Chief Obla: The Unsung Hero

By Aaron Mike Odeh

As the thought of Chief Okoi Obono Obla, the chairman of the recently disbanded Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Properties crossed my mind mind, the memory of my African American brothers who put all their best to better the lots of every Americans irrespective of ethnicity, tribes, race, religion etc but, were yet not well recognize, crosses my minds. I am talking about African American that put in their lives to death in order to save the lives of others even when they had all the opportunities to save their own lives. So they died in the course of service to their beloved country, but yet not well honored. However, the American case is even far better compare to Africa Nation and Nigeria in particular.

In Nigeria, it takes a fraudulent person to get more recognition than an upright man who believe in honesty, integrity and hard working. Nevertheless, thank God for the present APC led Government currently been piloted by his Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari, an internationally recognized Anti-corruption war lord with no regard or fear for any citizen of Nigeria who dare go against the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to enrich himself/herself to the detriment of the Nigeria masses. No doubt, the second coming of Buhari as the number one citizen of Nigeria brought in a lot of hope to every Nigerians especially for his stiff stand against corruption. He began the anti-corruption crusade by putting up formidable structures to clampdown those who were benefiting massively from the national wealth of the country.

In addition to his war strategies against corruption, he in his wisdom decided to established Special Presidential Investigative Panel for Recovery of Public Properties in the third quarter of the year 2017, the Panel no doubt it add more splendor and seriousness to his anti-corruption fight in regard to the indomitable, fearless and upright Nigerian in person of Chief Okoi Obono Obla that he appointed to serve as the Chairman of the Panel, that singular act alone by appointing Obla made several Nigerians that are familiar with Obla upright and honesty lifestyles to take his Anti-corruption fight serious.

As expected, the fearless Obla assumed the position with clear visions and well defined target which is nothing but to ensure the total recovery of public properties that corrupt Nigerians used their fraudulent means to be converted into their own personal used. Within few weeks, the Panel recovered properties worth billions of naira and, as weeks moves to months and months to years so the Panel level of fantastic success continue to skyrocketing and the success stories of the panel was all over the media platform which along the lines convinced many human right activist like Femi Falana and several well-known political pundits as well as social commentators across party lines, religion and ethnicity to begin to described the panel as one of the most outstanding anti-corruption body in Nigeria.

Some of them even went all out to suggest to the presidency to convert the panel into a full fledge commission in other to in totality cleaned Nigeria of corruption. Meanwhile, as Nigerians citizen across borders were hailing the landmark achievements of the panel through prudent and pragmatic leadership style of Chief Okoi Obono Obla, the panel Chairman, some other satanic-devilish Nigerians that has been feeding so fat from Nigeria national wealth without proper account were by every tickling of the clock plotting how to destroy and to even put an end to the activities of the Panel and as well the life of Chief Obla, the panel chairman. Like witticism, petition upon petitions began to flies from all angle against the chairman to the level that the chairman on several occasion appeared before both the green chamber and the red chamber of the Nigeria National Assembly to clear himself of some of the unverifiable allegations.

The more he kept clearing himself, the more Nigerians who never want any good thing to happen within the country territory kept pursuing Chief Obla. Meanwhile, Chief Obla as an indomitable leader with clear visions for the panel and the entire Nigerians, never give a dawn rather, he kept fighting hard to clean Nigeria of corruption. But, as time progresses, the wishes of Nigerians with ill-gotten fat pocket which is to make sure Obla is removed had recently been achieved. Yes, the panel is been disbanded by Mr. President. Because, some Nigerians feels they are untouchable and Obla said; it can’t be so. That the constitution of Nigeria supersede every other Nigerians.

In this connection, Chief Obla as a well-known Anti-corruption Czar, encouraged himself and began to step on the toes of many seen by some Nigerians as demi-God. He started by fishing them out one after the other and make sure they return their ill-gotten wealth into the country national treasury. But, as he was doggedly fighting and winning the war, so they enemies of Nigeria kept fighting him and as if Nigeria was cursed never to rise up to its pinnacle in tandem with global standard, they the enemies of Nigeria succeeded with their evil plans by removing Chief Obla. Not only was he suspended but, they went further to declare him wanted on the ground of unverifiable allegations which many political and public analyst describes as wit hunting and the best tragic-comedy of the year 2019.

By and large, I want to be bold to ask some of these few salient questions as a concern citizen of Nigeria with visions and dreams to see a very progressing Nigeria in all aspect. My questions to all my patriotic Nigerians are:‘How long shall we continue to fold our hands to watch our best brains been destroyed, yes I mean our detribalize, honest and hardworking Nigerians to be allowed to be chase away from the country by some few crop of men that has been feeding so fat from the national treasury of the country as if it is their own personal inheritance or birth right. I am talking to you my dear brother Osanga in Akwaibom. Emeka and Chinedu in Anambra, I need an answer from you! Shehu and Sadiq in Zamfara, I am asking you both! Kunle and Gbenga in Oyo, it is time for us to rise up! Should we allow Chief Okoi Obono Obla to be chase away like that? Mama Sadiya, I am asking you! Look, we don’t have to continue to be keep quite over this issue because, a better Nigeria deserves our collective efforts which shall in turn replicate in our lives as well as the infrastructural sectors.

So, let us rise up to defend Chief Obla. Because if we continue to be quite over some pertinent issues that has to do with the general well-being of the country to continue degenerating into total and unrepairable rottenness, there will be no country to call Nigeria in future. So, I urge my dearest Nigerians to rise up!

Many of you may not believe me as I said this! Obla, the Chairman of the disbanded Panel based on the indebt findings I carried out as an investigative journalist on him; earn the sum of N600, 000 as monthly allowance. Obla official accommodation is two bedroom flat, located in the out sketch of Abuja unlike so many top government officials that reside in highbrow areas like Maitama, Asokoro etc. and worst of it all; the flat is a conjoined flat. The building structure has no different from the popular university hostels or better still a police barracks in Nigeria. The building is so jam-packed to the extend that the co-tenants in most cases makes noise like religion gathering yet, for the love Obla has for Nigeria, he remains there all in the name of fighting corruption.

Imagine, a man of his caliber residing in a two bedroom flat together with a family of ten people. It may surprise many of you to hear that; Obla since becoming the Chairman of the Disbanded Panel has no car of his own apart from the two official cars given to him from the presidency. In fact, I pity him because, the only car he has at the moment, is his old rickety car that brings out smokes like a dry season burning bush. Again, my findings on him also shows that; Obla is even far poorer now compare to when he was into private legal practice. Obla has only two houses base on my investigations. And, those two houses were built decades ago and till now, he couldn’t even complete the other one in his ancestral village. One of the house is at Ugep his own town and the one is at; Calabar, the capital of his state of origin. Honestly, I pity Chief Obla. Yet, Nigerians who never want this country to move to the next level feel he must be removed. I cry for my beloved country Nigeria. I said woe onto you all that feel you have the power to do whatever you want why millions of Nigerians keep wallowing in lack and penury. I said woe onto you all that keep chasing away the best brains in Nigeria with determination to positively transform the country for the benefit of all.

I have nothing much to say other than to live you for karma. I see karma paying you back. The law of karma must catch up with you! You may feel you have achieved your satanic aim by chasing Obla away, but the law of karma must catch up with you soon!

As I conclude, I will like to liken Obla predicament to the unsung African American heroes of the days of old as I briefly highlighted from the onset of this column in the first paragraph.

The sky was lit with smoke and haze on the morning of June 6, 1944, when an explosion rocked a boat packed tight with American troops within sight of Omaha Beach. Wedged among the five dozen men was a 21-year-old pre-med student from West Philadelphia named Waverly Bernard Woodson, Jr. He was one of five medics assigned to the 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion, the only African-American combat to participate in the Normandy landings. The U.S. Army was segregated during World War II, meaning the 320th was all black except for the top officers, who were white.

Moments before a shell hit Woodson’s landing craft, a mine had knocked out the engine.

The second blast felled troops like matchsticks. Shrapnel killed the man beside Woodson, whose own extremities burned. He reached down and brought up a hand covered in blood. “I am dying,” he thought. A fellow medic slapped dressings on his buttocks and thigh as the helpless craft drifted to a stop.

For the next 30 hours, Woodson worked through his pain to save lives. An Army news release credits him with treating 200 men. Other accounts put that figure higher. He pulled the drowning to safety. He patched wounds, pulled out bullets and dispensed blood plasma. He amputated a right foot. When he thought he could do no more, he resuscitated four drowning men. Then he collapsed. Woodson was nominated for the Medal of Honor, the nation’s ultimate symbol of heroism. He never got it. Instead, the medic was given the Bronze Star, the fourth-highest award for bravery. It would be another half century until an African American received the Medal of Honor for his service during World War II.

What an irony one may say but, that’s is the truth about life.

Woodson that even in the midst of severe pains saved several life was not honored but, instead it was the medics that did nothing much that received the highest honour. Honestly, the society is not justifiable at all! Like Woodson, this is exactly the kind of reward been measure for Chief Obla. I don’t think we even need to tell the present Government before they should decide to handsomely reward Obla. Obla deserve an honor. In fact, I am using this forum in collaborations with millions of Nigeria across board that has been so worried over his suspension, to specially appeal to the Presidency to reward Chief Obla’s efforts with another appointment.

Obla deserve a place in this government. We cannot afford to lose a workaholic, intelligent, fearless, detribalize and honest vital personality like him. I call on Nigerians to sing of his heroic deed before the day get dark.

Written by Aaron Mike Odeh, a public affairs analyst and, an Abuja base Media practitioner.