”Wetin you dey find go Sokoto (a state in Northern Nigeria) dey inside your sokoto (a Yoruba word for trousers)” is a popular saying in Nigeria which simply means what you are travelling miles in search of may just be staring at you.
Ever since the issue of tear-gassing and shooting of Sen. Magnus Abe, one of the serving senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, from Rivers State who was so unlucky to have been shot by an unknown marksman carrying a real gun loaded with fake bullets, for daring to participate in a Save Rivers Movement rally without getting the necessary permit from the Nigerian Police Force, the fourth estate of the realm has been burdened with reporting a story the parties involved have chosen to very well politicize.
While I was expecting sympathizers of the distinguished senator to capitalize on the opportunity to tell us that their friend is number so and so in President Goodluck Jonathan’s watch list, the story was different. Teargas canister was shot directly at his feet and all over him in quick succession until he felt something hit his chest. His staff rushed him to his doctor, DR. Mackay Anyanwu, who stabilized him and later transferred him to Kesley Harrison Hospital, before he was flown to London for further cardiology evaluation.
Desirous of factual news away from the one we’ve all read where the All Progressive Congress (APC) and Governor Rotimi and his supporters have logically accused the Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mbu of playing the Presidency’s ugly script, I decided to turn away from the news sources to the news readers (comments and feedbacks) to see their take on the matter.
According to daga who commented on a story on dailypost.com.ng, “it may be your turn tomorrow” on January 22, 2014 at 1:00 pm, he asked pertinent questions begging for answers.
“Are you sure you really saw the TV clips? Firstly; where in the world have you seen a medical doctor attending to an emergency patient with people crowded in the treatment room and a camera? Secondly; where in the world have you seen a doctor carrying out monitoring of the chest with the patient still wearing his metal wrist watch? Thirdly; where were his security attachés when all this was happening, how come they didn’t clear him and take him away from the scene? Fourthly; where in the world have you seen a doctor grant interview right in the treatment room? Finally, which man will claim an injury without asking the camera to video the spot of the hit?”
He finally advised, “Be wise my people.”
Also on Wednesday, pointblanknews.com, wrote a story with the heading, “British Health Authority Queries Senator Abe’s Entry Health Certificate”, and one of their readers have this to say:
Hear the British Medical…“there was no trace of injury on him…”. Who says, there was an injury, walahi, talahi………it is called “POLITICAL INJURY”. Dem fit no they get am for that side but for here……it is one of the hazards on the job for career politicians. Political injuries occurs when you think you are a strongman and you go against another strongman and INJURE YOURSELF.”
The above is a reflection of the thought pattern of the ordinary Nigerian on the issue and I like to align myself with the line of thinking that indeed Sen. Abe’s injury is only a political one that can be diagnosed by only our own Nigerian political doctors, and I like to think this informed the actions of his fellow serving senators on Wednesday who refused to pass the resolutions sought by friends of Sen. Abe.
Ayibatare Ojukonsin, is a public affairs analyst based in Enugu.