Sunday 17th July 2022. YC Maikyau SAN was announced NBA President-elect. I was there but once I saw Olumide Akpata Esq, the outgoing NBA President, I had mixed feelings. Greet him or pretend I didn’t see him?
What will be his reaction if I greet him, will he snub me or… I tip toed around, snapping pictures but come off it, I dragged Ogaga Emoghwanre Esq, Olumide’s SA to go and greet Oga.
Che! Olumide shouted. And like long lost lovers, we embraced and I held unto him(the guy body wrapped me round oh), I was still clowning around his body when someone shouted that the images will appear on Kubwa Express. He adjusted immediately and asked that I comport myself and let us snap.
Na so I come look like a dwarf sandwiched in between him and YC Maikyau, the President elect. Olumide Akpata, won my heart. There are more intimate moments with the outgoing and incoming NBA Presidents.
Olumide Akpata, Esq is handing the baton to YC Maikyau SAN; me withdrawing opposition from Akpata to YC. YC must excel above the standards set by Akpata or…
Providence brought me here and after June 9th face off with Olumide Akpata, this 17th July post election Sunday, was the first time we are meeting.
After June 9th incident at NEC meeting in Ilorin, Olumide Akpata, sent me a WhatsApp message. I didn’t read it until about 4 days.
The content?
He was firm, unapologetic, sincere and caring in the choice of adjectives. I admire strong leaders. It melted my heart. When I cried on WhatsApp group that I was disqualified, he reached out to me on his own and sympathized with me and when I told him I had appealed, he was relieved and said that’s all I should’ve done and not disparaging NBA or insulting him. “Well wetin Musa no go see for gate.”
I know for a fact that he had no hand in my disqualification but as the head of NBA, I took to holding him responsible for the infamous actions of Committees under him.
The truth of how and those who removed that receipt, are emerging and as Fela will say, “spirit catch them…” but know that a renowned human right activist, was in that Committee that disqualified me for a post I did not apply for and for a missing receipt of my 1st nominator (not that he did not pay his local dues)
Also note that Eastern Bar Forum (EBF), that endorsed and chose me as its candidate in the election, during its meeting in Calabar, NEVER consoled me or issue a statement, calling NBA out. Now you know why I am laughing at EBF press statement on Olanipekun SAN to rescue himself as chairman Body of Benchers? Welcome as this is, it still tickles me, that EBF could bark but went to snore, when I, a financially up to date member was thrown under the bus.
After weighing the arsenal and armanda assembled against me, with the sole aim of; “DON’T LET HIM BE ON THE BALLOT; WE CANNOT HANDLE HIM IF WE RIG HIM OUT.”
I refused to go to court for the following reasons;
1. JK Gadzama SAN. In 2016 when the Silk lost election against AB Mahmoud SAN, instead of exploring the internal resolution mechanism of NBA, he went to Court. How did it end? NBA kept him busy for two years in court and AB Mahmoud’s tenure finished.
1(b) Did I hear you mention John Austin Unachukwu? He survived because AB Mahmoud SAN was not interested in keeping him out of the Exco. If AB was interested, Austin would’ve gotten “judgement” on September 2018.
2. Mazi Afam Osigwe SAN. In ahead of 2018, he was the candidate to beat(although I stuck with EBF and supported Arthur Obi-Okafor SAN) Mazi would’ve broken the long jinx of the hold on NBA leadership by SAN. But he was disqualified.
Mazi, former General Secretary of NBA, didn’t go to court. Today, he is SAN and highly respected in NBA circle and again, the candidate to beat in 2024, when the NBA Presidency will be zoned to South East.
3. At local branches, examples abound of those who sued their branches and how they are not fairing well in their NBA political career.
The above weighed on my selfish interest, was what influenced me into not suing NBA and its Electoral Committee.
I thank all those who stood up to be counted. The Chief of these giants are; Kevin Ebele Adinnu, Mazi Afam Osigwe SAN, Chief Ubani Monday Onyekachi, Lynda Rose Bala(1st Vice President-elect of NBA), Caroline Ladidi Bishop(Treasurer elect NBA), Glory Onukaogu-Ozoemenem, my runaway mother-in-law; Cynthia Ovuarume, she wanted us to demonstrate and march to NBA Secretariat (fear cum catch me and I was begging her to calm down)
Mukosolu she carried it up to erection day and refused to vote for anybody for the office of Publicity Secretary. She was a die hard believer in my cause and made it hers and the whole of Enugu NBA knew me 60% because of her oh!
I I also thank all of you, who chose whatever means you felt was the best to intervene.
For those who took to silent prayers, may I also remember you silently when you are going through anything that threatens to swallow you!
