Nigeria: Consequences Of Unaddressed Injustice - Masterweb CEO’s Case
Olusola Daniel
By Emeka Umeagbalasi, Board Chair - Intersociety
(Intersociety, 11th October 2015)-Chief Charles O. Okereke is the Founder & CEO of the Nigerian
Masterweb News, based in Milwaukee, Wi 53209, United States and born in
Ndi-Elendu, Alayi in Abia State, Nigeria on 29th July 1956 (59yrs). He won then
Imo State Government scholarship to study in the United States. He later earned
Bachelors of Science Degree (B.Sc.) -1975-1979 and Masters of Science Degree
(M.Sc.)-1980-1981 in Agric from the Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon,
United States. Chief Charles O. Okereke later founded the Nigeria’s premier
online news called the Nigerian Masterweb in the year 2000. The Nigerian
Masterweb is one of the earliest, if not the first Nigerian online news through
which newspapers were read online in those days.Chief Okereke’s successful
exploits in media and communications also saw him composing God Bless Africa
(the unofficial African Anthem) in 2002, Rise Up For Africa in 2003 and All
Hail Biafra (song inspirationally composed at the end of the Nigerian-Biafran
Civil War in 1970, but recorded in 2003).
In spite of these robust and wonderful feats recorded for himself and
Nigeria, Chief Charles O. Okereke is far from being happy with Nigeria. From
diversion of his scholarship funds in the 70s by corrupt diplomatic officers at
Nigeria’s Embassy or Mission in USA, which forced him to seek a menial job in
USA to be able to complete his scholarship education; to job
retrenchment/unemployment that affected him on his return to the country in the
80s, the Chief is steadily angry with Nigeria since then. The worst of it all
was how he was cheated out of the African Union Singing Competition in 2003
that saw him relegated to third position, instead of first position, which he
said was doctored and given to the undeserved winner. Chief Okereke’s anger is
steadily directed at Nigerian political authorities, who refused to attend to
his numerous petitions including those addressed to the Yar’Adua and the
Jonathan administrations for the purpose of looking into and addressing, even
if belated.
The summation of Chief Okereke’s age-long grievances against Nigeria can
be read at http://www.nigeriamasterweb.com/ElectionRev/OkerekeStolenSchoolFees.html . Chief Okereke’s age-long plight is not only a
good random sampling as it concerns similar or same ill-treatments meted out to
Nigerian citizens by successive public office institutions and holders in
Nigeria; forcing most of the victims to run to overseas where many of them give
up their Nigerian citizenship; but it exposes the country’s sub-human handling
of the plights of its citizens; from sporting to diplomatic and social
wellbeing of the citizens. One of such sore cases was total abandonment of late
Prof Chinua Achebe by both Federal and old Anambra State (Anambra and Enugu
States). It took immediate intervention of the United States Government for the
precious life of the renowned Professor to be saved and rehabilitated after his
fatal automobile accident.
Till date, Nigerian Government hardly recognizes the ingenuity and scholarly efforts of its naturally and academically gifted personalities while at home. But the same Government roles out drums in cerebration including bestowment of merit awards the moment the personalities under reference excel abroad or internationally in their chosen and scholarly fields. The case of late Prof Chinua Achebe who was offered a National Merit Award in 2004, which he commendably turned down is a typical example. ( Continues below….. )
Photo Above: Chief Charles Okereke in 2012 presenting Chief Nduka Eya, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Secretary-General a copy of the CD of his composition "God Bless Africa" that came in 1st in the African Union Anthem competition and a copy of "Encyclopedia of National Anthems (2nd Edition-Volumes 1 &2)" where he was cited under African Union; both copies of the CD and Encyclopedia were for Ohanaeze library. Extra copies of the CD and encyclopedia were also given to Ohanaeze for submission to President Jonathan along with their petition to him on behalf of Chief Okereke.
This is why clownish and clannish mortals like Mr. Adams Oshomoile will
have the effrontery to pour his dirty venom on egg heads like Dr. Ngozi
Okonjo-Iweala, on simple reason of the fact that himself and other clownish and
clannish fellows concocted and manipulated existing ethnic and demographic
settings in the country, resulting to the emergence of federal ruling party,
which he is now a member. Funny enough, the same Oshoimole has gone dumb
following the recent double international appointments handed down to the same
woman.
It is totally correct to say that 80%, if not more of Nigerian
intellectuals overseas are victims of Nigeria’s human neglect and
underdevelopment of yester years. In the United States alone, there are over
25,000 Nigerian professors, doctorate degree holders and other experts of
international standing and only 10% of them can turn Nigeria into China
overnight if given the opportunities. To worsen it all, Nigeria, till date, has
not stopped beating about the bush in that respect. Indigenous and Diasporan
dichotomy in selected professional fields like medicine and engineering is
still very high. In higher educational system, awkward policies still disallow
the country from tapping the wealth of Nigerian born scholars abroad. In all,
Nigerian society is such that chronically encourages mediocrity and
professional quackery and discourages meritocracy and professionalism.
In as much as we totally share Chief Charles O. Okereke’s sentiments against
Nigeria particularly its public institutions and administrators, both present
and past, we make bold to say that the most important aspect of lifetime
achievement is not to be officially recognized and celebrated, but to use it to
the better the living conditions of members of the achiever’s immediate and
extended societies. In other words, any lifetime achievement that is not
directed towards the service to humanity is better not achieved or earned than
earned. Lifetime achievement has various ways of recognition and it is
generally divided into two categories of formal and informal or remote and
immediate recognitions.
For instance, Christopher Columbus as the discoverer of Americas (a word
coined from another great explorer-Amerigo Vaspuci) is physically recognized in
USA with a tomb/statue, whereas the second discoverer of Americas (Amerigo
Vaspuci) is recognized by mind and tongue. Their explorations took place in
late 1400s and early 1500s. The Republic of France donated the Statue of
Liberty to USA when the US marked 100 years of its independence. The
philosophic works of Jean Jacques Rousseau (1762) inspired the French
Declaration of the Right of Man & Citizen (French Revolution) of 1789,
while the philosophic works of John Locke (1690) inspired Thomas Jefferson, who
conceived the American Independence Declaration, proclaimed on July 6, 1776.
The phrase Global Village was first coined and invented in 1400s (15th
century) by a Briton named Marshal McLuhan as a village cleared by a high level
of information technology. This was on account of, or followed discovery of the
triangular trade between Africa, Europe and the New World now called America.
It took over 580 years in 1989 (on the heels of collapse of the cold war) for
the phrase –global village to be dusted up and operationally defined and
designed for present global usage.
The consequences of not attending to public petitions or representations
are behind the country’s woes of present time. Nigerian public institutions and
office holders must change this awkward and age-long policy and begin to attend
to people’s complaints no matter how inconsequential they may be. When the
citizens complain individually or collectively, their complaints must be
diligently looked into and responded to. This is a major way of giving them a
sense of belonging and narrowing the gap between the public offices and
officers and the citizens.
Photo Above: Chief Charles Okereke( left
), Late Chief (General) Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Eze Igbo Gburugburu( right
).
- CLICK FOR ENLARGED PHOTO.
Signed:
Emeka Umeagbalasi, B.Sc.
(Hons) Criminology & Security Studies, M.Sc. Candidate, Peace Studies &
Conflict Resolution
Board Chairman, International Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law
(Intersociety)
+2348174090052 (office)
Emekaumea...@gmail.com