THE FRUSTRATION OF AN ACTIVIST
What I am about to write is not racial or ethnic profiling. My brothers and sisters from Akwa Ibom State and Nigerians in general should take it with equanimity and engage in self-censorship.
Please read carefully and patiently my recent experience.
On Friday, 2nd September, 2016 I received a phone call from a graduating student of the Faculty of Law, University of Uyo who intimated me about a case of assault, unlawful detention and human rights abuses involving a 44-year-old poor widow and a certain "rich man" in Uyo.
The story is that the woman poured waste into a public gutter that passes through the house of his neighbour, Mr. Rich Man. Someone from the rich man's house upon sighting the woman pouring the dirty water into the gutter dragged the woman into the rich man's house and locked the gate. The rich man together with his wife and domestic staff used machete and sticks to beat the poor widow mercilessly and detained her in their house.
From the photos sent to me, the woman sustained serious injuries on her body and was crying profusely and helplessly.
It was actually one of her daughters who rescued her upon noticing that she was not at home. She heard the cries of a woman whose voice she recognized as that of her mother. She summoned courage and entered the rich man's house and rescued her mother.
When I was brifed about the case and with the upsetting condition of the woman in the photos, I became so restless and angry that I could not sleep well on Friday. I started making enquiries about who the rich man is and gathering facts on the matter. One source said the man is a retired medical doctor, another said he is an inlaw to a prominent politician in Akwa Ibom State, the other source said he is the immediate past Secretary of a Local Government Transition Committee. I was determined to bring this man to justice even if he is the most powerful man in Akwa Ibom State.
Yesterday, while I was putting my facts together and making contacts, the culprit went to the Ewet Housing Police Station in Uyo and brought policemen to arrest the woman and her children. I was no longer angry. I was incandescent with rage. Who is this man? What is his name? I kept asking the daughter of the woman who contacted me on Friday night. She could not give me satisfactory answers.
All that I was told was that the man's name is Mr. 'Uwe Oro'. A resident of Obot Etuk Udo Street, Ibiaku, Uyo.
I called the DPO of the station, Mr. Sunday Digha and urged him to intervene in the case. He told me that he was not aware of the case but that he will look into it.
My frustration
I noticed since Friday that the victim's family were not cooperating with me and following my instructions. Instead of doing the things that I asked them to do, they were doing something else. Without my knowledge, they went to their pastor and reported the case. Against my advice, they went back to the man's house to seek settlement. The man and his wife sent them away. Before I could say Jack Robinson, the sister to the victim told me how they "are children of God". That they do not want trouble. That they only want peace. The next thing I heard was that the culprit is going to settle the medical bills of the woman who had been treated in a hospital.
At that point, I knew the victim and her family were not interested in my assistance and intervention despite my assurances to them that I will personally bear the financial burden of seeking justice for the poor widow. After being released, they did not even call to inform me.
Meanwhile, I had already contacted a very senior lawyer in Akwa Ibom State to file a suit next week at the High Court and seek demages and other reliefs on behalf of the victim. I also made efforts to bring the International Federation of Female Lawyers (FIDA) in the state into the matter. All the media and civil society contacts that I made preparatory to bringing the culprit, his wife and domestic staff to justice seems useless now.
What kind of society are we leaving for the next generation when people are not willing to fight for their rights?
This has always been my issue with people from Akwa Ibom State. The slave mindset has destroyed their sense of self-dignity. This is not the first or second time that I have dedicated my time and resources to fight for the rights of someone from that state only to realise that the oppressed is not genuinely interested in bringing the oppressor to justice. I grew up to see this complacency firmly rooted in the culture of Akwa Ibom State. The average person from that state will accept insults and degrading treatment without raising a voice.
This explains why looting, killings, kidnapping and all sorts of criminality were the order of the day during the draconian reign of a certain former governor of that state, yet, people kept saying those atrocities were the will of God. Till date, many still see the said former governor as a god despite the brutal and barbaric manner he ruled over them.
If you were me, will you still pursue justice for that widow? I know that under the Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure Rules 2009, an action can be initiated by a stranger on behalf of a victim of human rights abuses. But in practice, it does not always work that way. Apart from appearing like a busybody who is crying more than the bereaved, such a suit may never succeed because the evidence of the unwilling victim, like in the instant case, may be crucial if not indispensable.
About two years ago, I went to see the lawyer who sued Bishop Oyedepo for slapping a young lady in his Church who he said was a witch in his Chambers in Lagos, I saw the lawyer's frustration with the case. He fought for someone who was not forthcoming. Both the trial court and the Court of Appeal dismissed his case for lacking in merit.
Akwa Ibom people generally have a problem when it comes to fighting for their rights and good governance.
The tendency to leave injustice to God and condone every oppressive actions has never helped any society. I know this is not peculiar to Akwa Ibom people, but it is too pervasive among them for comfort. A state where people rarely go to court to enforce their rights cannot enjoy the full benefits of civilization and democracy.
This 'Forget About It'; 'Leave It To God' and the 'It Is Not Every Right That Someone Should Follow' syndrome has to stop. Akwa Ibom people should liberate themselves from mental slavery.
This is why politicians in Akwa Ibom State can conveniently rig elections and subvert the mandate of their people without protests from the electorates.
There is hardly a day that people from Akwa Ibom do not seek my assistance or intervention for one issue or the other. What I always find very depressing in most of them is that they will beg you not to mention their names publicly. Someone is suffering, he wants you to help publicise or end his suffering but does not want the public to know that he is affected. Is that not slavery? Or is it just fear?
Meanwhile, the widow and her children are living in a one room apartment opposite the said rich man. I understand the police detained the man yesterday after releasing the woman. Why did the police datain him, do they intend to prosecute him? Your guess is as good as mine.
Whatever happens subsequently, heaven will bear me witness that I was committed to helping the poor widow to get justice. However, as an activist, I have certain fundamental principles that guide me. One of which is that I cannot fight for someone who does not want me to fight for him or her. But if by tomorrow they call to inform me that they want something more than "peace" - justice, I am still ready to do what I can provided they give me a written Letter of Authority to that effect.
Until they do so, I am done with this case.
The main reason for sharing this for my brothers and sisters from Akwa Ibom State and Nigerians in general to wake-up from their scandalous slumber, realise that there is neither gain or dignity in slavery and fight for their rights.
N/B: The photo shows the gutter that passes through the house of the rich man where the woman poured the dirty water into. I cannot publish the identity or photos of the widow because of the reasons stated above.
Thank you.
Inibehe Effiong
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