My attention has been drawn to an article credited to a respected daughter of Kalabari Kingdom, Dr. Doris Cowan, alleging the exclusion of notable personalities including wives of serving Governors, who incidentally are also Kalabari daughters, from the recently organised civic reception in honor of our Amiable Governor and Se-Ibi Dokibo 1 of Kalabari Kingdom, His Excellency Chief Bar Nyesom Ezenwo Wike CON GSSRS PoS Africa.
The article would have been ignored and labeled as coming from someone who is fighting to grab “a last shot” at her Political career, but I am compelled to react because an innocent Kalabari son and Secretary to State Government, Dr. Tammy Wenike Danagogo, has been unduly and falsely accused.
My reaction is not speculative, as hers is, but factual because I served as the Deputy Chairman of the Publicity, Contact and Documentation committee of the Kalabari Civic reception sub committee and was also a member of the main Organizing Committee.I have always had great admiration for Dr. Cowan, who most Kalabari daughters of my age see as a role model but her recent media war against Dr. Danagogo, has unveiled a side of her that many would wish never surfaced.
The quest for power and the attainment of such, is solely in the hands of God and should not be seen as a do or die matter which this media attack appears to be.For the records, I want to state categorically that a letter dated 18th January 2022, and jointly signed by Dr. Tammy W. Danagogo, Chairman of Committee, Prof Victor Omuaru, Alternate Chairman, and George-Kelly, D. Alabo, FNIQS, Secretary of Committee, was dispatched to Dr. Cowan’s younger sister and wife of Edo State Governor, Her Excellency, Mrs. Betsy Bene Obaseki, which was acknowledged.
Similar letters were dispatched to the Wife of Oyo state Governor, Her Excellency Mrs. Tamunonimi Makinde and Wife of former Cross River State Governor, Her Excellency Mrs. Onari Duke, both being daughters of Kalabari Kingdom. Several letters were sent by my committee to illustrious sons and daughters of Kalabari Kingdom across the three Kalabari Local Government Areas.
Unfortunately, most persons did not attend to speak or for appearance sake due to health conditions or Political affiliations.Like they say, you can take the horse to the stream but can not force that horse to drink. The younger generation of Kalabaris would want to passionately appeal to our mother and Political Amazon, to give peace a chance.
We might not know what has transpired between Dr. Cowan and Dr. Danagogo, in the past, but we are faced with a future that looks bright for the Kalabaris and such unwarranted attacks on one of the most accomplished Kalabari sons is unacceptable.
It is surprising that Dr. Cowan has moved from her earlier concern about the venue where the Civic reception held in Abalama Community in Asari Toru Local Government Area, it being an “Abonnema Affair” spare headed by Dr. Danagogo and his “cronies” and the mode of conferment of the Chieftaincy title on our Governor, to a new query on the exclusion of her younger sister and wife of Edo State Governor, Her Excellency Mrs Betsy Obaseki . Jimi Hendrix wrote: “The day the power of love overrules the love of power, the world will know peace.”
I therefore, appeal that the interest of Kalabari Kingdom should override all other interests, because history will Judge our actions and inactions.
Signed: Hon. Gloria Boma Harry, ACE (Gloria Boma Harry is a Rivers State based renowned novelist, award winning Publisher of Africa Update Newspaper and Springpoint magazine)
