Brand Him a Rogue

 

This name-calling

Is for dog-killing.

 

They called him names

They hurled names at him

Granite hard names.

 

They called him names

They shot lethal names at him

Poisoned arrow names.

 

Brand him a rogue

And lynch him

That’s the vogue.

 

This name-calling

Is for someone who is

Somebody else to them.

 

This name-calling

Is for dog-killing.

 

 

          

Slander usually is intended by the slanderer to defame, malign or injure the reputation of another person. What the slanderer does not know, however, is that by so doing, he perforates his own psychic protective shell and thus renders himself more vulnerable to even minor attacks which consequently become very deadly.

 

There was no imaginable contemptible thing that they did not ascribe to me. They spread all sorts of dirty rumours about me in their bid to tarnish my image, denigrate my person and drag my name in the mud.                                 

It all started while I was in Enugu as the Federal Road Safety Corps State Commander. That day, Dr Bam, exuding over-brimming excitement, squeezed his massive frame through my office door. There was this broad smile which unfittingly hung on his face as he laboriously lowered himself into the sofa in my office. Waiving some sheets of paper in his left hand, he excitedly announced:

“I have got it!”

“What have you got sir?” I politely requested.

“I’ve got them. Can you imagine that these guys wanted to rubbish me? They condemned the bullet proof jackets I imported for the Commission as fake. Now I’ll squeeze their balls and watch them scream and weep like babies. Chike just come over here and see.”

I walked across to where he sat, stretched out my hand and received the paper which he held out to me.

Glancing through the paper, I could see only names—many names. But I could only relate two or three of the names to particular faces. 

“I have it all—their names, all of them; where they meet, the days they have so far met and the attendance sheets.” Dr Bam excitedly announced.

“What are you talking about, sir” I asked.

I had no inkling whatsoever of that which so sweetly stirred his emotions.

“It’s those Ahoy boys at Abuja, those pirates at your headquarters, RSHQ. They don’t know who they want to mess with.” He said.

The glitter of excitement in his eyes lingered a while, as he looked into my eyes, apparently searching my face to see if I shared in his enthusiasm, or checking for any signs of disapproval from me.

“How and from where did you get this, sir?” I gently probed.

“I pulled some strings. My contacts in the Intelligence Services gave me all the information I requested from them. Now let’s get to work, Chike.”

Fingering through sheets of paper in the file he was clutching as he came in, Dr Bam extracted some leaves. With quite an appreciable measure of effort, he heaved his tall, massive frame upstanding, virtually leaning over me.

“The General wants you to edit the grammar of this write up. Polish it up and make it flow.” Dr Bam said to me. His tone was almost imperious.

“The Corps Marshal wants me to edit, polish and make this write up smooth and easy to read?” I asked. I could not conceal the scepticism in my tone.

If there was such an instruction, the Special Assistant to the Corps Marshal, Mr Fred, should be aware of it. I silently reasoned.

“Yes.” Dr Bam replied. “When you finish, give it to Mel, your Staff Officer. He will get it typed, after which he will photo copy it and send to me.”

Not long after Dr Bam left, Mel quietly eased himself into my office. I was going through the documents which Dr Bam brought, when Mel came in. There was this unmistakable glint of excitement in his eyes which he made futile attempts to conceal.

“Come over here Mel.” I beckoned. “Go through these documents. I can see your imprint on them.”

A mischievous grin tore Mel’s face from ear to ear, as I probed further.

“There are certain things contained herein, which you exclusively told me. How come they are contained in this write-up and in exactly the same way you related them to me? And, are you sure this contact of Dr. Bam in the Intelligence Services is not the same young army officer you introduced to me here in this office sometime ago as a relation of yours serving in the Army Intelligence Unit?[CN1]  You were the one that informed me of the dispute between Dr. Bam and some RSHQ management staff over the authenticity of the bullet proof jackets he supplied to the Commission. And Dr. Bam has just confirmed it. Mel kept giggling without saying anything. He left my office, the naughty grin still pasted on his face.  

I put a call through to the Special Assistant to the Corps Marshal to confirm if indeed the Corps Marshal directed that I edit any article. He asked me to call back in an hour. When I did, he wanted a little more specific detail of the paper’s contents. I briefed him on what it was all about. I also pleaded with him that I would not want to have anything to do with such a write-up, since it was like Dr Bam had personal vendetta at the back of his mind. He advised that since I was neither the originator nor the author, I should just collate the pieces of information, knit them into one readable piece, making sure I do not add or remove anything. Then he said:

        “Chike, tread wisely on this matter. You know Dr Bam is General’s right hand man.”

  As I sat back in my seat and reflected over this encounter I just had with Dr Bam, many questions popped up in my head. How come Officer Mel, my Staff Officer had suddenly become so close to Dr Bam, that he now trusts him with such an assignment? Then I remembered…

Sometime ago, Mel had approached me requesting that I should speak to Dr Bam on his behalf. When I demanded to know why, he told me that he wanted to become the ADC to the Corps Marshal. I reminded him that he personally informed me that it was Officer Dap, the ADC to the Corps Marshal who facilitated his recruitment into the Corps. I would not therefore be involved in his quest to supplant his benefactor.

I therefore advised Mel to go through Officer Dap who would soon be promoted to the next rank thus placing him above the rank level of an ADC to the Corps Marshal. If officer Dap recommends him to the Corps Marshal as his replacement, that would be a morally acceptable way of achieving his aim. I noticed that Mel was however, not satisfied with my opposition to his approach to the attainment of his desire. He therefore must have made a quiet resolve to accomplish his aim by other means.

Then I conjectured that Mel must have cashed in on the feud between Dr Bam and some senior officers of the Corps headquarters, arising from the bullet proof jacket controversy, to feed him with some ‘pieces of information’ which he purportedly extracted from his contact in the Intelligence Services, to surreptitiously forge a somewhat close tie of convenience with Dr Bam. Mel must have calculated that in consideration of this ‘prized’ secret information which he had made available to Dr Bam, the latter would oblige him by convincing the Corps Marshal to make him his ADC in place of officer Dap.  

 

Several months passed without any unusual events. However, one day something that marked the beginning of an era of trying experiences in my road safety career happened. Mel’s crafty, deceitful nature was becoming so explicitly manifest by the day. He usually carefully chose when to perpetrate his acts of felony. Sometimes, the day before I would be travelling outside Enugu for a scheduled official assignment, he would seek my permission to leave the office before close of work, pleading sickness. His aim, by so doing, was to smother any doubts and suspicions from me. Then the next day, in my absence, he would go hijack a patrol vehicle from its officially scheduled route, diverting same to another route with his gang of accomplices, where they engage in their illegal patrol activities.

On a particular Wednesday, I was at the command base at about 545 hrs to monitor the take-off of the patrol teams. When it became obvious that the driver and the vehicle I dispatched the previous day to lead the Military Administrator, Colonel Ahman’s wife’s convoy to Abia State had not reported back to me as I had instructed. My anxiety became heightened.  I therefore put a call through to the ADC to the Military Administrator (MILAD), Lt Anarui, by 600 hrs and he confirmed having released the driver and patrol car at about 1900 hrs the previous day, the same day the assignment was carried out.

Storming out of my office, I demanded to know where the members of the teams on morning patrol were. Ologuntere, a senior non-commissioned officer stepped forward.

“Sir, the team is here with the exception of the driver. He is the one that went for the MILAD’s assignment yesterday. He did not come back to base yesterday. Rather he parked the patrol car at Mel’s place. They left early this morning on an illegal patrol.”

“Which patrol? Who scheduled them? Which route? Who and who were in the team?” My questions came in a torrent.

“Oga, he has been doing it. Officer Mel has been doing it. Sometimes he will come to a patrol location and hijack the patrol vehicle saying ‘it is order from above’.

I immediately sent word across to the State Chairman NURTW, National Union of Road Transport Workers, requesting him to help me monitor the movement, route and location of the patrol vehicle in question. It was not quite long when information came in, on how Mel and his team had been shifting their illegal patrol locations that day.   I kept track of Mel’s illegal patrol team’s movement and finally arrested them as they were packaging their extortion proceeds.

By Monday, I issued orders to prepare the process for their disciplinary trial. The next day I received a telephone call from DanYak, the Director of Operations at the National Headquarters, asking me to ensure that the offenders were tried. Invariably, one of them from the same city with DanYak had pleaded with him to intervene on his behalf. This was later confirmed by Mel. The Disciplinary Committee found them all guilty as charged and the National headquarters upheld their termination as prescribed in the disciplinary regulations. Mel, there and then, fished out the same documents he had conceptualized and crafted for Dr Bam against some senior management staff at RSHQ Abuja, and claimed that I wrote that petition against them. And so they conspired against me and marked me out for destruction. My persecution had begun.

Not unexpectedly, DanYak soon recalled Yahuza and Mel, whose appointments had earlier been terminated, and posted them to the far North.     

 

A Litany of Lies          

I did not even know that Officer Yerek, all the way from the National Headquarters, Abuja, visited my Command. I did not see him. He never bothered to see me. However, some hours after he was supposed to have left, I was informed that he came to the command. He only sneaked behind and conferred with my Staff Officer (Information Processing Centre), Officer Sazefion.

Later, after a few days, information filtered to me that a staff of RSHQ, who recently visited my command reported to the Director of Operations, Malam Danyak   that I never issued fuel to my patrol teams, rather they were sent out to source fuel for their patrol activities. This was a deliberate malicious misinformation. A very grievous one at that, for it meant that I was encouraging extortion of motorists by my patrol teams, since it was only through that means that they could raise quick money for fuel.  

At about 17.45hrs the same day, I had just arrived home from the office and was taking off my uniform when I heard a knock at the front door. The staff on guard duty announced the presence of Officer Mai Kano from Abuja. After exchanging pleasantries, Mai Kano inquired of me how I managed to get fuel for my operations in that period of extreme fuel scarcity. He observed that my patrol teams were the only ones he saw on patrol the moment he left the Federal Capital Territory through Lokoja, Ankpa to Awka.

“I went on an official assignment to Awka. I have run short of fuel. As a matter of fact I am operating on my reserve. I was surprised seeing your patrol team when I was passing yesterday, and as I was returning today also. Between Awka and Enugu, I couldn’t find even a drop to buy. Please help me out. I will pay.”

“Just drive behind me. Let’s go to the command base.” I responded.

We soon arrived the base. When Mai Kano saw the four 200-liter drums filled with Premium Motor Spirit, his eyes popped. He felt the drums. They were all full.

“Your boys told me that you never lack fuel here. How really do you get fuel in such a period of severe scarcity?” He asked again.

He could not believe it when his fuel tank was filled up and I told him not to worry about paying. He was quite excited and very grateful.

When Officer Mai Kano got back to Abuja, he went to see DanYak in his office. He met DanYak fuming.

“Walahi I will deal with that man. Can you imagine, he sends his boys out on patrol without fuelling the patrol vehicles?”

“Who should that be, sir?’ Mai Kano enquired politely.

“It’s that stupid State Commander at Enugu”, DanYak barked, stuttering in a high-pitched voice. “Somebody just came back from Enugu yesterday and confirmed that he sends his patrol teams out there to source for fuel money by extortion of motorists”.

“Haba Mallam!” Mai Kano uttered a mild exclamation of protest, “Who must have fed you with such lies? I came back from Enugu just yesterday. His patrol teams were the only ones I saw on the whole stretch between Abuja and Awka. I interviewed the patrol men and they told me he always gave them enough fuel for patrol. I even ran out of fuel and he gave me a full tank for free.”

That was how that particular conspiracy against me died.

 

Lepzem, my Zonal Commanding Officer walked into my office with Olaniran Scot, the Zonal Legal Officer. Both of them were in mufti. I was not expecting them, I never knew they were coming. I stood up and paid compliments to Lepzem as he stepped into my office. His response was cold. He sat down and handed an enveloped letter he was clutching in his left hand over to me.

“That is a query for you, Chike.” He said in his usual slight lisping manner. “As a matter of fact I had wanted to recall you to the zone and send somebody to replace you. But Olaniran persuaded me to come here and see things for myself.”

“For what offences then would you be recalling me to the Zonal Headquarters, sir?’ I mildly asked. “Have I already been found guilty before hearing from me, before any investigation…?

Meanwhile, Olaniran kept asking me to call the Commissioner of Police. I didn’t know why he was insistent on my calling the Commissioner of Police. But then, I remembered that I had some important issues pending with the Commissioner. I put a call through to the Commissioner, COMPOL Albert Imaguezegie, a gentleman, and put the phone on speaker so that everybody in my office would hear our conversation. The phone rang thrice and the Commissioner picked it.

“Aah, Commander Chike, I was just about calling you now. Yes, would you mind coming over later today, so we can round up our discussion on another joint patrol between your men and mine….” His voice was warm and welcoming.

“Can I come right away sir? I quickly requested.

“Well, I have a meeting with the GOC in the next 30 minutes to discuss the security matters which you raised the other day. But, okay you can come straight away.”

Immediately, Lepzem, Olaniran and myself left in my official car for the Commissioner’s office, a short distance from mine. On the way, we passed some Policemen, two traffic Wardens and a soldier at different intervals. Each group we passed saluted when they saw me in my staff car. Olaniran commented that the relationship between us and other uniformed services must be cordial. The respect and comradeship showed to us by the officers and men at the Office of the Commissioner left them dumbfounded.

 As soon as the policeman on guard duty recognized my official car approaching the Commissioner’s exclusive gate, he flung the gate open. As we drove in, he smartly saluted and I returned his compliments. We ascended the flight of steps leading to the CP’s office. His Personal Assistant received us with a warm welcome and ushered us straight into his office.

 The Commissioner of Police stood up to welcome me. Without even knowing those I came with, he proceeded to tell me again how and why he wanted to call me before my call came in. He readily fetched the letter I wrote him on our second joint patrol operation to detach extra lamps on all vehicles.

“Yes, I will be going to see the GOC immediately I am through with you. It is in connection with the surveillance report you passed on to me. We checked it out and found it to be correct, so I called the GOC and we agreed to discuss it today”.

    Quickly, I craved the CP’s indulgence and proceeded to introduce Lepzem, my Zonal Commanding Officer and Olaniran, the Zonal Legal Officer, both of whom were in mufti. He cheerfully shook hands with them.

“They just breezed in and I insisted they must come, see and know you; so I brought them”.

“That’s good of you”. He responded. Somehow, I knew he would be wondering if really there was no other reason why we wanted to see him.

 Lepzem there and then thanked him for his cooperation and assistance to the FRSC State Command and we left. Immediately we were out of the CP’s office complex, there was this certain look of bewilderment which possessed Lepzem’s facial features as he impulsively uttered aloud:

“I do not know what Chike has done to them that they are so desperately after him.”

We went back to my office. Olaniran and Lepzem examined the three large sacks of extra lamps detached from motor vehicles during an earlier patrol operations by my men in compliance with directives from our National Headquarters.

“There is nothing to find out again’, Lepzem said, speaking more to himself. “All the allegations against him, we have found to be unfounded. Chike, come and see us off. We are going back to Benin.

When they left, I sat down and calmly read through the query. It was falsely alleged, among other things, that the relationship between me, (consequently my command) and other uniformed services was seriously strained. It was also alleged that I refused to carry out the directives from RSHQ on the forceful detachment of extra headlamps from vehicles, but rather preferred to receive monetary returns from motorists so their extra lamps would not be forcefully detached and impounded.

 

Betrayed from Within

I was getting ready for work. It was about 7 o’clock in the morning when I was alerted of Chief NE’s presence at my residence. I quickly dressed up in my uniform and met him. He was already seated on a sofa in my living room.

“What brings the Chief to my humble abode so early in the day?” I quipped. “I hope I am safe.”

Chief let out a false boisterous laughter while assuring me that everything was alright. We shook hands and exchanged pleasantries.

“I can see you are already set for work.” Chief continued. “Well, let me go straight to why I have come this morning. It is in connection with the recent misdemeanor of Officer Eka, the Sector Head of Operations. I have blamed and thoroughly scolded her. I have cautioned her never to repeat such. She is here with me to apologize to you for her misbehaviours. And I am pleading and advising that you please accept her apologies.”

“Chief,” I responded calmly, “are you aware that officer Eka verbally assaulted me in the presence of more than fifty special marshals and over twenty regular marshals, as well as many visitors and traffic offenders?’

“Yes, I learnt so. It is really bad and that is why I have personally brought her here to apologize to you.” Chief quickly interjected.

“Are you also aware that this officer you have smuggled into my living room this early morning, publicly, noisily and brazenly rained abuses and curses on every Igbo personality dead or alive?”

“Please Commander, let bygones be, just for my sake.”

“Chief, so you feel it is proper for you to sneak her into the confines of my residence, in the presence of the three of us alone, to apologize for such a terrible, embarrassing public insult on the whole Igbo nation, my person, and my office? Do you realize the damage this will do to discipline in my command? You are somebody I have much respect for. Therefore I will forgive her. As a matter of fact, I have already forgiven her. However she has to clear the public mess she made, by tendering an unreserved apology to me and the entire Nd’Igbo in her hand writing. The letter will be pasted on a conspicuous area of the Command’s notice board for one month, so that nearly as many as the number of people who heard her pour her noisy, boastful, vituperative insults would also read her sober apology.”

“I thought that since I have personally appealed to you in this matter, you would forgive and forget and close the matter once and for all.” Chief blurted out.

“I had wanted to subject her to a Disciplinary Committee trial, but for your interceding on her behalf. It is for the high regards I have for you that I decided to only demand for a written apology. This would to some extent deter others who might want to follow in her ignoble footsteps.”

“Since you don’t want to listen to me, we shall see.” Chief said with vehemence; a scowl furrowing his countenance; further darkening his dark face. In anger he stormed out of my residence with officer Eka tagging along behind him.

 “Is that supposed to be a threat, Chief?” I said.

“Call it whatever.” Chief hurled a tart reply, and added, “I have said that we shall see.”

Three days after Chief’s clandestine visit to my residence, I started the necessary disciplinary processes to bring Eka to book, when it became clear that she was not about tendering the unreserved apology which I demanded.

Then began a flood of petitions full of falsehoods against me by Chief, addressed to the then Director of Operations, DanYak. In DanYak’s usual way, he never forwarded any copies of those petitions to me for my reactions. Rather they combined some of those unsubstantiated allegations with those they summoned from the dark depths of their warped owlish minds and levied them against me.

Copyright: Chike Nwaka.

 

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 [CN1]