Chinedu, the 60-year-old husband of a former Vice-President of the World Bank, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, has decried the harassment of her wife by the Federal Government.
Operatives of the State Security Service had on Monday detained the woman popularly called Oby for about 20 minutes at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja while she was on her way to board a British Airways flight to London, United Kingdom.
The former education minister and coordinator of the #BringBackOurGirls coalition almost missed her flight as her confiscated passport and other travelling documents were not released until about a few minutes before departure.
She was on her way for a scheduled appearance on the British Broadcasting Corporation flagship hard-hitting interview programme, BBC Hard Talk.
“Is this a democracy? I am being detained by the SSS at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport. The SSS has refused to give my passport to me,” she had tweeted during the encounter.
But her hubby, who pastors a parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in the Federal Capital Territory, expressed dissatisfaction with the treatment being meted out to his wife.
Writing on Twitter, Chinedu stated that the Federal Government and the SSS had no such rights to persecute his wife for no just cause.
According to him, only terrorists should be treated in the way and manner his wife was being hounded by the SSS.
“Oby Ezekwesili’s passport was seized at the Abuja airport on her way to London this morning (Monday). Is she a terrorist or what?” he stated, while demanding answers from the authorities.
One of her sons, Chuba, could not also hide his indignation for the assault on her mother by the security agents.
The young economist, while lampooning the Federal Government stated that it was worrisome that the authorities would throw “civility and common sense” to the wind and harass a citizen demanding accountability from the government.
He hailed his mum for being up to the task to “handle anything thrown at her” by the agents of the state.
Meanwhile, Oby has thanked Nigerians who called for her immediate release during her encounter with the SSS.
She also extended her appreciation to the management and crew members of the British Airways for their consideration and patience in ensuring that she did not miss the London flight.
She linked her travails in the hands of the SSS to her involvement in the #BringBackOurGirls campaign but added that she would never back down from standing for the Chibok girls no matter the intimidation by the Federal Government.
“No one can sieze my democratic rights. I refused to let the SSS get away with trampling on my constitutional right. We had a safe touchdown at Heathrow Airport, praise God!
“Thanks also to British Airways for waiting for me and then upgrading me on this flight. Thanks to all who spoke up against the repressive act of the SSS against me this morning. You will always find help in your time of need in Jesus name.
“They cannot break me; for as long as our Chibok girls are not rescued, I shall stay standing for their cause with all people of goodwill,” she tweeted shrtly after touching down at Heathrow, London.
I pray it is not true that Oby Ezekwesili has been arrested over her role in #BringBackOurGirls. Do Presidential Advisers read History? Never again should any Nigerian be detained for his views except those involved in provable subversive activities!
Reacting to the widespread anger which followed Oby’s detention and subsequent release, a former presidential candidate of the National Conscience Party, Chief Dele Momodu, said the Presidency was merely making her more popular.
He explained that it was despicable that the government would resort to a crude tactic of detention to intimidate perceived opposition figures and called for an immediate stop to such harassments.
Momodu tweeted, “I pray it is not true that Oby Ezekwesili has been arrested over her role in #BringBackOurGirls. Do presidential advisers read History?
“Never again should any Nigerian be detained for his views except those involved in provable subversive activities!
“The Egyptian feminist writer, activist, psychiatrist and physician, Nawal El Saadawi, became an icon because of detention.
“Hope our Federal Government would resist the temptation of turning Oby Ezekwesili into our own Ann Suu kyi (Myanmar female pro-democracy activist); her profile is rising fast!”
A group, Enough is Enough Nigeria, said it was unfortunate that the Federal Government preferred to harass and intimidate citizens instead of collaborating with them to deliver on good governance.
“Why is our government so afraid of citizens demanding accountability? We hope it’s teaching us that there is power in our voice and consistent action! We will not be silent!” the group tweeted. Punch
They go talk say the husband na apc member….
The husband and son can go to court if they are so pained instead of tweets from their handle or whatever. She was being checked out for about twenty minutes and she went tweeting lies – a wife of a pastor supposedly. Is she above the law or beyond checking/interrogation?
Blackie or whatever u call yourself u are just a fool who doesn’t think before talking…why will an SSS check out an ordinary citizen of Nigeria just travelling to London? Have U ever left the shores of Nigeria? If u have then your retarded mind should have known that the SSS will not just randomly sieze ur passport for questioning if they do not suspect u of anything…. So cos she is a former minister she cannot be involved in social crusade? What right does the SSS have to sieze her passport and detain her? Cos they know she is going to feature on a popular programme on the BBC? They started this rubbish by hounding her….. She has every right to tweet about it cos the govt as usual denied she was detained and we know they have been harassing her since….. Blackie u are a disgrace to this nation if u cannot see what is wrong and say so….. We cannot demand that Nigeria will change when hypocrites like u will castigate people who are fighting a social cause……we need intelligence discourse on this platform not rubbish u constantly spew out here….
Sorry, to me you are an intelligent illiterate. Must I tow your line of unreasonableness, to make me acceptable. God forbid Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN
I wonder what the hail, Oby Ezekwesili and her so called pastor husband are saying. I see in their statements, some arrogant and tyranic expressions. Who is Oby Ezekwesili and what’s so important about her? She passed through security checks before travilling, is that why we cant have our peace? Mr preacher-husband, how did your wife escape from the SSS? Did she beat them up before boading the plane? Was she not given her passport after normal screening? If the security men wanted to arrest her, could she have done otherwise. You are looking for opportunity to hear GEJ voice, I promise you he will not talk because he is an intelligent man. Keep on doing your master’s (OBJ) will by harassing this government. If every Nigerian should avoid security search, can you imagine what will happen. Did you not read that the Speaker’s car was searched one day. Oby was bragging that she lives in New York, Does she avoid security search in JFK Airport in New York? How can somebody who is boarding an international flight just appear few minutes before departure? Do the Ezekwesilis think that Nigerians are fools and brain dead? How can the wife of a pastor be looking for cheap popularity and the husband is collaborating in the whole lies. What is the connection between security check and ‘bringbackour girls’ program? Plese I advice you change your family name from Ezekwesili to ‘Asi-amaka’
Ify u are just being foolish and it’s obvious u are not a frequent traveller? If you are being checked at the airport and their is an unusual delay any fool will know….. If u are unusually delayed at the airport abroad they will give u reasons even if it’s for an hour or so…. If Oby had not put the news on twitter am sure they would have denied it… It was very obvious they wanted her to miss her programme with the BBC….. Lay people like u who don’t know jack about the shenanigans of govt just come to vomit rubbish based on silly sentiments….. Oby was a credible person while in govt so I don’t understand this stupid mentality of Nigerians attacking her cos she has served in govt before….. The real reason y this country cannot move forward is because of such stupid mentality like yours…. She is a frequent traveller and in your stupid mind you think she will just be crying foul when she really doesn’t have need too? What has this got to do obj? U really do have a small mind..
It has everything to do with the emperor emeritus obasanjo.please find out the relationship between them okay. I am from Anambra state,we have incredible relationship with Jonathan we do not want our daughter and her family to be fighting him ,we don’t care Yoruba and hausa issues with Jonathan,after all they brought him in to slightl Ndigbo but God pass them all.
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