Somehow, hubbubs from the table was Barr Eno Johnson trying to educate the table on the person of Onofiok Luke : “he was the student union president of the University Of Uyo, the pioneer speaker of the Nigerian youth parliament, president of the west African youth parliament, former personal assistant to the Governor of Akwa Ibom State and presently the legislator at the state house of assembly representing the people of Nsit Ubium… and so many other things I could not make out. The next question I was called to answer was “so, why did they assault him ?”, “who assaulted him ?”, “where was he assaulted ?”, “how was he assaulted ?”, “what was his response ?”, “who was there when it happened and what did those present do ?”… the questions were countless, so were the answers without a synoptic version because in truth the answers are better experienced than explained.
As the week rolled out I watched eagerly for whatever might seem to be the answer to any of these questions. One question that keeps popping in my mind remains “who is Onofiok Luke?” and I am pretty sure that those who assaulted him also thought of it before trespassing. The truth is anybody can be all those things mentioned about him, any person can occupy any of those positions, in fact people are still occupying those positions today so what bearing has those names with his person? For some men on the street the answer is absolutely “nothing!” so who is this man that assaulting is so much trouble to the ears?
The answer to this question is that Barr Luke is one young man who has grown from streets to palace, a street bred elite. He is a symbol of the aspirations of an average youth anywhere in the world. His life within wealth and power and outside it has been a benefactor to families and generations. Luke identifies freely with youths and students, elders and widows, indigenes and non indigenes alike. He is a political sage, intellectual connoisseur, legal luminary and good missionary of light and truth. There is hardly any sector of the society that can deny benefiting from this young man. So it is not his office that concerns some of us but his personality. Assaulting a good man is assaulting goodness itself.
It was in this light that I begin to wonder, if the youth and students who throng to his doorstep at every single need of theirs cannot see the alleged assault on their benefactor as a treat to their benefits then more slaps are certainly on the way trust me but the youth and student wing are one set of people reckoned to mean business when they mean business. If the Nsit Ubium people who coronated him “Ono Owo Udia 1” of their clime will not reprise such alleged attack on the pride of their nation then they would definitely suffer more blows in days to come but the nsit ubium nation that we know are a no trespass zone; If these word spreads beyond the shores of Akwa Ibom state to other states where Luke's friends, colleagues and comrades and they pretend not to have heard it then they too should consider themselves endangered sociopolitical species. However, if there is any young man with a lethal legion of loyal fiends, colleagues and friends that I know It is Comrade Onofiok Akpan Luke.
Conceivably, it is the consciousness of the foregoing that seem to have precipitated the closed door conciliatory meeting the governor held immediately after the incidence to ensure nothing comes up in reprise at moment like this when he needs as many loyal hands as possible on his deck. This is where the main question that should have been the very first question is now asked at last : “was Hon Barr Onofiok Luke really assaulted nay slapped as alleged?” We must consider all the sides to the story with a rational mind of corporeality in answering this question. Thus, ordinarily, Barr Onofiok Akpan Luke always moves in a refined convoy of supporters usually comprising agile young “central intelligence agency” looking men who take pride in the glory of their leader. This is why he is usually referred to as the “ LEADER OF THE BOYS”. One needs to see the way this young legislator moves freely with these fan armies. It was these fan armies that doused the scene two years ago when thousands of University of Uyo students stormed the governor's office angrily protesting against the kidnap of their Vice Chancellor's husband. Of course the governor in his characteristic generosity thought that doling out fifteen million naira to the angry students (whose protest had already been hijacked by hoodlums) would pacify them but it rather fuelled the ire. It took the presence of the Leader of the boys to calm the boys down. At least the wife of the erstwhile Deputy Governor, Obong Nsima Ekere is a living testimony – she barely escaped leaching by the whiskers! Now, for attacking the Leader of the boys in public even before the president of Nigeria would mean sparking great fire! It would practically lead to an outbreak of protest cum violence between the boys and whoever challenged their leader. Of course the whole hullaballoo would have by now raided internet, a free for all show powered by the recent media craze and indiscretion of this generation. Our local newsprint companies would have sold platinum from the cover pictures alone. On the other hand would the Governor His Excellency Obong Godswil Obot Akpabio actually watch his first begotten son being mortified? What could be the motif of the alleged assailant? Could it be an attempt to prove his loyalty to the governor that he can kill for the governor by attacking one who would rather die for the same governor? Risible implausibility!
In essence, what we have is just speculations of assault with different storylines. A rational conclusion from this is that there definitely was a rift, serious exchange of words, tantrums and wrangles but no fisticuffs. And the media society in other to make sales have added flesh to the bones, rumor mongers have enriched their glossaries and the masses good humour found.
Be that as it may, it is imperative that the stock of supporters of Hon Barr Onofiok Luke rise to their feet to make their position knowed. This is not a decision for Onofiok alone to make, it is not an opportunity to summon “Vulture and Kangaroo” meetings as a machinery for importuning the honorable, it is not time to sound empty gongs in the name of publishing communiqués, it is high time the Nsit Ubium people, the youths and student structures, friends, comrades and colleagues of Onofiok and the masses at large stood up for a man who has been on his feet for them.
Ola Rotimi had said that “a child who throws stones at other children when the mother is around should expect pebbles in return when the mother leaves for the market” but in this case it would be precarious to wait for the mother to go to the market before an example is made. Alas, everyone should be forewarned, “ anybody wey do anyhow” should be prepared to “see anyhow”.
Onofiok Luke is a no trespass zone.
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