Letter to Tafa Balogun

Aloy chibueze

Dear Tafa Balogun,

Pardon me for not using all your known titles to address you. I am not sure which is still tenable. But the one that will stick forever is that of Tafa the thief, all other titles, including the last one bestowed on you by your good friend Obasanjo; are no longer valid.

Tafa, how are the mighty fallen. Just a few weeks ago, you were riding high, so high that all criminals in Nija were afraid of you. Did I say only criminals? Even several AIG's, DIG's, Commissioners, Inspectors, Sergeants, corporals and ordinary recruits in police uniform. They all were afraid of you. Did I forget the journalist, Labor Unions, Maza maza, danfo drivers, okada riders and ordinary citizens? We all were afraid of you because of the tremendous power available to you.

What did you do with your power when you had it? Did you abuse the power you had? Did you use your power to make sure that all accused are innocent until proven guilty? Did you demand egunje from Commissioners, Governors, and all other people, just because you can? Did you carry out orders from above to arrest and detain journalist? Did you give out orders to confiscate magazines that wrote about Obasanjo's son and how he milked the nation? Did you authorize an AIG of police to kidnap a sitting governor? Who told you what court orders to obey, and did you withdraw a Governors police protection based on this order? (Reminds of me of James Hadley Chase novel, 'Want to stay alive', when Poke Tohola turned Paradise City into Panic City, he told those he threatened to ask Mandy Lucas what happened to her police protection)

Oga Tafa, I truly sympathize with you. What type of shame have you brought on your family just because you want to be richer than all your predecessors put together? Did you think about the good name you will leave your children or were you thinking only about the properties, $$$ and Naira you will leave them; do not tell me you never knew that one day you will die.

Now you are given a dose of what you gave others, do you now understand why we have activist? Do you now understand why it is important to use whatever power you have for the general good? If I were you I will not be worried, because the same people that are asking for your head are guilty of the same offence they are charging you with. You may well prove the proverb "he who laughs last laughs best" right. Because today they are after you tomorrow it will be their turn.

Before the snuff out the life you still have because of the entire secret you still keep for them, I will advise you to start singing. Secretly write down all you know, pass it on to your lawyers or wife, do not hold back. Tell it the way it is and give us instances and evidence. That is the only way you can redeem whatever is left of you tattered image.

Today people remember O’Hare Airport in Chicago as international airport, but they do not know the story behind it. O’Hare was a lawyer to Al Capone (Mafia boss). He knew all the secrets of the mobs. He was wealthy and hung out with the cream of the society. One day, he was thinking of what legacy he could leave his son. Wealth was not enough so he decided to leave him a good name. He turned an informant and exposed the Mafia bosses. He knew this will cost him his life, but he never cared. Eventually, the Mafia got him and killed him, but today the one act he did is remembered by all. His son was very proud of his father and today the whole of Chicago is proud of what he did. They named O’Hare Airport after him. (http://www.ipsn.org/ohare.html )

So Tafa, what legacy are you going to leave for your children? Forget about hunger strike, it will not redeem you, start thinking about what you want to be remembered for. Right now we all know you as Tafa the thief, Ole, Barawo, Onye ori.

The ball is in you court.

N.B.: while on hunger strike watch out for the air you breathe, Okadigbo inhaled his own portion

Aloy