What Babatunde Irukera Actually Said
As an Okun man and a patriot, Irukera contributed to a raging discussion about the arrest of senator Melaye the on Okun Patriot platform just like every other contributors contributed on same platform, where he called for calm and requested that consensus and amicable resolution are the only win win solution to the protracted conflict. At no point in time, or during any discussion or his contributors did he suggest or intend to condemn or commend anyone for anything. All he did was to sue and call for peace.
However, some character, specifically, one Tom Ohikire and a Gideon Ayodele took Barr. Babatunde Irukera’s words which were just comments on a platform, spun them around and mischievously adopted them as condemnation of conduct. Nothing is further from the truth, and it demonstrates jaundiced and irresponsible journalism to promote a misapprehension of the truth or facts. To cut and paste someone’s comment in a multiparty ongoing discussion and make it seem like a statement or a release is a fraud on both society and the author of the comments.
It is important that even in the heat of situations, we remain responsible and credible or else our believably and credibility will become doubtful as in this case. In fact, another commentator who had read Irukera’s comment refuted the supposed “Statement or Release” by discrediting the authors when he said, “Barr Irukera did not condemn anything or anyone but those who are promoting the conflict are now using the words of a peacemaker to make more trouble. He sympathized with SDM and his family and said he does not support any extra judicial or extra legal method of enforcing law which we all support. Where did he support anyone in this statement? Telling a lie of your own shoes your are a liar, but twisting other people’s words for your purpose shows you are thief”.
Much later, Irukera himself had to again clarify his statement on the same platform when he said:
” Morning again all. We continue to inflame this sensitive situation. It seems some are keen on taking advantage of an impasse to accomplish a different objective of ventilating their own aggravation. If there was ever a wrong time to do that, it’s now. The language that describes that kind of behavior is exploitation, and SDM is a potential victim of that exploitation. Can we just tone down the rhetoric, and perhaps stops the social media discussion while back channel discussions and peace efforts are progressing? For instance, I have seen my post and appeal here yesterday “re-narrated” as a a condemnation of conduct of one party or the other. That’s inaccurate. That type of language does not promote peace, consensus and confidence building which is what we need right now. I don’t join discussions that can’t lead to peace because it ends up pointless. Please let’s exercise restraint and temperate use of language for the benefit of all. Or else, even SDM would not be the better for the contributions.
I now personally implore all to truly give peace a chance. Since,it’s been going on as spats, but now it has the potential to cost a man his liberty, I think it’s time to make it entirely about a mutual understanding that preserves that liberty. I implore all who cannot exercise the restraint and maturity required to promote peace to hold their breaths and rest their fingers from their keypads. It’s not in anyone’s interest. If SDM was sounding drums of war, this is the time to gag and restrain even him for his and all our benefits, much less others not him.
My training as a lawyer, when something gets thrown in the legal or judicial process, our clamour in this manner has little or no bearing on the matter so we should really tone it down. I can’t understand why anyone, including my post on our platform will become some kind of pseudo press release. If we don’t have any credible and mature neutrals who can advance peace discussions, we as a people and SDM are disadvantaged so please let’s not use our energies to compromise our neutrals who can play a vital role in resolving this sensitive problem. I beg us one more time to sheath swords and give peace a chance.”
However for emphasis and record purposes, here is Irukera’s real and initial comments as posted on the Okun platform is below:
I have been traveling all day and only alighting now and catching up with the news. I cannot begin to imagine the trauma and anxiety SDM and his family must be experiencing right now, and the complete invasion of their private lives. As a constituent and a friend, I strongly disagree that anyone should be subjected to extrajudicial and extra-legal methods of modifying behavior. This is more a lawmaker.
However, this regrettable unfortunate incident, again presents us another golden opportunity to resolve political differences and crisis in the interest of all parties, and most importantly the most critical stakeholders, our people. Regardless of whatever criminal conduct is alleged against SDM or anyone in this unfolding events, I am certain that the escalated crisis and differences emanated from political differences, as a matter of fact, family political differences between brethren from same state, close neigbours, same party, same side in same party, previous collaborators and team members. As such, no matter how intractable it seems, it really is resolvable.
The democratic process creates and supports choice and political opposition, not acrimonious enmity. The preference of another for elective position is well accommodated in democracy, but when it results in dangerous disputes, it’s no longer democratic, constructive or productive. The key parties here are experienced and senior political leaders, the rest of us are junior tonthem in the hierarchy, so they owe us leadership that eschews rancor and promotes societal good and exemplary values and virtue.
And I believe they have it, they just have to let that dominate. Now, to the rest of us, I am saddened and disappointed that our inflammatory remarks and vituperative combative approach only exacerbates the problem and never leads to a solution. We can even agree to disagree and be supportive without aggravating or worsening an already sensitive situation. We owe it to our leaders that the delicate balance of legacy and statesmanship on the one hand and political correctness on the other remains and is not tilted to a point where legacy and statesmanship is sacrificed and lost.
We are politicizing the problem which itself is already political. This approach is the proverbial keg of gunpowder. If our efforts do not fall within the rubric of peaceful initiatives, let us be mute, prayerful, even supportive of our respective principals without being part of the problem. Therein lies our true value to our principals and our communities. We must remember that the most important soldier in the army is not necessarily the one shoots most; many times, it’s the one who finds a way and somehow ends the war. Let us be soldiers who end, not those who complicate or extend the war. That way, we would have served our leaders right, and we would have worked in the best interest of our community.
In closing, this platform is one of, and has some of the most respected in Okunland, let our elders here engage offline on how they can contribute to a peaceful resolution of an impasse that won’t end well whichever way unless there is credible intervention. The only options I see if we allow this to continue is one were the victor is as much a loser as the vanquished, and most of all, our community will be victim, vanquished and loser in every sense of the word.
Thanks and Goodnight all. Okun a gbe ha o.
Babatunde Irukera
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