Ogar Emmanuel Oko my dear brother, so this your character of 'letter writing' is still in you? Sometimes, I wonder if you were tutored by our former president, Dr Obasanjo Olusegun. But I can't easily find the connection, only seeing your observations in ink and everywhere too. Such act is not condemnable though. Because, as a young man, you must strive to be heard. Like I normally encourage those who come close to me, especially my peeps - "that a man should be known for something. That an individual should continually strive for something. That if a man can't invent, he should try to profound a theory or model. And if that is not possible, a man should at least have a word or better still a sentence (quote), that will be reference to him particularly. In other words, a man should be known for something that is quite spectacular, exceptional and commendable. Whether gratifying or not. Gradually, you're proving what you should be known for - at least for seeing things and not keeping quiet - whether bad or good. You always strive to put it the way your conscience convinced you which summarily becomes your observation.
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| Hon Declan |
Be that as it may, please be rest assured that your recent ten paragraphs letter written in my name or should I say, addressed to me actually reached me. And my press secretary in his willful attitude drafted this for me to send to you via the same channel. I hope it will get to you too.
But before I touch some salience points you raised in your letter, let me let you know that I totally acknowledged your warmest greetings and disposition of concern in the letter. The whole of my family is sending you greetings in return, and wishing you beyond what you may be wishing yourself that is good. We appreciate your personality and wished to be learning things from you.
On the matter whether you "haven't heard from me or seeing my characteristic display" regarding whether Ayade is going for a second term or not is that which I don't quite understand. I do not understand in the sense that even you, you shouldn't expect everybody to be playing the same pattern of politics or call it polytrick. Yes, the "hullabaloo of endorsements" may be everywhere as you rightly said, but I put it to you, Sir, at what point or gathering either privately or publicly have you seen the sitting governor declaring for a "Second term bid"? Or should everyone plays the role of a coward or being hypocritical at all times? Yes, it might be a "residue of politics" as you've put rightly, but do you support the idea of everyone doing same? Yes, as an SA or PA or whatever inclination you may be attaching me to in this current administration, does it really have any element to change the who is the Declan Ogar-Genesis? Why don't you wait until the governor declare for a second term either openly or secretly to my hearing before you look out for my "endorsement" position as it were? Why being this inquisitive? Yes, I may have been "almost ubiquitous, voice trumpeting with the highest pitch, waxed so strong and lyriced rhythms for Ayade prior to 2015" as you've stated, but don't you think nothing is constant except change? If not, why are you not imagining or surprise over the fact that those who were directly opposing the Ayade's ambition back then prior to 2015 are now the ones benefiting hugely from him today as rightly observed in your letter sir?
To inform you a bit further, Sir, yes I truly "walked through the shadow of evil, drenched by rain, scorched by the pangs of sun for...while some were with Legor, Fidelis Ugbo and the rest" and I stood my "ground with Ayade" as you've put it. But beyond that, I hope you realised the fact that, going by sentiment, Rt. Hon Larry Odey - the speaker then and once Acting Governor was and remain my Uncle from Ugaga my home village? You may not have been aware of the fact that before the bell of 2015 governorship election rang, i was having a very close and good relationship with the likes of Hon Dr Emmanuel Ibeshi, Hon Tanko Ashang, Barr Ntufam Fidelis Ugbo, Rt Hon Paul Adah, and a few other governorshp aspirants. But in the midst of all these relationships with these calibres so listed, I was chanting the Ayade's song - a man I had no initial close relationship with prior to that period as compare to the aforementioned aspirants. I made such a choice essentially for the interest of young people of Cross River State and the state in general, and not based on sentiment or personal aggrandisement as many do. Judging from the Ayade's antecedents as I heard and roughly seen then. His vocalisations in the senate, his scholarship scheme (be it lobbied or personal), his food bank initiative, his transportation intervention, his road patching intervention and over and above all, his relatively generous attitude as against others about the time. In addition, which was more fundamental in my judgement nay adoption, how I saw and heard some people still talked so strong in abuse against him and his ambition of becoming the next governor after Imoke. I hate Cross Riverian hating his fellow Cross Riverian especially because of political difference. Hence, I became so very empathetic and considerate in favour of Ayade. I concluded that, for these other persons to be castigating and running the man down this way, he must be a "good man". Because, roughly judgement infers that "good people" are not liked by many, so i stood my ground in support of Ayade's ambition. Moreso, my toughest challengers were coming from Obudu axis which happen to be his Local government origin, seconded by Yakurr. I saw that as an infringement and jealousy against the man Ayade, so i stood my ground to see the worst at least with Ayade. If you observed very well, while the who-is-who in Cross River State politics were identifying with their preferred aspirants to replace Imoke, the highest and the eldest amongst us following Ayade during consultation (apart from the fact that he was a sitting Senator then) were Dr Peter Adigeb who is today Chairman Cross River Local Commission, followed by Hon John Ulafor who is the current Commissioner for local government, Hon Aklah Kenn the Special Adviser Governor's office and events Management and few others we tagged today as "G13". Actually, we were about thirteen in number - very inconsequential politically if you weigh us then compare to Cross River State political heavy weight as at then. But God had His way and Ayade was eventually handed over the PDP Governorship ticket and every structures collapsed for Ayade. The ones who claimed to have known Ayade beyond his parents, vehemently stood their grounds against the decision of picking Ayade and went to adopt other parties' platform to challenge him and again continued with their ugly expressions against the man Ayade why he shouldn't be supported for the position of a governor. All of these are history though. But for record purpose, I can provide some people's positions against Ayade to you even right away. Because, it's all about social media and history cannot easily be erased. It was the Ayade himself who continuously cautioned me not to react to some of those their negative ills and political gimmicks being perpetuated against him before the public then. My position held sway irrespective of my individual's interest at the time. After all, I believe that after the election, the winner will rule over all of us as governor of Cross River State. So, needless we engaged ourselves that brutal in the name of politics.
But all said and done, Mr Ogar Emmanuel Oko, today by the grace of God, we have Ayade 'the unwanted fellow' by many as governor. The same people who hated him so much are now the ones benefiting from him so huge as you said. I don't know whether those of you who were gathering useful and important information that led to the dream came to fruition are still being consulted now? Things are falling apart by the day. I expect that by now, Ayade's popularity should have grown to a level that no single individual would wait to be given a dime before or after appearing in a function or gathering targeting him even as sitting governor. In short, I was not even considering Ayade to remain wasted taking a second term as governor. I was rather very optimistic that he will do so well in such a way that the federation will come and take him away from us in Cross River State to be made either the Vice president if not the president. Essentially, my belief for Ayade was actually beyond him being a governor in Cross River State. Let alone, second term, or third term or one million term bidding.
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| Hon Ogar Emmanuel |
And so my dear brother, you need not be hypertensive nor curious nor agitated or whatever for my personal position towards the purported second bid of Ayade. Whenever he declare openly or confide on me may be in private, I shall say my personal opinion accordingly.
I am not a coward and I will never be a coward even at the point of death.
Regrettably, majority who are saying the sweetest may be when having the opportunity in a somehow public arena, usually say the worst behind. And unfortunately, our politics of today works more behind than at the front of the scene. Sycophancy and pocket or call it stomach infrastructure have been the grease of our political relevance today. If the former is still working, GEJ wouldn't have lost the election upon all the momentums that were gathered in his favour then. The secret politics took GEJ and many of us by surprise. And it wonders me why should human beings behave that way. The practical interest lies in their stomach and not the state or the future which is more important. Whereas, the future starts today. If our today is not properly positioned sacrificially, our future can never be better than yesterday. And if we all decide to eat all the food we have today without considering reducing our meal quota for the sake of tomorrow, many will die of femine tomorrow as a result of our today's consumption.
Remember, as people who were growing into maturity, we all cried of marginalisation and clamoured that the north should be given a chance. You - Ogar Emmanuel Oko as vocal as you are wrote a lot in support of that. Now, let me ask you Mr letterwriter, how are you faring differently now that you have a northerner as governor of Cross River State? I'm sure you have so much to learn now than ever.
However my dear brother, I know that within this period, I've had successive activities that have consumed so much of my savings and time. First, earlier into the government, I lost my dear mother after I had spent a lot for her treatment. Imagine how such burial would be as a perceived "government appointee" in our locality. And then, I thought the local government election will be conducted, I jumped into consultation. Imagine consulting for an elective position in Yala LGA where everywhere has someone very important to reach out to in both constituency one and two of the council area. While the council Chairmanship election lasts, I found myself taking my dearly beloved wife to the church for blessing. All of these involved huge money and big time too even as an appointee of government.
This is regardless of the fact that even you - Ogar Emmanuel Oko whom I had earlier introduced to Ayade as part of those who run things with me in the cause of the struggle which you even had the privilege of seating side-by-side in the vehicle with him himself at a time and ate from the same bowel of food, what is your status today as compare to those people who were vehemently opposing him then? You can name a few guys who were working hand-in-hands with us then via our ParadiseVoice platform and many other fora while we traversed the nooks and crannies of Cross River State all in projection for Ayade prior to 2015, where are them today? Who are them in this administration now, as compare to those who were rather silence about the whole matter or completely against the Ayade's ambition then? What have they gotten for us to at least keep their 'loyalties' intact?
I heard from some people that the governor is being bewitched - the reason why he hardly do the right things consistently as expected. But to me, that's hypothetical. In politics, you can't rule out the monkey work, monkey chop phenomenon. The process that led to someone being adopted as candidate has been always critical than any other stages in the political permutation.
My dear brother, friend and associate, call it POLITICS or POLYTRICK, not everybody plays it the same pattern. And so, do not expect me to be predicted as others.
Mind you, my life is not centred on politics/polytrick at all. Remember, as an Immigration Officer I was equally pursuing my scholarship and some other things to survive then. Also have it at the back of your mind that I can practically do so many menial jobs to survive. I'm such a dogged humble fellow who can never detest any type of job so long as it will provide me at least what to put in my stomach to survive for the next day awaiting God's generous opportunity. For God's time is always the best. My leadership quest is practically for the search of a more acceptable platform to contribute my quota to the growth and rapid development of my community and state and beyond. Nothing more. No selfish interest attach. Conscious of the fact that "if a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich." said John F. Kennedy
And so, in summary my dear brother, I see Ayade as a nice man notwithstanding, no matter the opinion others may have about him or what other people described him for. The home taking point is that nothing is constant except change. One may change for the better, yet some may change for worse. That is the human nature for you.
If you don't mind, wait see my endorsement position when the need arises. Practically, I shall queue behind somebody for a governorship position and mobilise people for that just the way and manner you've known me for. Whether he wins at the end or not. But a big point would be projectef for public consumption and analysis.
We are all brothers. The earth is large enough to accommodate everyone. Anyone who feels threatened is a feeble-minded fellow and has no place even in heaven.
God is watching even where man can't see.
Thank you for reading my little response to your very timely letter. I shall continue to respond to your letter paragraph by paragraph as time goes on.
For now, have a great day ahead. You are such a jolly good fellow.
Sincerely yours,
Declan Ogar-Genesis (Peace Ambassador)
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