By Mayor Ikoroha
Recently, the Nigerian social media space went into overdrive with the ‘encounter’ between the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the immediate past governor of Delta State, Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa. The prevailing narrative was that Dr. Okowa was arrested for embezzling a whopping N1.3 trillion in derivation funds that accrued to Delta State between 2015 and 2023 when he served as the Executive Governor of the state.
The reasons why this story gained a lot of traction in Nigeria’s ever-vibrant social media space are many. In the face of excruciating socio-economic difficulties facing Nigeria and Nigerians, any sensational story readily provides some sort of elixir to long-suffering Nigerians. Secondly, many Nigerian politicians have been accused of embezzling millions and billions of naira, but this would perhaps be the first case to break the trillion-naira mark. Thirdly, Nigerians have suffered so much at the hands of rapacious, oppressive politicians masquerading as leaders. Many of these ‘thieves’ are never held accountable for their crimes against the people they were elected or selected to lead. So, ‘little wins’ like having the next politician-thief arrested and detained by the EFCC fill a lot of our countrymen with frenzied excitement.
We now live in a world dominated by social media that provides free and easy access to information but with attendant misinformation and disinformation. In the days of traditional media, journalists and news editors not only strived to ensure that news was reported accurately but also had a duty to put information in proper context and sometimes go further to give meaning and interpretation to the issue or event.
As a young boy growing up in Aba, in the then Imo State (before the creation of Abia State), I fondly remember tuning in to the Igbo language news on Imo Broadcasting Service (IBS). At the end of each news bulletin, there was always a segment called ‘Okwu na eso akuko’. This segment, which could be literally translated as “news analysis,” was an attempt by the radio station to provide context and interpretation to some of the trending issues of the day. The broadcasters took great care to dissect the news, offering insights and perspectives that helped listeners understand the broader implications of current events. This segment was not just about relaying facts; it was about connecting the dots, and making sense of the world around us.
These days of social media and citizen journalism are different. The opinions of most people are shaped by dubious headlines, carefully crafted by bloggers and news organizations to elicit attention and drive traffic. Even when you read most of these stories, there is scant effort to provide context or detailed explanations to the audience, most of whom are eager to move on quickly to the next salacious story.
When the Nigerian social media space became agog over the ‘arrest’ of former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa by the EFCC over a N1.3 trillion fraud, I tried to get beyond the social media noise to find out the real facts behind the issue.
Firstly, I discovered that Dr. Okowa was invited by the EFCC to their Port Harcourt office, and he promptly reported. After answering questions regarding a petition written against him, he was reportedly ‘arrested.’
I was concerned about why Okowa should be arrested. According to Google, “An arrest is the act of apprehending and taking a person into custody, usually because the person is suspected to have committed a crime or observed committing a crime.” Apprehend is the same as “capture,” “catch,” or “seize.” How do you capture, catch or seize someone who drove all the way from Asaba to Port Harcourt to answer your invitation?
Secondly, according to social media chatter, Okowa was alleged to have embezzled N1.3 trillion. N1.3 trillion equals N1,300 billion. So, Okowa might have stolen a whopping N1,300,000,000,000. Really?
The value of Nigeria’s currency has been depreciating rapidly over the years, especially in the past 17 months since the incumbent administration started the controversial policy of floating the naira. But it is obvious that Nigerians generally do have a numbers problem.
Nigerians often face challenges with numeracy, which is evident in the way exaggerated figures are quoted on social media. For instance, social media influencers and celebrities sometimes boast about their earnings or the cost of their possessions. It is common to hear an influencer claim to have spent tens of millions of naira on a single outfit, and some people would believe it. You can see an actor, actress, comedian or artiste on social media boast about buying a detached duplex for N10bn in Lekki, and their genuflecting minions on social media would hail them and then pray to ‘tap from their grace.’
During political campaigns, candidates and their supporters often quote inflated statistics to bolster their claims or discredit opponents. For example, the governor of a state seeking re-election might claim to have created 10 million jobs in a state with a population of 7 million, and his supporters on social media will like and repost the comment in thousands. Or the federal government can claim to have given free meals to tens of millions of school children at a time when most schools in the country were shut down due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and pro-government activists would shamelessly defend and promote this obvious fallacy.
Perhaps Nigeria’s numeracy issues stem from foundational stages, as students frequently perform poorly in mathematics. National exams like the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) often reveal a high failure rate in math subjects. This trend highlights broader issues within the educational system, where inadequate teaching methods and lack of resources contribute to students’ struggles with numbers.
Let us do a simple interrogation of the numbers behind the Okowa-EFCC ‘encounter’. During Dr. Okowa’s eight-year tenure as governor, the total revenue of the state (FAAC, IGR, Other receipts) was put at N2.65 trillion. If Okowa had stolen N1.3 trillion, it would mean he embezzled almost half of the state’s entire revenue during his time in office!
According to the state’s audited accounts, salaries accounted for N628.5bn. with about N56,000 workers, Delta State has the highest number of civil servants in the country. Pensions, contributory pensions, and social benefits gulped N141.22bn. Overhead and consolidated revenue charges amounted to N489.83bn, grants and contributions were N107.88bn, DESOPADEC and internal loans repayment/public debt charges totalled N221.2bn and N200.38bn respectively, and FAAC deductions for loan repayment stood at N150.63bn.
Okowa’s administration invested a total of N729.2bn in capital expenditure, focusing on substantial projects rather than ‘audio projects.’ Notable achievements include the Professor Chike Edozien Secretariat, which won the Nigerian Institute of Architects award for Most Iconic Corporate Building in Nigeria, the Ogheye Floating Market in Warri North LGA, the 19.7km Obotobo 1 – Obotobo 11 – Sokebolou – Yokri coastal road in Burutu LGA, Maryam Babangida Film Village and Leisure Park in Asaba, Koka Flyover in Asaba, and the Asaba Storm Water Drainage. The Warri Storm Water Drainage project, aimed at addressing perennial flooding in Warri and its environs, was at an advanced stage by the time Okowa left office on May 29, 2023.
In terms of road infrastructure, the Okowa administration constructed over 2,000 kilometres of roads, including bridges, and 1,400 kilometres of drains. The administration also established three new universities and six model technical colleges, which have remained functional. Additionally, the youth entrepreneurship development programs initiated by Okowa’s administration enabled thousands of youths to become small business owners and employers of labor. Consequently, Delta State was ranked the Best State in Human Capital Development in the 2017 states peer review by the National Competitiveness Council of Nigeria. Furthermore, under Okowa’s leadership, Delta State enjoyed peace and security.
While these figures may not be perfect, it would challenge accountants to find where N100bn could be hidden from the income and expenditure schedule, let alone N1.3 trillion.
Having lived in Asaba, the Delta State capital, for over 20 years and as a public affairs analyst, I have always followed government activities critically. Delta State is one of those states where, over the years, most people believe the state government has not done enough. This perception is perpetuated by the fact that the state receives the highest chunk of allocation amongst the comity of Nigerian states every month.
However, Okowa’s tenure drastically changed this narrative. He transformed most parts of the state, making Asaba, the state capital, one of the fastest-growing cities in Nigeria. Perhaps it was Okowa’s fault that he did not spend a fortune from the state’s coffers on media organizations and social media influencers to create whatever narrative he wanted in the minds of many Nigerians easily manipulated by social media tales.
I had the privilege of writing Okowa’s biography, chronicling his personal and political trajectory. In the course of the book, I interviewed Okowa’s family, friends, political associates (including his predecessors Chief James Ibori and Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan), as well as members of the opposition in Delta State. As I spent hours with these people, asking probing questions about the person and politics of Ifeanyi Okowa, I came away with the perception of a man of deep Christian faith, someone who is neither known for an ostentatious lifestyle nor having a penchant for unreasonable material acquisitions.
Okowa was trained as a medical doctor but has spent most of his life in politics. He has been a local government chairman, two-time commissioner, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Senator, and then governor. Until he stepped down as governor at the end of his second term last year, he had more than a quarter of a century of unbroken involvement in politics, holding significant political positions.
Interestingly, until the recent debacle with the EFCC, there had never been any credible allegation of corrupt practices against Dr. Okowa in the past. This is instructive because, as an African proverb would say, “The footprints of the ancestors are a guide to the future.” The past is the best prophet of the future.
Thankfully, we live in a country with some semblance of law and order. It is expected that if the EFCC does not find Okowa’s responses to their queries credible and convincing, they would charge him to court where the allegations will undergo extensive legal scrutiny. In the end, a court of law will either agree with the EFCC that Okowa committed a crime or that the allegations lack substance.
Till then, Okowa is presumed innocent under the law. But he is already a victim of social media mob justice in a society that has a numbers problem.
Mayor Ikoroha, a media analyst and consultant, lives in Asaba
