Charles, pick your pen for you have been beating into fame by your Hunters!

 It is no longer news that Charles Otu, the Editor of Ebonyi-based Conscience Newspaper was iron-stroked and manhandled beyond recognition by unscrupulous and recalcitrant blood-wastage enthusiasts under the guise of Ekubaroha Youth Assembly. In fact, all and sundry saw from the pictorial elements harvested from diverse online sources that Charles Otu went through the torture reminiscence of that of a newly undergraduate cult initiate; a Spartan treatment only deserved by an Army recruit undergoing some rigorous military trainings. This is why I doubt if it was really a common write-up of criticism against the Government of the day which should have served as propellant to development, that steered such echelon of annihilation.  

I don’t know who or what is Ekubaroha. However, it sounds “Igbotic” and has a meaning which scrambles to explain a wealth which can accommodate all. So, if this group really knows what their name stands for, they should rather use it to toe good path and affect the citizens positively than orchestrating evil and giving the Governor a bad image, if he actually doesn’t financially propel their activities in a veiled form.

Charles Otu I never knew too well apart from his online presence. We would have been of same Sur-Name if not the redundant letter “U” in mine.  However, I became his friend after he brought a mouthwatering Website-Design contract of Conscience Newspaper to me, a pattern that can only be drawn by a good brother. Ever since then, we have been talking on phone. We attended the same prestigious Government Secondary School, Afikpo; that which I know contributed to his intelligence. So, he is an old boy of GSSA so as Engr. Dave Umahi, the Governor of Ebonyi State. Charles was born by a Mother and a Father and I felt deeply touched at the kind of trauma these two would feel on watching their Son’s half naked pictures on Facebook. That of Virgin Mary and Joseph of our lord Jesus Christ was understandable because they already had an angelic preparedness towards the rugged cross, but Charles’s torture was so mortal and unforeseen. Charles is a brother to someone somewhere and this is why nobody should glory, smile or pray that this happens to his brother no matter what.  Most importantly, he is from Ebonyi State and should be treated with love and care for being so vocal and conspicuous in identifying the wrongs of the Government of the day thereby speaking for the oppressed.

It is pertinent at this juncture to note that Ebonyi State Governor, Engr Dave Umahi through his T.A on media, Lawrence Egede has watched his hands off the perpetuators of the heinous crime against Charles Otu through a statement published on Guardian Newspaper of 5^th of June, 2017 promising to track down the people behind the mask of Charles’s travails. While we await the Governor’s inquest and its aftermath of non-political denial or concession, it would be important to remind him of his oath of allegiance to protect all Ebonyi State citizens as the CSO of the State. I am not going to join his critics until he fails this litmus test of unveiling the miscreants behind Charles’s unmerited torture.  This will go a long way to explain how equipped he is in his commitment to secure the State till 2019 and even beyond.

HUNTERS AND FAME:

The hunters of Charles Otu were so myopic and unprepared to the point that they just rounded him with beatings without removing his brains and fingers through which he reasons and writes, an act which should have been literarily carried out by a surgeon. So these men are even substandard and can be easily tamed before they turn to Ebonyi State Kidnappers Association (ESKA) after 2019 because many of them will be dropped without weapon retrieval routine (WRR).  Many among those that waylaid Charles may be his very good pals after the misunderstanding they shall have with the present Government in soon time. The worst if care is not taken is going to come as soon as Charles fully recovers. They have in actuality, made him a hero of the opposition and the best writer in the state since nobody hitherto, employed by the Government has outwitted him through the magic of repulsive writing.

Undoubtedly, search the name of any Commissioner or Government official in google and tell me if any name as such will exist if not very few. This will tell you how behind the State is on ICT literacy. Also search Charles Otu and see the level of popularity he is enjoying at present both in the State and beyond. He is already known by the Governor. Don’t be surprised that the Governor has visited him or agreed to pay his hospital bills afterwards. So, take it or leave it, Charles Otu will wax stronger and is going to become more threat than usual because of the fame he has been pushed and beaten into by his rivals.

IF I WERE GOVERNOR UMAHI, BUT AM NOT:

1.      I would have made Charles Otu T.A on Secret Criticism and paid him monthly to criticize my government as to trace some stones left unturned in the state, but secretly as not to drag my achievements to the mud.

2.      If Charles refuses the secret criticisms, then I will pay a counter critic on him. Yes! There are good writers who can use sponsored posts through online media with pictorial evidences of the developmental prowess of the Governor to douse tensions created by the opposition. I learned that the Governor already has a T.A in that capacity, but he is not doing enough. He does not cover all Ebonyi State citizens online which is as simple as ABC since he has the database of the citizens at his disposal. So, having not employed anti-critic ICT innovations, Charles’s posts outsmart his and that is why Charles is seen as a threat to the Government of the day.

3.      I would tackle all the problems raised by Charles and render a panacea to it before it spoils shows for me come 2019.

MY ADVICE TO CHARLES AS A BROTHER:

When I read your ordeals, I called you and you immediately picked and greeted “Jookwa Please!”, a greeting esoteric to old boys of GSSA. I asked you if you were fine and you said “Please, I am somewhere and will call you later”. This could not make me to easily confirm if you were truly tortured, waylaid or harassed, so I waited to get close to the point in order not to share grape-vine. Now, I have confirmed that it really happened to you. Hear me out below my dear brother:

1.      It is glaring that you are working for APC while living in the abode of PDP and it is dangerous. So, if APC can’t guarantee your safety, then digress or curtail your writing niche. APC’s Federal might should be able to procure you a better livelihood, good accommodation, a car and security because your level of criticism is no longer molecular.

2.      Engr. Dave Umahi is the Governor of the State. Learn that, and criticize him as a seating Governor.

3.      Since he shares the same secondary alumnus with you, there is already a relationship. So, when writing on him, re-read your write-up and put yourself in his shoes before publishing.

4.      Engr. Dave Umahi has wise Children who read you and even applaud you for telling their father his wrongs, but feel bad whenever lines of insults are noticed than pure criticisms.  So, do well to look before you leap over some posts.

5.      Finally, Pick up your pen and keep writing for this is a gift nothing hinders except death.

Lots of love from your brother and friend!

Otuu Obinna is my name.