IN SEARCH OF…”THE TRUTH”

The search for the truth is a perpetual exercise; an eternal burden. From the ancient day’s philosopher to religion theologist, to the modern day’s law officer to detective, everyone, every effort, is geared centrally towards the pursuit of the truth, no matter how nebulous. The World clearly revolve on eternal search from the proverbial, yet ephemerality phenomenal truth. Often, it is so close, yet most often, very, very far off.

Truth is variously said to be constant like the northern star, an open wound, needing only good conscience to heal it, yet it has remained unattainable from ages past. All digging for its basic tenets, only produce further puzzling dizzying concepts. Therefore, the sad conclusion that the search for the truth is an exercise in perpetuity. But, this fact, has sadly left the World, in the hands of spin doctors. Happenings in the West, East and back to our dear fatherland, Africa, clearly give credence to this assertion.

In the last few weeks or so, the entire World, has been browbeaten by shocks of various forms and dimensions, all bothering on the lacuna created by the truth. Nigeria and Nigerians seem to have a heavy dose of their own shock. Firstly, the citizenry, I do not know the thinking of those in government, were depressingly dazed by the sudden rumours of the defection of Diezani Allison-Madueke to the Commonwealth of Dominican. Prior to the sudden breaking of the news by a section of the international press, the impression many Nigerians had was that Lady Dezani, our former dazzling beautiful former Minister of Petroleum, was ailing from Cancer attack somewhere in the UK or US. At least, that glamorous journalist, Dele Momodu sold that to the nation. It turned out to be a perfect decoy for the woman to elope from the long arms of justice here.

Diezani had superintended over the Petroleum Ministry under the administration of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GEJ) administration. Her tenure was trailed with multifarious scandals. These scandals, however, transcend financial impropriety. Moral condescending was also mentioned generously. The unexpected twists and turns of events, leading to the loss of the Presidency by GEJ did not totally catch her in the cold. She was in the thick of processing her relocation papers to the Island country where some powerful men of yesterday laundered their ill-gotten and stolen wealth.

Expectedly, the PMB administration turned the heat on her. Slushed funds running into billions of USD were traced to her and her gigolos, one Aluko and Jide Omokore. Immediately, the GEJ government collapsed, she fled Nigeria to the UK. All attempts by the toothless bulldog that is Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to extradite her proved abortive. And neither could the Ministry of Justice could offer any useful help. A few properties here and there, locally here, were confiscated, but all these still amounts to mere peanuts from her suspected loot. The real deal is outside the country with her.

Then step in the influential Dele Momodu. I always read him, follow him, both in print and online. I developed this since our days together at the National Concord. I was a Sub-Editor. It’s always a thing of joy, whenever I was given his script for page planning. Dele flagged an Ad Hoc blog, The Interview for the purpose of buying Diezeani an unmerited public sympathy. He even sarcastically told assaulted our sensibilities that she stole only peanuts from Nigeria. I read the interview he did with Diezeani over and over. I watched the tears-invoking pictures of a once radiating, smashingly beautiful Diezeani and shook my head in utter disbelief. But, I was always suspecting the entire package. Now the lies Dele Momodu sold the unsuspecting nation has busted. Diezeani had only, callously, played a fast one on the 200 million Nigerians. The spin doctor on the prowl.

Diezeani Alison-Madueke with Chief Dele Momodu

But still, Dele Momodu would not bulge. He promptly came out. The spin this time is to ridicule the credibility of the news of Diezeani’s defection and subsequent appointment as the Commissioner for Trade and Investment in the Dominican Republic. Yes, all processes to perfect her change of nationality has been put on hold, and so also is the appointment. But where is the truth? Where is the morality? Where is the conscience of a sitting Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria applying for the citizenship of another country? The pathetic search for the truth indeed continues.

Currently now, in Nigeria, all media spaces, prints, electronic, and even cyber seem to be celebrating the carnival of rape and murder. All manner of rape, both long forgotten before now and the merry-go-round-turned-sour stories of failed love jolly rides are suddenly elevated to the public consciousness and celebrated like no one. I was discussing with a Divisional Police Officer the other day, the topic veered off to the latest pandemic in town. When I pointed out to him, that majority of these cases cannot stand open scrutiny, he was shocked. The unfortunate University of Benin girl, Miss. Vera Omozuwa may still take another twist. We are in search of the truth. The Police statement so far is most unconvincing. And neither the angle of the pregnancy for the local resident Pastor of the Church where she was attacked and killed.

Many have been raped, truly raped. In equal term, many have been duplicitously involved in emotional tango with the so-called rapist. They usually started as consenting teen lovers, but somehow along the line, all may go awry. And this gives those charged with investigating and persecution unending puzzle to solve.

Like rape, like murder, in our clime here, perpetrators oftener than not go away with honours. Those who murdered the sitting Attorney General and Minister of Justice in less than two years after we’re all over the country gallivanting and soliciting for votes. Seeking for a fresh mandate to properly cover the dastardly act. They got it. And they got away with the gruesome murder. Uncle Bola Ige was not the only victim of this. Several others also fell into the bottomless pit. Diezeani raped the country. She looks forward to the honours in Commonwealth of Dominican Republic. She can even aspire to become the Queen at a future time. That is part of the honours.

The various spin doctors will still sooner or later, come out to assuage our pains. It is not the Coronavirus inspired lockdown that locked up our senses. We are naturally like this. The European that connived with the devils amongst our fathers to send the vibrant and outstanding youths to slavery camps are today blaming us. Our stunting growth is not through slavery that was abolished over 200 years ago. It is purely due to our inability to search for the truth and identify it if perchance, we come across it. Our nature is majorly disorderly, rancorous, dishonesty and brigandage. We refused to break out of these cocoons. And it is only the truth that can set us free. And that truth, we lack in all our dealings. This makes it easy for Diezeani and Dele Momodu to rape us by the moonlight. And before our very eyes, they have their full honours. Diezeani and his guys, Aluko and Omokore may have finally fleeced the country of over 1 billion USD! But she denied her role in that.

Afolayan Adebiyi writes from Lagos,

Nigeria Feferity Media Group

© 2020

Images: Courtesy of Freepik and Google images.