JOHN CHIGOZIRI CHIGBU, GOV. IKPEAZU'S COUSIN: A YOUTH LEADER WITH VAST DIRTY PAST

The Abia State governor may have been scammed into appointing his maternal cousin Mr John Chigoziri Chigbu as the Abia State youth leader. The governor's judgement may have been partially beclouded by sentiment of a "relative" by not running proper security check on an aid before engaging his services. He hails from Umuafor village in Obi Ngwa Local government where the late mother of the governor of Abia State governor also came from.

John Chigoziri Chigbu caved a niche for himself in values that are incoherent with traditional and standard expectations. According to one of his childhood friends who preferred not to be mentioned, Chigoziri, in his desires to do the awkward, married Chinyere who is his blood relative. Consequently, thunder and lightening visited him immediately after the marriage. Escaping from such cosmic reaction to such abominable act, he fled to Germany with his sister-wife Chinyere.

While in Germany, he enlarged his criminal orgies in bank fraud and drugs dealings. Consequently, both acts earned him various prison terms in Germany. This is a verifiable fact which is now left to the governor to do a due diligent findings. This is a man who can be as desperate as to pimping his wife as long as it will fetch a financial reward. A case in point was his clear knowledge, understanding and approval of his fellow Igbo man in Germany, nicknamed "Mercie" dating his wife; simply because the man was up to it financially. The case of , Ouattara, a Senegalese asylum seeker in Germany who was a rich drug dealer, dating his wife, an open secret before all Nigerians in the area, did not trouble him because of the benefits. His desire for money transcends every human values. Is it not evident enough that he is capable of going to any length to fulfill his thirst for pecuniary gains. This is the evil that has befallen to the indigent, Mr Uchechukwu Nwagwugwu, whom he is determined to take his land 'by fire by force' (as expressed in the local parlance).

The bloody criminal activities and reign of terror of late "Osisikankwu" can not be forgotten soon. However, the remnant of that criminal gang, namely ChiChi and Maduabuchi (both are from Umuodukwu village in Obi-Ngwa LGA, a nearby community to that of John Chigoziri Chigbu) are presently close associates of Mr John Chigoziri Chigbu. Your guess on this unholy alliance of known criminals and the Abia State youth leader is the same speculation as mine. Abigail Van Burene sums it up: "best index to a person's character is how he treats people who can't do him any good, and how he treats people who can't fight back".

The allegation by Mr John Chigoziri Chigbu that the legal fees of his personal land litigation case with Mr Uchechukwu Nwaogwugwu is being sponsored by Abia State PDP through the influence of his cousin governor is an abuse of power. As he goes around boasting to people that the Abia State PDP Secretary has been mandated by the powers that be to defend him at all cost in the ongoing case leaves one pondering if the governor is indeed aware of all these. Could this be what Abraham Lincoln meant when he said: "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power".

Does His Excellency, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu on the know of whom he has engaged to function in this critical sector - "youth leader" of Abia State? It is believed that the governor is absolutely naive of the characters and person of the individual that he has engaged to lead Abia State youths. Now that the governor has been informed of verifiable facts on his aid, rationally, he is expected to make his verifications and do the needful.

In the words of Robert F Kennedy: "Few will have the greatness to bend history itself, but each of us can work to change a small portion of events. It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance..."