Ikaworld.com reacts strongly and takes a very critical stand to the action of Dr. Cario Ojougbo's intimidating action against the Ika Weekly newspaper.
As we write this piece, The publisher of Ika Weekly has been arrested by the police in Agbor.
What happened?
Dr. Cairo Ojougbo, not finding Ika Weekly's 16th June 2012 editorial to his liking proceeded to intimidate Ika Weekly Newspaper with the threat of a multi-million naira legal action. Knowing full well that, as a community newspaper, Ika weekly newspaper cannot boast of financial strength of papers like This Day Newspaper or Vanguard that cannot be easily intimidated, Dr. Ojougbo who, ironically, is addressed as the Ika South political LEADER by the newspaper he is intimidating now proceeds to deal with the Newspaper in ways never seen before in Ika land. His action is now open to be judged by all Ika people.
In a funny twist, and understandably too, the publisher of Ika Weekly published an apology to Dr. Cairo Ojougbo on the 23rd June 2012.
Now the comedy. After the apology and wishing the problem goes away, the publisher of Ika weekly met with the Ojougbo team today 25th June 2012. He was deceived into thinking all was well and matters forgotten only to be arrested just as he left the meeting place. According to sources Dr. Ojougbo is now accusing the publisher of Ika weekly of extortion.
As citizen reporters, Ikaworld.com knows first hand what press intimation is like in Ika land. If our politician sue for every comment and interpretation of their political actions then Ika land will remain in darkness. That in itself is not an alternative.
Drawing a financially weak but well loved community newspaper into a costly legal battle that Dr. Cairo Ojougbo knows he cannot win in the end is just a tactic aim at bankrupting them even before the case is decided. This is not only wrong of any one who is seen as a leader but a sign of worse things to come if not checked.
We do not speak for Ika weekly newspaper but we speak for the right of all human and Ika people to express themselves freely without fear of intimidation.
What should you do?
Read the Ika Weekly editorial below and judge if Dr. Cairo Ojougbo has acted fairly and as a leader.
Ika Weekly' EDITORIAL:
HARMONISE IKA SOUTH PDP FOR THE INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE
Ika
South Local Government with its headquarter in Agbor, until recently was one of
the most vibrant local governments in Delta State. Apart from Agbor being the
former administrative headquarters of the geographical area that is now known
as Ika nation, the local government in terms of location and history no doubt
played significant roles that have helped bring Delta State to the level it is
today. For instance, the location of Agbor is so unique that it takes almost
the same time to go from Agbor to Warri, Agbor to Auchi, while it takes about
the same time it takes to go from Agbor to Asaba to Benin. That makes it
central and focal point.
Made
up of two kingdoms (Agbor and Abavo), Ika South Local Government has suddenly
become a home where people come and do all sorts of rubbish and get away with
it. It has become a local government where leadership, customs and old age are no longer regarded or
respected; a local government where everybody wants to be a leader but no one
wants to be a follower. These and many unsettled issues have put development in
the local government on hold.
Things
became worst immediately after the re-election of Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan as the
governor of Delta State in April last year. Soon after the governorship
election in which Dr. Uduaghan lost in
Ika South, actions of the state government towards Ika South became negative.
At a time, the local government did not have anybody holding appointment even
when politicians in other local government areas had been sworn-in as
commissioners, Special Advisers etc. Ika South became a mockery in government
house, Asaba as petitions upon petitions on what happened during the
governorship election in the local government were sent to the governor. Rather
than find a way of resolving things among themselves once and for all, the
Peoples Democratic Party members in Ika South preferred washing their dirty
linens in the public, thereby putting aside advice from traditional rulers, the
elders and other stakeholders. Now, they have all succeeded in making the local
government cheap before the Governor as he no longer takes any political leader
from Ika South serious and trustworthy.
However,
the recent PDP ward and local government congresses, where it was reported that
the structure of the party was given to one man, Hon Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, have
further balkanized the local government. Just as some number of PDP faithfuls
are commending the development, others, particularly majority of the party
stalwarts are saying no, that Dr. Ojougboh does not deserve it, as he has got
such opportunities in the past and failed as a political leader. Their argument
is that the problems militating against Ika South today emanated from him, as
he had had the golden opportunity of
developing the local government and its people but decided to be selfish and
enrich himself. Good examples were the testimonies of Hon Sunny Ogwu,
former Chairman of Ika South Local
Government and the member representing Ika South in the State House of
Assembly, Hon Barr. Martin Okonta. The
two aforementioned persons on different occasions have allegedly accused Dr.
Ojougboh of using them to exploit the people of his local government and
because they could not tolerate his hegemonic influence on them, left
him to pitch tent with other politicians
they know have the pedigree to deliver positive results. At a time Hon Sunny
Ogwu, and Hon Okonta when asked why they did not perform, they all
pointed accusing fingers to Dr. Ojougboh, saying he was the reason for
their non performance. Now the question
is, is it the man that the ex chairman said has been running down the council
that should be given the structure of the same local government which he has
had pleasure in running down? Ika elders, the youths and all stakeholders
should answer the question. If your answers are yes, then Uduaghan has done
very well, but if not, Ika people should decide. It is a food for thought. The surprise however, is
that neither Hon Okonta nor Hon Ogwu who have left Dr. Ojougboh with the
promise to better the lives of the people of Ika South have done so. They too
are a disgrace and failures due to the mess they have put the council and the
people into during their tenures.
Nonetheless,
every Ika Southerner who is concerned about the development of the local
government is sad about the situation of things in the local government. The
continued petitioning of fellow brothers to a government that has failed its
citizens (Ika people) is uncalled for and his handing over of party structure
to only one man if really that is the truth is undemocratic. There is need for
PDP members to harmonize for the interest of their people. The best thing,
which will be in the interest of the people (Ika people) is, that they should,
like in a democratic dispensation go back to the drawing board and hold a free
and fair election to determine the true choice of the people. Governor Uduaghan
from all indication does not seem to have any good thing to offer the local
government for now, since he has not been able to do that in the past five
years of his administration. Every right thinking Ika Southerner should
co-operate with any of our brothers or
sisters that have good intension of moving the local government forward
irrespective of the political party or camp the person belongs to Ika South
will experience rapid growth if its best politicians aligned together to chart
a common course. In this regard, selfish interest should not be sacrificed for
public interest, for if the anomalies arising from the PDP division is not
settled now, all those parading themselves today as party leaders will before
the next general election be completely relegated to the background. This is a
clarion call to all those claiming to be leaders of PDP
in Ika South to stop trading and making profit out of their people and start thinking of how to move the
local government forward. Ika South is not the property of any man and will
never be. Political leaders in the area, if truly are fighting for the good of
their people should swallow their prides and harmonize themselves to be able to
bring progress to the local government. For it is said that when two elephants
fight, the grass suffers.
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