By Erasmus Ikhide
There is a specific type of silence that follows a well-placed truth; it is usually filled by the shrill, incoherent screeching of those whose comfort has been disturbed. The recent “noisy rant” credited to the Professor Julius Ihonvbere (PJI) Media Initiative is not a rebuttal—it is a white flag of surrender wrapped in the tattered rags of gutter language.
When a Professor of Political Science allows his brand to be defended by handlers who suggest that critical journalism be traded for “hoe and farming,” we are no longer discussing politics; we are witnessing the terminal collapse of an intellectual legacy.
The “Competence” Smokescreen
The PJI team attempts to dismiss the Owan West/East rotation agreement as an “informal arrangement” that must bow to “competence.” This is the classic language of the Revisionist Autocrat.
Here is the Ethics of the Contract: In 2018, was the rotation agreement “mediocrity,” or was it the very ladder the Professor climbed to Abuja? To enjoy the benefits of a gentleman’s agreement and then declare it “emotional blackmail” when it is time to reciprocate is the height of political perfidy.
How about the Competence Fallacy? To suggest that in the entire Owan East, there is no “competent” hand to take the mantle is not an argument for PJI’s indispensability; it is an insult to the collective intelligence and pedigree of every leader in the constituency.
The “Faded Pen” vs. The Piercing Truth
The handlers claim my pen is “faded,” yet they have spent hundreds of words reacting to it with the tremors of a cornered animal. If my analysis were “forgettable,” they would not be sweating under the collar, reaching for insults about my ancestral home in Eruere.
For the record, there is indeed dignity in farming. But there is no dignity in a “Scholar-Dictator” who hides behind the skirts of illiterate aides to avoid explaining why he wishes to turn a representative mandate into a personal fiefdom. If the PJI team thinks that mentioning “Eruere” or “hoes” constitutes a political strategy, they have proven my point: they are better suited for the asylum than the arena.
The Verdict of History
Leadership is not merely about “Ranking Member” status in Abuja; it is about Integrity of Character at home. You cannot build a “Techno-Sovereign” future on the foundation of a broken promise.
Professor Ihonvbere must realize that his handlers are his greatest demarketers.
By attacking the messenger rather than addressing the Rotation Debt, they have confirmed to the Owan people that the Professor has no defense.
The sun is setting. No amount of “gutter vocabulary” can stall the clock. The rotation is sacred. The honor is due. And the exit door is wide open.
Erasmus Ikhide contributed this piece via: ikhideluckyerasmus@gmail.com