Governor Amaechi is doing a great job in Rivers state. Asari Dokubo is simply a detractor. I am start to notice that many Ijaws are becoming more openly hostile towards Amaechi now. We are starting to see the fault lines in Rivers state. First it was Patience Jonathan who became upset with Amaechi for demolishing some of the slums within Okrika, now Asari Dokubo is angry at Amaechi. Are my brothers noticing a trend?

Patience is Igbo, I thought? Or you think she now sees herself as Ijaw due to GEJ. . . ?

ekt_bear:

Patience is Igbo, I thought? Or you think she now sees herself as Ijaw due to GEJ. . . ?

yeah she is from umhahia abia state

ekt_bear:

Patience is Igbo, I thought? Or you think she now sees herself as Ijaw due to GEJ. . . ?

Patience Jonathan is only Igbo through her maternal side, who is from Umuahia. She is from Okrika, that is why she became upset with Amaechi who was demolishing the slums in that area. Okrika are an interesting people, because they are mixed with Igbo, but they see themselves as Ijaw.

Really?

Jonathan said that now that the PDP had taken over Abia, the next target would be Anambra.

Orji and the President also revealed at the event that Mrs. Jonathan hails from Umuahia, the Abia State capital.

Jonathan announced at the event: “I’m here with my wife, who is from Umuahia”.

http://nigeriavillagesquare.com/forum/main-square/56867-how-patience-won-s-east-jonathan.html

Generally one doesn't say "Person X is from location Y" in Nigeria unless their paternal family is from there.

ekt_bear:

Really?
http://nigeriavillagesquare.com/forum/main-square/56867-how-patience-won-s-east-jonathan.html

Generally one doesn't say "Person X is from location Y" in Nigeria unless their paternal family is from there.

First Lady scolds governor in public
By Bisi Olaniyi from Port Harcourt
Wednesday, August 25, 2010 | The Nation

THE First Lady’s two-day visit to Rivers State ended in a fiasco Tuesday.

All was well, until Dame Patience Jonathan and her chief host, Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi got to Okrika – the First Lady’s home town.

I'm not sure which source is correct then.

Can someone who knows definitively say which one she is from?

ekt_bear:

I'm not sure which source is correct then.

Can someone who knows definitively say which one she is from?

duing her campaign rally in abia state, she said she is from umhahia

so i think any other source is wrong since she said it herself

ekt_bear:

I'm not sure which source is correct then.

Can someone who knows definitively say which one she is from?

This is one example of how hard it can be to define the "South-South" in terms of who is Igbo and who are of the minority groups. That is why I dislike discussing the "South-South" even though I grew up in the "South-South."

For the deaf-eared:

Patience is from Okrika in Rivers State.

However, most Okrika people trace their maternal lineage to Umuahia, Abia State. Some of them actually prefer to be Igbos than Ijaws.

Okrika Cannot Play Opposition Politics -Patience Jonathan

The First Lady of Nigeria, Patience Jonathan says the people of Okrika Kingdom, her home town, cannot afford to play opposition politics in view of the many opportunities awaiting them in the ruling party.

http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2011/04/06/okrika-cannot-play-opposition-politics-patience-jonathan/

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This is another article, that discusses that Patience Jonathan's hometown is Okrika. I think she stated that her hometown was Umuahia in the other article, was due to political reasons. Just like Goodluck Jonathan said his Great-Grandfather hails from my hometown of Arochukwu.

First Lady scolds governor in public
By Bisi Olaniyi from Port Harcourt
Wednesday, August 25, 2010 | The Nation

THE First Lady’s two-day visit to Rivers State ended in a fiasco Tuesday.

All was well, until Dame Patience Jonathan and her chief host, Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi got to Okrika – the First Lady’s home town.

The governor was explaining by video his school project in Okrika, saying there must be demolition of some buildings to have space for the schools.

Mrs Jonathan cut in, grabbed the microphone and said the governor should reconsider the way he was going about the demolition.

An attempt by Amaechi to explain the situation sent the First Lady boiling.

She shouted at Amaechi: "Listen!, you must listen to me!"

The governor was embarrassed, like a scolded school pupil. The audience hailed Mrs Jonathan, goading the First Lady on.

The President’s wife, however, described land as a serious issue in Okrika and told Amaechi to always avoid "must" when talking about waterfronts’ demolition.

The governor never mentioned "waterfronts", but Mrs. Jonathan went on: "I want you to get me clear. I am from here (Okrika). I know the problems of my people. So, I know what I am talking. I do not want us to go into crises. We are preaching peace and we must maintain peace at any time.

"But what I am telling you is that you always say you must demolish. That word ‘must, you use is not good. It is by pleading. You appeal to the owners of the compound, because they will not go into exile. Land is a serious issue."

Downcast, Amaechi shunned a reception organised for the First Lady. The reception was, however, not on the programme.

Mrs Jonathan hurriedly left for Abuja. Her planned visit to Port Harcourt prisons, where the Chief Judge, Justice Iche Ndu, was expected to release some prisoners, was cancelled. So was her visit to the new Model Secondary School at Ebubu-Eleme, among others.

A civic reception in honour of the President’s wife was held at the Sharks Stadium, Port Harcourt on Monday. Her pet programme, Women for Change Initiative (WFCI), was launched.

This was followed by a state banquet/Award Night at the Government House, Port Harcourt, where the former Miss World, Agbani Darego, who hails from the state, and some women were honoured for their outstanding contributions to society.

---------- Post added at 11:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:30 PM ----------

-

According to The Guardian:

Patience Jonathan engages Amaechi over demolition in Rivers
From Kelvin Ebiri, Port Harcourt
Wednesday August 25, 2010 | The Guardian


IT was a drama which entertaining value was no less than its embarrassing one.

Wife of the President, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, could have passed (for - Auspy) a crusading ethnic nationalist yesterday as she publicly engaged the Rivers State government and asked it to dialogue with the people of her native Okrika over the vexed issue of waterfront slums demolition.

Mrs. Jonathan who was on a two-day tour of the state to flag off her pet-project, ‘Women for Change Initiative’ berated the state government for not dialoguing with Okrika people before the commencement of a model primary school that requires the demolition of some houses.

What was supposed to be an inspection tour turned sour when Governor Chibuike Amaechi told her at the site of a model primary school still under construction in Okrika, that his government planned to acquire some of the houses around the area in order to create a conductive atmosphere for learning.

Amaechi had explained that all the schools in Okrika are surrounded by residential houses and government did not want external interference where children are learning. To this end, he said government would acquire the surrounding houses and pay compensation in order to have sufficient space to create a football field for instance.

“All the schools in Okrika are surrounded by houses and we don’t want the schools to be surrounded by residential houses where people cook, sell and distract the pupils. So we have to demolish them. We want to pay them compensation and demolish the houses,” he said.

But at this point, Mrs. Jonathan told the governor that the issue of land was a very important matter in Okrika. According to her, the government needed to dialogue with the chiefs and the people as far as the issue of demolition is concerned.

“Okrika has no land. Every little land that we have is very important. They don’t play with land. It’s a serious affair. So I want you to know that,” she said to the governor in a tone palpable with anger.

At this point, the governor interjected and explained that communities where such model schools are cited are usually the ones that donate the land as their own contribution to the project. And in cases where the government had had to acquire land, compensation is paid.

Mrs. Jonathan whose Okrika kinsmen are already in court with the Rivers State government over the issue of demolition of waterfront slums promptly riposted that she hails from the community and appreciates the problem of the people as it concerns land.

“I want you to get me clear. I am from here and I know the problem of my people. I know what I am talking about. I don’t want us to go into crisis. We are preaching peace. So we must maintain peace at all levels,” she said.

Mrs. Jonathan pointed out that due to land constraint in Okrika, if a compound is demolished, it means that an entire family has been rendered homeless. She then insisted that there is a need for the state to dialogue extensively before it acquires any property and demolish.

The president’s wife explained that the state government before embarking on the construction of the school and two other health care centres should have negotiated with the heads of the village.

“We are a peculiar people. Land is always a problem when it comes to Okrika. The little we have we cherish it so much,” she further said.

While addressing Okrika chiefs and people at a civil reception organised for her, Mrs. Jonathan acknowledged that Governor Amaechi who was not present, has good intentions but needs to dialogue with the people.

She explained that the waterfronts slum which the state government intends to demolish need to be improved so as to have modern houses and other social amenities. She however appealed to the government to give the people assurance that they would be beneficiaries of the scheme.

Although Mrs. Jonathan was supposed to visit the Port Harcourt prisons where the Chief Judge of the state was to release some inmates to her, she never did as she abruptly went straight to the airport and returned to Abuja. Unconfirmed reports had it that the presidency was perturbed by her utterances and had to ask her to cut short the visit.

http://nigeriavillagesquare.com/forum/main-square/56776-jonathan-loses-her-patience.html
--

alj_harem:

duing her campaign rally in abia state, she said she is from umhahia

so i think any other source is wrong since she said it herself

Yeah, I remember hearing the same thing during election period. Anyway, hopefully someone who knows definitively will clear it up.

I lived  at some point, not too far from Okrika (in Eleme). Many have nothing but love for Igbos due to their maternal affinity

She and her husband used that to win Igbo votes. It worked for them, but Igbos are also abundantly rewarded.

ZnO:

I lived  at some point, not too far from Okrika (in Eleme). Many have nothing but love for Igbos due to their maternal affinity

She and her husband used that to win Igbo votes. It worked for them, but Igbos are also abundantly rewarded.

Let us stay on topic. I am concerned by some well known Ijaws frustrating Amaechi's progress.

Alright, Okrika from a source I believe knows what he is talking about:

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-505540.0.html#msg6665145

ekt_bear:

Alright, Okrika from a source I believe knows what he is talking about:

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-505540.0.html#msg6665145

The truth was staring you in the face, but you chose not to listen. Learn to listen, especially from those who are from the region.

@EzeUche: I have no problem listening, I just prefer listening to people who I am pretty sure know what they are talking about.

ekt_bear:

@EzeUche: I have no problem listening, I just prefer listening to people who I am pretty sure know what they are talking about.

Only a fool would argue with those who are from the region. Do you see us arguing with you all over the intricacies of the South-West?

Not everyone "from the region" will I take what they say as gospel truth. Using "from the region" as the criterion for who you listen to rather than something more stringent is a bit silly.

ekt_bear:

Not everyone "from the region" will I take what they say as gospel truth. Using "from the region" as the criterion for who you listen to rather than something more stringent is a bit silly.

It is not only about being from the region. Articles clearly pointed it out to you, even after we had provided facts to back up our statements. And it could be clearly seen that she said it for political reasons, just like Jonathan said his grandfather is from Arochuku.

I figured you'd have gotten the point w/o extending this discussion for too long. The long and short of it is that I don't accept what you say about SS or SE matters as the final word. You just don't have the same credibility to me. I didn't mean to be blunt about it, and no real offense intended, but you don't seem to be getting what I'm trying to say here not-so-subtly.

ekt_bear:

I figured you'd have gotten the point w/o extending this discussion for too long. The long and short of it is that I don't accept what you say about SS or SE matters as the final word. You just don't have the same credibility to me. I didn't mean to be blunt about it, and no real offense intended, but you don't seem to be getting what I'm trying to say here not-so-subtly.

This conversation should not have last this long about this issue if you are listening. To be frank, an akata like yourself has no business to question the credibility of any person who was born in Nigeria on this forum. As Beaf once said about you, you need to listen before you comment instead of thinking that by reading about Nigeria, that makes you an expert. Excuse me if my words are considered insulting, but sometimes the truth needs to be said. Let me give you some free advice, [size=18pt]learn to listen.[/size]

EzeUche:

This conversation should not have last this long about this issue if you are listening.

EzeUche, you don't seem to get it. What you say doesn't really convince me of anything. I'll need to get independent and trustworthy third party confirmation before believing it. Do you get that, or not? If you get this point, then you should understand why the conversation will not have ended because you claimed something.

To be frank, an akata like yourself has no business to question the credibility of any person who was born in Nigeria on this forum.

Being born in Nigeria is not very likely to make one an authority on Patience Jonathan's ethnicity or origins. At any rate, the luxury of a forum like this is that even an akata like myself can not only interact with people whose only claim to expertise is being born in Nigeria, but with people who are actually knowledgeable. Given that I can hear what people who are knowledgeable have to say, why would I want to hear from you?

As Beaf once said about you, you need to listen before you comment instead of thinking that by reading about Nigeria, that makes you an expert. Excuse me if my words are considered insulting, but sometimes the truth needs to be said.

Hehe. I'm not sure why you think what Beaf says is of interest to me. I rate him about the same level as you. And that I rate both of you poorly doesn't mean I am claiming to be an expert. But rather than hearing from people who barely know more than me about Nigeria, why shouldn't I listen to folk who actually know a lot?

Anyway, without belaboring the point, there is no amount of arguments that will cause me to accept what you say as the final word. It is what it is.

Asaris opinion just like GEJs intellect shouldnt count for much

Ezeuche

Why don't you simply tell him that the feeling is mutual? Why suffer fools gladly?

Just hearing it 4 d 1st time.

Patience Jonathan has an Okrika father and an Igbo mother and so, its very common sense that she can claim either lineage. My dad is from Anambra and mom is from Enugu. Though Igbo culture is very paternal, I see myself also as a citizen of Enugu when necessary.

Anyway, enjoy a video of Patience "Faka" (Okrika name) Jonathan speaking Igbo in Owerri.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwkdm8OGQoU

Who are these ijaw leaders? Who made them so? They are just cheap low lifers.

when you say Fashola out perform Amaechi, you are either not familiar with the state or just shy to say the truth. You would have forgotten the laudable school projects that Ameachi turned around in three years, you would have forgotten the 105 Hospitals constructed and equipped in the same period, you would have been a stranger to know that before Ameachi, PH can only boast of two major roads, Aba and Ikwerre roads, and how he has massively expanded almost all the major roads; stadium road, Olu Obasanjo bypass, Rumuola road, eleme ring road, ada george, Choba road, etc.

You would also have forgotten that Lagos state already have good road network created when the city was federal capital city, and that all the major businesses were as a matter of state policy domiciled in Lagos.

True, Rivers gets more from allocation, but that cant be compared with Lagos state IGR.

The projects that are been referred to as white elephants are necessary projects that are financed under PPP where the Government only provide approvals, without direct funding. Critics, get your facts right.

From my own Assessment, i still think Amaechi is better.