waited patiently until I got detailed information and confirmation of the brutality and abuse Ms. Uzoma Okeke, a Lagos lady suffered in the hands of Rear Admiral Harry Arogundade's convoy in Victoria Island, Lagos the other day. Nigerians have suffered so much assault, harassment, kicking, beating, clubbing and death from the hands of the very people who are paid from the public account to protect them. It happens every day. It is the pastime habits of the ruffians who are wear the uniform of the various military and paramilitary organizations in Nigeria. They reserve their whips, belts and boots for the masses. Most in the Nigerian Army, Air Force, Navy and Police in Nigeria lack simple decorum and decency. These are nothing but animals (at least most of them) in human skin and lawless people. But enough is enough and Harry Arogundade must be held responsible for watching, standing by, physically present and condoned the beating and kicking by his naval ratings, those brainless buffoons, of an innocent citizen, Ms. Uzoma Okeke, who was equally trapped in traffic like anybody else. They want her to move her car from and off the road so the big boss and master can use the road.
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Reports had it that Miss Okeke was severely beaten and almost stripped naked by the security aides for, according to reports, not making way for Arogundade's convoy in traffic. Why should anyone make way for any other person except those on emergency service such as ambulance (those do not even exist in Nigeria) and police in pursuit of criminals? Where was Mr. Arogundade going that day? Why did he not leave his office early or his home? Who does he think he is? Who is this heartless, gutless, inhuman character in uniform? How could out society continue to tolerate such lowlifes in its midst, or even allow people like him to wear military uniform? I am not sure if Arogundade has a wife at home and I do not know if he uses her as a punching bag, but maltreating and beating a defenseless woman on the streets of Victoria Island in Lagos and bringing her to open shame, physical pain, emotional distress and psychological torture is not only unbelievable but also the act of wimps. None of these naval people involved in the clubbing of Ms. Okeke are men. It may be true that they bear male organs but it is also true that they behave no better than animals.
Real Admiral Arogundade must for once do the right thing by tendering his letter of resignation to his employers before the Navy even start any make-believe investigation. Arogundade must do the honourable thing to mitigate against the dishonourable act he condoned and encouraged. No rating or aide will get into any nonsense if his boss does not condone it and sit back in his car as his men roughen people up and generally brutalize citizens. I urge Arogundade to resign today and not wait to be kicked out. President Umaru Yar'Ardua should take the most appropriate step by the coming week to take the navy uniform off Arogundade. The president should also direct that no military man - navy, air force, army, and the prisons, should use siren on Nigerian roads any longer. The men in uniform must be taught to obey the nation, to respect citizens who are their employers, to be heard and not seen, to be decent and responsible people in the larger society, and to experience what everyone else go through on a daily basis; they do not have two heads and they are not even adding any value.
Arogundade should know that people are reeling with anger and shocked, particularly people in the Western World who heard about this and are busy in chat rooms across the world discussing this issue. The reaction was worse when I shared the news with my Caucasian friends who do not understand why someone would want another to leave the road for him. It is strange to them because in a decent society it is the naval officer who will make way for civilians to go; the naval officer or the army officer will park his car and walk down to clear the road for civilians to go by first. He will be the last to leave the scene of an accident. And that reminds me of Colonel Sasaenia Oresanya, a former military governor of Oyo State. Col. Oresanya was a perfect gentleman. He will park his car around Ibadan when he found himself in a holdup, he will clear traffic, restore order and the flow of traffic, and he will hardly ever use siren. Oresanya was the opposite of this power drunk naval officer.
In decent societies, it is the men in uniform who clear flood, build emergency roads, rescue those who are trapped and provide sundry services to the community. The men of the Armed Forces should be in the service of the people; they serve at the pleasure of the people. I was in a train in Washington, DC one day. The train was packed and I was taking a standing position when a soldier in uniform got up and offered me his seat! For somebody who grew up in Nigeria I could not believe it. He is in uniform and he gave up his seat for a "bloody civilian"? But I witnessed many uniformed men during that one hour ride give up their seats to civilians. And when these officers talk to you, they never forget to address you with respect: "Sir, you can have my seat, sir" "Sir, I will show you the way to the mall, "Sir, can I help you in any way?" These are soldiers who are trained to respect civilians, not like our own who have so much disdain for the people, because they have been able to truncate our democracy; ruffians and mostly illiterates who usurped power, who relied and depended on the gun so much they cared less about who paid for the gun and the ammunition.
I am so pleased with the action of the Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola and his immediate response and reaction to the jungle action of a wild, reckless and irresponsible naval officer. Governor Fashola got wind of the madness of the naval men and quickly got in touch with the poor victim, invited her to his office in Ikeja and offered her legal assistance. He told her: "Even though this is not an act of the Lagos State government, I will first of all apologise to you. Those of us who exercise authority in the state who owe it a responsibility to protect you have actually turned against you. I am sorry." He assured her that "our democracy will protect you, you will get justice." He told her that he had summoned the Solicitor-General of the state and Head of the Office of Public Defender to provide her all the legal support she needs. He also promised to "make representation to his Excellency, Mr. President and all the reports I get from the Ministry of Justice, I will pass it to him. I am sure he will do justice to it." This is unprecedented and very commendable. There have been a lot of good news about Governor Fashola and we encourage him to continue to lead and rebuild Lagos. Ms. Okeke told the governor that Arogundade told her she could have been killed and that he did not show any remorse. Arogundade is unfit to wear the uniform of the Nigerian Navy and he should be shown the door in the coming week if he fails to resign voluntarily.
Let us not waste time in condemning the dubious account provided to journalists by the spokesman of the Navy. Commodore David Nabaida is not different from his superior, Arogundade. He may even do worse, or has probably done worse than that to civilians. His fraudulent account: "�a rating used his whip to hit the car, urging the lady to move. Instead, she jumped out of her car, switched it off, and forcefully took the whip from him (rating), telling him that we are in a democracy, that he (rating) had no right to hit her car." I doubt whether this Nigerian Navy spokesman should be wearing navy or any other uniform for that matter. He spoke like an idiot with no common sense. Which lady will attempt to take a horse whip from a uniformed man in Nigeria? This is nothing but lies - disgraceful lies and a dishonest claim. How on earth will this spokesman end up comparing the brutality given to a defenseless lady to the casualty the Navy has suffered in the Niger Delta? Is the man so dumb and ignorant! Is this lady responsible for or connected to the casualty of the Navy in the Niger Delta? We do not have civilized, decent armed forces in Nigeria. There is an urgent need for re-orientation and democratic training for those in military uniform in Nigeria if the nation does not wish to continue to witness and condone such brutality as meted out to Ms. Okere and stupidly defended by the Director of Naval (Mis)information. These are shameless men, disrespectful officers and dishonourable lowlifes in uniform. Rear Admiral Arogundade and his sidekicks should be retired from the Nigerian Navy immediately; he has no place in decent society.
