BY Okey Igwesi.
Eminent nationalist and renowned Zikist, late Chief Mokwugo Okoye, in his letter to late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe during the crisis in their party, NCNC (National Council for Nigeria and Camerons) in the early 60s, wrote this to the great Zik of Africa: " The greatest CASUALTY as it is with us and our party today, "IS THE TRUTH! Lies are fabricated, and news slanted to suit the political extigencies of the day.
In Okoye's words, he also noted that the masses which they are supposed to be fighting for "are massively deceived, all to achieve a selfish aim" and worse, people in their gullibility and pursuit of their daily lives , accept every thing as normal !", he regretted!
The above situation is still what we are witnessing in Nigeria from the hands of our leaders and in particular, the scenario of current event in Enugu state where SMART SCHOOLS and Sujimoto CEO with the government are at a cross road!
Mr Sijibomi Ogundele, CEO of SUJIMOTO Luxury Construction Limited, in a recent dramatic social video clip, alleged that the state, through the governor, Dr Peter Mbah, was chasing him with the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC for a failed contract of 22 SMART SCHOOLS awarded to his company by the state with a payment of N5.7 billions as mobilisation. This revelations in which he accused the government further for failure to honour their part of the contract and under pricing, took many by surprise!
First, how was such contract awarded to an individual, Sujimoto CEO, without an open bidding and mobilisation of half the cost of the total contract sum paid to his account in Zenith bank without due recourse to the Jaiz bank account number he used as bond to secure the contract. This, to some sycophants and praise singers in the state, remained normal and wished that no one should cry fool!
Who awarded this contract and approved the payment of the money without due process? Ranging from the office of Ministry of Works and Finance and their DGs to the State Accountant General..? Was this contract and particular payment made with the approval of these officials? These are major questions begging for answers!
How was a single contractor, hired from Lagos given such contracts in a state with highly qualified building engineers and contractors, seeking to prove their worths? These and more are some questions agitating the minds of many in Enugu. But to some, "Let the governor settle the matter" he created "!
In a Sahara Portal news of 13th September, reports that the Enugu State government through the Anti Graft Agency (EFCC) had secured an order from a magistrate court to detain the Sujimoto CEO, but watchers are still sceptical on how the EFCC who are known as toothless bull dogs in matters like this will hardly bite and sustain this case . Many wondered if they will sustain the fight for the state when the case goes to higher courts .
Observers equally are not happy that some of the government officials who may had compromised in their duties in the award and payment of this money were never mentioned, arrested or detained.!
To avoid further waste of state funds and embarrassment in pursuit of this case, many were of the opinion that the state should quietly settle the matter out of court and collect whatever is left from " this 419 of a man called Sujimoto CEO " .
The whole scenario to many, are true manifestation of conspiracy and fraud behind the vision of smart green schools by the state government.
The best, according to many, would have been the upgrading of all the existing primary schools in every locality in the state to smart schools before building another.
To build new smart schools without first lifting the old schools that are in terrible state of dilapidation will not only create social dichotomy among the teachers and local communities but amount to perhaps neglect of this old primary schools.
This was the case of what happened to special science schools established by the same Enugu state in the past in many communities but today are not funded and functional as expected, the people maintained!
...Okey Igwesi is a journalist and Social Commentator. NNL.
