Doris Cowan Fisher, the chairman of the Port Harcourt Water Board has described the February 5th chieftaincy honour bestowed on Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike as a fraud.
Amanyanabo of Abonnema, King Gbogbo Disrael had bestowed the title Se-Ibi Dokibo 1 of Kalabari Kingdom on Wike.
However, many Kalabari sons and daughters disagreed with the King over the chieftaincy title, adding that it was alien to Kalabari culture for a chieftaincy titled to be conferred on a non-Kalabari indigene.
Mrs Cowan who slammed the Amanyanabo for also trying to make the children of Amackree Royal House irrelevant said that the governor is embarrassed by the fraudulent chieftaincy title.
She wrote:
Doris Cowan’s outburst: Unwarranted, myopic!
My attention has just been drawn to a publication by one Boma Harry in Africa update newspapers of 3 March, 2022.
Boma Harry describes herself as “The Deputy Chairman of the Publicity, Contact and Documentation committee of the Kalabari Civic reception sub committee and was also a member of the main Organizing Committee” I have chosen to respond on Facebook but have attached her article for your reading pleasure.
Madam Harry clearly didn’t grasp the issues in my post. The salient point was not whether any communication was made but also the extent to which these women were involved in the so called “Kalabari Reception” in Abalama. A Reception by a people aims to unite the people in its preparation, incorporating the best minds in its preparation and ultimate expression.
Indeed, such a preparation ought to have sought planning strategies from its First Ladies and engaged them in a way that their ultimate appearance on that day would have been inevitable. Such a preparation ought to have incorporated the best of Kalahari minds and not a handful of ambitious attention seekers holding political office.
Such a preparation, properly done would have spared Gov Wike the embarrassment of a bogus “ Chieftaincy “ title, because the motive of the organizers would have been earlier detected. Perhaps it was for fear of the detection of the CHIEFTAINCY FRAUD that these honorable women were not properly engaged and in so doing, they have been exonerated of a grievous crime to Kalabari, far worse than attending a Reception and being part of a grand conspiracy of defrauding Kalabari, an act I know my sister would have been unhappy to be associated with.
The Organizers and sole beneficiaries of the said Reception only wanted a show, in the name of Kalabari, where they would be seen as the “ STARS OF KALABARI “, where they would have pulled off the MAJOR CON OF CONFERRING A KALABARI CHIEFTAINCY TO A NON KALABARI! Their reward? “ Kalabari Governor “!!!!!
They were also not sure of these women’s husband’s “loyalty” to their master, Governor Wike. What ‘political hornets nests’ would they be awakening if they fully engaged these women? Best to invite them peripherally. Have it on record, but don’t pursue it so we don’t offend our Master.
If their intentions were honorable, they should have damned the consequences and used this reception to unite Kalabari first. Held their sisters by the hand and fashioned out a civilized way of “ thanking “ Governor Wike for everything he has done for Kalabari. It would have been more honorable!
BUT THEY HAD NO TIME. THE POLITICAL TIME-CLOCK IS Ticking. THEY HAD TO GET WIKE’S ENDORSEMENT, EVEN AT THE COST OF SACRIFICING THEIR Sisters. EVEN AT THE COST OF LATER BEING DISCOVERED TO BE CHIEFTAINCY CONFERMENT FRAUDSTERS!!
Owukori should have quietly taken this Reception to Abonnema and conferred it there, but that wasn’t good enough. He had to be AMACHREE for one day. The ‘high’ was too much to resist!
What they failed to realize is that THERE IS NO KALABARI RECEPTION WITHOUT THE FULL PARTICIPATION OF ALL KALABARI!!
This was NOT A POLITICAL JAMBOREE. IT WAS A RECEPTION BY A PEOPLE!
Their first mistake was in using their political position to set up committees.
A PAN KALABARI APOLITICAL BODY ought to have done that or , at least been used as a cover! They could not resist the power of seeing themselves as signatories of the organizing committee.
POWER IS SWEET!
They gave themselves away by leaving the Reception’s organization to their cronies to avoid ‘ pollution’ by strong minds. I was part of the committee that received Dr Peter Odili in Abalama.
We did it well!
“let us get this show off the ground, confer the “Chieftaincy”, please our Master and get the Governorship endorsement”!. IS THIS HOW TO ENGAGE FIRST LADIES IN A MAJOR EVENT AS A RECEPTION FOR AN INCUMBENT GOVERNOR, COLLEAGUE OF THEIR HUSBANDS??
Boma Harry, I don’t know you, never heard of you. As one of my political boys described you, “ Bona is minor”, ignore her! Your opinion of me is Unimportant! I suspect you are younger than me. You are sorry this part of me was unveiled?? What do you mean?
Then you don’t know me. THIS IS IS ME, BELIEVE Me! This is the part of me I’m most proud of. The me that speaks with courage! The me that tells you the truth to your face!
You appeal to me to “ give peace a chance” in the same document where you accuse me of trying to score a “last political shot”! Are you for real??
What political shots have I scored in the past? Am I known only for politics.
Don’t be foolish!
You have a political career ahead of you, face it. I advise you not to allow these desperate Politicians to use you.
I didn’t get were I am by being used. Be a Leader, that’s the best role for a woman starting out in politics, otherwise you’ll be messed up!
In all of this, nobody has made me come out to speak. I take full responsibility for everything I have said and done. I have spoken as an observer in politics, not only because H E Obaseki is my sister, even though that drew my attention to the lapses of our desperate Kalabari politicians. I also want to exonerate her from consequences any actions I have taken. I have not communicated to her my thoughts or actions!
Political times are very interesting times. You will all read and hear more about the character of some of the people you call your leaders.
May you live in interesting times!
BELOW ARE BOMA HARRY’S PAID ADVERTISEMENTS.
Doris Cowan’s outburst: Unwarranted, myopic
My attention has been drawn to an article credited to a respected daughter of Kalabari Kingdom, Dr. Doris Cowan, alleging the exclusion of notable personalities including wives of serving Governors, who incidentally are also Kalabari daughters, from the recently organised civic reception in honor of our Amiable Governor and Se-Ibi Dokibo 1 of Kalabari Kingdom, His Excellency Chief Bar Nyesom Ezenwo Wike CON GSSRS PoS Africa.
The article would have been ignored and labeled as coming from someone who is fighting to grab “a last shot” at her Political career, but I am compelled to react because an innocent Kalabari son and Secretary to State Government, Dr. Tammy Wenike Danagogo, has been unduly
and falsely accused.
My reaction is not speculative, as hers is, but factual because I served as the Deputy Chairman of the Publicity, Contact and Documentation committee of the Kalabari Civic reception sub committee and was also a member of the main Organizing Committee.I have always had great admiration for Dr. Cowan, who most Kalabari daughters of my age see as a role model but her recent media war against Dr. Danagogo, has unveiled a side of her that many would wish never surfaced.
The quest for power and the attainment of such, is solely in the hands of God and should not be seen as a do or die matter which this media attack appears to be.For the records, I want to state categorically that a letter dated 18th January 2022, and jointly signed by Dr. Tammy W. Danagogo, Chairman of Committee, Prof Victor Omuaru, Alternate Chairman, and George-Kelly, D. Alabo, FNIQS, Secretary of Committee, was dispatched to Dr. Cowan’s younger sister and wife of Edo State Governor, Her Excellency, Mrs. Betsy Bene Obaseki, which was acknowledged.
Similar letters were dispatched to the Wife of Oyo state Governor, Her Excellency Mrs. Tamunonimi Makinde and Wife of former Cross River State Governor, Her Excellency Mrs. Onari Duke, both being daughters of Kalabari Kingdom. Several letters were sent by my committee to illustrious sons and daughters of Kalabari Kingdom across the three Kalabari Local Government Areas.
Unfortunately, most persons did not attend to speak or for appearance sake due to health conditions or Political affiliations.Like they say, you can take the horse to the stream but can not force that horse to drink. The younger generation of Kalabaris would want to passionately appeal to our mother and Political Amazon, to give peace a chance.
We might not know what has transpired between Dr. Cowan and Dr. Danagogo, in the past, but we are faced with a future that looks bright for the Kalabaris and such unwarranted attacks on one of the most accomplished Kalabari sons is unacceptable.
It is surprising that Dr. Cowan has moved from her earlier concern about the venue where the Civic reception held in Abalama Community in Asari Toru Local Government Area, it being an “Abonnema Affair” spare headed by Dr. Danagogo and his “cronies” and the mode of conferment of the Chieftaincy title on our Governor, to a new query on the exclusion of her younger sister and wife of Edo State Governor, Her Excellency Mrs Betsy Obaseki . Jimi Hendrix wrote: “The day the power of love overrules the love of power, the world will know peace.”
I therefore, appeal that the interest of Kalabari Kingdom should override all other interests, because history will Judge our actions and inactions.
Signed: Hon. Gloria Boma Harry, Ace.
