The article “DECONSTRUCTING AND RECONSTRUCTING PROF. ODINKALU’S TIRADES AGAINST GOVERNOR SOLUDO” was recently written by Dr. Law Mefor, the Anambra state Commissioner for Information and Value Reformation. Apparently put together in an attempt to hold brief for his principal, Dr. Law Mefor perceives Prof. Odinkalu’s recent constructive criticisms of Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo over certain issues of concern as unfair and unnecessary. This is quite interesting, though in Nigeria there seems to be nothing untoward for a subordinate to desperately seek to impress his master even at the risk of his own integrity. But there is, however, something fundamentally wrong when such a subordinate begins to misrepresent plain truth and even go the whole hog of muddling up facts in issue and facts relevant to facts in issue.
From the beginning of his article, Dr. Law Mefor endeavored without success to create the very wrong impression that many so-called well-meaning Nigerians were outraged by the fact that Prof. Chidi Anselm Odinkalu criticized Governor Chukwuma Soludo over certain issues of concern to him. Needless to say that this submission is faulty and as such a glaring fallacy mainly because there is no known report of Nigerian people’s opinions on the matter anywhere to attest to or back up such a claim. The fact that Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo wielded his power to remove Prof. Chidi Anselm Odinkalu as the immediate past Pro-chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu University (COOU) does not translate to silencing Odinkalu or taking away the unique brand this erudite Professor has established for himself over the years as a foremost human rights activist and good governance advocate – a brand Dr. Mefor himself has no illusions about and, in fact, did acknowledge it in his diatribe under review. And so, to have insinuated that Prof. Odinkalu suddenly metamorphosed into a rabble rouser and a thorn in the side of Soludo-led government as a result of his removal as Pro-chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of COOU is, to say the least, a shameful display of stark ignorance of the personality of this renowned activist by Dr. Law Mefor.
Besides, the assertion by Dr. Mefor that no significant improvement existed since the establishment of the Uli campus of Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu University until Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo visited the citadel of learning, and consequently caused a change of development narrative in the institution, is largely a serious contentious fact in issue. Characteristically, this attitude of the mind has been the bane and prominent future of Soludo-led government, often downplaying the achievements and legacies of past administrations in the state. Anyway, that is by the way. The feeble argument by Dr. Mefor that the Soludo-led government made it a reality that the Uli campus of COOU got connected to our malfunctioning national grid does not in any way indicate that the institution existed hitherto without electricity infrastructure. Instead, Mefor’s contention even goes further to highlight and underscore the crystal fact, as he even unknowingly acknowledged in his diatribe, that prior to its connection to the national grid, “the school ran on gensets that weren’t even functional”. By implications, though, the Uli campus is thus portrayed to have already gotten in place fully functional electricity infrastructure that sustained the institution even long before the coming of Soludo-led government, however temperamental the gensets used in operating these infrastructure were. Hence, it becomes contradictory when Dr. Law Mefor quibbles that it took the intervention of Governor Chukwuma Soludo for Uli campus to now experience “electricity supply”.
Regarding the issues of water supply and the reconstruction of roads on the campus, it all depends on one’s understanding of the nitty-gritty of these issues. Of course, if the road reconstruction were to be taken as a reality, then the praise goes to Soludo-led government. However, on the other hand, the assertion by Mefor that the school roads were dirty and untarred before Soludo’s intervention is seriously questionable. In fact, on a serious note, this is sheer allegation being levelled by Dr. Mefor against whoever was in saddle as the Head of Uli campus at the time. Of course, if the institution’s roads were actually dirty at the time as being alleged by Dr. Mefor, then the Head of the Management team of the Uli campus, be him/her the Vice-chancellor or the deputy Vice-chancellor, should be held accountable, and not necessarily Prof. Odinkalu – the Head of the Governing Council of the institution.
Additionally, if since after his visit, Governor Chukwuma Soludo (the citadel’s visitor) decided to become alive to the need for his own development contributions by reconstructing the broken but not necessarily untarred roads leading into and within the University, then such a welcome gesture becomes a true reflection of the fact that government is a continuum, more of a case of “you do your own, and l will do my own and the people benefit in the long run”. To this end, it becomes immaterial that Prof. Odinkalu-led Council was in place between 2024-2026 and presented no case of dilapidation in the institution to Soludo-led government for necessary attention and improvement.
As a Professor of Economics , a seasoned academic, a highly respected stakeholder in the University system, a visitor to Anambra state university, and, more importantly, a politician who promised during his political campaign to revitalize the education sector if given the opportunity to govern Anambra state, one wonders whether Prof. Soludo should have waited for reports from Prof. Odinkalu-led Governing Council or those of other authorities before rising up to the occasion. This is in fact one big consideration that the Honourable Commissioner for Information and Value Reformation, Dr. Law Mefor, should have factored in while putting together his diatribes against Prof. Odinkalu.
That Prof. Odinkalu did express his profound concern without mincing words over the allegation that Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s Special Adviser on Homeland Security, Mr. Ken Emeakayi, was involved in sexual misconduct with Mrs. Mmasi Nwangwu, the wife of Chidozie Nwangwu, popularly known as Akwa Okuku Tiwara Aki, is not really a matter for Dr. Mefor to make fuss about or fob it off as “puerile statement”. Rightly or wrongly, the allegation is believed now to have been investigated, concluded and ultimately dismissed as “false and misleading” by Anambra state government.
But, all in all, the truth of the matter is that for such a position to be coming from an administration obviously rankling with bitterness and having a warped mindset that Prof. Odinkalu is deliberately fomenting trouble for it, as a result of his removal as Pro-chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of its State University, is never unexpected. In any case , in a sane society where premium is placed on virtues of transparency and objectivity in x-raying matters of public interest as serious as the instant case, an independent probe panel comprising experienced people and experts outside the influence of the ruling group should have been assigned to dispassionately and competently handle this very allegation of indiscretions levelled against a key member of the state cabinet, without fear or favor. With hindsight, though, however the findings of the panel are skewed or construed to tilt in favor of the affected appointee and the government, the bottom line is that the solution government got it all wrong fundamentally, going by the contour of the composition of the panel.
What is more, that Prof. Odinkalu is still holding firmly unto the validity of his allegation against Mr. Ken Emeakayi, despite the so-called clean slate purportedly given to him by the probe panel and Anambra state government, is a sad commentary on the integrity of the Light House.
Essentially, the onus now lies on Soludo-led government to take immediate recourse to a court of law on this matter with a view to compelling Prof. Odinkalu to disclose the actual identity of his unnamed sources. After all, this is no difference from what is playing out between the Tinubu-led federal government and Mallam El-Rufia over the telephone allegation against the National Security Adviser Mallam Nuhu Ribadu. And if indeed the Soludo-led government cannot take up the gauntlet in a competent court of law against Prof. Odinkalu, then let all its foot soldiers forever keep mute and allow this renowned activist to excel in his good work of holding the government accountable and responsible.
On a final note, a government that has chosen to embrace the course of lying all the time in its illusion and as its evidence of doing well, shall continue to receive the bullets of truth from its concerned citizens. It matters not who the bullets hit hard among its cabinet members in consequence of its lie-telling propensities. Undoubtedly, this is the stand of the present writer, and it is in no way informed by sheer hate but respect and affection for the Soludo-led government. But like our great Chuba Okadigbo of blessed memory would often put it, “Aristotle loved Plato, but loved the truth much more”.
Onyiorah Paschal Chiduluemije, a journalist, writes from Abatete in Anambra state. He can be reached via +2348037738607
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