DR. DAVID ONYEMAECHI
A friend of mine, who is a university professor in Philadelphia, US, sent a video to me yesterday on WhatsApp with a short note that went thus: ‘When did our Anambra become this depraved to be humiliating her youths in this manner? This is pathetic. Governor Soludo must do something about this sort of attitude’.
Without clicking on the video, my mind simply strayed to the menace of unknown gun men, which I am happy the government is doing so much to curb, much as they throw what seems like the last kicks of a dying horse. But the video that played in my phone at the end, was something else. A group of young men, about 4 lay almost bare on the floor, with clothes torn and hands shackled. They were being interviewed by some faceless men, who were busy making the video, asking questions that were designed to paint the youths in bad light. I waited to see clips of arms and ammunitions which the so called gang used in the hit, alas there was none, just a bunch of tickets, which the boys were trying to explain, was legitimate; but when it was time for the boys to prove their innocence, the video was abruptly cut short and subsequently uploaded on the internet.
But I was able to overhear them mention the name of Bigly. Bigly is a renowned company owned by an illustrious son, Ken Nwankwo, so when did his name or the name of his company become anathema to the growth of Anambra that he has done so much to develop? Why were his boys being dehumanized in that manner? Certainly only one explanation is plausible, considering my considerable knowledge of the Anambra Internal Revenue Services. I am aware that Bigly is one of the companies licensed to help in collecting revenues for the state government, which they are positioned to do dutifully.
I am also aware that Bigly is one of the companies whose letters of authorizations as IGR Partners were signed on September 1, 2023 with a validity of 6 months by Dr. Greg Ezeilo, who is the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Anambra State Internal Revenue Service, AIRS. Why are they being prevented from doing their legitimate duty, just one month after being authorised to do so by the relevant body and office saddled with tax administration in the state?
It is disdainful to say the least when I made some inquiries and understood that Mr. Christian Madubuko, who has always had vested interests in the workings of the AIRS is behind such and for very mundane reasons at that. Mr. Madubuko, I reliably gathered has appropriated revenue collection to his proxy company in tax hubs around his hometown and local government area and has therefore drawn daggers to whoever tries revenue pursuit in his so called designated areas. The question waiting for real answers are should he be allowed an inch of tax administration brief in a system he is part and parcel of? Should he go down the gutter to humiliate hardworking youths of Anambra State whom Bigly has provided jobs for, in order to feather his parochial interests? I and several Anambra youths are waiting for answers, while calling on our Governor Soludo to be mindful of such impostors working against his governance interests!
– Dr. David Onyemaechi (OON)
Writes from Houston Texas