“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.
by ROTMANLUV 2023-07-08, 17:34
