Honourable:
adjective
bringing or worthy of honor.
"this is the only honorable course"
synonyms: honest, moral, ethical, principled, righteous, right-minded; decent, respectable, estimable, virtuous, good, upstanding, upright, worthy, noble, fair, just, truthful, trustworthy, law-abiding, reliable, reputable, creditable, dependable
This is what describes the word that today is flung around Nigeria like a sachet of water; dished at every and any opportunity to described even people that enshrine not one of the adjectives above. That is the sad story of our nation and I witnessed the dishonourable showing of another Nigerian “honourable”. I am a proud Benue Man and the people I am about to talk about are my kinsmen, but posterity will not be fair to me if I remain quiet in the face of such brazen hypocrisy and public display of disrepute.
I witnessed the horror and displeasure of politics once again on “Honourable” Herman & Orkuma Hembe’s Facebook timeline yesterday (PICTURE 1 & 2). In my opinion his post (which attracted numerous inglorious comments and contemptuous language) was uncalled for. He had been declared winner by the courts, hence justice had been served so what end did his Facebook post and that of his brother seek to achieve? Nothing but more disunity, more disparity, and much more malice and hate.
What possible reason can there be to for the victor of an election to come on a public platform and display add salt should I say to the wounds of his opponent? Let us assume she has done the very frivolous sins and crimes they accuse her of, considering she will face God, why not let Him judge? Why descend so low as to disparage her and on your Facebook page.
Not every comment was in line though, a few criticized him and with utmost class:
Kizito Injo said to Okuma Hembe >>> “It’s a shame when exposed folks like Orkuma Hembe resort to this kind of beer parlour gossips on social media. You can attack the lady in question who perhaps is even old enough to be your mother, in the political arena is one thing. But to post this sort of mango tree talks i thought was beneath you sir. But i was wrong. I only add that i am still of the opinion that this is beneath you.”
This thread didn’t end there, “Honourable” Herman went on to recount the story of a young man who must have been going through a difficult phase of his life and asked him for assistance to get accommodation for everyone to see (PICTURE 3). Not a luxury like a phone or jewelry or even a car. He asked for assistance to get a roof over his head and the “Honourable” responded to his criticism of the vile post by asking him it was his fault that he couldn’t be of assistance. In other words “Honourable” Herman is God unless when you ask him to assist you get accommodation. Mind you the highest level of pettiness is he remembers the man enough to dig up the message and display in public but not enough to help him. Benue never ceases to amaze. You need to see the classy and HONOURABLE response (PICTURE 4) he got from the gentleman then you’ll know what the word honourable means.
It is not just the crass impenitence with which such posts are depicted that worries me, it is ultimately the amount of people who will be drawn to it and assume that it is okay for honourable gentlemen to act in like manner. Imagine a teenager who just joined Facebook coming across such a post, what will stop him/her from debasing an elderly person in the future? What will stop them from debasing Barrister Herman himself in the future? Nothing, he set the example and it can be used even against him.
Both posts brought to the fore a lot of hate, it even made a young man reveal how Herman tried to cripple his cousin, saying he swore revenge and meditated murder even at the cost of his life and was merely saved from the rage because of God. Yes! It got to that extent. The said man Mr Laha Fanen had this to say to Orkuma Hembe and I quote >>> “It's good you have apologized, because you reminded me of how Hon Hermann Hembe sent thugs to kill my cousin Paul Adzuana, who was working with Mrs Mato on her campaign. By the Grace of God they deformed him, but he's still breathing. Two of his children are staying with me. But just like small David fell a mighty Goliath, I was going to put myself up for a battle with you and your squad and no amount of might, streetwise, political might, spiritual might would have saved you guys. Benue would have witnessed the highest quality of horror never witnessed before. Maybe I wouldn't have survived it myself but it’s ok provided I would have achieved what I was out to achieve. It took the power of the Holy Spirit to get me to let go. Hopefully next time you, your brother and your squad pulls another hit on a human being, it would be your last. If you like, keep waking up healing wounds, one day you will, and the blood will splash on your face. I still have videos, pictures of the torture your squad melted out on my cousin. One day we would see... na the small pepper na him dey bitter pass. You got the money, you got the boys, and you owe the streets. Good. But I got the gutsy. Don't be deceived baby, YOU TOO CAN DIE. You fucking NOT IMMORTAL your brother provides good leadership and that's fine. I'm from ushongo, born and raised in korinya city while my cousins are from ute in vandeikya. I'm not under your constituency, I respect you alot but what you guys did to me cousin really hurts me and when I get an opportunity to revenge, I won't wait for God.”
It is sour that I have to write this about people I consider elder ones and pretty much hold in high esteem. I wish it were others but I don’t have that luxury the damage has been done.
One final thing, this post is not in support of Mrs Mato, I do not know her I have no idea of what she must have done to deserve this. Do you know why? She must have had at least just enough shame as a mother to do whatever she did in a place not so public. Then again even if she did, she is not the “Honourable” representing the constituency, she has lost at the polls and the courts, must she also lose her dignity? Is that the essence of the post? It is unclear and depicts nothing close to the word HONOURABLE.
For a man who seeks to be Governor if the rumour mills are right, this shows not just the incapability to lead, but also inhumanity, insensitivity, childish taunting and something I will expect from my 5 year old nephew not a full grown 3 time House of Representative Member with legislative duties and committee duties at hand.
He is human anyways and can still apologise, not because he is wrong and Mrs Mato is right. But because he is way above such an act