By Chinedum Nwizu
When the ongoing ENDSARS protest took off across the country, I was skeptical of what would be its outcome and sincerity of those behind it. My skepticism was not borne out of support for police brutality or operational excesses. No, it was borne out of the fear that it might be hijacked by some elements that include fraudsters and drug baron, who have been victims of SARS brutality and politicians, who may see it as opportunity to settle political scores.
My fear seems to have come to fore with ongoing social media rantings attributed to the popular musician Flavour and Phyno, where they alleged that they (protesters) are being threatened by Enugu State government.
Since the allegation was twitted on Flavour and Phyno’s twitter handles, tongues have been wagging. While some have denied that it was not twitted by Flavour and Phyno others have insinuated that the duo of Flavour and Phyno, who have been leading the protest in Enugu are being sponsored by a prominent politician from Enugu West Senatorial zone, who is desperate for governorship seat in 2023.
A video of Gov. Ugwuanyi’s address to the protesters led by Flavour and Phyno has since gone viral and there is no where Ugwuanyi or any government official threatened the protesters as alleged by Flavour and Phyno. What do Flavour and Phyno want to achieve with the unfounded allegation against Enugu State Government? Why the sudden deviation from the main agenda of protest to political agenda of interrogating governance in Enugu State, if not for vested political interest and ulterior motive that has to do with Enugu 2023?
A prominent public affairs analyst and communication expert, Mr. Ment Nomeh twitted that Flavour and Phyno had wanted to hijack the protest in Enugu to do the bidding of their paymasters, but were resisted by Enugu youths. Why do Flavour and Phyno want to hijack the protest if they are not being used by somebody? It is in the public domain that their paymaster is bankrolling the protest in Enugu and that they were lodged in hotels at Independence Layout Enugu owned some drug barons and fraudsters who are friends of their paymaster and from the same area with him. Nothing is hidden under the sun. It was the same politicians that brought Flavour and Phyno from Lagos to Enugu to lead the protest for political reasons.
These were the same hotels some professors from Enugu West senatorial zone have been having meetings in recent times on how to blackmail Gov. Ugwuanyi to remove the acting Vice Chancellor of ESUT and make one of them the substantive Vice Chancellor.
It is not out place that the Flavour and Phyno’s wild and false allegation is a continuation of the series of conspiracy theories against Ugwuanyi government that is being sponsored by the greedy and desperate politician from Enugu West zone ahead of 2023. The relationship between the drug barons and fraudsters that own the hotels Flavour and Phyno are lodged in Independence Layout Enugu is known before now.
So, it is not surprising that the duo made themselves available to be used by a politician in Enugu. For how long would they be used for such hatchet job?
But whichever one, it is time for Flavour and Phyno to speak up on their involvement and interest in the whole charade. They should make available evidence of Enugu State Government’s threat to their lives. The onus lies on them to substantiate their allegations.
They are alive and cannot continue to keep quiet, while their names are being drag to the mud. It is not about attack on Gov. Ugwuanyi falsely, but about Flavour and Phyno redeeming thier tattered image of being used as political pawns.
Their continued studied silence on the issue at stake and the controversies it has generated is an admittance of guilt and confirmation of the saying that they are being used by a politician in Enugu to do a hatchet job, hiding under the ENDSARS protest.
They have a name and flourishing career to protect and preserve as renowned musicians. If their prospects and fame had waned abysmally, making themselves available to be used to settle political scores will not revive their careers, rather it will kill it.
Nwizu, writes from Artisan, Enugu State.
