It is obviously within my rights to form an opinion on issue(s) of concern. As a trained journalist and stakeholder, I equally enjoy the privilege of assuming a position on issues of governance in my dear state.
My latest article published on the back page of Daily Sun of Wednesday, February 28, 2018 entitled “Abia is like Imo, but there’s hope” aptly reflected my thinking and renewed aspiration for Abia. I, therefore, owe nobody any apology.
While responding to the said article, one Onyebuchi Ememanka defiled caution and professional ethics as he unproductively resorted to blackmail and name calling. I am absolutely not surprised hence he clearly lacks the basic training of the journalism profession. Though writing is for all and sundry, there are yet trained persons who are academically and mentally prepared, nurtured and ethically tooled to write professionally. That charlatan called Ememanka does not belong to this noble class.
It undisputedly clear that Ememanka does not know Ebere Uzoukwa, Ochiagha Obingwa, either as a journalist or politician. I don’t know much about him either. I had only set my eyes on that clown on two occasions. The first day was at Enitona hotels, Aba, at a state event where he was uncontrollably running his mouth as a Master of Ceremony(MC). The second occasion was at Crest hotel where he was shamelessly loading some black substance into his dirty nose. I later discovered it was snuff. Chai…dirty boy.
However, the truth remains that Ememanka orchestrated his blackmail relying on a script handed over to him. I am also believing that such script was made available to him by his boss, my brother and governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu. The whole essence was to tarnish Ebere Uzoukwa’s towering profile and hard earned reputation by presenting him as a bad and irresponsible fellow. But, Ememanka and his boss failed woefully in that ill-fated voyage hence the young man is best known and celebrated as an intelligent, hardworking, dedicated, diligent and upright media practitioner.
For the records, Ebere Uzoukwa began his career as journalist with The Tusk, an Aba-based tabloid as Imo State Correspondent in 2003. Later in 2005, he joined The Exclusive newspaper that was published by Prophet T. B Joshua, also as Imo State Correspondent. In 2006, he joined LEADERSHIP, an Abuja based national daily. In 2008, Ebere Uzoukwa was promoted as Senior Correspondent, still covering Imo State. In 2010, Owelle Rochas Okorocha identified him as one of the good journalists in Imo hence he appointed him Chairman of his Media Think-thank Team for Rescue Mission governorship campaign. Upon his victory in 2011, Ebere Uzoukwa was appointed S. A Media(Print). In 2012, he took full charge as SA Media/CPS following Hon. Chinedu Offor’s elevation as Commissioner for Information. In 2013, Gov. Rochas Okorocha dissolved the entire exco, a normal tradition in the business of governance. Shortly and while reconstituting the cabinet, the governor was intensely pressurized to appoint an Imo-born journalist into that position. Remember, Ebere Uzoukwa hails from Abia not Imo. Based on his outstanding performance, the Imo State Government awarded Ebere Uzoukwa a ‘Certificate of Service’ personally signed by Gov. Rochas Okorocha and boldly inscribed ‘in appreciation of your dedicated service and invaluable contributions……’. That was how Ebere Uzoukwa took a dignified bow and graciously exited Imo State Government House.
Ebere Uzoukwa served Rocha’s Okorocha meritorously and thereafter left Imo State Government after two years as a fulfilled man. Nobody sacked him and incompetence as falsely and erroneously imagined by Ememanka and co-travellers has ever formed part of his features and trademark. He is indeed a sound mind.
Immediately after leaving Imo State Government House, Ebere Uzoukwa returned to his company LEADERSHIP hence he took Leave of Absence(LA) to serve Gov. Okorocha. He was then promoted to the position of Assistant Editor. In 2014, while still in LEADERSHIP, Okezie Ikpeazu through Mr. Solomon Nwigwe invited him to lead his media team following his annointment by Chinedu Orji(Ikuku) and his father, Ochendo, who was a sitting governor. After rigorous interview, political balancing and considerations, Late Chijioke Nwankudu who later became Chief of Staff to Okezie Ikpeazu and Elder John Nwangborogwu pleaded and enjoined Ebere Uzoukwa into taking the Deputy Director. That decision was reached to enable Hon. Osita Igbe function as the Director considering where he was coming from. Indeed, that wasn’t an issue hence Ebere Uzoukwa had decided to contribute his valuable quota towards making Okezie Ikpeazu governor of Abia State.
Within this period, Ebere Uzoukwa deployed his brand new Toyota Corolla 2009 model into Okezie Ikpeazu’s convoy. On two occasions, the vehicle was jammed and destroyed from behind by the obviously rough drivers in the convoy. As one of the leaders of the PDP then, Ebere Uzoukwa equally deployed his savings into sponsoring some of the party’s programmes and activities at Ward 9 and Obingwa LGA. Needless to say that the young man spent over N5M of his hard earned savings on Okezie Ikpeazu’s 2015 governorship project.
How and when did Ebere Uzoukwa join Ikpeazu’s government? That was 7 months after his swearing in. The point of contact was at Sam Mbakwe airport. The Late Chief of Staff later called for the appointment letter. On resumption, Ebere Uzoukwa discovered something strange and unthinkable in Umuahia government house. There were over 30 media aides including printers and all manner of human beings. It was absolutely an unproductive team. The situation was obviously chaotic as there were different camps and intense power play by the major actors. The whole arrangement was clearly disjointed. The then Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Godwin Adindu, was battled from all fronts.
Ebere Uzoukwa equally discovered that SSA position in Abia cannot sustain an average man with a family. What can Ebere Uzoukwa do with a salary of N70,000 and impress of N100,000?
However, it became imperative as he authored a memo to the governor drawing his attention to that contraption called ‘media team’ as well as proffering solutions. Okezie Ikpeazu, in his usual lackadaisical manner never responded. Rather, some of boys pushed him into dissolving the media team. That was indeed the opportunity Ebere Uzoukwa was waiting for. As he never had an office within his 8-month sojourn to Umuahia Government House, it was too easy to walk away.
Since then, Okezie Ikpeazu had offered Ebere Uzoukwa appointments on three different occasions through his emissaries, yet he turned them down. In December 2016, Ebere Uzoukwa, after dumping the PDP, contested the Chairmanship position of Obingwa LGA under the platform of All Progressives Congress(APC), yet Okezie Ikpeazu and his ABSIEC would cocncort results in favour of his PDP lackeys. Since then, the young man has been operating independently as a media practitioner.
I have taken time to profile Ebere Uzoukwa as a Journalist, PR Consultant, political strategist, Development Consultant, Mobilizer, Politician and a Scholar. Ebere Uzoukwa is currently pursuing his Doctorate Degree in Mass Communication at the Imo State University, Owerri. He is not known as an incompetent and unreliable person both in the political arena and media industry. Rather, he is prided as a bold, courageous, fearless and outspoken personality. That is what Ebere Uzoukwa is and represents.
Who is Onyebuchi Ememanka, one may ask? He studied Law and was later called to Bar. Is he practicing what he studied? Noooooo. What was he doing before he found himself in Umuahia Government House? He was a sales boy at Samsung, Lagos. Why was he sacked? Piffery…..Again? Stealing. Who rescued him from severe hardship and economic suffocation? My friend, Hon. Solomon Adaelu. How did Hon. Adaelu do it? By evacuating him and his family back to Aba? How did he get into Ikpeazu? Hon. Adaelu pleaded for his engagement. Why assigning him the portfolio of Public Communication which is a media job than Legal Advisory Role? Because of incompetence and lack of legal knowledge. He also lacks the basic experience hence he never practised his acclaimed proffesdion since leaving the Law School.
What is the difference between Uzoukwa and Ememanka? The Obingwa-born journalist and politician has since 2003 remained in his profession. He has grown and garnered much experience as a journalist and editor. He never left his profession to crash into other professions. He has not only distinguished himself as media practitioner, but has worked diligently to earn an appreciable level recognition and respect. This is what the so-called Ememanka lacks. He has failed woefully to fit into his legal progression. Little wonder he resorted to MC job and quack journalism. He is a sycophant and palace jester. Ememanka, the dirty pig that feeds on snuff, is an opportunist and ‘food is ready’ praise singer. When Ebere Uzoukwa and others were labouring day and night to ensure that Ikpeazu was elected governor in 2015, Ememanka was nowhere around Abia. He was in Lagos doing his job as a sales boy and unfortunately ended up stealing his employer’s goods. It is unfortunate that such character was engaged without a background check as an appointed of the government. It is only Okezie Ikpeazu that can do this.
Having unmasked the charlatan called Ememanka, I will take a time off to prepare my next article on Abia which will also come on the back page of Daily Sun. I shall be also unveiling the ‘true’ Okezie Ikpeazu to the world.
I rest my case!
Ebere Uzoukwa
(Ochiagha)
