Maiwada’s debacle in the quest for ANA throne by Babayemi Opeyemi

 

MAIWADA’S DEBACLE IN THE QUEST FOR ANA THRONE BY BABAYEMI OPEYEMI

For many who must have read “OPERATION THUNDERBOLT, THE ENTEBE RAID" a successful counter-terrorist hostage-rescue mission carried out by commandos of the Israel Defense Forces. I likened the hijack of ANA and recovery to the same case

Since the rift that broke out in the Association in November 2019, a lot has transpired which had left the Association vulnerable to the hands of power hungry usurpers and silent power brokers, a result that was unpalatable for all well meaning members of the noble Association.

 

I recall at Enugu when a set of those who ordinarily refer to themselves as learned colleagues decided to rise and rouse the minds of their likes to disturb and disrupt an ongoing election of the noble Association of Nigerian Authors. Initially, I thought the group was fighting for a course; I took my time to informally seek the opinions of few of the agitators who wanted the election disrupted at all cost. I found out that all was for self contentment, not in the interest of the Association.

 

I saw as the power lords silently used the self acclaimed learned men to openly thug-show themselves. In quest for power, greed for personal gains and cheap popularity, the learned colleagues sold their pride, barter their integrity and relinquished all sense of educational maturity to the dictates of the power lords

 

The results was not palatable for the beautiful Association that has carried her integrity all through the country and beyond she weaves her tails and tentacles of pride and erudition world wide

 

In March 2020, the sequence of drama that unfolded among the desperate power usurpers baffled me as few seven swung to action to hijack and subject our noble Association to a ridiculous state. Hence, the seven man convention, election and deceptive power take over from the handlers of the noble Association. These few claimed to have conducted election and took over power against the public opinion and interests.

 

I must air my disappointment at the behaviours of two well respected members of the Association in the persons of Mallam Maiwada and Tai Akogun, two that are supposed to be learned fellows, they rather put their knowledge into negative use. They led a coup that hijacked the Association. In their knowledge of law and order,they disregarded the rule of law and discountenanced the organs that works the Association; they brought themselves to an imaginary power table, yet use their meagre knowledge of the law to turn things upside down.

 

My untended pain is the utmost and out show of  disrespect that Maiwada and Akogun Tai melted on the elders of our Association. Elders who have carried the Association on their shoulders and nursed her to a noble feat, a time when Akogun and Maiwada certainly were still seeking for a stepping stone in their quest for good life. Ironically, Maiwada will come to the media and refer to the likes of Professor Jerry Agada Professor Remi Raji, Dr Wale Okediran and a host of them as "irrelevant” I was most pained by this singular act of indecency on the parts of Tai Akogun and his boss Maiwada.

I remember vividly that Tai Akogun said at Enugu convention that he found himself in the camp of Maiwada but helpless to help himself. It suffices to say that, the learned Akogun lost self esteem and sold himself out for cheap popularity and a 2 year position. Those with good religious knowledge will remember the case of Esau-Jacob and the porridge saga

Maiwada and cohorts hijacked the Association and threaten her with lawsuits?  They used the roots and the strongholds of the Association, I see it as an intention to outrightly uproot and oust the elders of the Association from any form of relevance. This behaviour brought the question to my mind.  “Who then would be the parent of the noble body. Maiwada?  Tai Akogun? or the silent Lord BMZ?

I am happy to be among the delegates that attended the Benue Emergency General Meeting, I was happy at the eventual turn of events. I followed as events unfolded. The threat released by Maiwada asking all to ignore and discountenance the scheduled meeting as he believed it won’t hold, because of his contact with the state commissioner of police. I must at this juncture, I respect the power and reach of Mr Maiwada if he could actually sit in his northern state and initiated a whole commissioner of police in Benue State to action. I really acknowledge the power and influences. But I must be frank here, influence killed influence at Makurdi as Professor Jerry Agada out shined Maiwada. Power they say pass power.

While the EGM progressed, Professor Jerry Agada was actually summoned by the commissioner of Police to hear his version of the matter on ground.In the same vein, police officers were detailed to barricade the supposed venue of meeting which was not actually communicated. Unknown to the Maiwada and his cohorts, the resolutions and election already held a day before the open date.

Ignorantly Maiwada’s press secretary still released a falsehood, claiming that the EGM was disrupted by the police and Professor Agada in police detention. But they were most surprised when they saw the pictures of Professor Agada and the state police commissioner in a romantic posture. The long and short of it is that the EGM and election held successfully.

I was most stunned by the speech of professor Agada who later came in to address the delegates, when he said. “Let the newly elected executives be magnanimous in victory” meaning there’s always aroom for any repented prodigal son. The speech of Professor Remi Raji was mind blowing. It was a time bomb waiting to explode at the right time, and it did hit the target audience in its full capacity

Following the successful conduct of the EGM that ushered in a new set of executives to the threat of Maiwada,Akogun and cohorts, Maiwada has also since released a trending threat to sue the Association and teach her what lawsuit is. I have also read in a post where the silent lord BMZ encouraged members to discountenance ANA and focus on other writers forum. I want to categorically say here that Maiwada’s threat is likened to the last kicks of a dying horse, aimed at somebody but targeting nobody.

I hope Maiwada and Tai Akogun would be able to give answers to these questions

1. Who are the founding fathers of the ANA led Association?

2. Who are the elders of their own ANA led Association?

3. Who are their successor executives that handed over power to them as could be seen at the proper hand over to Camilus Ukah?

4. After hijacking the secretariat at Mpape, what ANA documents are they able to operate with?

5. Who and who attended their said meeting and election, a  video, photo and minutes of meeting will do

6Since Maiwada claims to be the president of ANA, can he or his treasury give a financial state of the Association.

7Who really are their members, can they call a convention, who will attend?

These are seven in one questions meant for the seven man hijackers of our noble Association. I hope they will be able to pick one by one

The one million questions is, having lost out in their own battle in front of their father’s house are they ready to play the penitent? let the prodigal boys return home to father. Indeed, “there is more joy in heaven over a sinner that repents....”

 Now that the Association has found its feet/feats again, I suggest an immediate swing to action, no delays in the NEC meetings, immediate plan toward the 2020 convention if there will be any. No more the wasted breeds.

 

Babayemi Opeyemi is a registered and card-carrying member of ANA Kwara