot appreciate you and your team enough for the recent gallant efforts to retrieve our yams stolen before May 29, 2015 at our national yam barn. I wish to state that I am now totally brainwashed that change has come to stay!
I have some reasonable grounds for this feeling. Hence, I can return to my village and sleep for my hope now is stronger than my despair in the previous years.
Just as I was about to lay my poor self down with this latest conviction, and wait patiently for the change to reach to my door step, it struck my mind that there are potholes and the way to my home might be delayed, if not totally forgotten. It is on this note that I write to you.
Benue State, my state of origin, is in the mid-belt region of this country, with the Tiv, Idoma and Igede Languages predominantly spoken, as well as other dialects. It is here sir, that the immediate past President of the Senate; the Senate Minority Leader; the Minister of State for Trade and Investment, and a short time acting Aviation Minister; the Minister of State for foreign affairs and ‘most importantly’, the most-featured-on-Presidential-trips-Governor, a friend to the immediate past President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the most articulate Governor from the Northern part of Nigeria, an immediate Past Governor of the State Rt. Hon. Dr. Gabriel Torwua Suswam all hail from.
With this popularity, I am sure one may wonder why a poor boy there, still have some doubts that the State might be forgotten. Well, to the State, these were, but names!
I have no doubt as to whether we are still remembered, but I doubt if you have already known about the terrible storm we had in the last administration, or you heard about the enormity of its consequences on us and how stronger it blew here.
There have been cries from all angles of massive looting, stealing and ‘thieving’ of government property including money by the immediate past administration of the State. But the man on the street will never understand the intimacy and details of such government dealings, most especially when money is involved. The most obvious to us usually, are the non-existing/functioning projects through which the huge funds are been embezzled. For instance, in Benue State particularly, the ‘Greater Makurdi Water Works, Otobi and Katsina-Ala Water works’ were contracted since 2008. And since then, these projects alone, became pits for the State allocations, Tax-Payers’ money, and a 13 billion Naira bond was shortly before the exit of the past administration, approved and collected by same in the name of these projects.
Worse still, in spite of the fact that these projects were commissioned by formal President, Goodluck Jonathan sometime in March 2012, there has been water everywhere in the State but non for residents to drink.
Again Sir, the money and items meant for flood victims in the State were diverted for personal usage; and the most obvious storm was the non payment of workers’ salaries, entitlements and pensions for several months. Yet, a huge debt profile was left for the incoming administration of the State.
Sir, with all these and many more(which are probably hidden to common people (like myself), I wonder what is delaying the presence of your team to our dear State! I became highly-strung to speak to you through my pen when I heard of the good work of your team in the far Southern Nigeria – their being after Hon. Kingsley Kuku, former President Goodluck’s Adviser on Amnesty who hails from Ondo State of the South-West Zone that is not less than 494km away from you, leaving behind Benue State under your feet-that is just about 282km away.
That is my doubt; that is my beck, Sir!
Sir, even though there might have been very little and tiny yam seeds stolen in Benue State as compared to what you are after now, but that is what we produce; and that is what we survive on. That, I’m passionate about…
So I suggest Sir, that as you started well in the far Northern part of the Country, and you wish to do well in the South-West now, please, do not dive, come and have a look.
Do not forget to also extend this handshake of Change to States as well as the Local Government Levels so that we can separate the bran from the flour.
Thank you and May God grease your elbow as He leads your path. Extend my profound gratitude to His Excellency, President Ityorumun Muhammadu Buhari for allowing you a free space to do your job.
Yours Sincerely,
Comrade Akade Emmanuel Iorhile
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