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Idumuje Ugboko Crisis: Desperate Media Campaigns
We ‘ve recently noticed some really desperate and pitiful media attacks against Prince Ned Nwoko. Some of these writeups are so delusional, pathetic and fanciful, it would have been best to save mental energy for more worthy ventures, than dissipate efforts on rebuttals. But it appears that the promoters of the crisis in Idumuje Ugboko like Barrister Mbanefo Nwoko and others like him are realizing that their game is up, and like men in the throes of enforced death, and as best described by our Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, are “splattering faeces” in all directions, hoping to taint others as they fade from conscious reality.
But we reckon that if they could afford to concort fictive apparitions and lie so brazenly, it wouldn’t cost us so much to re-present the truth:
And for the umpteenth time we wish to put forward the skeletal facts without any sentimental embellishments.
1. Prince Ned Nwoko through Linas International Ltd., was granted permission for 90 hectares of land by late Obi Albert Nwoko and the Idumuje Ugboko Land Allocation Committee to develop a private university for academics and sports learning in April 2016.
2. Local government C-of-O was granted after the local council officials had verified the approval of land by Idumuje Ugboko community.
3. Prince Ned Nwoko invested around N100 million to process licence from the National University Commission (consultancies, visitations, fees etc).
4. The chief opponents of the project, Princes Chukwunonso and Mbanefo Nwoko in May this year, openly admitted in Police Zone 5 Headquarters Benin City, that they have personal grudges against Ned. Prince Chukwunonso complained that Ned had not always respected him while Mbanefo confessed that he is still angry because Ned tried to remove him as the senatorial candidate of a political party in 2007.We challenge them, if they have any honour, to deny their very public confessions so that we can have the opportunity of showing the world their true characters.
5. Majority of chiefs, elders and people in Idumuje Ugboko like the Odogwu, Iyase etc support this university project and Prince Chukwunonso and Mbanefo tried to suppress this support by assaulting, burning and looting their homes (elderly Iyase and equally elderly Odogwu were, along with many other hapless Idumuje Ugboko indigenes, severely assaulted and over 20 houses were looted and destroyed) in the early days of May, 2017. But knowing that a university in their community would greatly improve their lives, the people are not relenting in their support for this worthy project.
6. Any unprejudiced observer would easily see on getting to Idumuje Ugboko that ‘Mount Ned Nwoko’ is the best utilized piece of land in the village. Employing over 35 workers, with a zoo, a mini-golf course, a mini-football pitch, over 20 fish ponds, an Olympic size swimming pool, WTA standard tennis court, exotic gardens and the main mansion which is a fusion of exquisite African, Western and Mediterranean architectures and designs, attracting over 20,000 visitors yearly, all without exceptions, admitted for free. This is arguably the number one tourist attraction in this part of the country. The redundant part of this compound, Ned wants to cede to the proposed university.
7. On claims of annexation and islamization of the community; we consider this pathetic and laughable and as stated earlier, clearly the jaundiced imagination of delusional and desperate men losing grips of conscious reality.
8. On the incessant attacks on the Nigeria Police and the judiciary, we need to remind Barrister Mbanefo Nwoko, Prince Chukwunonso Nwoko and other pessimistic anarchists in their circle that everyone else cannot be wrong while only their opinions are right. After failing to hoodwink the Delta State Police Command, Barrister Mbanefo Nwoko wrote a petition to Police Zone 5 Headquarters in Benin. But now he is attacking the Zone 5 because they are not doing his bidding, but following the dictates of the law. The undeniable facts are that a man was murdered by thugs hired by Barrister Mbanefo and their group; should the police now allow a murderer go free just to please Barrister Mbanefo Nwoko?
9. There are series of cases, criminal and civil, ongoing, instituted by or against Prince Chukwunonso Nwoko in various courts in Delta State. They should at least, if they have nothing to hide, trust the judiciary to grant their demands, exonerate them, or if they are culpable, be man enough to accept their mistakes and take their commuppence or deserved retribution. They quite simply cannot use mendacious propaganda or delusional falsehoods to wish away the truth.
Onyeka Ibe
(Media Coordinator – Ned Nwoko Team)
