“If only there was enough space on this tiny
‘heart’ to evoke my unfettered joie de vivre for what you have done. The
gaiety, the mirth, the heavenly bubbling of every effusive cell that sings
inside me for your kind and pithy offering.”
Joshua Braff
I hate
publicity and will do anything to keep away from the glare of the public. I
love to be behind the scene while pulling the dangerous strings and reporting
the achievements, scandals and corrupt practices of individuals, government and
corporate bodies. Despite the knowledge that I am excelling in my chosen
career, I have deliberately refused to hug the limelight.
Thus when I picked
up the deadly report of following the Niger State Governor, Babangida Muazu
Aliyu also called Talba, the least thing that ever came to my mind was that I
will be the headline of many media organisations across the globe, or the most
talked about journalist around town. In the moment of trials are heroes born
and true friends and colleagues known. In times of tribulations do we realize
if we have created more enemies over the years or friends.
I love to be
the reporter and not the one be reported on; it is my life, but fate decided
otherwise and for two weeks, the world was agog with my humble name over the
media and cyberspace. The celestials may not forgive me if after my eleven days
sojourn in prison and three days incarceration in the Department of State
Security (DSS) cell I fail to acknowledge the human hands who rescued me out of
the mouth of the lion. To them, I owe my freedom after my creator.
In Inibehe
Effiong I found a soulmate. Right from the day we knew each other, our souls
whispered ‘perfect’ to each other and ever since then, the immortal cord was
struck. My full belief in him made me show myself to him when I visited Uyo, an
action I never do. He is the perfect Nigerian who will die for your cause once
he finds credibility, integrity and uprightness in you and that he found in me.
Where it not for him and a dear friend who blew the trumpet of my kidnap by the
SSS on the order of the Niger State government, I would have been assassinated
or kept away in a secret cell for years to run mad. Inibehe, I owe you eternal
gratitude.
Elombah.com
came as a rescue, becoming the first media to call the SSG to demand for my
release, even though he first denied. Despite leaving the organization to Daily
Voice NG to be its Managing Editor, the media stood by me, refusing to be cowed
by the cooked up stories of N50 Million by a corrupt government. News Rescue,
that USA based newspaper will have no appetite to stomach the lies of the government,
and despite publishing their views, the editorial team maintained that Fejiro
Oliver is innocent. I owe Paradigm News my profound gratitude for being a
pillar and believing in me, despite not hearing from me. Like the Northern star
that never change, they refused to have my image tarnished.
One of Africa
most read news medium, Abusidiqu, became a thorn to the government and revealed
how my contact with the Niger government came to be. Again, this media chose to
stay with me than my oppressors. Universal Reporters and 247ureports played
director, protecting my name from being soiled; they are my model for
journalism practice. News Express and the Malaysian based News platform, Naija
Centre, became a life wire, following every positive story about me. I’m
stunned by their reportage on me and if words can make the Angels on high
personally show gratitude, I will invoke the words for them.
Gong News
alongside Scan News are forever engraved in my heart for showing me what
comradeship is. The government could have bought them over, but they sold their
conscience to truth and with their platforms, they fought my cause. Premium
Times News showed me that in moment of oppression, they would rather stay with
the oppressed, not the oppressor, just like Sahara Reporters, though with a
first impression headline of indictment (caused by media style of getting
readers attention), they took the news of all parties. I owe them countless
thanks. To Senator Ifeanyi Okowa media teml led by Deltans Diaspora, I’m
touched by your show of love and daily call through reports and graphics
demanding for my release. My heart is filled with thanks.
The Global
Concord Newspaper family refused to believe that I would ever demand for a dime
to kill stories and on that they stood, defending me. I’m indebted to them. The
Nigerian Voice, CKN Nigeria, Bioreports and The Call NG became a shield, just
as Urhobo Today trusted me to defend me against the allegations. Laidun Laidi
and Stella Dimakorku soft sell media will be in the history of journalism for
their saving grace to me while in prison. Nigeria Tell, Daily News Analysis,
Globalville News, Global Reporters, World Stage group,
Spy Ghana and Transparency NG are forever engraved in my heart for standing up
tall in the face of tyranny and blowing the horns that forced my release.
The Sun,
Business Day, Advocate, Leadership, Daily Trust and Newsline Newspapers have
every reason to side with the government, but for me they stood like the rock
of Gibraltar, publishing press releases demanding for my release. My heart is
full of appreciation towards such show of love. To my lawyer from Rotimi Jacobs
and Co (SAN), Barr. Gabriel Esegini, your great work towards my freedom will be
told under the moonlight. To my personal lawyer from Eculaw Group, Barr. Emeka
Ephraim Ugwuonye, I owe you a lifetime of appreciation for being the moral and
legal compass to the public who saw through your eyes and passed favorable
judgment on me.
I lack words to
express my gratitude to the Committee to protect Journalists (CPJ), New York,
Reporters Without Borders, France, Media Rights Agenda, Nigeria, Safe Action
International, USA, Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union (RATTAWU)
and the Nigerian Union of Journalist (NUJ) National Secretariat. With their
consistence demand for my release, the international community got involved and
more than ever before, the government had to bow. I have no penny to pay but a
sincere prayer of grace for more to do greater advocacy. To the National
Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity) who stood solidly behind me and
sent a lawyer to Minna to secure my release, our bond is forever stronger.
I’m forever
indebted to the NUJ Chairman, Minna Council, Iliya Garba and the entire members
who rather than stand with the government chose to stand by me. My fraternal
brother and co-alumni, Onwusanya Jones (FCC Jones), IG Wala, Bayo Akinnagbe,
Frank Ijege, Marxist Kola, Talakwas Parliament, Eneh Wilson and a host of many
others, your clamour for my release will surely be in the book that this saga
has created. The woman of substance, Dudu Omoze Joy who began the twitter
activism to get me freed; I just want to say I love you.
My
Facebook/twitter friends and fans remain my greatest treasures, who through
their daily call for my release got the government uncomfortable. Had I a
better way to show my thanks, I would, but be rest assured that the trust you
have built in me will never be betrayed. The Critics Corner family deserves my
prostration to thank them and this I have done, for being by me in my ordeals.
To the millions of people and media all over the world who joined the operation
Free Fejiro Oliver Now, thank you.
Where success
calls, enemies who pose as friends abound. To Malik Shabbazz (not real name),
Gimba Kikanda and Chukwudi Iwuchukwu, thank you for being in the opposition and
doing all your best to soil my name. Thank you for cooking up the lies you told
all in a bid to whittle down the fame bestowed on a perceived rival. Your
antagonism is the reason why I came out of this stronger and the reason why
millions of Nigerians and foreigners swore never to stop the campaign for my
release, and while you failed, they succeeded.
Thanks you
Nigerian; thank you the international community for throwing me to limelight.
Thank you for conferring on me a journalist celebrity and the poster boy for
press freedom. Thank you for believing in me while held captive for fourteen
days of horror. Thank you for the love you showed. I am eternally humbled.
These little
things matter…
Fejiro Oliver,
a Journalist and Media Consultant and Managing Editor of Daily Voice NG can be
reached on +2348157335563 (sms only please) and secretsreporters@gmail.com.
Engage me on twitter @fejirooliver86 and Facebook; fejirooliver86. Like our
Facebook page – secretsreporters
NOTE: Watch out
for the true story on the N50 Million story for cash.
Nobody can suppress the truth.
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