President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, you have shown courage and your fellow citizens have demonstrated uncommon valor. The world salutes the unalloyed unity which Ukraine has demonstrated. Yet, the same world is expecting you to make one decision which no other human will make for you.

This is that moment. It is your moment. Europe is far. The United States is far. And NATO is inactive – for your case. So, this is on you.

I am from Ugwunta in Ovim Nigeria. We are the custodian of Anwurinwi (the war dance) which the Ovum* people use to go into battle. They won many battles. When the ikoro sounds, and Anwurinwi thunders, ordinary men would be transformed into fighters, doing unbelievable things.

Yet, even in that bravery, the Ovum people knew when to activate Plan B. Open a new playbook and search for your Plan B. Rarely do people “win” when the theater of war is in their land. Ukraine must not be used to test the development of new bombs, missiles and weapons by the world!

Man, wisdom. You have shown bravery. But bravery is not the only virtue in leadership.  That decision – only you can make it. It’s your moment because pains mean “nothing” to the world: check Biafra, check Rwanda, check Yemen, etc. In months, everyone normalizes evil and waits for the history books out of Ukraine. Do not help them.

Peace to the world.

*Ovum was the original name before the colonial masters came

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Comment 1: Ndubuisi Ekekwe Prof. Should Ukraine give up their independence and sovereignty?
From my understanding and since inception of this Russo-Ukrainian war the Ukrainians are just trying to protect themselves, their territory and facilities not even fighting back.

My Response: “Prof. Should Ukraine give up their independence and sovereignty?” – that is not the only issue on the table. The other issue on the table is that Russia does not want to give up its independence/security because of decisions Ukraine makes. If you look at it, you will come to a conclusion: asymmetric advantages. From my lay understanding: a NEUTRAL Ukraine will have the independence it seeks. Someone needs to make that decision in Ukraine.

Comment 2: Chief Prof, what say you to Putin? Only one person started this war, one person. That person is not Zelensky.

My Response: I have written a lot to Putin in other posts. We will continue to write him. But in life, most things are not FAIR. Putin has advantages as the war is not in his land. That means, you focus on the person who is losing. Ukraine is losing irrespective of what CNN, Fox, BBC tell you. Of course, you have also written to Putin. We will keep writing.

A member on Comment 2: The war is not about Zelensky, its a war between Russia, America and NATO, its just that it is being fought in Ukraine and as the Umpire, Zelensky has to make the call and declare Ukraine a neutral ground. History will not hold him liable to that. His sovereignty will be intact and have a mother hen called Russia.

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This man made a really important decision today with his men and women. Yes, United States Secretary of defense, Gen Lloyd Austin, calmed the world when Pentagon released that important statement: “Secretary Austin thanked the minister for Poland’s willingness to continue to look for ways to assist Ukraine, but he stressed that we do not support the transfer of additional fighter aircraft to the Ukrainian air force at this time, and therefore have no desire to see them in our custody either,” Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said at a briefing.

I spoke with a director in a big Wall Street firm when Poland posted that it would send its fighter jets to a US base in Germany, and then US/NATO can give them to Ukraine. In that call, I said it could be problematic. 

Why? If Russian intelligence picks data that fighter jets are leaving the US base in Germany to Ukraine, one could expect Russia to assume that Germany/USA is coming to attack its soldiers in Ukraine or even in Russia. They may decide to send missiles to the base to avoid further uplift, triggering a chain reaction that the world may regret.

The Secretary of State Antony Blinken had endorsed the Polish idea and market was worried. But when Gen Austin released his statement today, Wall Street rejoiced – and market closed well.

The United States under President Biden continues to manage this issue with a nuanced pragmatic strategy. There are many exemptions in all these sanctions. If you read Russian websites, they’re mocking some of them.

Case 1: Europe cannot decouple Russia from the SWIFT payment system because it needs to pay for oil and gas. If they do that and cut off Russia 100%, Russia will demand cash delivery before shipping gas. This explains why some Russian banks were exempted from the SWIFT sanctions so that Europe will continue to pay for energy.

The world needs rational leaders right now because a small mistake could be consequential.

This is the response from Engr Umahi, the governor of Ebonyi state, who was fired by a federal court this week. To a large extent, he used the Zamfara state ruling to make his case that the court made a mistake. In the Zamfara state case, a federal judge had ruled that defection, from one party to another,  was not a violation of the constitution of Nigeria.

But in the Ebony state case, a judge ruled that “The votes in any election in Nigeria are to political parties, and not candidates”. This is not a debate in a secondary school club; these are learned people interpreting the constitution of Nigeria.

“The constitution stipulates that the only way whereby a governor can vacate his seat is either by death, resignation or impeachment by the House of Assembly,” the Ebonyi governor said.

“There is no other provision that empowers a hatchet man to turn the constitution upside down. I have listened to the judgement of Ekwo and it is very obvious that he was on a mission. He was making all efforts to upturn the rulings of the Appeal and Supreme courts on issues like this.

“We have heard the rumours before now that he was determined to give judgement against all known laws and the constitution to embarrass the APC and the federal government.

“For me, I do not feel worried but I feel so sorry for the judiciary. The executive may have problem, the legislature may have problem but the moment justice could be purchased, then we are in trouble in this country. And the ruling this afternoon is a clear evidence that this country is in trouble.

“I want you to disregard the judgement, it is null and void there is a subsisting judgement in Ebonyi and Zamfara states. So we have chosen the one to obey, we will not obey his ruling, we will obey the ruling of a competent court of coordinate jurisdiction that says you cannot sue a governor.

“The sections of the constitution are very clear, no civil or criminal proceedings could be brought against a sitting governor. This is not a pre-election matter, this is not a tribunal matter. So he has murdered justice in this country and he and his generation will be remembered for this jungle justice which has no leg to stand.

“I am still the governor of Ebonyi state and he has no powers to remove me,” Mr Umahi said

The governor of Ebonyi State has a big challenge ahead of him if his argument is to remind the court of precedent. In Nigeria, there is nothing like that, unfortunately. Yes, anything can happen and the citizens will move on. It happened in Imo State and everyone moved on. But one thing I like is that the judiciary is an equal opportunity confuser, and that means no human can accuse it of any political agenda!

The reward of the Imo state mess went to APC and if any paralysis happens in Ebonyi state, it goes to PDP. (Sure, Umahi is running for president. Some could argue this could be a hatchet job to throw him off-balance.)

Ex-governor Amaechi in Rivers state was not in the general election ballot but he was anointed a governor by the supreme court. So, under that precedent, all votes belong to the party!

Yet, when PPA governors began leaving for PDP, the party went to court; they lost those cases. Yes, Governor Ohakim did not lose his job for that defection. Every other ruling has followed that pattern (check Rochas Okorocha who left APGA to APC).

But Ebonyi is happening. Maybe the judges are tired of the other angle and want to see it from the other way. Good luck to law students.

Court Sacks Ebonyi State Governor Umahi