– 10,000 keke operators surrender to 50 policemen
– Entrenches high handedness, vendetta, tyranny
If our colonial masters in Great Britain ever knew that our post independent activists could melt like jelly once shouted at, harassed or intimidated with mere teargas, Nigeria would still be under British rule today and probably more developed and politically emancipated. Despite the stuggles to install a populist civilian government where the “people should ultimately and ordinarily decide on who and what is best for them”, our recently elected civilian governments have turned out to be worse dictatorial and authoritarian than the military administrations thus rubbishing the blood of the likes of Chief M.K.O Abiola, Elegbede, Musa Yaradua, Chuba Okadigbo and others too numerous to mention, who were lavishly shed in a bid to return Nigeria to civil rule. Worst still is the fact that the electorate in Nigeria today, only protest against evil and bad governance when they are directly affected adversely. Presently, there is collective strategy or engagement to checkmate administrative recklessness or impunity.
A case in hand is how the Governor of Imo state, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, who prefers to be seen more and proudly as an emperor and the millennium conqueror of Igboland than as a transisting administrator. He has since inherited the land hence he used few heavily armed soldiers and miserable police officers to chase away into permanent submission, and surrender more than 10,000 keke operators within the capital city of Owerri, last Tuesday December 5, 2017. Earlier on Monday, December 4, 2017. The keke operators had swiftly barricaded government house Owerri entrance gate, protesting the announcement on Imo radio and television asking them to steer clear of the streets of Owerri. The announcements which were relayed intermittently had barred them from all the major roads and streets.
When the protesters met with Deputy Chief of Staff, Kingsley Uju and the newly sworn in commissioner for Transport, Lasbrey Okoroaforanyanwu, they were told to exercise patience and infact to go about their businesses while waiting for the Governor who was rumoured to have gone to Abuja, to return. The ENTRACO officials who attempted to prevent the keke operators from plying on the essential routes of Wethdral, MCC/Uratta, Okigwe and Amakohia roads were almost stoned to death with one of them, stabbed severally with cutlass by the keke operators. Born fires were set up everywhere in Owerri with billowing thick black smoke to warn the Rescue Mission Agenda Government that the game is up and their romance with keke, over.
However, an attempt by the keke operators to reinforce their opposition to the ban, early on Wednesday December 6, 2017, met with stiff force and opposition from government agencies.
Some were seen running helter, skelter for their dear lives abandoning their choice means of livelihood and regretting ever voting Rochas Okorocha in 2011 and 2015.
Ever since coming into office as Governor, Okorocha has successfully clamped down on all institutions and getting away with his desires. He cancelled the LGA system and its place created CGC. He destroyed the CGC when the people preferred to choose their own candidates against his preference for imposition of cronies. In CGC and town union places, he introduced SDC and before you know it, he will announce date for council election only to change the date, days after. He killed Imo civil service. He destroyed the state pension board and took over. He destroyed the traditional and cultural constitutions and took over even as the religion and spiritual head anointing and inducting cult membership.
