The Rivers state governor has been embroiled in an open fight with his former boss and predecessor, and now with two court judgments, it is clear the governor may be heading for the rocks.
I am going to be as brief as much as possible on this subject. It is not something I want to write about, but because of the slippery nature and personal experience, I decided to latch on to it as a caution to the youthful governor of Rivers State, a very beautiful name! Sounds like that of a female Nollywood star and judging from the way the youthful governor walks, reminds you of the opposite sex. He has those innocent looks that convey simplicity; more importantly, there is nothing militant about this man unlike the tough-looking “Mr. Project”, he is having a running battle. The truth is that you have to be as aggressive as to step into the ring with someone who is known to be potentially volatile and capable of inflicting pain. Late MKO Abiola said you cannot stay on the path of a moving train, for that’s what Mr Projects represents.
If someone like triple title holding Oshiomole alia Oshobaba were to be the opponent of Mr Project in this political battle, then, the fight would be even. While Mr Project is tough and fearless, Oshiobaba, although diminutive in stature, is extremely dangerous with his mouth. It was his destructive speeches that silenced Edo State-born multiple governorship aspirant Ize Iyamu. Mr Project too had used his booming voice to destroy his PDP in Rivers State. Amazingly, where Oshiobaba is short, with thick muscles, Mr Project is slim, and you wouldn’t call his appearance handsome. And whereas the two of them fit the bill of a bully, Siminalayi, SIM, for short, not like your MTN or GLO sim card, is tender, and almost harmless. It is a wonder how he managed to survive his predecessor in the role assigned to him. He must have been bullied to no end! From what I have seen about Fubara, he is not talkative.
The few times he had talked was because his hypocritical supporters urged him to. Even then, his voice comes out more as a whimper than normal, compared to his opponent whose voice is coarse, brash, and haughty! In a confrontation, I want to stake my neck that Fubara will swiftly be overrun by the combative, and fierce-looking opposite. This is no fluke because Fubara cannot ordinarily do so- let alone harm anyone. He may be the sitting governor, with all the money at his disposal; but it is like asking a lamb to engage a wild lion! Fubara had survived his mentor because he played cool and obeyed instructions. That’s why he rose to the position he occupies today. If I were to be in his shoes, I would have stuck to that bargain. Nothing, not even the sound of collective praise singers would have persuaded me otherwise. The biggest surprise here is that those goading him to fight his former boss know the truth. Somehow they prefer to stick to the lie to line their pockets.
After toiling hard to ensure his protégé became the governor, Fubara turned his back on his enraged mentor. For those who may not know, this was the sticking point. To break an agreement is often unforgivable; it was therefore alarming to Mr. Project that, a ‘boy’ he trusted and worked so hard to build could do that to him. Fubara who is soft, gentle, and unassuming failed to read the current. Of course with so many bootlickers urging him on, telling him that he is the ‘sitting governor’ and all that, his mentor can jolly well go to hell. And you hear opportunists say such things as “Fubara is the new man on the block” and that was it. Mr. Project’s era has passed and he has lost Rivers State! I laughed while reading all that trash. A man as lucky as Fubara! Why would he want to throw away the ladder that he climbed just like that? Because people say all the men that matter in Rivers State are with him; men like Sekibo, Odili, and who else? If it was easy to become governor, why not ask those who have tried several times? Famous writer and spiritualist Abd’rushin in his volume one, In the Light of the Truth, wrote “Earthmen what do you seek?”
An exceptional prose-laden expose, he questions the endless pursuits of men and takes a deep look at our insatiable appetite and greed; he wonders why upon the fact that men have read numerous books, laboring to acquire knowledge and yet remain unfulfilled; he then asks: ‘what seek ye, earthmen?’ Abd’rushin sought to know why contentment has eluded mankind; why, of all the blessings gifted us by the Almighty, the result is often like Fubara’s case! Supporters in the camp of Fubara have questioned the right of Mr Project to seethe with rage. Perhaps they expect Mr Project to simply hand over his prized meat just like the Hyena that steals the booty from Lions after all the trouble. Now that Mr Project is demanding his pound of flesh, the supporters are up in arms screaming and pocketing millions. But all that is creating more insecurity for Fubara. It is often like that when you bite the fingers that fed you. And as he would soon find out, when the dust settles, no single supporter will be around him anymore! Mr. Project is a wounded lion and this is more like a fight for supremacy. Go and read about the Hyena; it has inexhaustible patience and can haunt its prey for miles.
When you least expect, it strikes, to devour, not to pity. Since Fubara went against his mentor, where is the peace? Unfortunately, he has now lost twice at the Supreme Court! And more are coming in case he has not been told. For me, at this point, I will become a wise man. Unless Fubara retraces his steps, I have my doubts if the Hyena would retreat. Go and read about them; they never do. And when they eventually corner their prey, they will release that foul-smelling howl and dash into the dense forest from whence they originated. Sharing the spoils of war has often proved dangerous. Rivers State was conquered by the duo of Mr. Project and his collaborators, There is no reason why he should corner the spoils alone. He must have heard the story of Ngige, who was captured even as a sitting governor. The same was true for Ladoja who was reminded by Obasanjo that his godfather at the time, Lamidi Adedibu, was a ‘Garrison commander’. Mr. Project may well be the “General Officer Commanding” of Rivers State! And I speak directly to you Fubara: retrace your steps now and make peace with your benefactor! Do not wait to be turned into a former governor!
