Efio-Ita Nyok|5 August 2016
Yesterday 4 August, the attention of the Editor of Negroidhaven.org (Negroid Haven), Efio-Ita Nyok, was brought to a diatribe directed against it by a Cross Riverian in the diaspora, Yakurr-born Canada-based Obasesam Okoi, His reaction was contained in his social media (precisely Facebook) post titled: 'Caveat Emptor! That Negroid Haven Publication was a Lie', evidently made against one of Negroidhaven.org's 4 August publication titled: 'Liberal Party Slams Speaker John Gaul Lebo, Task 25 member House'.
Okoi's social media thread was couched in eleven (11) paragraphs. This present publication is intended as a rejoinder to Okoi's 'CAVEAT EMPTOR! That Negroid Haven Publication was a Lie'. I am going to juxtapose the content of my yesterday publication side by side with Okoi's and allow the reader to draw the conclusion whether 'that Negroid Haven publication was in truly a lie'.
To begin with, Okoi's Caveat Emptor contend that the said publication by Negroidhaven.org was an 'effusion of misinformation' positing that Okoi's remark was a position of the Liberal Party of Canada which he is a member of; that it is was 'libellous, malicious, unprofessional behaviour, and a display of unethical journalism'; that his statement, 'Gaul was a great guy but he screwed up' was a simple one with no political undertone; that his statement doesn't represent the position of the Liberal Party of Canada; that the Liberal Party of Canada was currently leading the nation to 'prosperity and equality' unlike the 'mediocre politics' obtainable in Cross River; that he was apologising to both Speaker John Gaul Lebo of Cross River State House of Assembly for the 'emotional stress' and his fans who may have thought that the position of Negroid Haven's publisher emanated from him, Okoi. I harvested about six theses.
Yesterday 4 August Negroid Haven's publication titled: 'Liberal Party Slams Speaker John Gaul Lebo, Task 25 member House' had six paragraphs.
In very emphatic terms, I wish to state here that my publication of yesterday didn't in any capacity suggest that Okoi's remarks was the position of the Liberal Party of Canada except in title (which is understandable as a ploy to compel the reader to savour the content of the publication beyond the cover title). Thus, the phrasing of my publication stated thus: 'a Caucus member of the Liberal Party of Canada and academic, Yakurr-born Obasesam Okoi has submitted in categorical terms that the Speaker of the 8th Cross River State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. John Gaul Lebo of Abi State Constituency was a fine gentleman who later got it wrong'. Please how does this suggests that the Canadian Liberal Party had a hand here? Why did Okoi take exceptional notice in the phrase: 'Caucus member of the Liberal Party of Canada' but left out 'academic'?
Okoi further contends that the statement credited to him, 'Gaul was a great guy but he screwed up', was only a simple statement which doesn't have a political undertone. Alas! Okoi lied: remember he was making the above statement in reaction to Ifere Paul's article titled 'Why the CRS House of Assembly should Impeach Governor Ben Ayade'. Was Paul's article political or not? Is Okoi, a social commentator/public affairs analyst remarking here in neutrality? What was the debate in question —that, Lebo should do the needful as a politician. Do we now understand why Okoi's membership of the Liberal Party of Canada was invoked? It was invoked not to suggest that his remark represented the official position of the party which he is a member of but to show that he is a politician who who was reacting to an article of a political undertone. In the light of this, can Okoi still say that his remark, 'Gaul was a great guy but he screwed up' is simple?
Furthermore, when Okoi in the tenth paragraph submitted categorically thus:
'Let me warn that my membership of the Canadian Liberal Party, a distinguished political party that is currently leading the nation on the path to prosperity and equality should not be linked with mediocre politics in Cross River', was he honest? Didn't he shoot himself in the foot and confirmed my suspicion? He just said the politics we have in Cross River is mediocre. Is this a simple statement with no political undertone?
Again, is Speaker John Gaul Lebo a politician? Is Ifere Paul a politician? Is Ifere Paul's Why the CRS House of Assembly should Impeach Governor Ben Ayade' a political thesis? It is incontestible that when Ifere Paul was writing he indicted the Speaker of the 8th CRSHA? But, it is not true that when Obasesam Okoi was responding 'Gaul was a great guy but he screwed up', he was making a political statement. Please I wish to be clarified on this, when Okoi recited the concept 'Gaul' (in 'Gaul was a great guy but he screwed up') who was he referring to? Gaul as a husband to Binta? Gaul as a father, cousin, nephew, uncle, in law? Or, Gaul as a fellow Cross Riverian? Or, Gaul as a legal practitioner? Or, Gaul as a childhood friend? Or, Gaul as Speaker? Hmmmmm… hypocrisy in high places!
More still, Okoi apologises to his Speaker great guy for 'the emotional stress' my supposed 'libellous, malicious, unprofessional behaviour' caused him. In the light of my analysis who was guilty? Efio-Ita Nyok or Obasesam Okoi? Who was responsible for the emotional stress to Rt. Hon Lebo? Why must Okoi give Nyok or Negroid Haven a bad name because it wanted to 'kill' it just like a Special Assistant to the Governor on Social Media did recently? Why throw the baby with the bath water? Methinks that in the light of the truth that Okoi's remark is far from anything simple or apolitical, he should apologise to his fans for failing this simple integrity test?
It is disappointing to note that just because Okoi wishes to become a friend to the bourgeois then he must make an enemy of the proletariat. Okoi makes himself clear when he earlier in his diatribe said, 'I see this post as politically sponsored and a threat to my future'. Which future, please? And politically sponsored by whom? So, now your plethora of acerbic criticisms against Hon Bassey Ewa of Abi/Yakurr Federal Constituency isn't a threat to your future but your glaringly indisputable disapproval of Lebo's perceived shortcomings is a threat? Okoi, if you wish to be a friend to Mr Speaker that is a fine idea but brace yourself to the challenge and take responsibility for your actions, it is a trait that will stand you out as a man of integrity whose test you just failed and woefully at that. I am not an enemy to the Speaker either. Your disappointment is that you didn't think that your so-called apolitical simple statement, 'Gaul was a great guy but he screwed up' —a gossip behind your Speaker friend— would go viral. For your information, that is the bane of being a public figure. As a public figure your privacy is seriously curtailed. If you want to live a simple and apolitical live, stop going public with complex politically ladened propositions!
I wish to state here and in categorical terms that the respect you once had from youths who looked up to you in hope and as moral compass has drastically dwindled. My reaction here is based on the calls I received from some of them. I am afraid for the future of the state, country and continent in light of the species of youths and their value system they objectify. Be that as it may, I wish to apologise to Obasesam Okoi if my publication of yesterday and even this one was 'libellous, malicious, unprofessional behaviour, and a display of unethical journalism'. It wasn't directly intended to mortgage your future or misinform my/your fan base. Be patient with me, I am still learning the ropes of journalism —we all still learn. This publication isn't intended to malign anybody, please it's only intended to to put the debate into. Finally, my name is Efio-Ita Nyok not Efiok-Ita Nyok (emphasis on first name).
Below is the full texts of the Negroid Haven's publication called to question and Okoi's Caveat Emptor. Let the reader draw an independent conclusion whether 'that Negroid Haven publication was a lie'.
CAVEAT EMPTOR! That Negroid Haven Publication was a Lie
I read with dismay and utter disappointment an effusion of misinformation conveyed by the publisher of Negroid Haven, an online newspaper in Cross River, in which he credited my statement on Ifere Paul's post concerning Honourable John Gaul Lebo, as the position of the Liberal Party of Canada.
The publication reads: "Liberal Party Slams Speaker John Gaul Lebo, Task 25 member House."
This is libellous, malicious, unprofessional behaviour, and a display of unethical journalism, the very reason people must be trained on journalistic ethics or mass communication before venturing into publishing business.
My comment on Ifere's post was simple. I stated simply that "Gaul was a great guy but he screwed up."
Why on earn should such a simple statement with no political undertone be misinterpreted as the position of the Canadian Liberal Party that has no inkling who John Gaul Lebo is?
I wish to state categorically clear that my statement does not in any way represent the position of the Canadian Liberal Party and it wasn't intended to slam Lebo.
I wish to apologize to my friend Honorable John Gaul Lebo, for the emotional stress this malicious publication may have caused him.
I see this post as politically sponsored and a threat to my future. By this notice I am asking the publisher of Negroid Haven, Mr Efiok-Ita Effiom Nyok to remove this post and any connection to me and my photographs from their website including from Facebook and other online communities where such information may have spread to.
I also apologize to my fans and readers who may have encountered this misinformation and thought it actually originated from me.
Let me warn that my membership of the Canadian Liberal Party, a distinguished political party that is currently leading the nation on the path to prosperity and equality should not be linked with mediocre politics in Cross River. My activities as party mm bet or caucus member are limited to my constituency in Canada. Extending this to Cross River politics is dangerously unethical.
Anybody is free to share my posts. But I have advised journalists to always seek my consent before publishing my posts in their platforms. Of course, this malicious post has failed the integrity test .
Liberal Party Slams Speaker John Gaul Lebo, Task 25 member House
Commenting under the social media thread made by Cross River leading and embattled social commentator, Ifere Paul titled: Why the CRS House of Assembly should Impeach Governor Ben Ayade http://www.negroidhaven.org/2016/08/why-crs-house-of-assembly-should.html?m=1 a Caucus member of the Liberal Party of Canada and academic, Yakurr-born Obasesam Okoi has submitted in categorical terms that the Speaker of the 8th Cross River State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. John Gaul Lebo of Abi State Constituency was a fine gentleman who later got it wrong.
Paul had in his article contended that, 'Time and time again, the men elected to serve Cross Riverians in the House tried to show some level of independence by calling the Speaker of the House, Hon John Gaul Lebo to order. Other times, they have tried unsuccessfully to impeach him. In two of such occasions, the house members had described Speaker John Gaul as a traitor, betrayer, gossiper, and answering to Frank Ayade'.
'Speaker John Gaul Lebo has been noted by other house members for trading sensitive information, and House deliberations to Frank Ayade for stipends such as the present Ford Truck he is driving which was given to him by Frank', Paul further revealed.
In his, that Obasesam Okoi's, exact words, 'Gaul was a good guy but he screwed up'. On his part, one Asu Efe opined in a similar fashion concerning Speaker Lebo that he is, 'A good guy turn bad guy. I guess that's their trademark, the moment they are elected into any public position their interest comes first'. 'What is happening in Cross River state is worse than nepotism.How could CRSHA allow a governor to have a co governor in the presence of a deputy governor?', Efe further inquired. For Fred Archibong, 'They are all political hallelujah boys. #CRSHA members#'.
It's based on this negative perception of the 8th Cross River State House of Assembly under Speaker Lebo that a cross section of Cross Riverians are calling on the House to perform it's constitutional responsibility. For instance, one Ishaka Joe has said under the same thread, 'I concur. It's time the CRSHA rose up to their responsibility and do the utmost needful'. Frank Akiba opined that 'Their action against the Ayades as being sought is overdue. Our state seems not to have worthy sons & daughters that should call these chaps' excesses in the name of governance to order? We should even be thinking of occuping CRHA since they've failed to live up to their responsibilities.Our state is in a total mess,every aspect of governance is grounded,nothing seems to be moving forward.The state is like a flock of sheep without a shepherd. God save CRS!'
***Does the reader think the 8th Cross River State House of Assembly under Speaker John Gaul Lebo has been compromised?
Efio-Ita Nyok
Is a Blogger & the Editor of Negroidhaven.org (Negroid Haven)
