Amaechi Vs Patience   

Published on September 6, 2010 by TheNEWS   ·   2 Comments

On a two-day visit to Rivers State, the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan falls out with  Governor Chibuike Amaechi over the state government’s plan to demolish waterfront slums in  Okrika, her hometown, and structures around a new state-owned model school in the area

Nothing suggested that the two-day visit of Dame Patience Jonathan, wife of the Nigerian  president, to Rivers State on Monday 23 August would be stormy. But, as it turned out,  relations between the First Lady and her host, Governor Chibuike Amaechi, became so frosty  that both were barely on speaking terms by the time she was heading back to Abuja the next  day.

Mrs. Jonathan was in the state to launch her pet-project, Women for Change Initiative, WFCI,  designed to canvass for at least 35 per cent women representation at all levels of  governance in the state. On the first day of the visit, a civic reception was held in her  honour at the Sharks Stadium in Port Harcourt, after which a state banquet was organised at  Government House, Port Harcourt.

But the civility literally vanished on the second day when Mrs. Jonathan, in company of the  Governor, visited Okrika, her hometown. The bone of contention was the Governor’s oft-stated  decision to demolish the waterfront slums in Okrika, which the administration said was  providing a haven for criminal elements, and the government’s plan to pull down some  structures around a school the government was building in the town.

Explaining the rationale for pulling down the buildings, Amaechi said all the schools in  Okrika are surrounded by residential houses, which constituted a veritable distraction for  the children while learning. He went further to cite examples of houses and stores that had  to be demolished to pave way for conducive environment for learning for the children in the  new school. “…All the schools in Okrika are surrounded by houses and we don’t want the  schools to be surrounded by residential houses where people cook, sell and distract the  pupils. So we have to demolish them. We want to pay them compensation and demolish the  houses,” he said.

Amaechi briefed the First Lady that before embarking on the building of any school,  communities would have provided land free of charge to the government and chosen the site of  the project. He said that everywhere that schools are built, not just in Okrika, private  property on the designated land are demolished to provide a conducive environment for  teaching and learning. “You don’t mix education with family activities, because the children  won’t concentrate, and you don’t need children to study in a rowdy environment,” he added.

Mrs. Jonathan, however, did not seem to be impressed by Amaechi’s explanation. Calling on  the state government to engage owners of the structures beside the school in dialogue, she  said: “I am not saying they should not demolish, but what I am saying is that the local  government Chairman has to seek the opinion of the owners of that compound, contact the  village head, and let them come into agreement.

“I was overwhelmed to see that the primary school is almost completed…It is by pleading,  it is by appeal…you appeal to the owners of that compound, you must not say ‘must’ ‘must’  because we, the Okrika people, don’t have enough land, we value land.

“It is by dialogue, we have to dialogue with the government, we have to come to agreement,  you understand… when you dialogue you come to agreement and see how to solve it.”

Waxing emotional, she continued: “The government needed to dialogue with the chiefs and the  people as far as the issue of demolition is concerned. Okrika has no land. Every little land  that we have is very important. They don’t play with land. It’s a serious affair. So I want  you to know that.”

At this point, the governor tried to explain that the land on which government builds model  schools are usually donated by the host communities as their own contribution to the  project. Governor Amaechi said in areas where the government had had to acquire land,  compensation is paid.

But Mrs. Jonathan interrupted him: “I want you to get me clear. I am from here and I know  the problem of my people. I know what I am talking about. I don’t want us to go into crisis.  We are preaching peace. So we must maintain peace at all levels.” She argued that because of  scarcity of land in Okrika, if a compound is demolished, it means that an entire family has  been rendered homeless.

She admonished the state government to always engage in wide consultations with the heads of  the village before embarking on the construction of schools and health centres. “We are a  peculiar people. Land is always a problem when it comes to Okrika. The little we have we  cherish it so much,” she further said.

Later, at a civil reception organised for the First Lady by the Okrika community, during  which Governor Amaechi decided to sit outside in his vehicle because he was advised that his  presence could heighten the already tense situation, she acknowledged that the Governor had  good intentions but needed to dialogue with the people. She explained that the slums at the  waterfronts needed to be improved to enable them have modern houses and other social  amenities. It is instructive to note that though Amaechi was not in the hall where the  reception held, Judith, his wife, was there to keep Mrs. Jonathan company.

The tension created at the Okrika forum was palpable and Mrs. Jonathan hastily left the  venue and headed straight to the airport and returned to Abuja. In doing so, she cancelled a  scheduled visit to Port Harcourt Prisons where she was expected to witness the ceremonial  release of some prisoners by the state Chief Judge, and Ebubu in Eleme Local Government  Area, where she was to inspect some projects.

The fallout of the First Lady’s altercation with her host, Governor Amaechi during her  controversial two-day visit did not take long in coming: On 26 August, the resignation of  Mr. Tamunokuro George Oba as the chairman of Okrika Local Government was announced.

According to a statement endorsed by Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, Commissioner for Information and  Communications, “The Chairman of Okrika Local Government Area, Hon. Tamunokuro George  Oba, has resigned his appointment as Chairman, Okrika Local Government Area, with effect  from today Thursday August 26, 2010.

“In a letter addressed to the Governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, Hon Oba  said he was resigning after due consultations with his family and associates.

“A statement from the Office of the Secretary to the State Government said that Governor  Amaechi has accepted the Chairman’s resignation. Honourbale Oba is therefore to hand over  all Council documents and properties to the Vice Chairman, Hon James Aduko.

“While thanking the immediate past Chairman for his service to the council and the state,  the Governor wished him well in his future endeavours.”

In a text message purportedly sent to various media houses, the former chairman said: “In  view of the recent events in my local government area and after due consultations with my  family and associates, I have come to the realisation that the interest and peace of Okrika  is far above personal interest, I hereby resign as Chairman of Okrika Local Government  council effective today (Thursday August 26, 2010). I do hope that my decision will bring  peace and development in Okrika. I thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve my  people. I also appreciate all the council staff and close associates who supported me while  in office. Thank you for accepting my resignation.”

But less than 12 hours after he allegedly resigned, Oba was quoted on WAZOBIA FM Port  Harcourt and Rhythm 93.7 Port Harcourt as claiming that he did not resign. He was said to  have warned those who are peddling the “rumour” that he had resigned his office to desist as  he remained the bonafide Okrika council chairman.

Informed sources close to Government House told this magazine that the Okrika chairman was  summoned to the State Executive Council meeting, where he was upbraided for “organising a  civic reception for the President’s wife without the consent of the state government thereby  breaching laid down protocols”.

To fill the vacuum created by the absence of Oba, who is said to be Mrs. Jonathan’s cousin,  Hon. James Aduko was sworn in as the new chairman of Okrika council. Aduko was until his new  appointment the vice-chairman of the council. At his swearing-in last Wednesday at  Government House, Port Harcourt, Governor Amaechi urged him to discharge his  responsibilities creditably.

Speaking to newsmen shortly after the ceremony, Aduko thanked the governor for the honour  done him, promising that his first assignment would be to unite everybody in the area in  order to fast-track development.

Tags:  Dame Patience Jonathan, Governor Chibuike Amaechi