By Kelechi Esogwa-Amadi
As criticisms continue to trail the action of an Etche Councilor, Blackson Nwanyanwu, who molested his uncle’s wife, Love Nwanyanwu, few days ago, a cross section of citizens of Rivers State are calling on the Etche Legislative Assembly, the Rivers State House of Assembly and the Etche Local Government Council to ensure that the erring councilor is sacked without further delay.
Speaking to TPCN on Wednesday in a random interview conducted in Port Harcourt, the people expressed anger at what they see as an irresponsible act by a lawmaker who should lead by example.
Suku Austin, a youth leader from Kalabari, described the councilor’s action as an embarrassment to the legislature, wondering what could make him beat Mrs Love Nwanyanwu, who happens to be his uncle’s wife, in that manner.
“It is inhuman, irresponsible and highly embarrassing. What could make a councilor, who is supposed to be a custodian and protector of the law, behave that way? Even if he has to beat a woman, must it be his uncle’s wife? That means he does not respect his uncle. In Africa we respect elders. Even if the woman insulted him or provoked him in any way, he should have controlled his temper because of his uncle and for the fact that he is a leader who is supposed to lead by example.
“By beating that woman, he has not only embarrassed Etche Local Government; he has embarrassed the entire Rivers State and I think the only thing that will remedy the bad image he has given to the state government is for him to be removed from his seat. His ward should choose another person to be their councilor,” Suku said.
Nnamdi Okere, an undergraduate of one of the higher institutions in Port Harcourt, called on the police to arrest and arraign the councilor in question in court.
Nnamdi added: “This kind of thing has never happened in my place before. Etche people are decent people; they don’t behave like animals. That councilor has behaved like an animal. Do you know what it means? Beating his uncle’s wife without regard to his uncle. Even if the two families are quarreling –because there are families that quarrel within themselves –even if they’re quarreling, is that why he should beat her?
“He should have controlled his anger. Now he has embarrassed himself and the whole world is condemning and abusing him. You need to see what people are saying on social media about him. Am happy that the police has come into the matter. They should go and arrest him and take him to court. Let him go and tell the world what the woman did to him that will warrant him to beat her like that.”
Another Port Harcourt-based Etche indigene, a businessman, expressed disappointment over the Councilor’s action and called on the chairman of Etche Local Government Council, Obinna Anyanwu, to intervene in the matter.
“I didn’t believe it when I heard it on radio. What on earth will make a councilor behave like an illiterate? At least, even if he’s not a graduate, he has passed through secondary school and should be a bit civilized for them to elect him as councilor. He’s expected to control himself at that level. For him to beat that woman –his uncle’s wife – simply means that he could have also raped her if he had the opportunity.
“We don’t even know whether that was what he wanted to do. May be they have not told us everything that happened. So, the police should do everything possible to arrest him and interrogate him. Also, Obinna, our Council chairman, should come into the matter to make sure that the boy is disciplined. That is the only way to save us from this shame, because it’s almost like the one that happened in Abuja where an Etche man molested a woman at the National Assembly. These boys should stop bringing shame to us,” the Etche businessman said.
Juliana Wodumati, a minister who hails from Emohua, wants the councilor to be severely punished.
“He is a danger to the women folk. He should be punished to serve as a deterrent to others like him. We can’t condone this and am happy that FIDA has come in. They should follow it up to any length,” she said.
