Less than two years after the exit of the ultimate bully of Imo State, Senator Rochas Anayo Okorocha, a new bully has emerged in the state. It is no longer news that the people’s hero, Comrade Precious Uwadikaechere Nwadike the indefatigable and irrepressible human rights activist cum defender of the masses was viciously attacked and severely wounded by thugs alleged to be on the payroll of Uche Uzodimma, younger brother of Governor Hope Uzodimma on Tuesday, February 9, 2021. The serious beating which Comrade Nwadike was subjected to by these undesirable elements was so severe that he was flown to Lagos for proper treatment and to the glory of God, he survived the ordeal. The chilling revelation is that Imo State now has a new heartless, power drunk bully but the difference is that he is not the governor of Imo State like Okorocha but merely a brother to the governor of the State.
Comrade Precious Nwadike in the hospital after attack by Imo governor’s brother
On that fateful day, Comrade Nwadike who innocently fell into the premeditated trap set for him by Uche Uzodimma had gone to OCDA Office, along Port Harcourt road, Owerri to have his data captured in pursuance of his desire to obtain a National Identity Number NIN. On reaching the place, the power drunk governor’s brother ordered him to remove his car from where it was parked. This he promptly did but the egocentric and heartless Uche Uzodimma who has been carrying himself about as an Arabian Prince since his brother became governor was still bent on dealing with him the way he has been dealing with people who were unfortunate to cross his path.There and then, he slapped and ordered his drug laden thugs to descend on Comrade Nwadike. In the process, they inflicted serious injuries on the people’s comrade.
The voice of the people they say is the voice of God. From the day they murdered sleep, those who perpetrated this evil have not slept. They stirred the hornest’s nest and by that singular act of unpardonable atrocity have been contending with the wrath of the people. Even before they left the scene after pummeling the victim, the story of what they did was everywhere. This was because of the towering figure of Comrade Nwadike, a man of the people and a celebrity of no mean status. From the social media to the print and electronic media, the incident made headline news in the state and beyond and have continued to remain on the lips of the people for obvious reasons. In high and low places all over Nigeria, the incident has continued to generate interest till this moment. Strident calls for justice have continued to reverberate across the state and this is the only thing that can assuage the feeling of the people and cool the mounting tension that is building up in the state because of what comrade Nwadike was subjected to.
A day after he assaulted Comrade Nwadike, the unrepentant Uche Uzodimma in a release in the state owned Statesman Newspaper denied involvement in what happened to Comrade Nwadike the previous day.
This clearly attested to the fact that he is unscrupulous and should never be trusted. Such characters like Uche Uzodimma who are pathological liars should never be entrusted with power because this will spell doom for the society. What concerned Imolites had expected from him from the beginning was an unreserved apology to his victim. That he has consistently ignored that path of sanity since then really shows the stuff he is made of. By refusing to apologize to Comrade Nwadike, he has made Imo a laughing stock in the comity of Nigerian States.
Civil society groups, human rights activists, journalists from Imo and beyond, indigenous people of Orlu, Orluzurumee youths, lawyers, academics and indeed all discerning Nigerians have been issuing statements, threatening fire and brimstone since the day Comrade Nwadike was manhandled. On Monday, 15th February 2021, the issue was the topic discussed on Hot Fm’s popular radio programme, “People’s Assembly”. Every contributor in that programme unanimously condemned what Comrade Nwadike went through in the hands of the new bully of Imo State. Since then, many people from the state and beyond who were similarly beaten by Uche Uzodimma’s thugs have been narrating their experiences. All these have been ignored by this terror of Imo State since then. But anybody that gather’s ant infested firewood must be ready for the visit of lizards. Justice must take its course this time. Surely, this is not Comrade Nwadike’s battle but that of Imolites.
For years Comrade Precious Nwadike has been fighting for the rights of the ordinary people. His four year legal battle with the infamous administration of the former dictator of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha in the case of the missing Imo bailout fund which Uche Nwosu instituted against him is still vivid in the minds of Imolites. In the course of the battle, he was arrested and detained severally, threatened, cajoled and intimidated by the powers that be that many thought he would not come out of the case unscathed. Many times, they tried to kill him but on each occasion, God intervened. They also did all in their power to shut down Nigeria Watchdog Newspaper but all their efforts were in vain. The almighty God who vindicates the just remained on his side until justice prevailed. The case which he won and others he fought in the interest of the masses made him a hero in the eyes of the people who have been celebrating him since then. He has continued to receive awards from different quarters for his doggedness in the fight for the liberation of the people from bad governance. Anybody that maltreats Comrade Precious Nwadike therefore does so at his peril.
Good leaders are born, not made. All his life, Comrade Nwadike has been a leader who commands large followership from every quarter. In saner climes, it is people like Comrade Nwadike that are entrusted with high leadership positions because they must deliver.
Comrade Nwadike is a leader anytime, anywhere with unassailable record of achievements even as a youth. Aside other leadership positions he has held in his young age, he was the President of Orluzurumee Youth Assembly for two consecutive terms. Today, he holds forth as the BOT Chairman of that great body. His quest for the senate seat of Imo West (Orlu Zone) in the 2019 general elections was truncated by the powers that be in-spite of the fact that he commanded grassroots followership in the entire Orlu zone because of his very rich pedigree. We all saw how the seat was allegedly snatched at gun point by the present occupant of the seat. Comrade Nwadike, the youngest newspaper publisher in the South East if not the whole federation has continued to blaze the trail in whatever endeavor he involves himself in.
