Adoga Michael Oyi
In the buildup to the last US general elections, Donald J. Trump, the Republican candidate employed a simple but most effective strategy to imprint a message on the minds of the American electorates.
At every campaign ground, he would referred to his main challenger Hillary Clinton as “Crooked Hillary” and with time, his audience came to identify her as such.
Basic human psychology agrees that a lie frequently and consistently told, stands the risk of being labelled as Truth and the only way to debunk a lie is to prop up the Truth for all to see.
Nigeria is currently in the news owing to the 2019 general elections and it would appear parties/candidates are in a desperate race to negatively label opposing candidates in a bad light.
Some hired media team appear to have made a pact of denigrating the name of Chief Jude and it would seem they have borrowed a leaf from Donald Trump in the way they consistently avoid telling the electorate what they intend to do but are busy labeling Jude Ngaji a bad man and one given to unimaginable reveling.
From the way they constantly go about this, it would not be out of place to suggest that they equate insults on Chief Ngaji to a well thought out manifesto and one is constrained to wonder when the mundane can be discarded for real issues.
But who indeed is Jude Ikaba Ngaji?
Who is this man they daily insult and desperately frame a negative narrative around his person and way of life?
Who is the man behind the negative enemy-induced labels?
What is it about the man that inspires so much anger from naysayers and what are those things in his past that have moulded him into the man that he is today?
The household of Ngaji was one run on a strict regimen and young Jude had to wake up very early to join other family members in prayers before engaging in chores usually allotted by his mum and he still vividly recalls the great emphasis dad placed on punctuality, politeness, Truth no matter whose ox is gored and honesty.
He recalls being totally intrigued by that well known Yala trait of never allowing a visitor depart without offering them something and this would eventually become a notable lifestyle of his as the years piled up.
It is this trait of giving and making visitors to his home comfortable that has recently been mischievously misconstrued by political opponents who have gone to town weaving tales of a man given to merry making.
The same persons who were once recipients of his unimaginable benevolence are today the people spreading these wicked tales and you really have to wonder what such despicable minds hope to achieve.
Anyone who has had the good fortune of knowing this gentleman from his younger days up till now would tell you that Chief Jude has not changed a bit from the jolly good fellow that he naturally is.
He still remains that giver whose doors remained wide open and was happiest when people of all hues and persuasions flocked to his home and he went about playing the perfect host.
Those who worked under him during Imoke still recall with nostalgia those weekends he “mandated” staff to converge at his home where he did what he loved best; hosting and essentially ensuring there were happy faces all around.
Such informal forums where staff could visit with their families soon provided a platform for bonding and it is a known fact that in terms of productivity in the office, Jude’s team far outranked the rest.
A leader who never forcefully demanded loyalty and one who knew just how to maintain that delicate balance of being firm and resolute with a human face, Jude had the uncanny ability of effortlessly bringing out the best in his subordinates who found in him a team leader they could trust and felt motivated enough to give it their best shot.
Surely this Yala boy never forgot his roots and the heritage of giving for which his people are known for to this day.
A noble and accommodating way of life that wicked people in high places have turned into a propaganda topic and pointing out his penchant for at least offering a point of substantial argument as evidence of his so-called life style.
It is this same determination that saw him ensuring Cross river state stayed afloat at a time most states were groaning under the full weight of security challenge.
It is this service-delivery mentality that has equally seen him consistently empowering people at a time others in most offices are wailing under the weight of months of unpaid emoluments.
His achievements never for a second stopped him from identifying with his roots and anyone that truly knows him would attest to his uncanny love for the Yala tradition and an almost single-minded penchant for promoting it anywhere in the world.
Among his faults is an unwavering disdain for pretence and with Jude, you know exactly where he stands on any issue but this trait is a major reason some suggest he is not really a politician of the Cross river mould.
It is one trait that has made him enemies of those who mean No when they openly say Yes but the introspective majority understand this to be one of the major secrets to his numerous successes in life.
Unlike core politicians versed in the art of deception, Jude would rather bury his head in work than spend valuable time hopping from one platform to the other trying to impress his audience on the need to view him as the next best Saint.
The majority have enough sense to go way beyond the well-packaged negativity and understand that it is practically impossible for a man to achieve so much in private life and yet be the monstrous and wastrel these wicked people paint him out to be.
They know a child of destiny when they see one and are not perturbed when wicked men throw idle mud at him for they know men naturally hurl stones at the best, most succulent looking and ripest fruit on a tree.
But trust evil men in our midst to get mad over a father’s love for his son and we all witnessed the disgraceful ways they tried to negatively change the narrative by insisting that a father positioning his son is an act of imposition.
The truth is, there will be no end to the plots and sickening attempts to define Jude Ngaji on their own despicable terms but the sad reality is, the man they so desperately fixate about, doesn’t even have the luxury of time to be thinking about their next move.
You see, Jude is all about working and getting the job done and to give ear to these lame negative distractions is to be really distracted.
Ikaba is a yala name that talks about the supremacy of God in the affairs of men and the way this campaign is going, it would appear some men imagine they can play God and get away with it.
You see this in the way their supporters stumps the length and breadth of the state, making idle boasts of their ability to win the next election.
You equally see this in the way the hired media faithful grandstand and tell anyone who cares to listen that they are the winning team and therefore, cannot lose.
But they forget that Jude is a child of Destiny whose very rise has the stamp, God.
They forget that Destiny reached out to pick him at a time others were busy fighting themselves to sit on the same throne he never lobbied for.
They forget that this same God remains alive and is by far greater and stronger than whatever powers they think they wield.
Come the next senatorial election, this most maligned man shall once again offer himself for election and though the media hawks and hyenas are busy conjuring the next lie, Jude Ngaji shall yet prevail to the glory of God and eternal shame of all evil naysayers for no one can destroy an idea whose time has come!
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