Umudiala Goat Theft Saga: A Reflection On What Happened to Ebonyi N3 Billion Hawkers Funds.

In the village of Umudiala, there was a man who, due to the frustrations and trivialities of life, resorted to stealing goats. However, the people living there were not aware of his criminal tendencies. He was skilled in tricking and stealing domestic animals that were kept nearby for consumption.

Not minding that he is a thief, he is very friendly and socializes with his peers and others in both his village and neighboring ones. The life he was living made the neighborhood not suspect him.

There is no week that he doesn’t steal one goat in Umudiala. Most times they would sell it and consume it with their family and friends.

One day, he caught a goat belonging to Maazi Okonta, a cap Chief in his village. He didn’t consider selling it as usual but slaughtered it for consumption. He acted like Nostradamus,  the man who saw tomorrow by choosing to share the meats with his friends and elders in the Community so that he wouldn’t go in alone if caught later.

He gave part of the goat meat to the traditional ruler, the man he stole his goat, the village head, the youth leader, the women leader, and Eze’s cabinet.

The man whose goat was stolen intensified his effort to find out what really happened to his goat. Following a tip-off, he was told that it was Maazi Ojemba who stole his goat. The man mobilized the villagers to his house and dragged him out calling him: Onye Ori Ewu!. He appeared flabbergasted seeing villagers in his house at such an hour of the day. He denied not being aware of what they were talking about but one who supplied the information to Maazi Okenta was bold enough to tell him to his face that he stole Maazi Okenta’s goat. Immediately, on hearing that, his countenance changed but yet, refused to admit that he knew anything about the goat. The angry mob with green leaves dragged him out of his house enchanting shameful songs against him till they arrived palace to make an official report to the Igwe.

On heralding the noise that infiltrated the palace, Igwe of Umudiala came out and was nonplussed to see the crowd with green leaves and Maazi Ojemba being in the midst half-dressed. He ordered them to leave him alone. The youth leader who was embroid in anger, told Igwe that they brought Maazi Ojemba here because he was reported to have stolen the goat of Maazi Okenta and yet feigned not having knowledge of the whereabouts of the goat.

Igwe in his wisdom having looked at Maazi Ojemba’s countenance, used a loud voice and commanded Maazi Ojemba to tell him the truth if he was guilty as accused. Maazi Ojemba started stuttering and opened up that he stole the goat but he was not the only one.

The crowd shouted! Aru! aru!! Tufiakwa! Onye Ori Ewu!!

Maazi Ojemba said that he is not a selfish man and that he doesn’t eat alone whenever he steals any animal within the neighborhood.

Speaking further, Maazi Ojemba with a remorseful voice said: Maazi Okenta, it’s true I stole your goat but you ate the meat. That meat I gave you last week was part of the goat. Maazi Okenta was shocked!. Youth Leader, do you remember the intestine I gave you last week? That’s the goat, said Maazi Ojemba. Women Leader, I gave you the towel to cook pepper soup. Hope you remember? Onovo, I gave you the leg. The front one last week and you expressed gratitude to me.

To crown in all, Igwe, you are guilty. You ate the goat too like others here. Igwe, I gave you two of the laps and you tapped my back with your symbol of power.

The crowd including the Igwe was in bewilderment, helpless, and hapless, meditating on Ojemba’s chicanery.

They were in shame and couldn’t continue dragging Maazi Ojemba have eaten the goat together with him. Igwe of Umudiala is ashamed to return to his palace after shouting at Maazi Ojemba for using tricks to lure him into his stealing business without recourse to what he represents in the community. He cautioned him not to try it next time or risk being expelled from the community. While Igwe was saying this, the man whose goat was stolen left incommunicado, followed by others who were figured out in the goat deal. This was how Maazi Ojemba was acquitted and discharged without any punishment.

This is a true reflection of what happened to the 3bn mapped out by His Excellency, Rt Hon Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru FNIOB GGCEHF to empower Ebonyians hawking and doing menial jobs in various cities which has resulted in insult and stereotyping. Those being accused of embezzlement and misappropriation of the fund are not the only ones culpable. When a full-scale investigation is launched, believe me, or not, Exco members, LG Chairmen, and Governors’ relatives, among other bigwigs, will be nonplussed that they might have received 1-2 slots during the selection. The inability of the committee to release the list of the beneficiaries is not only suspicious but a sign of indictment. Directly or indirectly, they follow chop the goat meat like Igwe, Onovo, and Co chopped did in the case of Maazi Ojemba in the Umudiala Community.

However, giving a slot to them is not the issue but did they nominate the real hawkers or their domestic staff, side chicks, or relatives?

I’ve chosen not to talk much on this being the fact that I’m handicapped but nevertheless, the way the disbursement was handled is suspicious and not transparent.