By Jude Atupulazi Snr
When certain things happen, they can be traced to earlier events. This is to say that things don’t just happen; at least most things. By now, many Nigerians and the outside world must have heard the full gist of the eternal show of shame at the inauguration of our governor on Thursday in Awka.
The erstwhile First Lady, Mrs Obiano, had brazenly gone to confront Bianca, wife of Ojukwu, demanding to know why she should be at the event after vowing never to be part of APGA activities. I heard she poured invective on Bianca who shortly lost her cool and landed a resounding slap on Obiano’s wife.
Osodieme, as Mrs Obiano is called, then fought Bianca like a tigress until protocol people pulled them apart.
Now questions are bound to be asked and one of them is why Osodieme should query the presence of anyone at an event they were officially invited. If her husband did not object, why should she?
Two: Bianca was possibly invited by Soludo whose event it was. So why should Osodieme defy Soludo by querying Bianca’s presence?
Well, as I already said, what she did wasn’t something that started today. For the eight years her husband was governor, she was said to have virtually acted as a de facto governor. She was also reportedly feared and said to be influencing many official decisions which no one dared oppose. She also gave appointments. Yet all this took place when our constitution does not recognize the office of First Lady.
That she was able to get away with many things is what baffles many people. Hers was a case of a sore being allowed to fester until it became cancerous. That was why on Soludo’s biggest day she took it upon herself to cast a blur on it. Soludo must be commended for not ordering that she be whisked away. Her action was shameful, distasteful and outrageous, as well as being a big embarrassment to Anambra State.
My sympathies go to her peace loving husband who was forced to swallow her misdemeanor with the stoicism of a long suffering husband. Her action betrayed her public display of philanthropy as a sham. It was an action that has effectively put paid to her Senatorial ambition. In saner climes that’s what it will amount to.
I’m still wondering what could be going on in her husband’s mind. That disgrace was too much. But what can a man do in such circumstances?
All I can say to Obiano is, “Nwoke ibem, dibe.” (My fellow man, bear it).
Other men have seen a lot worse.
• Atupulazi, a senior journalist, wrote from Awka.