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Reasons Ngige Associates Are Targeting Africans In America, Inc. and Officials of the Organization for Attack, Threats, Blackmail and Smear • Ngige's 2003 blunders in New York revisited
New York---Commonsense dictates that when a responsible public official, for whatever reason/s, commits blunders and wants them to go away, he or she will have to resolve those. If left unresolved, the blunders linger and that is precisely what is happening now with; revisit of blunders Dr. Chris Nwabueze Ngige committed in New York in October/November 2003 when he was governor of Anambra State, Nigeria. Below is Africans In America, Inc.'s account of the incident; "The Request from Anambra State Governor, Dr. Chris Nwabueze Ngige: Organize events to meet with the New York business and political leaders Anambra State Governor, Dr. Chris Nwabueze Ngige wrote our Executive Director Bonaventure Ezekwenna to organize events for him in New York to meet with the New York business and political leaders to seek investment in his Anambra State, Nigeria. He also informed us to liaise with Permanent Secretary in his office, Mr. Uche Udedibia on this matter. The Preparations and Expenses We hired a event management consultant, rented a hall at the elegant Marriott Marquis Hotel which is in the strategic heart of New York City, and meticulously organized elaborate and decent reception for the governor. We printed and distributed invitations, did publicity, invited the press and prepared a plaque to honor the governor for reported liberation of Anambra State from the grip of 'political vultures and locusts', Ngige's acronym for government treasury looters in Nigeria. We also contacted/requested the New York/New Jersey Ports Authority to arrange a memorial for the Governor to lay wreathes at the site of the former World Trade Center in solidarity with the American people; a very prestigious honor and privilege reserved for foreign leaders friendly with United States. To convince New York/New Jersey Ports Authority to extend this honor and privilege to him, we sought ways to connect the kidnapping of Gov. Ngige by Obasanjo cronies in Anambra State, Nigeria on July 4, 2003 to the terrorists attack on World Trade Center in New York on September 1, 2000, and convinced them that both incidents were state-sponsored terrorism. They asked for proofs that Ngige was victim of kidnapping in Nigeria and we submitted news articles about the incident: his reported abducting and eventual release. After consideration, our request was approved by New York/New Jersey Ports Authority which manages the World Trade Center site. They organized a memorial and invited the officials of New York City and New York State governments, New Jersey Cities and New Jersey State governments, representatives of Families of Victims of September 11 and the press, among other invitees to be present to receive the Nigerian, Gov. Ngige on November 2, 2003. It was hoped that after that colorful memorial which will be covered by the US media; highlight of which will include the fact that the Nigerian governor was also a victim of terrorism, that will pave the ground for Ngige to make his pitch to attract western investment. We kept the Gov. Ngige's office abreast of every arrangements and developments, and they were very excited and approved. We incurred tremendous expenses. Directive from Governor Ngige via Mr. Uche Udedibia, Permanent Secretary at Anambra State Governor's Office:
Mr. Uche Udedibia, Permanent Secretary at Anambra State Governor's Office, Awka who Gov. Ngige directed to liaise with us on this matter informed us that Mr. Fred Chukwuelobe, Press Aide to the governor, would contact our office when the governor’s entourage arrives in New York on Friday October 31, 2003 between 6.00p.m. –7.00 p.m. We followed this directive but never received any call. We contacted Mr. Chukwuelobe at Marriott LaGuardia at about 11.00 p.m. and he told us to call back the next morning being November 1, 2003. We called back the next morning and Mr. Chukwuelobe invited us to the hotel for some discussions. Meeting with Gov. Ngige's Press Aide: Mr. Fred Chukwuelobe at Marriot LaGuardia, Queens, New York In summary, Mr. Chukwuelobe stated that Anambra people in US were discouraging the governor from attending the events we planned because our organization is human rights activist in nature and that we are working with US government to stop abuse and exploitation of under-privileged fellow Nigerians in United States; and that one couple was arrested and imprisoned when it was discovered that they trafficked a 13 years old poor girl from Nigeria with promises of education and better, but turned around to terrible exploit her for 9 years and when she started working, they seized her paychecks for 2 straight years, as well. We asked Mr. Fred Chukwuelobe whether something was wrong with being a human rights activist organization that comes to assistance of the abused and exploited under-privileged fellow Nigerian immigrants. He replied that the problem was that the governor was under pressure not to attend the events he requested us to organize for him. We also went to the Governor Ngige's suite and saw some of his New York/New Jersey and Maryland-based relatives and some members of Anambra community in New York in-there. Meeting with Jimmy Asiegbu, President of Anambra Association USA (ASA-USA) Some individuals privy to the behind closed-door schemes introduced our Executive Director Bonaventure Ezekwenna to one New York socialite called Lady Ngozi (aka, Lady Ngoooh) and Mr. James Asiegbu (aka, Jimmy Asiegbu), President of ASA-USA and urged them to talk with view to abort the plots. Speaking with Lady Ngozi and Mr. Asiegbu was when we realized the awkward and misplaced mentality of some of the people involved. Lady Ngozi and Mr. James/Jimmy Asiegbu stated that ASA-USA originally invited the Governor to US; that he came specifically for their convention and nothing more and that if the governor will attend any other event they have to know about it, or, else .... They however, explained further that there were other people that were opposed other than ASA-USA members, referring to other Anambra indigenes, including his relatives in the governor's suite. Meeting with some key members of gov. Ngige's entourage from Nigeria We approached some of the members of the governor's entourage from Nigeria namely: Hon Kelue Molokwu, Deputy Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly; Chief Anthony Igboka, Chairman House Committee on Foreign Relations and Police Affairs; Chief Dan Ulasi, Chairman of PDP Anambra State; Chief Joe Okonkwo, Ofiadiulu of Enugwu-Ukwu among others and explained the truth of the matter and the implication of the blunder about to unfold in view of preparations at World Trade Center site and all the U.S. dignitaries already invited there. They then realized that they, including the Gov. Ngige had been misled by governor's relatives, James/Jimmy Asiegbu and other mischief-makers. Mr. Dan Ulasi and Chief Joe Okonkwo (Ofiadiulu) went to meet with the governor to explain the truth to him, came back and told us to come to the hotel the next day being November 2, 2003 at 1.00 p.m. to lead them to Marriott Marquis Hotel, which is the reception venue. Demand for bribe by Gov. Ngige's entourage and supporters in US Some members of Governor Ngige’s entourage and US-based Anambra indigenes quickly noticed the mischief at play by mostly Ngige's relatives and confided stated so to us in utmost confidence. They admitted that after reviewing the written exchange between the Governor's Office and Bonaventure Ezekwenna; and after reviewing our planned events involving New York elected officials and World Trade Center memorial and the plague we prepared for Ngige, they realized that Ngige relatives and ASA-USA people are just plain jealous and mischief-makers bent to sabotaging us because they have nothing to offer. Meanwhile, some other members of the Governor Ngige’s entourage and US-based Anambra indigenes, including highest officials of ASA-USA were asking us to ‘settle’ (bribe) them to convince the governor to attend the planned event, to which we replied as follow: To the governor's entourage visiting from Nigeria, we told them that it is illegal to give bribe in United States, and to US-based Anambra indigenes, including officials of ASA-USA, we told them that we do not operate our business that way because we do not have line item in our budget for 'settlement' or bribe. The rude cancellation The next day being November 2, 2003, the day of the first event at Marriott Marquis Hotel, we were at the Marriot LaGuardia Hotel at 10.00 a.m. but were informed that the governor finally succumbed to pressure from Anambra people, including his relatives not to attend any of our planned events. We were also informed that he had decided to use the time he had scheduled for our events to visit friends, relatives and do shopping at Sach's Mens Clothing Store at Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, New York. That was how Governor Chris Ngige rudely canceled his requested and scheduled events disappointing not only our organization, but the New York/New Jersey Ports Authority, officials of New York City and New York State governments, New Jersey Cities and New Jersey State governments, representatives of Families of Victims of September 11 and the press, among others. That was quite a height in colossal official irresponsibility and rascality. Plaque presented to the governor A very nice plaque had already been prepared in advance for the governor and we had to decide whether to give it to him or not in view of developments. A member of our Board at that time who was also a Columbia University professor of Psychology and internationally re-known expert on victims of stress and trauma argued that if Gov. Ngige is conscientious human being, seeing the plague hanging on his wall will be a constant reminder of the blunder he committed in New York and a constant reminder to resolve that blunder. The keyword is, if Ngige is a conscientious human being. Wet then decided to take the plague to Marriot LaGuardia Hotel and gave it to him right there. We also gave him copy of some work we did on Nnobi community crisis at that time, and urged him to resolve the Nnobi problem because we had information that the trouble-makers at Nnobi were clearly his associates. To his credit, he later sent delegation that resolved the Nnobi crisis. Senior civil servants in Governor's office disappointed by Ngige's conduct: Angered that gossips from relatives would be taken as Intelligence Report Senior civil servants in governors office were very much disappointed on the report of Ngige's disgraceful conducts in New York. They stated that most importantly, Ngige was not the governor of his relatives. He was supposed to be a state governor and ought to conduct the business of the office as such. After listening to gossips from his relative and few misguided fellows in his hotel room, Ngige traveled to Nigeria and issued a press interview that he was prepared from Awka to attend the events but on getting to New York received Intelligence Reports that the group are dubious so he canceled his appearance and did not bother to pass any word across. Senior Career Civil Servants in his office inquired about the origin/sources of the Intelligence Reports and Ngige gave abysmal gossip tales which disappointed the senior career civil servants in his office because he did not handle the situation as a state governor should. Established protocol was not followed. Senior Career Civil servants we spoke with stated that the tendency of relatives and associates of governors and other high office holders using the office to settle personal scores are not new; that it happens all the time, but there always have ways to put it in check. Also, we know for a fact that Ngige later realized that he was terribly misled to cancel the event. How do we know this? Because we received a call from someone on his entourage in London that about the same thing that happened New York nearly happened repeat itself in London, but added that Ngige learned something from New York blunder and handled London better. Amicable efforts to resolve Ngige blunders quietly Three letters were sent to the governor expressing our outrage and seeking refund for the expenses he had caused us to incur, but got no reply. Our telephone calls were not returned, either. Senior civil service officials at Anambra State Government House were outraged when they got details of Gov. Ngige's conduct in New York; they stated that Ngige should not have allowed his relatives' personal issues to interfere with his official matters. They also stated that even if for any reason a state governor wants to cancel his appearance at such event, there is a proper civil way to do it. They further informed us that there are established protocol for state governor to handle a situation when he is under tremendous pressure from his relatives, or, any other group to cancel a scheduled official event. The most senior civil servant in Anambra State Government House was Mr. Uche Udedibia (Permanent Secretary). He answers our telephone calls though. He invited us to Nigeria to meet with him face-to-face with view to resolving it. We traveled to Nigeria and upon getting to Anambra State, the atmosphere was very tense because the court had just ruled that Dr. Ngige was not duly elected, and hence not a governor; the governor's police security details were withdrawn, and he was reportedly in and out of hiding running away from the police who were reportedly sent from Abuja to arrest him, coupled with so much problems he was having with former President Obasanjo and his cronies in Anambra State. There were militias all-over the place. Mr. Uche Udedibia wanted us to meet him in his office at Anambra State Government House which was under siege at that time. Noticing the tense situation, we were advised to obtain a written invitation from Mr. Udedibia to show that we have business in the governor's office before going there. We requested for letter of invitation or appointment from Mr. Uche Udedibia but he stated that nobody ever requested for such letter to visit him, and that word of mouth is how they operate and that is enough over there. Since he was not willing to give us a written note, and seeing the tension and lawlessness around Anambra State Government House, we did not meet with him. Surprising press attacks and blackmails by Ngige and his aides on pages of Nigerian newspapers We were also shocked to read from the Nigeria newspapers that the governor has unleashed attacks on our organizations, calling us slanderous names, and challenging us to go to court. Gov. Ngige's press attacks publish in Nigerian newspapers that he was prepared from Nigeria to attend our events but canceled upon arrival in New York because he was informed that the organization is dubious is nothing but pure none-sense. It is pure none-sense because throughout his stay in New York in 2003, Gov. Ngige surrounded himself with widely-known hardcore criminals, both men and women, some of who had spent time in various US prison system for various hardcore crimes. That, notwithstanding, we remain focused on recovering our expenses from the governor until he was finally sacked by Nigeria's Court of Appeal which sided with the lower court that declared him fraudulently and illegally elected and recommended his ouster as Governor of Anambra State. Following the superior court's ruling, Dr. Ngige immediately escaped from Nigeria and fled to United States where he stayed until former President Obasanjo left office in 2007. Since Ngige opened first press attack on us in 2003, we occasionally raise awareness commentary as a reminder that the blunder remain unresolved. Our investigation and findings: Many ironies Key contributory factor to governor Ngige's blunders in New York in 2003 was the fact that Anambra association in New York was deeply engaged in internal crisis and in-fighting at that time. There were 2 factions of the association, one was supporting the ASA-USA convention in New York and invitation of the embattled Ngige, while the other faction was opposed to both ASA-USA convention in New York and Ngige governorship. None of our officials belong to the Anambra association, talkless of belonging to any faction. However, to create more confusion, some mischief makers threw in the insinuation that we may belong to opposing faction. As ridiculous as that sounds, that further terrified the already unstable Governor Ngige, according to sources. Another major factor was that Gov. Ngige somehow does not have the skills and wisdom required of his office to discern between gossips report and intelligent reports. He elevated gossip reports to the level of intelligent reports and used them to make uninformed and disastrous decisions. We also had information that Gov. Ngige had since realized that both the ASA-USA leadership at the time, Anambra State association in New York leadership at that time, his relatives and others mischievously misinformed and misled him to his foolery and blunders, but strangely and somehow it is very difficult for him to correct them. Confessions from repentant ASA-USA former officials Recently a few former officials of ASA-USA had come forward privately to confess their roles in misinforming and misleading Gov. Ngige in New York in 2003. According to some of them, they acted out of bandwagon effect at that time. According to them, they were inside the governor's suite at Marriot LaGuardia Hotel when all sorts of negative banters were thrown at our Executive Director and our organization. They also mention that a certain prominent relative of the governor brought up the topic and made uncomplimentary comments about our Executive Director, our organization and a human trafficking case in New York about few years ago (not long ago). To look good before everyone else present in the suite, they "chipped in few negative comments as well", because they were aware of the human trafficking case, but never aware of the whole story, according to them. But now they know the truth, including the association of the prominent relative of the governor with the couple convicted of human trafficking in that case, they regret whatever roles they had played. We accepted their apologies. Apart from few that express regrets, many other key players still justify their roles. Recent attacks posted on internet forums and death threats from associates and relatives of Ngige. Occasionally, this unresolved issues crops up in our assessment and awareness on Gov. Chris Ngige and that does not appear to seat well with his many associates in United States. Recently, an individual upon information believed to be relative/associate of the former governor posted death threat email on the internet online forums threatening to assassinate and decapitate the head of our Executive Director. The death threat was written, discreetly and cleverly hidden in Igbo tribal language idiom spoken by Igbo people in eastern Nigeria. The email also threaten our organization's IRS status. --- On Mon, 11/23/09, Ada Pius <adapius@yahoo.com> wrote: From: Ada Pius <adapius@yahoo.com> Bonaventure: Ada, Ezigbo Nwa Be Pius ##### End of threat email from Ada, Ezigbo Nwa Be Pius #### Initially the death threat was difficult to trace because the person that posted it used fake names. However, it has been traced to a female identified by people familiar with her postings to be a sister to Governor Ngige. Investigation indicate the woman post regularly using above and other fake emails and she was reported to be particularly very rude and vulgar. Another attack directed at us was also posted on internet online group forums; this time it was posted by a known associate of Dr. Chris Ngige in United State. In his attacks, Mr. Vincent Unachukwu posted comments that our Executive Director is dead already. We regularly receive such attacks, threats smear and blackmails. Hardcore US and Nigeria-based relatives and associates of former governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chris Ngige appear to have banded together using mostly fake names and fake emails, (and in few cases real names) in coordinating and issuing some of these attacks, direct and indirect threats, according to information. Response to Vincent Unachukwu, apparent spokesperson for the 'Smear and Blackmail Network' on Tuesday, June 29, 2010; the response slightly touched on New York slavery case in 1999/2000 Following another internet attack by Mr. Vincent Unachukwu on Tuesday, June 29, 2010, we responded by posting comment shown below; Vincent Unachukwu; A fool at over 70 is a fool four-folds. Since you appear to have responded and spoken as a spokesperson on the other side of our private quiet diplomacy, please be informed that from day one it is clear that there are unresolved issues which and until that issue get resolved lingers. If you have the courage to attack, or, insult anyone on this side, the courage and resolve to respond will never lack on our part either, guaranteed. Plan your attacks which you had insinuated in very many ways, and what you will be guaranteed is bold counter-punch. Well-meaning and responsible people who are subscribed to the forum but who never-ever comment contacted us directly after they heard about our grievances to confirm the incident: That Dr. Chris Ngige contacted a New York-based organization run by our Executive Director Bonaventure and requested that events be organized for him to meet New York political and business leaders to woo western investor to Anambra State. We obliged his request, the request of a sitting governor of Anambra State and organized series of events and invited dignitaries. In organizing those events we incurred expenses. But upon arrival in New York City, Ngige was bombarded by some of his relatives who had crossed path with our Executive Director Bonaventure Ezekwenna and had been part of a group that wrote many anonymous letters to City, State and Federal law enforcement agencies in United States in attempt to eliminate Bonaventure Ezekwenna from the society. Those anonymous letters triggered over 4 years in investigation. As posterity will have it, one of the group writing the anonymous letter to the US law enforcement agencies had imported several unpaid house-maids who the groups were exploiting silly in that the maids do all the works in their houses and were never paid a red cent and none of the promises made to them was ever kept. Some of the maids had served the group for 9 years, (9 yrs of unpaid hard labor, babysitting, cooking and cleaning 4/5 bedrooms houses without pay in United States of America. Some of those maids had observes and witnessed the group visit each other and in some of those meetings discuss their petitions to US law enforcement agencies with false and unfounded allegations as a way to eliminate Bonaventure Ezekwenna. In about 1997, one of the group members mercilessly assaulted one of their unpaid house-maids and neighbors who heard the commotion called 911 and officers of the New Pork Police Department responded and took report of the assault. Before the police officers will arrive the almighty powerful family that mercilessly assaulted their poor maids had called their equally almighty powerful friends who assembled in their house, interfered in police work when the police arrived by speaking Igbo to the assaulted housemaid and begged her not to press charges with assurance that they will look into her situation to make sure that she is treated fairly and justly. Believing the group, the housemaid (22 years old at the time) did not press any charges and the police cautioned her that they are ready to arrest the people that assaulted her but if she decides not to press charges they will not make the arrest. Based on the assurances of the group, she told the police that she had no where to go and since the assembled friends of her assailants had promised to look into her situation, she will not press any charges and the police left. After the police left, the group them planned further how to mercilessly deal with their slaves and teach them lessons. They seized all their documents and vowed to get all of them deported and strip them naked upon arrival in Nigeria and make them suffer severely. While moving from place to place in search of help, the then 23 years old girl (1998) ran into Bonaventure Ezekwenna, 3 months after the assault. This is a very key factor, key in law enforcement investigation and prosecution of the slavery case in 1999/2000 and key today in decoding the many fabrications of the human traffickers, their associates and cronies of former governor Chris Ngige today. To make the long story short, when the federal law enforcements eventually stepped in and in the course of their investigation found out that this same group of people were the ones sending many anonymous letters to eliminate Bonaventure Ezekwenna, who was serving in Army Reserve and working as New York City Child Abuse Investigator at that time, investigation widened. The federal investigation went international (Nigerian government co-operated fully) and the finding was a syndicate that specialize in bringing several young girls from Nigeria into United States for purpose of economic and sexual exploitation and plus many other international criminal activities. Eventually, some members of that group were arrested, tried and convicted at United States Court of Southern District of New York in 1999/2000. Some associates of the group happen to be relatives of former governor of Anambra State, Chris Ngige. The maid had been to residence of relatives of gov. Ngige in company of her traffickers, had done some household work for the gov. relatives and was not paid as well, and had seen the gov.'s relatives visit her traffickers' residence, and had heard their conversations and plots to harm and eliminate their perceived enemies. All these the maid put down in her statements to law enforcements in the New York slavery case of 1999/2000. So when Ngige arrived in New York and his relatives were at Marriot LaGuardia Hotel to receive him. When they learnt that Ngige had engage with organization run by Bonaventure Ezekwenna, the same person they tried unsuccessfully to eliminate. They and other leadership of ASA-USA joined to prevail upon former governor Ngige to disregard the events organized at his request. We felt that Ngige should not have allowed his relatives' personal issues to interfere with his official matters. Our inquiry also indicate that responsible government official should not behave in such manner, and additionally that there is established procedure to handle matters such as that, and that procedure was not followed by Ngige. We went into this details again because truth cannot be buried. Vincent Unachukwu, we fully hear you loud and clear. Since you took this assignment of attacking us and our organization's officials, we are fully aware that you are working for a powerful and well-connected enterprises. We clearly get your direct as well as your subliminal messages. Be fully assured that no one is shaking over here, either. Again, our private quiet diplomatic approach is based on suggestion from well-meaning members of the society, but now that you have delivered the response of your group which is what we have been getting since 2003, all have heard you loud and clear, and in black and white. Way forward Our resolve to hold former Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chris Nwabueze Ngige, and Anambra State Government accountable for this abysmal conduct remain unshaken despite all forms of threats, intimidation and harassment from his goons and associates in United States and Nigeria, and elsewhere. We hope for the resolution of the blunder at some time." |
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