Obiageli Ezekwesili is a name that resonates with practically all Nigerians. It is etched into the consciousness of even the most passive follower of Nigeria’s checkered affairs. She is an exemplary figure for many young Nigerians and a prayer point for the parents of many girl-children who seek to replicate her personae, enviable stride and accomplishment in their female child.
A consummate economist, an astute and forward thinking administrator whose raft of initiatives when she served in different positions in the former president Olusegun Obasanjo administration led to impactful reforms and economic growth the nation underwent during the Obasanjo’s democratic administration.
She is a stickler for doing things by the book and her uncompromising stance against cutting corners and shortchanging the people and the government earned her the sobriquet “madam due process”. Even her detractors can’t help but acknowledge her laudable contribution to the growth of our nation.
However, she has been in the eye of the storm in recent weeks as an embarrassingly painful sexual harassment scandal in the Nigerian upper legislative chamber, the senate, threatens to sully her image and undo years of well-earned goodwill and respect.
In the wake of the painful sexual harassment scandal involving senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate president Godswill Akpabio, Ezekwesili’s impeccable image, unimpeachable character and hard-earned reputation have come under heavy barrage of public onslaught.
It will be recalled that Senator Natasha, in an explosive and no-holds-barred interview on Arise Television in late February, had claimed the Senate president sexually harassed on different occasions. Her claim came days after she had an altercation with Akpabio on the floor of the Senate during plenary over seating arrangement. Natasha stated that her refusal of Akpabio’s sexual advances led to her victimisation and persecution by the former Akwa Ibom State governor.
No sooner had she made the allegation than the public went into conjectural overdrive. While many believed her claim, citing previous sexual harassment allegation against Akpabio, some, mostly supporters of the Senate president, dismissed it and asked her to prove her allegations with hard empirical irrefutable evidence.
In the days following the damning allegations, the senate set up a panel to look into the matter, a move that brought madam Ezekwesili into the thick of things as she chose to represent Natasha during the hearing.
Little did she know that her decision to represent Natasha would put her hard-earned reputation on the line and put her on the defensive as she would be forced to fend off the attacks on her person instead of mounting an impregnable defence for Natasha.
Her reputation took its first hit after she had her first brush with people on the other side of the scandal during the senate panel hearing on a petition submitted by Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Matters came to a head when the former minister of education had an altercation with Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, the lawmaker representing Ebonyi north, during the senate ethics committee hearing of Natasha’s petition.
Nwaebonyi, who is deputy chief whip of the senate, described Ezekwesili as an “insult to womanhood” and a “hooligan” when the latter to told him to “shut up” and stop interrupting her while speaking after an argument ensued following the refusal of Ezekwesili to take an oath.
The intense face-off between Ezekwesili and Nwaebonyi sparked public debate with many people pitching their tent with the former minister and decrying the Senator’s tirade as they believed that an accomplished and highly revered figure like Ezekwesili should not become a wall to be smeared by the vulgarity of a pugnacious obscure senator.
The dust raised by the public spat between Ezekwesili and Nwaebonyi is yet to fully settle when the former minister finds herself enmeshed in a bribery allegation connected to her involvement in the sexual harassment case
One Sandra Duru, in a viral video, alleged that Ezekwesili was paid by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to defend her in a controversial sexual harassment case involving Senate President Godswill Akpabio
In the video, Duru asserted that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan admitted during a phone conversation to offering bribes to Ezekwesili and others, whom she reportedly referred to as “useful idiots,” to support her claims against Akpabio. Duru further claimed that Akpoti-Uduaghan attempted to bribe her to join the campaign, an offer she says she rejected.
A fringe and obscure northern group, The Northern Renaissance Network (NRN), has also issued an importunate ultimatum to the former minister.
In a scathing statement on Friday, the group called on Ezekwesili to clear her name amid serious allegations of accepting bribes.
With the imbroglio seemingly becoming intractable and messier and no resolution in sight as the main actors in the saga remain resolute in their quest for justice, Ezekwesili will continue to be a target for those aiming to discredit and refute Natasha’s allegation as her (Ezekwesili) involvement in the matter puts her in the line of fire.
The question is, is she ready to put everything on the line in defense of a fellow woman she undoubtedly believes is being hounded and victimised by powers that be, or she will wriggle out of the crippling web the scandal has trapped her in, watch her hands off the matter and save her hard-earned reputation or whatever is left of it.
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