Some politicians in Asia approached me in January 2010 to find out what they could do for me. I had provided information that helped them win landslide in a contest between DPJ and LDP. Within two weeks, I presented them with two cases out of which they were free to choose any. First case scenario: I wanted to wage guerrilla warfare against a consistently unrepentant class of Nigeria politicians and foreign elements cohabiting with them to further decapitate a people whose barest request is that they should at least be accorded a humane life against an animalistic one; that they be provided with the basics {electricity, pipe borne water and agrarian mechanisms to enable them reap from the fruits of their land {food}.
To further my plan with others {rooted in Nigeria}, we were to start our campaign with two pronged approach: guerrilla and high sea operations {pirates}. We were to mount our operational base either stationed in a gully plantation between Oraukwu and Alor towns {both in Anambra state} or Efon Alaaye {in Ondo State}. My knowledge of these towns convinced me that any would make a good outpost. The gully plantation between Oraukwu and Alor was a better choice in my mind because it is buried under cashew trees and out of sight from passers-by. I witnessed how criminals used that gully to their advantage many years ago when Onitsha Main Market boys decided to purge the town {or city} of criminals in those days of “Oshe Mei.” Our target would be to claim a town, dig in, secure it, and speedily provide all those amenities the government has refused to do. Our target must not include an unnecessary adventure like gaining an inch of any ground when we have not fortified the current standpoint. We will build model schools within three months, equipped with computer, construct roads at nights, and teachers would not be recruited from outside our fold. Teachers would be {wo}men already in the campaign. We were in contact with D. Light Design, USA to provide solar energy using the sunlight available within our locality.
For sea routes {which includes land}, we will operate on “snap and run.” We understudied how FARC in Colombia sustained their campaign and planed ours to suit our taste and times. We pick foreign nationals operating in oil and construction companies and never for ransom. For instance, if we discover that Halliburton or Siemens had connived with Nigeria politicians to defraud Nigerians, we will not issue any written statement. We will mark the foreign staff and pick them from any ‘sea,’ anywhere in Nigeria until such a company pack and go. We would not be ready to take back monies gained from the fraud {we wont be needing it} or ask that it should be paid back to government purse {we know where that will end}.
Second case scenario I presented to my will be financiers was to build model schools and civic centers beginning from my town. Within these schools, I would promote Sumo Wrestling, breed and train boys in Sumo stables who would compete internationally.
For any of the two choices above, I quoted 500 million Yen {above US$5.5 million}. My financiers rejected the first case and selected the second.
They stated that besides the fact that guerilla warfare would cost lives, how I was going to raise the money to see to the success of that campaign was also a problem. I responded that once we start, we would not lack fund because Nigerians are so disillusioned about how their own kit and kiln treats them that they would contribute. I also explained that if funding became a real problem, if push comes to shove, we will target Nigeria Central Bank and rob it {Nigeria politicians do same second by second basis}. All entreaties to make them adopt the first case scenario failed. They finally stated that they will not like to interfere in politics of other countries {being politicians’ their selves}. They choose the second and within three months, my demand was paid into two accounts at UFJ and Mizuho Banks, Japan.
Before the payment was made, an agreement was written stating the purpose of the fund and a board formed involving some selected financiers whose main function was to have on the ground ‘view’ of projects being carried out.
I approached my clan and explained what I was about to do. Some doubted and some were afraid. They feared that this could be a means to use them {their luck} and enrich myself further. The community provided a land—size of a football field which I made sure was registered under my clan’s name. We fenced off the land and started building in earnest. Lenovo Computers China was to supply flat faced desk tops. D. Light Design USA would provide solar electricity and for pipe-borne water, we were to apply a technology in Japan that has been tested elsewhere including water treatment tech. Blocks of buildings were being constructed to house nursery to secondary school level. There will be a clinic equipped by an Israeli firm. Management of the school would be in the hands of Nigerians but with presence of foreign staff highly noticeable.
On June, 2010, I left my compound on foot to the site to supervise what we have achieved for the first phase. It was a Sunday evening and no worker was at the site. I opened the large gate and left it open as I walked in. I had gone round the laboratory block {science lab} and was making my way to the physiology block {where students would be trained on Acupuncture, massages, tonal powers, yoga and mind formations} when I looked back and noticed a Prado car parked by the site gate. I ignored the presence of that car believing that probably some men want to have my advise on something or just a visit {as most {wo}men has been coming to seek since I started the project}.
I finished my rounds and walked back same direction that had carried me inside this field of a site when two men alighted from the Prado car. They said they have guns but would not like any scene and so did not point any at me. They said they want me to follow them in their car.
I asked, “What’s the name of the person you people are looking for.”
“You, Patrick,” they responded.
I hopped inside the Jeep and they slowly drove off with me sited in the back. They were three. Two sat in the front and one sat with me. The one sitting at the back with me politely asked if I have any health problem, if I have some medicines I need to pick at home. This was an indication that I was in for a long spring. I told them that I would like to take two books from my home; Lessons in Disaster by Gordon M. Goldstein and Zen Soup by Lawrence G. Boldt. They drove me to my compound. Many people from my clan were sited outside exchanging banters under Sunday merry mood. I brought out my head from the wound down car window and called someone to bring the books.
As I received the books, I slipped a pocket diary to my cousin. The diary has all plans about the project and coded bank accounts with passwords where the balance of more than US$4.5m is lodged {we have not expended up to a million dollars}. It also contains information about Oraukwu and Alor; the two towns bordering the gully were we were to kick off our guerilla campaign. It has information on Efon Alaaye in Ondo state too.
They drove me to Kogi unmasked and after a few days my location became Katsina-Ala. I was left in Katsina-Ala with entirely new faces. I stayed in Katsina-Ala a week and was taken to a house close to Obudu Cattle Ranch. All this time, I have never been treated roughly or with disrespect. The travel distance, though long was often with comfortable cars. I noticed that I had seen the Jeep that took me to Kogi before. A young Yakuza {Japanese mafia} fellow had brought the jeep for me to buy in Tokyo but when he refused to provide the papers and offered a very cheap rate, I told him to find another buyer.
Near the ranch, they made an offer to me, US$2m as ransom for my release. I asked for an alternative and they said or else, I will never be released and may die in the process.
I’m at home with the second option. The way Nigerians quickly rush to save themselves, to get a so called freedom from recent day’s kidnappers makes me wonder if they would ever liberate themselves from a bigger hand that is holding their generations down, the Politicians. Life is valuable but in quality terms, what life are we talking about; Life in Nigeria?
I have been with my kidnappers for more than a month and I do not want any police rescue or GEJ sending IGP on special missions {I read papers every morning}. I know that an ex Attorney General was murdered in his own compound. Unforgivable as that may have been, that must have been a political killing. To be driven away from my home, from my compound, within my clan is to find my back on the wall. We should all learn to take pains and accept death without asking what manner of death. I am consoled with the fact that even my kidnappers would die someday {one died yesterday over squabbles for money}. I am made stronger knowing that my people will have access to the dedicated account in those two banks and hopefully continue the project. They understand what is to be done because I didn’t personalize it.
Why don’t the youths try Policy of Ostracizement? Let the politicians have the oil but stay Ostracized {they are very few} from all communities, all clan and families. We should seek alternative means to develop “step by step, block by block, family by family, city to city,” and hope someday that we would be sincere enough to take Ben Nwabueze’s advice; clean the white board.
***Note: one of the kidnappers, a university graduate sympathetic to even his situation {his father is held as he’s forced to join the kidnappers} will post this to the press.
nwadike2@gmail.com
