My Ordeal In The Hands Of The Netherlands Police, By Osoufia

My ordeal in the hands of The Netherlands police, by Osoufia[/color]
By Justin Akpovi-Esade

BARELY two months after the local media lambasted comedian Bright Okpocha a.k.a Basket Mouth for trying to fan the embers of hate between Nigeria and Austria with his alleged accusation of the former as racists in their land, Nollywood actor Nkem Owoh popularly called Osoufia, may have reaped the 'gains' of that seemingly careless joke.

Osoufia at a press briefing in Lagos last week alleged he was a victim of racist attack in faraway Holland where he went for a show with fellow comic Maleke. A celebrity magazine had reported that the comedy actor was deported back to the country in chains after The Netherlands police invaded the Grand CafZ venue of the show at about midnight, midway into the sold out event. "I am here to clarify some reports in the newspapers that have made the rounds recently. Some of the reports either got it all wrong or had some of the facts, but the reason for this gathering is to let the world know what I went through in Holland. Some said I was arrested, that is not correct," the actor began.

He told of how the owner of Grand CafZ, a spot he described as the hangout "of Nigerians, Africans and lovers of Africa in Amsterdam," got in touch with him to come over to do a show which eventually was eventually slated for June 15. All was well, the venue filled to capacity and the show was well on the way "when at about midnight, I was on stage when the police invaded the place. They came in large numbers, over 150 of them. They ordered the show stopped and asked all of us to move to a corner of the hall. I came down from the stage and told the officer that I was the main performer and if there was a problem we could talk about; I was shoved violently to the corner and ordered to leave the hall to the other side of the street. Before then, the officers had distributed leaflets which claimed that Grand CafZ was being used for criminal activities and they were there to fish out the criminals."

The actor who addressed the press in company of his legal adviser said he had no objection with police trying to do their duties such as finding a criminal, but "I believe they should go about it in a dignified manner without trampling on the rights of others. My papers were in perfect order, same for Maleke who I contracted for the show. But the way and manner The Netherlands police went about the whole charade that day smacked of racism. The were so unfriendly, they were pushing and shoving people, including a diplomat from Zambia who came for the show. It was pure racism in action."

At first, the comedian thought his controversial song entitled I Go Chop Your Dollar, which many believed glorified Advance Fee Fraud otherwise called 419, was responsible for his ordeal. The song has gained world popularity especially in the United States and Europe where it is often use as signature tunes for talk shows on 419 as allegedly being perpetrated by Nigerians. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the nation's anti graft agency, was reportedly not comfortable with the actor's debut album. Rumours had it that the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC placed a Not To Be Broadcast seal on it. So, naturally, Owoh felt it was the same song that "has made the The Netherlands police feel that the King of 419 in Africa is in Amsterdam. But it was not to be, they (police) just needed an excuse to invade the Grand CafZ."

From across the street, the actor watched as Nigerians and others of African descent, about 500, were being frisked and sniffed at by giant police dogs, and were later loaded in trucks and driven away to various detention centres. "What got me mad was the way they manhandled Maleke. I felt bad and helpless as I watched from across the street the way they wrestled Maleke to the floor, cuffed his hands and took him a away like a common criminal simply because he sought for an explanation for the police action."

Osoufia became convinced it was a racist attack when "they started letting go the whites among the crowd. A woman who is from The Netherlands challenged them but she was just ignored and asked to just go. She was really mad from the way she was speaking."

The task of looking for Maleke fell on Osoufia who was further impeded by his lack of knowledge of the language and terrain. "It was a big ordeal to find Maleke as every police precinct we went to, there was no record of his arrest. I could not speak the language and I just must find Maleke because I took him to Amsterdam. It was later in the afternoon that he managed to get a telephone and called my number. He described his location and told us he was simply taken on a ride and abandoned in the middle of nowhere. You see what I mean that the raid was just planned to harass Nigerians and Africans leaving in Amsterdam?"

He immediately lodged a complaint with the Nigerian Consulate General at the Hague, who according to him was not too happy with the development and promised to take it up officially with The Netherlands government. Nkem Owoh had instituted a legal action against the Amsterdam police for what he described as a "gross infringement on his rights". Legal moves are on to free the over 300 people still being held in various detention centres in the city, he said. "The Nigerian community felt really insulted by the affront. They told me that the police there are fond of harassing Nigerians after the claim that former president Olusegun Obasanjo said during one of his visits that the authorities should send Nigerians home as he had jobs for them. I don't know if actually Chief Obasanjo made that statement, I would not want to believe that he did said that anyway. It was after television stations started condemning the action of the police that they started releasing some of the detained people. We also staged peaceful demonstrations on the streets of Amsterdam, which the television stations widely reported, the newspapers too. But there are still about 300 of them in detention as I speak with you who the police said they would deport, for which reason I do not know. It is a pathetic situation."

The Nollywood actor, after his experience, has started a pet project aimed at laundering the image of Nigerians especially in the Diaspora. "The fact that I played I Go Chop Your Dollars does not mean that I support fraud in any way. That song was the sound track of a movie I did. Entitled, The Masters where I outlined the evils of fraud, it was so revealing that I started getting threat letters from fraudsters who claimed I revealed their trade secrets. I am caught in the middle, people are hounding me that I glorified 419 and the fraudsters on their part are angry with me! We are starting a project both here and in Amsterdam that would bring to the fore Nigerians doing great things in various fields of human endeavours worldwide, so that the world would see that Nigerians are good people who are doing great in other fields aside the one the world believes that we are only good at."

President Musa Yar' Adua would soon get the proposal from the actor on how to use Nollywood to launder the image of the country. "We are sending the proposal to the president and other relevant agencies. It is now time to tell the world that Nigerians are not all fraudsters, yes, there are some bad people just like you would find in every society, but the idea of saying that we are all bad, should stop. That is my present mission," he submitted.

I don't understand why u see this as "nutting" , am wondering if you would react like this to such stupid and illegal act from the dutch cops had you been the president of Nigeria .
did you read the whole of that article ? like some of the quotes below ;



when at about midnight, I was on stage when the police invaded the place. They came in large numbers, over 150 of them. They ordered the show stopped and asked all of us to move to a corner of the hall. I came down from the stage and told the officer that I was the main performer and if there was a problem we could talk about;

---------------_{BIG MISTAKE!! no one asked you to explain anything yet!!!  stay where you are till addressed!!! You are not dealing with Nigerian MOPOLS!!!!}

I was shoved violently to the corner and ordered to leave the hall to the other side of the street.

_{--------------Damm right!!!  Where do you think you are???  The sight of this our black skin causes hatred in some Oyinbos people---especially the foreign police.  You are extremely lucky you were not shot----------all they have to say to cover their butts is that you resisted arrest or you tried to assault them with a deadly weapon--your saliva--by spitting on them!!!!}


The task of looking for Maleke fell on Osoufia who was further impeded by his lack of knowledge of the language and terrain. "It was a big ordeal to find Maleke as every police precinct we went to, there was no record of his arrest.

_{----------Hmmmmmmmmmm!!!! Your arse is black and you do not matter to them.  No need wasting time on registering a "non-entity" by using their paper work!!!  If you go to court--your case does not exist!!!!} 


 I could not speak the language and I just must find Maleke because I took him to Amsterdam.

_{------------------Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh! Remain calm and let your Nigerian resident host do all the talking since he speaks the language!}

It was later in the afternoon that he managed to get a telephone and called my number. He described his location and told us he was simply taken on a ride and abandoned in the middle of nowhere. You see what I mean that the raid was just planned to harass Nigerians and Africans leaving in Amsterdam?


_{-----------------Then let them pack their bags and come back home for better "royal treatment" from Nigerian Police and MOPOLS!!!!!!}

My country people. You people cannot wait to jump at the first chance you have to scream racism.

-I can bet you that most of the people in that gathering do not have the correct papers, which makes them illegal immigrants, which is an offence.

-We have a rule in Nigeria which is obey before complain. Why couldnt Osuofia obey a simple order?? What if it was a bomb threat they were responding to?

-They shoved him violently. Many Nigerians which the mopols and police will only shove them violently. If it were in Nigeria He would have recieved the beating of his life.

-The Nigerian Counsular or High commissioner should take action.

-They let the whites go. Ofcourse. If Nigerian police moves to raid a white gathering, they will let the blacks go (irrespective of nationality) and deal with their main priority which in this case was Nigerians (and unfortunately, most of us are black).

-Imagine Osuofia talking to the policeman. "Bia, what is going on here??". Imagine what that sounds like to an average dutch policeman who does not understand hi in english.


I would like to hear their side of the story also.

Squestion that some Militia should be asking , but she prefer to tell us that ;
Next, your arse is black and you are in a white country---no rights to prove oh!!!

and
Since I am not ready to go back to Nigeria.

as if if those in Nigeria should count themselves as unfortunate , very shameful , just imagine how a dutch person or even the police themselves would feel when they see a Nigerians saying this , really shameful .

So in the process of building a viable country, whatever treatment that is given to us should be accepted?

Is it not possible that these Nigerians were disorderly?  Why not get both sides of the story if possible and here what made the police act this way.

I don't think there is a need to castigate Militia this way. What she has done is to present the facts in a lighter mood. She has also told us that she "escaped" from a system that offers no future. If I do understand her correctly, of standard of living is guaranteed.
she would rather let go some human rights and live in an environment where at least some sort After reading this thread today, I have also watched a post on You Tube and also read an article in The Guardian. I will provide the links to these two sites and I'm sure after watching and reading them, our perception of Militia's reaction would be better understood.


http://youtube.com/watch?v=mxIzU4KKyWA

http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/editorial_opinion/article03

Yeah i can see where you are coming from ;
 

yeah am sure by your extremely stupid reasoning , Militia have already gotten the other side of the story before she4 posted her utter rubbish here .

read the comments concerning what happened in that show from the person you claimed to have made good points to you :

that is what you call making some points abi ?

i do not know if some people post here for the sake of posting or because they want to make some points , if you fall into the later then something is seriously wrong somewhere .

If this is a yard stick then there will be no football matches anywhere in Europe.