First, whenever you see me here online, I have either come to write, have fun or make you laugh. I hardly hunt for troubles. Check my responses to hostile friends, I don’t insult back. I am an openly minded young man that tolerates all kinds of humans with diversified views because we can’t all see from same lens.
This screenshot trended online yesterday and I kept mum all through. I knew the damages it might cause my friend Promise if it goes out, so, I never wanted it. Unfortunately, it leaked in the process of informing the necessary authorities and personalities.
Like I did say, Promise, the CPS is a brother, friend and course mate. We were schooled together at the prestigious Kogi State University and passed out early 2017. Beyond that, we were Reading mates and inner circle pals. Even though he is mocking us today for focusing on grades while he was already into writing, myself and other friends helped him to graduate fairly. I remember many times he would run to me for final briefing before exams. Our mates can attest to this. But let me not dwell on the past, life might have positioned him ahead of us. It’s a fate we must accept because such is life in the first place. However, some of us too are doing well.
After the APC handed over her governorship ticket to Alhaji Yahaya Bello in 2019, I had thought of queuing behind Promise for the sake of my kinsman, Edward Onoja who was coming up as the running mate. This was after my boss had given me the leeway to name my candidate. Friends and other personality were pressurizing me to follow my own brother. Even though that was against my conviction, I decided to see if I could work with his social media team. Of course, many persons saw me as a traitor for working against my own Ogugu man in the first place.
I had chances to support other candidates but for the sake of blood, I wanted to join my brother’s team. I contacted few persons and one of them is Promise Emmanuel. I told him I am available to work with them but I would need to be give SENSE OF BELONGING. He said how? I explained that I just can’t be campaigning for someone who doesn’t know me, what if I get into trouble? I need resources to work as a Social Media Crusader too. My friend didn’t bring me onboard. He only screenshot our chats and send me a copy, It ended there. I knew his intention because I know him.
When I noticed their mischief, I opted for Engr. Musa Wada who was the one my heart was convinced to support in the first place because the new direction government is an obvious disaster. And that was it! While campaigning for PDP nobody gave me a dime, I was only bargaining for a good governance for my people.
For every write up I did, I get a threat. What is the threat? Promise would threaten to post our chats where I was asking him for money to work for his boss. But wait, is it a crime to ask for money for my writings and adverts? Am I even supposed to be doing Digital Marketing services for free? But I was really shocked to see that it is only him that would always employ threat, others in his team would respond with contrary information.
Even here, when I write wrongly, I expect you to disprove me with facts not fight. Only through that way we may tell the society our stories of being graduates and learned individuals garnished with senses of maturity.
Last December, I was with Promise at the Deputy Governor’s House. When I came, I met him and few other course mates that are attached to the press crew of the deputy governor. As we were sitting and gisting, the Deputy Governor was stepping outside the room. Promise asked me to go and greet him but my other course mates suggested that it shouldn’t be so, according to them, Promise was supposed to take me to him for proper familiarization. In the course of that short argument, Promise was already up and it was movement for the convoy. In all that, I kept mum. I didn’t come to see the deputy governor, I came to see my friend, Promise, so, I didn’t bother.
Shockingly, my friend opened up yesterday that he purposely didn’t introduce me to the Deputy Governor because he knew my intention. That all I wanted was the attention of his boss.
Friends, would your candle quench if you light mine? Is this world not too big for one person to be everything and everywhere? Why would people always think they have the monopoly of something? Like the stars in the sky, there is a space for every one of us to shine. Needless to pull anyone down or press anyone down. Promise’ intention is to keep pressing me down, I didn’t know. Maybe he is thinking I am coming to outshine someone. But he is even better than myself, why would he be seeing me as a threat? But know him, he is always like that right from school.
The peak of the issue was an article I did in favour of a Kogi Giant, Austin Usman Okai. It went viral and Promise took my slangs in that article personal. Sincerely, I didn’t have him on mind while writing that article.
We locked horns yesterday in a political argument. It was like a panel interview, many of the new direction team supporters came for only me and I was responding to all of them at a go. Promise came in and took it upon himself. When I noticed that, I suggested that others should remain mute while I go with Promise one on one. Immediately I said that, the first thing my friend brought on table was a threat to post a screenshot of our chat on how I was soliciting money to work with them. I knew, his intention was to paint another picture of me before his boss who was part of the discussion, then, I quit responding.
I went to his private box and I asked him why he is taking my activities personal. I also made it clear to him that God knows my heart and that I don’t have a fight with him. But my friend responded that he would be coming to kill me. I had a shocker of my life and I couldn’t keep it to myself. His desperation was obvious. I swiftly wrote to certain elders and I informed other authorities as well. I believe you would do same if you were in my shoes.
Admittedly, I have written severally against his boss but if you are my keen follower with no iota of biased judgment you would know that what I do most times is to pick facts from happenings and draw inferences. I do not manufacture fake stories. I don’t write with malicious intent.
Albeit, this is my own side of the story. You could ask him for his own side. I also urge him to post that screenshot he has always threaten me with for you to see.
Finally, only God knows our hearts. Posterity would judge us accordingly. If he be God, let him have his way to have my head.
Onoja Johnson Integrity
