By John Okiyi Kalu:
I’ve read the online hysteria on Ralph Uwazuruike and treason and wish to state that most Nigerian observers are not getting it right.
In November 2005, under President Olusegun Obasanjo, Ralph Uwazulike and 6 others were arraigned in an Abuja Federal High Court on charges that included treason. He hired Festus Keyamo to represent him. (That’s a funny choice given Keyamo’s low propensity to win cases that require knowledge of law as against noise making). Uwazulike, through Keyamo faulted the charges and asked the court to dismiss it. The court refused. They then went on appeal and in May 2008 the appeal court ruled against dismissal of the charges but granted Ralph and co bail. Ralph then took his appeal for dismissal of the case on the grounds of improper procedure arising majorly from absence of accompanying proof of evidence to the Supreme court. Last week, the Supreme Court ruled that Uwazulike and his lawyer Festus Keyamo failed to present sufficient reason for the Supreme Court to use it’s powers and dismiss the charges filed at the Abuja High Court.
1. That ruling is by no means a death sentence on Ralph Uwazulike as wrongly circulated. It only says “there is nothing wrong with the procedure adopted to try you in 2005”.
2. It wasn’t the current regime that instituted that charge and can’t possibly have a hand in the ruling of the supreme court. Moreover, the judiciary is an independent arm of govt that does not take instruction/dictation from the executive. (At least on paper). They don’t know anything about Jonathan and Boko Haram’s amnesty dance. It is not their issue at all and there is nothing for them to take judicial notice of. The judiciary is not involved in packaging amnesty for Boko or MEND.
3. Ralph Uwazulike is very close to Jonathan’s regime. It is not a hidden fact that even during the elections he fully supported Jona. After the election he has continued to support Jona. Keen observers will recall that it took the full weight of Ohaneze to compel Uwazulike to support the call for a Nigerian President of Igbo origin in 2015. His preference has always been for Jonathan to do second term. That also explains why he has been grossly ineffective in dealing with targeted killing of Igbos in the north. Beyond few and far inbetween newspaper rhetorics, he has done nothing simply because he knows that the mass exodus of Ndigbo from the north will likely hurt his man more.
4. You cannot grant amnesty to a man who is in court. It is either he pleads guilty and you “amnesty” him or you arrange political amnesty for him. Uwazulike does not qualify for political amnesty because he is one and same with Jona’s regime. He has to give this govt heat before he can be “amnestied”. So far, he has been a friend of the govt. Political Amnesty is for those who can cost you the presidency, not those who want to keep you in the presidency.
5. There is nothing wrong with the supreme court ruling. Ralph should get a good lawyer and return to the Abuja High Court and win that case. He has a friendly President in power and I am sure the govt will not appeal the court’s ruling if he is exonerated. The govt will even likely “encourage” the judge of the court to set him free. Alternatively, the govt can apply a nolle prosequi (forgive my bad latin) and end this whole drama. It doesn help Jona for people to be discussing treason trial for Uwazulike while he is arranging amnesty for Abu Qaqa.
Ralph Uwazulike has never killed anyone in anger, from public records. He has never carried arms in public or in anger. He has never bombed any church or mosque in Nigeria. Ralph has never threatened the President of Nigeria to either change his religion or die. All he has done is what Martin Luther King Jnr did in US and became a national hero. Same thing Ghandi did in India to earn immortality. It is called peaceful agitation, as against violent agitation practiced by Boko Haram of Northern Nigeria, Odua People’s Congress of Western Nigeria and Movement for Emancipation of Niger Delta people. Every forward looking government should actually award medals to Uwazulike and award death to those engaged in violent agitation.
I’ve read arguments that Uwazulike is threatening corporate existence of Nigeria and hence shouldn’t be allowed to exist peacefully. How laughable and hypocritical! Did OPC not threaten to form Odua Republic? Wasn’t MEND about resource control and independence of Izon nation? Is Boko not asking for an Islamic country?
In any case, is there anything wrong with asking to leave a country to form yours? As far as I know, there is no law that compels anyone to remain in a particular country. That’s why you can decide to adopt American cittizenship for life and throw your Nigerian passport to the bins. It doesn’t amount to treason. Even in healty countries like America people are still agitating for independence or their own “Biafra”. Many Hawaiians are campaigning for independence from USA. Catalonians want indepenndence from Spain. What is wrong with peacefully agitating for an independent coutry? Was that not what Zik Awo and others did against British rule? Didn’t Mandela do same thing and is today a global deity of sorts?
When exactly did it become a crime for a human or humans to dream of an utopian country? If you dream and do not carry arms to actualize that dream, you have done no wrong. You have merely invited others to come and talk about why you are having such “illustrious” dreams. I have asked this question before and wish to ask same question again. Is there anybody in Nigeria who is happy the way things are going? If there is non, then is there anybody who is not dreaming of a “better country”? Should all of us be tried and jailed for treason because of a mere dream of a better country called Nigeria, Biafra, Odua, Arewa, Izon or even Otolororo Republic?
Until Ralph Uwazulike carries arms to actualize his utopian Biafra, he has done no wrong requiring trial. But now that he is court it is also important for him to get a good lawyer who is capable of managing a case that requires brains as against mouth (noise making). It should be exciting to see how the Abuja court will define our rights to associate and hold opinions within a democratic setting. Uwazulike’s trial will be a test case to know if there is a Nigerian law against “dreams”. At least it will help guide our scientists not to ever dream of going to the moon like others.
Trying Uwazulike is good for the man. He is gaining sympathy from people that otherwise won’t like to be associated with him and his “dreams”. It is also helping to mobilize an army of angry Igbo youths who want “employment amnesty”. If these youths hijack Uwazulike’s MASSOB they will most likely prefer a violent group to a dreaming one. They already know that the only way Nigerian leaders will listen is if you bomb and kill everywhere you go.
My personal worry, as an Igbo area boy, is that once Igbo youths start seeing violent agitation as an amnesty money making route, bombs will sell in supermarkets in Nigeria. Atomic bombs will be sold at places like Fela shrine in Lagos and even hawked at Maitama night clubs. I know how brilliant and inventive my people are. Bomb making and throwing will become a regular trade if ever Igbo youths get involved in this bomb for amnesty nonsense.
Mr President Sir, use wisdom and do the needful in this Uwazulike matter. I don’t want to live to witness the day bombs will be hawked on the streets of Onitsha, Aba, Lagos, Kano, PH etc. Only one Nigerian tribe is capable of making that come to pass. Better not to push them too far to the wall.
Let’s focus on steady power supply as against steady bombs supply.
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