hree categories emerged who responded/reacted to my last write up "Yoruba Ronu." The first category is made up of those I am tempted to describe as disconnected Igbo elite who live outside Igbo land (mostly The USA and Europe) from where they parrot Igbo patriotism. No doubt, most of them are Igbo patriots. They have great nostalgia for the better forgotten Republic of Biafra. How to achieve this noble goal, they can't fathom! They are like the Shakespearian drunken man who knows he has a house to go to, but the way to his house he cannot decipher. Some of them are in Ohaneze and some are in other sprinkled/pockets of pseudo-Igbo nationalist movements. Some of them have found a home in the all bark without bite political party called APGA.

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They seem to want a Nigeria president of Igbo origins but do not know or have failed to come to terms on the best method to approach their legitimate aspirations. They believe that power is given rather than taken. And that parochial persistent attack on the Nigerian system would solve their problems for them. Any dissenting voice is believed to have compromised. One can now understand the frenzy/hysteria that came with the saboteur mentality in the failed Republic of Biafra. I can now understand why a lot of innocent souls lost their dear lives. I can now understand.

Unfortunately for over 6 months now, they have neither written to ask about the whereabouts of Raphael Uwazurike of MASSOB (who has been cooling off in Nigeria federal jail fighting their Biafran collective cause) nor have they sent at least five dollars to support the beleaguered/struggling Voice of Biafra that broadcast from Washington DC. The modern Igbo tribal jingoist is a confused man! He knows no history. His political thoughts are short circuited. He thinks life is dash rather than a marathon!

I have not heard nor read about any of them speak out concerning the maltreatment of Uwazurike and thousands of ill-informed Igbo (misguided Biafran) kids who are slaughtered everyday on the streets of Okigwe and Lagos. They live a life of lies and still think Igboland is such a homogenous 19th century enclave that wants the resurrection of Biafra today if not yesterday. It was from one of those respondents that I received a name-calling e-mail. He called me an Igbo efulefu, meaning, an Igbo never do well. He called me a sell out. If we were still in Biafra, I would haven tied to the execution stake and my small soul dispatched to the great beyond. To him, I have supported an OBJ 3rd term, when, according to him "it should have been the turn of the Igbo."

Then a reverend father gentleman of Igbo origins lampooned me from Alaska. (I was wondering what he was doing there, when suddenly I realized he may be on a reversed missionary assignment.) He (this reverend father) actually put a curse on me as an Igbo sell out. He said he was not surprised after digging deep into my background to confirm he worst fears - "Godson Offoaro" according to him "is a compromised Igbo, who is scared of the EFCC and the draconian methods of the OBJ administration." He actually accused me of being part of those who stole (HIV/AIDS prevention money) in Nigeria recently and who is so scared of being caught by the EFCC and thus such a patronizing article in favor of an OBJ (a Yoruba man's) elongated presidency. The irreverent reverend father reminded me that it was the Nigerian nation that recently killed Chinedu Offoaro, my baby brother! I have since written him a private e-mail to tell him that "thank you, I know."

The reaction from the Yoruba was a bit different and of two categories. While one in a self-congratulatory, chest-beating adulation of his native nation-state said, "Yes, that is who we are. We are "omo oluwa bi" - the distinguished. We chastise anybody who does wrong irrespective of where he comes from; because, that is the stuff we are made of." However, he was some how offended, that I used the N… appellation to describe the Yoruba control of the Nigeria news dissemination industry. Then, the Yoruba who was offended because I used the term "Ronu," out of context. He could not understand, it seems, the impetuosity of this uppity Okoro, who seem to know a 'we bit of the inner workings of the Yoruba mind!

Then the third segment, who were full of praises. One a Nigerian, now enlisted in the US army (Officer Corps) stationed in Germany who said that I said what he had wanted to say. "I want to talk with you Godson," he wrote, supplying his telephone numbers.) He is Yoruba. He gave me his telephone numbers and requested to call him collect. I did not call him collect. I paid. We have since spoken and in the process had the opportunity to explain the grey areas of the write up. A soldier, a gentleman, a scholar and a journalist.

But of all the reactions, the one that touched my raw writing nerves was that from an Igbo, which concluded by asking to know how much millions Baba - meaning OBJ has given to me. It is this last question that I tend to address this morning.

The millions OBJ gave to me?

PLENTY! And even more!

For those that care to know, it all began with the death of Sam O. Mbakwe some time in 2003. I had written a two-part article published in www.nigeriaworld.com titled "OBJ Flying or Driving to Avutu?" I had used the opportunity so provided by the situation of the moment to ask the OBJ administration to upgrade the Imo airport so as to enable it meet minimum landing/navigational standards. Soon after, OBJ listened and it was done. My immediate benefits were that Owerri airport, which handled one flight a week, suddenly graduated to up to two flights a day. I am sure, many Igbo from Imo State, who are now vilifying me, perhaps are enjoying the upgraded facilities so provided at Imo airport in Owerri. That was the first millions OBJ gave to me. Before then, I had misjudged OBJ's policies towards the Igbo and had said so vehemently.

Then, I took up OBJ on the East being a marginalized zone in federal roads construction. (See www.nigeriaworld.com "Obasanjo must succeed OBJ - the road network dimensions of 9/12/2005.") Let me report that work is in frenzied progress on the Onitsha-Owerri road. This all important road to the people of Eastern Nigerian is being dualized. I drove on the road from Onitsha to at the least, the Nnewi junction and momentarily thought I was somewhere in Europe or America. As of last week, the OBJ administration has mobilized Julius Berger Nigeria limited to complete the dualization of that road straight to Owerri. That's part of my millions from OBJ. Last December, I also, for the first time enjoyed a pothole free drive on the Shagamu/Benin express road! Though right now the situation on that road could not be said to be the best, at least, it has received a major face lift since my last article appeared on www.nigeriaworld.com. Oh my millions!

08/11/2003 www.nigeriaworld.com I had accused OBJ of meddling in the Anambra crises on the side of UBA to the discomfort of my people. I can assure you that soon after that write up, OBJ washed his hands off the Anambra crises and now, our Ngige is almost completing his term without further molestation. That too is part of my millions from the OBJ administration.

The last batch of millions which OBJ gave to me was as recent as January 2006. See how it happened. In June 2005, I had after a sting operation as a smuggler, written to criticize the car import policies of the OBJ administration. Last month, the OBJ administration slashed import duties on cars to 50 per cent. It is my fellow Igbo, (who statistics have shown import cars and other commodities, more than any segment of the Nigeria population), will definitely benefit from this reduced tariff on car importation.

But of all the millions I got from OBJ the one that has really watered my voracious appetite is the appointments into the OBJ administration of able Igbo sons and daughters: Okonjo-Iweala. Maurice Iwu, Charles Soludo, Oby Ezekwesili, Ndi Onyiuke-Okereke, George Obiozor, Dora Akunyili to name a few - all miracle workers who now, (as every one who cares to see would have seen,) have formed the bedrock of the progressive wing of the OBJ administration. Is the average Nigerian and by extension the average Igbo, not benefiting from the progressive policies being executed by these Igbo best brains that only an Obasanjo could identify? Can any one remember the last time the Igbo was this very prominent in any administration in Nigeria? Yes, I do. Perhaps before the Nigeria civil war. That's part of my millions from OBJ.

Before then, (I think it was early into the life of his administration), OBJ had offered me some millions. His deregulation and trade liberalization policies have made it possible for thousands of Igbo to become millionaires - in Nigeria. Go to Alaba, Idumota, Balogun, Trade Fair complex Onitsha, Aba to see if I am lying. Can't the Igbo seek "ye first the economic domination of Nigeria" and let every other fall in place?

But wait for this, the millions OBJ personally gave to me is reflected in my use of the mobile phone. My mother is sick. Very sick and is in the village. I speak to her any time and when I want to speak to her and her care givers. Thanks to OBJ. I could not do this before 1999. That's part of the millions OBJ has personally given to me!

Other than the aforementioned, I make bold to say that I have not received a thank you note from any member of the OBJ administration not to talk of millions. Instead, like some of you rightly observed, it was the OBJ/ PDP that robbed me of electoral victory in Imo State as recent as October 2004. Nonetheless, I am a professional commentator who in the past has really vilified OBJ, not without reason and would still do so if the opportunity presented itself again, his recent millions to me notwithstanding.

Until then, (let nobody disturb me oh) I am still basking in the glory of the far reaching positive impacts which the OBJ administration has brought to the Nigerian common man. Should a writer wait only for negativism to show his prowess? He should not. A writer must always not be seen to be sad to drive home his views. Sadness sometimes involves an injurious thought process that evokes negative feelings not only towards others but towards one's self. If a sad writer dies of heart attack, the nation will move on and a mention of his place, merely a footnote on the pages of history! Oh my millions!

It beats me hollow to note that it is only in Nigeria, that a writer or journalist cannot express his opinion without his conscience having been compromised. If the OBJ administration is doing fine, why cannot somebody stand up to say so? If OBJ elongates his term in power, would he be the only one that have done so in history.

If I think OBJ deserves a third term as is being speculated, do I (Godson Offoaro) not have the right to air my views to say the reason why I think he should do it? Must I receive a dime or millions directly or indirectly (other than the millions I stated above) from him to say what I truly feel about him? I am not a hired hireling and will never compromise my conscience for a mere mesh of porridge. I am who I am - a successful writer, journalist and social commentator.