PLEASE, OHAKIM’S SECURITY DID NOT MANHANDLE NJEMANZE

PLEASE, OHAKIM'S SECURITY DID NOT MANHANDLE NJEMANZE

My attention has been drawn to a publication in the Newspoint Newspaper, February, February 22-24, 2010 edition page 3, with the caption “Ohakim's Security men manhandle Njemanze.”

According to Newspoint Newspaper, Prince Njemanze said the incident took place at the Concord Boulevard, venue of the 40th Wedding Anniversary of Chief Nwaneri and wife.

Prince Njemanze was quoted as saying that the Governor was watching while the incident was taking place.

“It was most embarrassing to see that he (Governor) gave latent approval to the assault on me”, Bob Njemanze said.

First of all, the scenario which Bob Njemanze tried to paint did not occur. Ohakim's security personnel did not assault Njemanze. Chambers dictionary described assault as “sudden violent; indecent attack; unlawful attempt to apply force, etc.”

As an eyewitness, I saw all that took place in the said incident. What happened was simply that the Governor of Imo State arrived the venue with the wife and after greeting the celebrants, took their seats,

Because of the arrangement of the seats, the first couple was made to sit in a way that you would pass them before getting to the celebrants:

And according to protocol, and security procedures, as long as the Governor and the wife had sat down, security men would not allow anybody entrance into the path way to reach the celebrants again.

Therefore, all personalities who arrived after the Governor and the wife sat down, were directed by the security men to use another route to get to the celebrants. And they all complied.

However, when Prince Bob Njemanze arrived he wanted to follow the blocked entrance, and the security men politely told him to make use of the other route, as protocol would not allow him pass through the Governor and wife.

Bob Njemanze insisted that let heavens fall, he must follow that route where the Governor and the wife were already seated, and the Boys refused. But none of them touched even his shirt.

While Njemanze was busy compelling the security men, the Governor with the wife were enjoying the celebration for which they came, and did not even notice that Bob Njemanze was having a battle of wits with security boys.

After pleadings from some Elders, Bob Njemanze later did the proper thing.

One observation here is that we should learn to obey constituted authorities. The issue in question is not Ikedi Ohakim, but respecting the Institution called Governorship seat of Imo people, which will out-live all of us. Period.

Henry Ekpe
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor