“When You Are Peeling Groundnuts For A Blind Man Always Be Whistling, So that He Knows that You Are Not Eating His Groundnuts: Questions About The Neutrality, Impartiality and Moral Appropriateness of Prof. Julius Ihonvbere as Chairman of the HoR Committee of the SoE in Rivers State”
By Dr. Tonye Clinton Jaja.
Online newspapers today 14th April 2025 have reported that Prof. Julius Ihonvbere is the Chairman of the 19 man Committee of the House of Representatives, National Assembly that would oversight the State of Emergency that is imposed against Rivers State since 18th March 2025.
On the face of it Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, has an impeccable public service curriculum vitae (CV). He currently serves as the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, National Assembly since the year 2023. Amongst other public offices, he previously served as the Secretary to the Government of Edo State.
There is no question about his intellectual capacity to handle this assignment.
There is also no legal impediment that prevents him from serving in the said capacity.
However, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere’s appointment raises the cardinal issue of moral appropriateness!!!
Considering the very cordial relationship between His Excellency Nyesom Ezenwo Wike (NEW) and Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, is there any likelihood of bias in favour of the Wike camp and against Governor Fubara?
Let the reader decide based on the facts presented below:
- Wike was previously a student and graduate of Political Science from the University of Port during the same period that Prof. Julius Ihonvbere was a lecturer at the same Department of Political Science;
- Prof. Julius Ihonvbere was selected by Wike as the keynote speaker during the event of inauguration and hand-over of Wike to Governor Fubara in May 2023 The sub-title of his lecture was: “Why Nigerians Will Miss Wike-No One Can Survive Wike’s War”. It is available on YOUTUBE;
- During the 57th birthday celebration of Wike in Port Harcourt, sometime in December 2024, again Wike selected Prof. Julius Ihonvbere as the keynote speaker and he delivered a lecture entitled: “Pragmatic Strides of a Visionary Leader and Contemporary Issues of Society”!
To conclude, there is an African proverb that says: “AFRICAN PROVERB: When peeling groundnut for a blind man, you must keep whistling so he knows you’re not eating it Meaning: Practically, you cannot eat and whistle at the same time. You can either eat or whistle. The proverb speaks on a very critical matter that is often overlooked.”
In the handling of this State of Emergency in Rivers State, it is important not only for justice to be done but to be seen to be done. In this regard, in the eyes of right-thinking persons, is it not likely to raise eyebrows, by virtue of the impression that it sends to onlookers to have the Chairman of the said Committee to be headed by a close ally of Wike?
