Let me wish the new Inspector General of Police good luck. Usman Alkali Baba needs to do better than his predecessor who was more occupied in court on how he could rule till 2024 than how he could maintain law and order in Nigeria. What happened in Owerri (Imo state), over the weekend, was one of the lowest points in Nigeria since 1970.
They took down the prisons, took down the Force Headquarters, and for 2-3 hours, commanded the city. And to explain that Nigeria is fading, the men began at the Government House, announcing their presence, and sang to the execution points. The Police were largely nonexistent!
In Ovim while we are in Abia state with Umuahia as the capital, Owerri remains our de facto capital because Owerri remains special to Ovim. Our sons were governors in the state. So, whenever Owerri has an issue, it is always painful because up till today, Ovim people retire to Owerri, from Lagos, New York and London, not Umuahia.
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As I wish Baba good luck, I wish Mr. President a faster return to his nation. The Supreme Court is largely shut down due to the striking judiciary. The doctors are on strike and today, university lecturers are planning to re-restart. FCT is down on strike. And from north to south, state workers are unpaid!
I have said it before: if Mr. President comes out and says, “Fellow Nigerians, I need help in a more practical way, many Nigerians will rise”. Sam Mbakwe did that and Imolites responded.
We need a new playbook in the nation. A new IGP is a welcome development but it changes nothing if you cannot inspire the citizens to believe!
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