Prof. Protus Nathan Uzorma
Every thinking man is in trouble, whether or not he expresses his thought on print or electronic media. One may succeed by stopping his fellow man from talking but cannot stop him from thinking hence thinking is an essential quality of human being. I am not against anyone and must endeavour within my volition to disregard unnecessary acrimony while stating what transpired recently.
Yes, I shall proceed by setting aside what may seem as logical or illogical indictment as I desire to toll the path of certainty to enable me assume as if it was absolutely false. I mean the suspected source of the incident. I shall consequently tilt to this dimension until I meet what is certain to reality. My meeting with reality and certainty in this connection shall greatly accelerate and conceive high hopes which have hitherto become my convection anchored on indubitable effort.
My emotion was fatally flawed as the timeless time became my final hope and solace. Though difficult to embrace, but justification anchored on faith became my hope of her freedom. Oh yes, I mean the freedom of an innocent woman who became a victim of what she is innocent of. The cosmic law of love set her free.
In the words of Protagoras the Sophist, “Man is the measure of all things; of those things that are, he is. Of those things that are not, he is not”. Any evil is possible with man in so far as such evil exist. Frantz Fanon says “ Man is what brings society into being” while R.N Anshen infers, “ Man is differentiated from other forms of life in that he may guide change by means of conscious purpose in the light of rational experience”. For Socrates, “No man living has ever seen a man”.
Following the above, man can produce a better society if he decides to reason well. Part of the negative nature of the depraved man was revealed to me and my house hold on the 20th of Sept. 2015 at about 10 pm.
As a philosopher, I do not do anything because it is a custom. I do things because I have a choice to. It was J.S Mill that says, “He who does anything because it is a custom makes no choice”. For me, I have a choice to do whatever I consider rationally and morally right. On Friday, Sept. 18, 2015 my article “Okorocha’s Committees of Locusts and Hoppers” was published on the back page of “The Union” newspaper which generated controversy in many ways. I still have no apology for that article.
You could recall that few months ago, I published an article tagged “ Why I am a critic” in the same publication I did mention the role of criticism and why my criticism cuts across religion, politics, philosophy and other aspects of life. I enjoy it because it gives anybody who desires to learn proper direction. I do not condemn rather I criticize to inspire so that those who are leading without direction could get same through my constructive works for “Man is what brings the society into being”.
“Man is a yes; I will never stop reiterating that. Yes to life. Yes to love. Yes to generosity. But man is also a no, No to scorn of man. No to degradation of man. No to exploitation of man. No to the butchery of what is most human in man freedom” noted Frantz Fanon. The assertion of Frantz forms the basis of my criticism. And like Nietzsche “I do not spare you. I love you from my heart of heart my brethren in war.” Yes, I love you all my leaders in war over my criticism.
Plato notes, “Any city, however small, is in fact divided into two, one the city of the poor, the other of the rich”. While I was busy speaking and criticizing the ignoble policies of the government of Imo state against “the city of the poor” some people somewhere, were planning to annihilate and assassinate me for speaking the truth.
On that faithful day (20th of Sept. 2015) when the evil men attacked my family, it was their third attempt. The first time, i was guided by the Holy Spirit to move out before they came by 5am, the second time was last year 2014 which claimed more than five lives. The third time which made my wife a victim has generated serious heat on my own path. My wife was abducted on Sunday night after resisting the hoodlums and insisting that I was out of my house, they consequently took her away. Those who know my wife too well could attest to the fact that she cannot hurt a fly. A loving mother after God’s heart.
Two well armed men whisked her away with a power bike and made no contact with me. According to them, they were instructed to eliminate me and when one of them suggested that they should kill my beloved wife to inflict injury and pain on me they all agreed to do so, but decided that it will be the following day being Monday 21 of Sept. 2015. God seriously intervened and they changed their decision. To God be all the glory!
That same night the police immediately responded to my distress call. I called the new police commissioner in Imo state Mr. Taiwo Lakanu who visited me that same night with the New Owerri D.P.O. I sincerely want to praise the men of Nigeria police for their cooperation. The Inspector General of police who I also discussed with concerning the issue who thanked his men too. In fact, I thank all my friends in the police, the I.G Mr. Solomon Aresa, A.I.G Muhammed, Chief of Army staff, SSA to Mr. President on Media Mr. Femi, D.S.S men, all my media friends and associate for being there for me.
My friends and colleagues in academics I thank you all for your concern. The Arch Bishop A.J.V Obinna who prayed and admonished me like a father.
While appreciating you all in this connection, I wish to inform you all that my wife returned home after three days in the hands of the evil men. She is back with life and her health is improving. She is back with a message from the kidnappers thus, “Tell your husband that this is the final warning from us. If he continues to criticize the government, we will teach him the last lesson which he will never live to regret it….Tell him to stop….tell him to stop…..we are watching.”
On Wednesday morning at about 3am when my wife delivered the message to me, I was bamboozled. Though I started thinking that it may be wrong information in order to make me suspect the wrong person, but on a second thought and considering what I have passed through all these years of evil-cratic government of Owelle Rochas Okorocha I am also tempted to think otherwise.
The truth is that I do not know who kidnapped my wife and released her after making us pass through pain and emotional agony. It cost me everything in life to keep my family stable. Whether Gov Rochas or his boys have hand in it, I do not know. If my unknown enemies are also responsible, I don’t know too; all I can say is that to God be the glory while I still ask, who kidnapped my wife?