…As Controversial N4m sparks controversy among protesters in Akwa Ibom
The internet is awashed with a scandalous story of how the controversial N4m given to #EndSars protesters in Uyo ended in a fiasco.
Many have put the blame on Governor Udom Emmanuel, some on the protesters, others on one of the ring leaders in the protest, Kufre Carter who came out to claim he took only N500, 000 out of the the controversial N4m.
First, why blame Governor Udom Emmanuel? The protest was not against his administration. He himself is a victim of police harassment and intimidation. Who has forgotten how the police few months ago almost assisted renegade members of the House of Assembly to take over proceedings of the house or his aides who were arrested and maltreated in the buildup to the elections. Every body in this country is quietly happy about the police being engaged against their evil deeds.
The Governor came out and on time to address the protesters, shared in their struggle. It is difficult for a leader to just walk away like that from his people without some transport, refreshment fare after hours of trekking to the Government House.
The culture of ‘landing’ has come to stay. Any leader who does not ‘drop something’ is seen as stingy and mean. Should the Governor have translated the money to drinks and snacks, maybe?
The protesters looked pretty organized, even across the nation, so sharing the money or putting it to good use shouldn’t have been that difficult. Or so it looked.
The Governor handed over the the controversial N4m to his aide on youth matters and trusted his discretion on how to share. Sharing money or food has never been easy, even in the early church.
In Acts 6:1-7, Seven Disciples were chosen to Manage food distribution to the poor, sharing food to a large crowd is not beans.
There is no need over dragging the Governor. What does he stand to lose in the protest. Is he in the same party as the President? Is he the Inspector General of Police? Is the protest against him or his interest politically or otherwise?
The young men who got the controversial N4m on behalf of the protesters showed their greed. Even the 500k or so they claimed, they got, did they remit same to their people? If the position of the group was to reject the money, everyone should have rejected it.
This episode serves as a lesson to all involved in this drama. Integrity is beyond words of mouth.
