RENO OMOKRI’S OBSESSION WITH PETER OBI IS BECOMING CHILDISH AND IRRITATING—The Antics of an Duplicitous and Untrustworthy Man.
by GODSON O. MONEKE
I came to know Mr Reno Omokri, a self-professed pastor and former aide to President Goodluck Jonathan when in the run up to the 2015 elections, one Mr Japheth Omojuwa, an astute Twitter influencer accused him of using another person’s name to post a tweet in the social media space thereby masking his true identity. I waited for Mr Omokri to deny the allegation which he would have strongly done if it was false. People are quick to hug and mouth INTEGRITY but things like identity theft rob them of any modicum of integrity left in them. Recently, Mr Omokri has been very active on the Twitter and takes positions on most national issues but unfortunately, he comes out as somebody who is unstable and inconsistent. I would expect somebody who wants to be taken seriously to always take a stand borne out of personal conviction rather than be shifty based on expectations of where he thinks his bread will be better buttered. He has a life to live as such, a PERSONALITY DISORDER WHICH DOES NOT DISTURB MY UTILITY FUNCTION IS OF NO MOMENT TO ME. What I find objectionable is his spreading deliberate falsehoods because he knows that Nigerians do not interrogate most claims that people make. If Mr Omojuwa had not investigated and probed the case of the identity theft mentioned above perhaps, nobody would have known that Mr Omokri was the masked culprit. Mr Omokri talks too much and likes to position himself as all-knowing but I see him as a barefaced liar who believes that he can comfortably live off on such mendacity. For a public figure to possess the rare audacity to spread lies is mind boggling and this is how I have come to place Mr Omokri having meticulously observed and studied him.
The other day I was watching a video clip where one man from Delta state like Mr Omokri described him as A GOOD FRIEND OF ATIKU, HATER OF OBI AND DEFENDER OF TINUBU. It is curious to note that these three persons are presently in court contesting the outcome of the last presidential election . I therefore find it intriguing that Mr Omokri would be talking from the two sides of his mouth in a matter as serious as the presidential election. Reno has been making media rounds spreading falsehoods because he thinks that people believe his cock and bull stuffs. Atiku is in court in the state of Illinois, US suing the Chicago State University (CSU) to allow him access to Tinubu’s academic records in the university to enable him ventilate his position on the election dispute between the two in the court in Nigeria. Anybody who loves Nigeria should allow the judicial process to proceed unhindered but Reno would have none of that. He is using his petulant noise making to distract attention from the process. Isn’t it curious that a self-confessed friend and supporter of Atiku is doing everything possible to undermine his court case in the US. Reno who would not fail to remind all that he holds a Masters degree in law, does not appear to know the bone of contention and crux of the matter in the Atiku Vs CSU suit. Otherwise, he would not be behaving shamelessly as he has been doing. Reno is busy displaying a letter he claims was given to him by the Chicago State University confirming that Tinubu graduated from the university. Let me make it clear that the letter which Reno is displaying is either FAKE OR ISSUED DIRECTLY TO TINUBU BY THE UNIVERSITY. SUCH A LETTER IS A STANDARD LETTER OF ATTESTATION ISSUED BY UNIVERSITIES TO THEIR GRADUATES PENDING WHEN THE CERTIFICATES ARE READY. A letter of attestation is issued to a graduate once the SENATE OF THE UNIVERSITY HAS APPROVED THE RESULTS. A letter of attestation is NEVER issued to a third party like Reno.
But who is Mr Reno Omokri that he could JUST walk into a university, make a verbal request and pronto the university would give him such a letter. The third parties who have that privilege are the COURTS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES DOING AN INVESTIGATION AND THERE ARE CONDITIONS ATTACHED THERETO. Moreover, such a request MUST be in writing. Mr Omokri thinks he is dealing with illiterate human beings who do not know their left from their right.
Reno is neither a court nor a law enforcement agent in the US. A third party cannot just walk into a bank and obtain the bank statement of another person or his credit history without authorization of the bank account holder. The letter which Reno is parading can only be issued to Tinubu as a former student. Therefore , Reno must have obtained that letter from Tinubu directly, his orbit indirectly or it could be FAKE OR STOLEN. . WHY WAS THE LETTER NOT ADDRESSED TO RENO OMOKRI? Any letter with the heading; TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN is given to the person mentioned in the letter and not an outsider like Reno Omokri who for all practical purposes is an IMPOSTOR OR MEDDLESOME INTERLOPER. Let me make it clear that NO INSTITUTION OF HIGHER LEARNING ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD CAN ISSUE A THIRD PARTY LIKE RENO OMOKRI WITH THAT KIND OF LETTER ON A FORMER STUDENT. Those who have pursued postgraduate education would easily recall that they were required to formally request and authorize their old school to FORWARD THE TRANSCRIPT OF THEIR ACADEMIC RECORDS TO THEIR INTENDED INSTITUTION. THE OLD UNIVERSITY REQUIRES THE GRADUATE TO NOT ONLY PAY FOR THE TRANSCRIPT BUT ALSO COST OF DELIVERING IT TO THE INTENDED DESTINATION. Did Tinubu authorize CSU to give such letter to Reno Omokri? Reno Omokri is a BLOODY LIAR!!!! If Reno Omokri actually obtained that letter from CSU as he wants Nigerians to believe, then he must have either STOLEN it or used other illegal methods to obtain it. Either way, it has no probative value because it a product of illegality.
Reno Omokri wants all who bother to listen to him that he is a friend of Atiku but my characterization of his antics is that WITH A FRIEND LIKE HIM, ATIKU DOES NOT NEED AN ENEMY. I pray God to save Atiku from ‘friends’ like Reno and his co-travelers so that he can have a clear sight to face his enemies and traducers. Reno can , in the circumstance that he has conducted himself be likened to the Greek god, JANUS. There is no doubt that Reno has a deep-seethed hatred for Peter Obi. There are about 200million Nigerians and for Reno to single out Mr Peter Obi for this disproportionate dose of hatred shows there is more to it than meets the eyes. Characterizing Reno to be a scoundrel, I won’t be surprised that the beef between them has something to do with a possible refusal of Peter Obi to give in to the excessive material demands of Mr Omokri. Choosing blackmail of others as a means of livelihood is not the way to go. Sooner than later, the repercussions will come calling. Mr Omokri’s vituperations against Peter Obi has become very childish and incoherent. I have expected Reno to bring out evidence of wrong doings against Mr Obi to justify his angst but all to no avail. The other reason I can infer from this continuous pommeling of Mr Obi by Reno is because Obi is IGBO, a tribe some evil people in Nigeria have conspired that they can never attain leadership wether qualified or not. Reno is unstable and inconsistent because in one breath he is praising Igbos for their rare gifts of ENTERPRISE AND INDUSTRY and in another breath he is calling them the dregs of the Nigerian society thereby contradicting himself.
Ethnicism or any emphasis on ethnic identity is one thing I loathe and I hate any discussion around it. We are all Nigerians and this country cannot develop if we hug ethnicity like a second skin. I have dealt with people from different parts of Nigeria and am confident to say that there are exceptionally brilliant people in all ethnic groups in Nigeria.
Why can’t we use these brilliant minds to develop Nigeria as they do in the WESTERN WORLD? Trying to emphasize our ethnic differences as Reno has chosen as pastime will do us more harm than good as a nation. I did not support Peter Obi during the elections. I supported Atiku because I considered him the best of the lot and based on my personal convictions but people around me including members of my household were free to support any of the 18 presidential candidates on the ballot but Reno has no rights to treat Peter Obi like an orphan or call him names. Peter Obi has many achievements to his name including Governor of a State, Federal government adviser, Chairman of a federal government parastatal/commission and a boardroom guru. He deserves RESPECT, RENO!!!. One good way of showing decency is by giving honors to whom they are due even when we disagree on a lot of issues. Judgement by the the presidential election petitions court (PEPC) is coming in less than 12hrs from now ie: 6th September, 2023 and my wish is for the right thing to be done no matter whose ox is gored. Nigeria is bigger than the parties to the petitions and therefore the provisions of the 1999 constitution (as amended) , the 2022 electoral act and the relevant legislations should guide the judgement of the PEPC.
Godson O. Moneke, a registered quantity surveyor, economist, sociologist, administrator and sociopolitical advocate wrote from Abuja. Readers are permitted to share.
