April 13, 2010
“Success without honour is an unseasoned dish; it will satisfy your hunger, but won’t taste good”------- Joe Paterno. The question is: If a crusader is deficient in credibility, who will believe is gospel? To say that Festus Keyamo, a self-styled human right activist has proved without any iota of doubt to be a restless blackmailer, hustler and a political jobber is to underscore the obvious.
“Success without honour is an unseasoned dish; it will satisfy your hunger, but won’t taste good”------- Joe Paterno. The question is: If a crusader is deficient in credibility, who will believe is gospel? To say that Festus Keyamo, a self-styled human right activist has proved without any iota of doubt to be a restless blackmailer, hustler and a political jobber is to underscore the obvious.
Observers of his nefarious activities in the media in the last two years will agree with this writer that he did not deserve to be taken seriously by any rational mind. My reasons for taking this position are not far to seek. Before my modest intervention, I had watched with a sense of bewilderment, the unrelenting smear campaign, malicious propaganda and outright falsehood being carried out against well-meaning and hard working citizens by Keyamo in the guise of fighting for the right thing to be done. It is on record that this writer has written two different articles in reputable newspapers like The Nation, THISDAY and Sunday Tribune to expose him in the last five months without a single response from him. To be precise, The Nation newspaper of Thursday, November 12, 2009, and Friday, December 25, 2009, Sunday Tribune of 20 December, 2009 and THISDAY newspaper of January 10, 2010 carried my expose on him. Silence, they say is an acknowledgement of guilt. If Keyamo has any modicum of integrity and reputation to protect, wouldn’t he had responded to mind-boggling allegations I raised against him? His shameless grandstanding and greed has also proved that he has no sense of shame. To drive home my point, certain portion of my previous write-ups on him is worth repeating here: “It would be recalled that Festus Keyamo wrote a petition against Kenny Martins and other managers of police equipment fund alleging that they mismanaged the over N50 billion belonging to the organization. He said the evidences he had were enough to nail those he alleged to have mismanaged the funds. He also boasted that the EFCC’s decision to probe the matter was spurred by its petition to the presidency.
Kenny Martins later revealed to the whole world the reasons why Keyamo launched relentless smear campaign against him and other managers of the police equipment fund. He alleged Keyamo was demanding for an additional two hundred million naira after his organization gave him ten million naira and a jeep. It is on record that after a trial that lasted for more than a year, two different courts exonerated Martins and other co-accused of all the wild allegations Keyamo leveled against them. While an Abuja chief magistrate’s court on Monday, 23 November, 2009 dismissed the forgery case brought against the coordinator of the foundation by the police, in the management of funds, an Abuja High court, on Tuesday, 24 November, also dismissed a case brought against Kenny Martins by the EFCC in the handling of the foundation’s finances. Discerning readers have no other choice than to believe the allegation (His demand for N200 million) Martins leveled against Keyamo after the courts decisions. In view of the above, should Keyamo who has prove beyond reasonable doubt to be a black mailer and rabble-rouser be taken seriously by any right-thinking and unbiased mind? The answer is an EMPHATIC NO.
Also, in his back page column of Monday, January 6, 2008 entitled: Ribadu entitled: Much ado about nothing, written in support of the removal of Nuhu Ribadu as E.F.C.C chairman, a portion of Keyamo’s write-up goes thus: “Rather, permit me the immodesty to say that my comments are very untainted because, unlike those of my colleagues who have cried more than the bereaved, I do not, I have not, and do not intend to canvass for briefs from the E.F.C.C, neither have I and will not canvass for any brief from the past political office holders facing trial presently. In fact, neither of the parties are my benefactors”
The chicken came home to roost for Keyamo after the ouster of Ribadu from E.F.C.C and Keyamo ate his words and starts taking juicy briefs from Farida Waziri led E.F.C.C. It became glaring to discerning minds that Keyamo defended the removal of Ribadu as E.F.C.C chairman because he was denied patronage. When keen watchers of this development (including this writer) challenged Keyamo for his fearful faux pax i.e. taking juicy briefs from E.F.C.C under Farida Waziri, he claimed he was handling the cases for the anti-corruption agency free of charge! It is not only unfortunate, but disheartening that the likes of Keyamo is posturing as a moral crusader marking the moral scripts of well-meaning citizens who are clearly shoulders high above him in matters of integrity and patriotism. It is frightening the rate at which pseudo-activist like Keyamo use the pages of newspapers to assassinate characters of well-meaning and hard working citizens in the name of activism. It is worth repeating that the likes of Gani might be vilified for his principle positions, but you can not fault the altruistic and patriotic motivations for his actions. It is baffling that the tribe of genuine activists and consistent advocates of the rights of the common man is dwindling in quality and quantity. I am of the firm conviction that any serious-minded critic, crusader or commentator that believes he has a reputation to protect, that wants to continue to remain relevant and be taken seriously by the people should always side with the truth, no matter its degree of unattractiveness.
The foregoing motivated me to take up the case of the comptroller-general of customs, Abdulahi Dikko when I read the unwise and ill-advised affidavit sworn to by Keyamo’s collaborator, sorry, “client”, one Olajide Ibrahim as reproduced in Keyamo’s column in The Sun newspaper. It is public knowledge that The Sun is the only medium that gave sacred news pare space to elements like Keyamo to insult and bring people down, without giving those with contrary opinion opportunity to air their views.
The illogicality of the affidavit of Ibrahim’s sold him and Keyamo out as men of shady characters, black mailers and hustlers. It stands to reason that any integrity-conscious lawyer would take up the case of some one who claimed he was an errand boy to a man that has reached the pinnacle of his profession and sworn to an affidavit that he, and not another person, forged that man’s certificates for him. Is this not a case of he who is down, fear no fall? The question that has continued to agitate the minds of right-thinking people is: Why is Keyamo the only lawyer that always take up dirty cases that integrity-conscious lawyers like late Gani Fawehinmi, Femi Falana, Olisa Agbakoba, Mike Ozekhome will not take for all the money in the C.B.N vault? In the light of the foregoing, is it not crystal clear to any discerning mind that Keyamo and Ibrahim are birds of the same feather flocking together? In a futile attempt to defend the indefensible i.e. To achieve his diabolical aim, after going to a regular court, Keyamo again chose to take the case of his “client” to court of public opinion where mob justice is the other of the day, in contrast to a court of law which work with evidence and proven facts, not with sentiments or fecund imaginations of hatchet writers masquerading as human right activist. The greatest consolation for those of us who are desirous of living in a society where rule of law, rather than the rule of man reigns supreme is that Keyamo is not having his way and will soon go to jail for contempt of court. In the words of OSCAR WILDE, “In all matters of opinion, our adversaries are insane” Is it not the height of sanity for some one who claimed to be a lawyer to say real justice lies in prejudging cases pending before a court of competent jurisdiction in the media?
Submission of Lord Reid on Keyamo’s jaundiced view is very relevant here; He said and I quote:” What I think is regarded as most objectionable is that a news paper or television programme should seek to persuade the public by discussing the issues and evidence in a case before the court, whether civil or criminal, that one side is right and the other wrong--- I think that anything in the nature of prejudgement of a case or of specific issues in it is objectionable not only of its possible effect on that particular case but also because of its side effect which may be far reaching. Responsible “mass media” will do their best to be fair, but there will also be ill informed, slapdash, or prejudiced attempts to influence the public. If people are led to think that it is easy to find the truth, disrespect for the processes of law could follow and if mass media are allow to judge, unpopular people and unpopular causes will fare very badly… I do not think that the freedom of the press would suffer, and I think that the law would be clearer and easier to apply in practice if it is made a general rule that it is not permissible to prejudge issues in pending cases” In the same vein Lord Morris agreeing with Lord Denning when he said “We must not allow “trial by newspaper” or “trial by television” or trial by any medium other than the courts of law” Needless distractions of well-meaning and hardworking citizens who meant well for this country by dishonest individuals like Keyamo and former Inspector general of police, Mike Okiro should be condemned by all those who wish this country well.
For instance, the new police leadership under the integrity-conscious Onovo who has refused to succumb to blackmail of Keyamo to re arrest Martins, has attributed his (Martins) travails to the selfish motive of his predecessor, Okiro. Nigeria police is today counting its losses solely caused by the greed of the former IGP, Okiro. It is on record that the laudable projects Police Equipment Foundation has for police was stalled because Okiro did not get the bribe he wants from the project. Are we go to allow the fate that befell Nigeria police also be the lot of Nigeria Customs Service because of the greed and unethical practices of one man? Dikko’s catalogue of achievements as customs helms man in so short times are visible to the blind and audible to the deaf. The records are there. A word is enough for the wise.
Aminu is the National Coordinator, ODUA YOUTH FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE
E-mail: [email protected],
Telephone: 08076124433
Observers of his nefarious activities in the media in the last two years will agree with this writer that he did not deserve to be taken seriously by any rational mind. My reasons for taking this position are not far to seek. Before my modest intervention, I had watched with a sense of bewilderment, the unrelenting smear campaign, malicious propaganda and outright falsehood being carried out against well-meaning and hard working citizens by Keyamo in the guise of fighting for the right thing to be done. It is on record that this writer has written two different articles in reputable newspapers like The Nation, THISDAY and Sunday Tribune to expose him in the last five months without a single response from him. To be precise, The Nation newspaper of Thursday, November 12, 2009, and Friday, December 25, 2009, Sunday Tribune of 20 December, 2009 and THISDAY newspaper of January 10, 2010 carried my expose on him. Silence, they say is an acknowledgement of guilt. If Keyamo has any modicum of integrity and reputation to protect, wouldn’t he had responded to mind-boggling allegations I raised against him? His shameless grandstanding and greed has also proved that he has no sense of shame. To drive home my point, certain portion of my previous write-ups on him is worth repeating here: “It would be recalled that Festus Keyamo wrote a petition against Kenny Martins and other managers of police equipment fund alleging that they mismanaged the over N50 billion belonging to the organization. He said the evidences he had were enough to nail those he alleged to have mismanaged the funds. He also boasted that the EFCC’s decision to probe the matter was spurred by its petition to the presidency.
Kenny Martins later revealed to the whole world the reasons why Keyamo launched relentless smear campaign against him and other managers of the police equipment fund. He alleged Keyamo was demanding for an additional two hundred million naira after his organization gave him ten million naira and a jeep. It is on record that after a trial that lasted for more than a year, two different courts exonerated Martins and other co-accused of all the wild allegations Keyamo leveled against them. While an Abuja chief magistrate’s court on Monday, 23 November, 2009 dismissed the forgery case brought against the coordinator of the foundation by the police, in the management of funds, an Abuja High court, on Tuesday, 24 November, also dismissed a case brought against Kenny Martins by the EFCC in the handling of the foundation’s finances. Discerning readers have no other choice than to believe the allegation (His demand for N200 million) Martins leveled against Keyamo after the courts decisions. In view of the above, should Keyamo who has prove beyond reasonable doubt to be a black mailer and rabble-rouser be taken seriously by any right-thinking and unbiased mind? The answer is an EMPHATIC NO.
Also, in his back page column of Monday, January 6, 2008 entitled: Ribadu entitled: Much ado about nothing, written in support of the removal of Nuhu Ribadu as E.F.C.C chairman, a portion of Keyamo’s write-up goes thus: “Rather, permit me the immodesty to say that my comments are very untainted because, unlike those of my colleagues who have cried more than the bereaved, I do not, I have not, and do not intend to canvass for briefs from the E.F.C.C, neither have I and will not canvass for any brief from the past political office holders facing trial presently. In fact, neither of the parties are my benefactors”
The chicken came home to roost for Keyamo after the ouster of Ribadu from E.F.C.C and Keyamo ate his words and starts taking juicy briefs from Farida Waziri led E.F.C.C. It became glaring to discerning minds that Keyamo defended the removal of Ribadu as E.F.C.C chairman because he was denied patronage. When keen watchers of this development (including this writer) challenged Keyamo for his fearful faux pax i.e. taking juicy briefs from E.F.C.C under Farida Waziri, he claimed he was handling the cases for the anti-corruption agency free of charge! It is not only unfortunate, but disheartening that the likes of Keyamo is posturing as a moral crusader marking the moral scripts of well-meaning citizens who are clearly shoulders high above him in matters of integrity and patriotism. It is frightening the rate at which pseudo-activist like Keyamo use the pages of newspapers to assassinate characters of well-meaning and hard working citizens in the name of activism. It is worth repeating that the likes of Gani might be vilified for his principle positions, but you can not fault the altruistic and patriotic motivations for his actions. It is baffling that the tribe of genuine activists and consistent advocates of the rights of the common man is dwindling in quality and quantity. I am of the firm conviction that any serious-minded critic, crusader or commentator that believes he has a reputation to protect, that wants to continue to remain relevant and be taken seriously by the people should always side with the truth, no matter its degree of unattractiveness.
The foregoing motivated me to take up the case of the comptroller-general of customs, Abdulahi Dikko when I read the unwise and ill-advised affidavit sworn to by Keyamo’s collaborator, sorry, “client”, one Olajide Ibrahim as reproduced in Keyamo’s column in The Sun newspaper. It is public knowledge that The Sun is the only medium that gave sacred news pare space to elements like Keyamo to insult and bring people down, without giving those with contrary opinion opportunity to air their views.
The illogicality of the affidavit of Ibrahim’s sold him and Keyamo out as men of shady characters, black mailers and hustlers. It stands to reason that any integrity-conscious lawyer would take up the case of some one who claimed he was an errand boy to a man that has reached the pinnacle of his profession and sworn to an affidavit that he, and not another person, forged that man’s certificates for him. Is this not a case of he who is down, fear no fall? The question that has continued to agitate the minds of right-thinking people is: Why is Keyamo the only lawyer that always take up dirty cases that integrity-conscious lawyers like late Gani Fawehinmi, Femi Falana, Olisa Agbakoba, Mike Ozekhome will not take for all the money in the C.B.N vault? In the light of the foregoing, is it not crystal clear to any discerning mind that Keyamo and Ibrahim are birds of the same feather flocking together? In a futile attempt to defend the indefensible i.e. To achieve his diabolical aim, after going to a regular court, Keyamo again chose to take the case of his “client” to court of public opinion where mob justice is the other of the day, in contrast to a court of law which work with evidence and proven facts, not with sentiments or fecund imaginations of hatchet writers masquerading as human right activist. The greatest consolation for those of us who are desirous of living in a society where rule of law, rather than the rule of man reigns supreme is that Keyamo is not having his way and will soon go to jail for contempt of court. In the words of OSCAR WILDE, “In all matters of opinion, our adversaries are insane” Is it not the height of sanity for some one who claimed to be a lawyer to say real justice lies in prejudging cases pending before a court of competent jurisdiction in the media?
Submission of Lord Reid on Keyamo’s jaundiced view is very relevant here; He said and I quote:” What I think is regarded as most objectionable is that a news paper or television programme should seek to persuade the public by discussing the issues and evidence in a case before the court, whether civil or criminal, that one side is right and the other wrong--- I think that anything in the nature of prejudgement of a case or of specific issues in it is objectionable not only of its possible effect on that particular case but also because of its side effect which may be far reaching. Responsible “mass media” will do their best to be fair, but there will also be ill informed, slapdash, or prejudiced attempts to influence the public. If people are led to think that it is easy to find the truth, disrespect for the processes of law could follow and if mass media are allow to judge, unpopular people and unpopular causes will fare very badly… I do not think that the freedom of the press would suffer, and I think that the law would be clearer and easier to apply in practice if it is made a general rule that it is not permissible to prejudge issues in pending cases” In the same vein Lord Morris agreeing with Lord Denning when he said “We must not allow “trial by newspaper” or “trial by television” or trial by any medium other than the courts of law” Needless distractions of well-meaning and hardworking citizens who meant well for this country by dishonest individuals like Keyamo and former Inspector general of police, Mike Okiro should be condemned by all those who wish this country well.
For instance, the new police leadership under the integrity-conscious Onovo who has refused to succumb to blackmail of Keyamo to re arrest Martins, has attributed his (Martins) travails to the selfish motive of his predecessor, Okiro. Nigeria police is today counting its losses solely caused by the greed of the former IGP, Okiro. It is on record that the laudable projects Police Equipment Foundation has for police was stalled because Okiro did not get the bribe he wants from the project. Are we go to allow the fate that befell Nigeria police also be the lot of Nigeria Customs Service because of the greed and unethical practices of one man? Dikko’s catalogue of achievements as customs helms man in so short times are visible to the blind and audible to the deaf. The records are there. A word is enough for the wise.
Aminu is the National Coordinator, ODUA YOUTH FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE
E-mail: [email protected],
Telephone: 08076124433
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