By Concerned Non-Indigenes In Rivers State
While scrutinizing his government, as was reported on March 11, 2012,
Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State said that over 2,000 Rivers and
non-Rivers indigenes have so far benefited from his Special Overseas
scholarship programme. Unlike the governor we knew who believed so much in
the indigene and non-indigene dichotomy in his state, we have to praise
Almighty God that he is today turning a new, if he could say that
non-Rivers residents also benefited in the scheme premeditated to further
human capital expansion in Rivers State and the country.
This might not be the first time he was involving the non-Rivers in such
scheme. But what made this testimony so unique was the fact that the
governor once saw Rivers State politics to belong solely to the Rivers
State indigenes not until we at the Concerned Non-Indigenes In Rivers State
(CONIRIV) started making our voice heard through the media against such
odious mindset of the governor and every average Rivers person against
non-Rivers resident in the state. Inter alia, statement credited to the
governor like, “Rivers money is for Rivers people” changed to “Rivers money
is for competent people” when he started hearing our literary salvo.
The reversion of the governor from his former statement was hinged on his
conviction that his fellow indigenous contractors, many of them,
disappointed him and couldn’t deliver on the contracts his government
awarded them. However, whether his comment of involving the non-Rivers in
that scheme was a mere pronouncement, it is even better than his once
un-edited comments known of him in the period he assumed power newly and
his body language that suggested that he wanted every non-Rivers person
resident in the state to “pack and go”.
Conversely, as a journalist (Reporting for a better Environment) committed
to urban and community life, Odimegwu Onwumere, the Coordinator of CONIRIV
was spurred into intensive creation of awareness to sensitizing the general
public and pressurizing the government on the effect of bad policies to the
environment and human rights as they relate to education, health, politics,
human rights, child rights, environment etc. Founded in 2007, today
thegroup can boast of over 300, 000 members scattered across the world
in
seeing that the government’s policies affect the rights of migrants in
Rivers State, positively.
Description of the initiative:
CONIRIV regulates media briefs on environmental and human rights programme
through various newspapers and recognized websites, through mails generated
to these various media organizations for covering the overview of its
discussion. Apart from using the newspapers and websites, strategic use of
social networking sites and other social media are put in place to promote
and market the welfare of the society and people. Onwumere pays his
colleagues to facilitate the publication of his briefs.
The implementation of this plan requires access to all aspects of the media
platforms, and not limited to a particular one. He does this because an
enlarged audience makes a core identity to effective brand recognition of
the subject of concern across over all media, blog, brand, sale sites, when
he circulates his briefs about the menace against the society and the
people from any quarter, without restriction. He even establishes
relationships with known charitable organizations and socially responsible
business people to network with him.
He had been in the struggle before CONIRIV was founded. In a decade and, in
this crusade, those that have read about his inputs have said that he
turned out to be one of the best activists in the globe. He has
successfully been creating maximum impact through media strategies. In his
crusade, he nip sudden issue related to the entire process if the problem
was not nipped into the bud immediately – like environment and public
rights.
People consult him on any special issues as they relate to the writing,
politics, government policies, and he helps in seeing that the rights of
the people are not hampered by the issue bordering to his consultation –
media – when faced with attack of those who may not like to hear about the
society’s outcry and their perception. He does all these benevolently.
Though, he finances the project to the tone of $30, 000 (USA Dollars)
annually.
He uses pen to extend messages beyond the capability of munitions,
Strategic Planning for Blackism and African and multi-cultural projects,
Establishing purposes in line with artistic projects and humanism,
Environment and Child/Human Rights Crusade, Citizen/ Grassroots Journalism, To
Promote and make Good communication skills, High agility, Commitment,
Teamwork ability, Good personality, Ability to work under pressure,
Analytical skills, Ability to travel and Ability to make future projections
a bedrock of all, but especially, the downtrodden.
Amaechi and his aides would attest that Onwumere has written over 3000
articles on the issue of Human and Environmental rights on (Nigeria, and at
large) the Rivers State and Niger Delta region, which was characterised by
militant pressure groups and kidnapping activities in the recent past.
Onwumere had received life threatening calls several times. Some of the
callers said that they were militants, assassins and must fish him out, no
matter where he may run to because of the corrective articles he had
written on Amaechi-led government to see governance beyond only Rivers
indigenes. As a result, Onwumere has been forced to go underground many
times for fear of his life.
Impact:
To date, Onwumere with his journalism initiative has effected change in the
government policies. Migrants are being appointed in the government of
Rivers State by the indigenous politicians. There is a humanface free
education and health care policy on the passage of the bill “Social
Contributory Levy” by the State House of Assembly. Albeit, the bill would
require parents to pay a certain amount of money to complement what the
state government would provide to enable the students that would gain
admission into the new model secondary schools enjoy free uniforms,
sandals, books and feeding, as against what students used to pay.
If the schools charge fees, many poor parents cannot afford to send their
wards to the school. There’s pressure on the Assembly to consider the
importance of the bill to the common citizens and pass it into law. His
pressure followed in making the government trained people at Benin Republic
for the Songhai Model Farm. Primary Schools and Health Centres, the
Governor had assured the people that contract for the remaining ones would
be awarded, while those yet to be completed would be monitored to ensure
early completion. Onwumere was not relenting in seeing that life is
bettered for the people living in the urban and rural towns of the state.
Sustainability:
CONIRIV’s intervention in Human and Environmental rights has to a large
extent brought a sustainable awareness and consciousness in the minds of
the indigenes and non-indigenes in Rivers State and in the government of
Rivers State to respect HUMAN DIGNITY. Onwumere has been empowering the
government with REVIEWS about the government’s policies and suggestions on
how to better humanity. He is always investigating the areas that required
the government’s attention especially on the area of infrastructural decays
and sundry in the communities.
He was said to be a leading voice on human and enviro
nmental rights in the
province. He has consistently made it possible for migrants in Rivers State
to be heard by their host. He has tirelessly focused more on the major
concern of non-indigenes, which is their safety and security. Emphasis have
been given to the security threats emanating from certain persons’
utterances, drawing attention to similar war chants in 2004, which marked
the onset of crisis and insecurity in Rivers State. He has tried to crusade
that lives were not lost anymore unlike when militants in the state took up
arms against Nigeria in 2004 or 2000 as he proudly has announced to the
world in his crusade. His activism has affected human beings and the
environment positively. Today, the non-indigenes are not (perceived to be)
threatened with war drums as were severally targeted against them. They
were ever ready to embark on an exodus to their States of origin.
Non-indigenes, some of whom returned to the state, can afford another
location of businesses and lives, without prejudice.
Innovation:
As far as campaigning for human and environmental rights in Nigeria and
around the globe are concerned, Odimegwu Onwumere has brought about the
kind of awareness and perception that the non-indigenes and the public
domain desire in line with their choice of aspiration. He has built a
capacity to win and keep a well-respected and very influential spectrum of
special publics working in consonance with his drive: pool of known
political, economic and social power-brokers and influence-wielders in
terms of the strength of their commitment to his desired success. This
calibre of people is indispensable down-linkers and re-enforcers of crusade
messages in key areas of decision-making within and outside the domain of
his choice. He has attained the essential gains that any well-schemed
activist aims to achieve as follows:
– Top-Of-The-Mind Public Awareness Of The Project.
– A Most Favourable Disposition By The Public For The Activist That
Culminates In Coming To Consonance With Him.
In line with the above and in the absence of a clear and detailed brief,
his innovative ambition has brought fame thus:
– Generate and manage profound streams of information about him and his
ambition across the world, with special focus on Rivers State.
– Mobilize, organize and sustain a powerful team of media functionaries
(editors, writers and reporters) to commit themselves to his course.
– Use of the most appropriate media communication tools to create
extensive and captivating awareness about his activism quest, with the
intention of registering that as a Reliable Leadership Brand in the minds
of members of the general public.
– Effectively managed himself as a Brand. This is professional media
communications that focus on deepening his popularity by developing and
running special platforms that registered him strongly in the public
consciousness in a manner that secures their emotions, sentiments and sense
of leadership choice of him.
All of the above and more have been successfully carried out.
Transferability and up-scaling:
Odimegwu Onwumere started this initiative in his neighbourhood in 1996,
sharing fliers and bills to people. This metamorphosed to writing. It began
to expand with his formation of Poet Against Child Abuse (PACA), a
non-profit organization that provides a portal for all people but most
especially young people to find inspiration, express their rights, access
information and get involved in improving their local and global
communities on the fight against Child Abuse.
His quest for human and environmental rights did not exclusively exist in
major form. He used “all the means necessary” to pass his information,
excluding violence. It was when he took the crusade to the media that it
became internationally.
Despite lack of financial donors, he never waned to take his message to the
West end. His goal of expansion is to bring equality to human habitats all
over the world, wondering why few people live in affluence to the detriment
of the majority that live in slums and in abject poverty.
Today, his programme that was a toddler, Onwumere is inundated with calls
and emails from the media, groups, individuals, environment and human
rights organisations around the world seeking his comment on an issue or
the other. His current expansion is to establish a publishing firm that
would focus on publishing unpublished writers, using the proceeds to
influence the lives of those in the towns and villages he has not slept for
their betterment. This firm can only be achieved if he receives funds to
the tone of $1million (USA Dollars) from the general public.
Recognition of the initiative:
Over half of 150 million Nigerians and non-Nigerians at home and in the
Diaspora have recognized this project. They are strongly behind Onwumere
for the good work he is doing in sensitizing people on the issues of human
and environmental rights. The 2006 WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY GLOBAL ACTIVITY
REPORT praised him thus:
To commemorate the World Environment Day, The Port Harcourt Link Club
organized a series of events, which culminated with a presentation titled,
“Desertification in Nigeria”. The accord reached was to turn working-women
into growers of trees, instead of mere collectors of wood. A special poem
“Sahara Desert” by Odimegwu Onwumere was also composed and celebrated.
Rowland Ogundu was fascinator, The Port Harcourt Link Club.
Amaechi has shown that he was not a stonehearted person with his
relationship with non-Rivers residents, though his former disposition
against the non-Rivers people in the state was the Adamic state of mind of
many. Because of our outburst in 2007 that there was supposed to be a
non-Rivers Commissioner in his cabinet, we have today heard that he did not
disappoint, by appointing a non-indigene as a Commissioner in Rivers State,
the first to happen in the state. Some Permanent Secretaries, Chief Press
Secretary etc. were among those said were non-Rivers persons in his
government.
Notwithstanding, we are wishing Amaechi the best in his rule since he has
chose to turn a new leaf. He should also drastically look at the roads,
schools, hospitals and every other government projects he has initiated if
they are working in tandem with the purpose for setting them. While he has
said that over 2,000 Rivers and non-Rivers indigenes have so far benefited
from his Special Overseas scholarship programme, we appeal that he should
not fail to do more and that are happy that even though that Odimegwu
Onwumere was risking his life in seeing a better integrated Rivers State,
some non-Rivers indigenes are today benefiting from his protestation. We
thank the Almighty who has been by Onwumere’s side, the media that assisted
in no-less ways in making sure that we succeed, and all who have stood by
our side.
