THE MANY FEARS OF EMEKA ANANABA
These are not the best of times for the Deputy Governor of Abia State, Colonel Emeka Ananaba. The frail looking septuagenarian who is just a couple of months away from his Eightieth Birthday now goes about wearing long faces and appears at public functions looking depressed and in low spirits. He is currently embattled by his wife while his relationship with his boss Governor T.A. Orji has deteriorated to the point where the latter has contemplated replacing him.
Apparently destabilized by the inner turmoil which is eating him, Ananaba has in recent months being going about the tasks assigned to him by his boss Governor T. A. Orji perfunctorily and with lack-lustre. He has even been known to abandon several public ceremonies in the middle of such event. Only about a fortnight ago, a distraught Ananaba had reportedly walked out of a crucial meeting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, a meeting called by the authorities at National Boundary Commission Abuja to iron out troubling boundary issues between Akwa Ibom and Abia States, issues that had led to constant violent clashes as well as death and disappearance of hundreds of natives of the communities on the boundary of the two States in the past few years.
Officials of National Boundary Commission who mediated at the talks and Akwa Ibom State Government delegates led by state Deputy Governor Lady Valerie Ebe where shocked by the manner Emeka Ananaba left the meeting and shunned the signing of the communiqué. What is even more shocking was that the Abia number two man had enjoyed several minutes of private tete-a-tete with his hostess, Lady Ebe before his unceremonious departure. Sources at the meeting described Lady Valerie Ebe as a beautiful looking middle-aged widow, who appeared to be a no-nonsense woman.
What is not known is what Ananaba had discussed with Ebe that precipitated the hasty and unceremonious departure much to the consternation of the Akwa Ibom delegation, the officials from National Boundary Commission, observers and the press covering the event. Our reporters gathered that the Abia State Governor Theodore Orji on learning about the development queried his Deputy. The Governor wanted to know why Ananaba abandoned the meeting and treated issues of security of lives and property with levity and carefreeness. Efforts to reach the spokesman of the Abia Deputy Governor, Mr. Chris Onwuegbu for comments proved abortive as he failed to pick his calls or respond to text messages.
However, a source close to the Abia State Governor had revealed that Governor Orji specifically assigned the issues of boundary security and disputes to his Deputy because of the initial confidence he had in Ananaba. As it stands, the fate of thousands of warring Abians and Akwa Ibomites who were looking forward to having peace at their boundary communities is unknown. Negotiations for peace would have to be restarted.
The flighty nature of Emeka Ananaba may not be unconnected to current battles he has been facing at the home front and at work.
At 79, Ananaba has an unbridled and legendary taste for very young girls. This has been at the center of several domestic arguments with his wife. Though he falsified and put his official age at 68, findings from his hometown Obegu in Ugwunagbo indicate that he is a few months from clocking 80. Many recent incidents have been a source of friction between himself and his wife, Lady Nnenne Ananaba. Their quarrels were so hot that domestic servants were often caught in the crossfire. Relationship between husband and wife deteriorated to the point that they were not talking to each other. Thus the domestic staff and others who had anything close to do with the duo were often faced with conflicting information and directives from the two. This led to constant confusion and instability in the household of the Ananabas.
Investigations revealed that Ananaba’s unbridled quest to ride on anything in skirts had been at the root of his domestic sorrows.
One of the staff of the office of the deputy governor, (name withheld) was once said to be at the receiving end of Ananabas raunchiness. Ananaba would often invite the young lady who was no more than 23years-old into the inner confines of his office where he would handle her privates. However the young lady who was described as a strong Christian began to resist his advances. She soon ran into stormy waters as Ananaba threatened the young girl and eventually made spirited efforts to throw her off the civil service for resisting his amorous advances. But for the intervention of the most senior officer in the office, the young girl would have found herself in the labour market. The Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of the Deputy Governor, himself a highly influential person intervened and saved the young girl’s job by reassigning her.
Having eliminated the resistance, Ananaba moved to consolidate his sexual desires. Without securing a waiver from the Governor he quickly employed another young girl who was willing to do his bidding and resumed his frolicking. He was sensible enough to restrict his romps to the office but sometimes would sneak his partner into his home whenever his wife was away on official trips with the wife of the state Governor. To make it more convenient, he gave the new girl a room within the grounds of the official residence so that it will be possible for her to sneak in at odd hours behind the prying eyes of domestic staff. When the residency issue appeared to raise dust and he was questioned about it by his wife, he told her that it was the practice for principals like Governors and their Deputies to have critical staff living nearby in case there is official emergency at odd hours. The wife found this acceptable as she had seen aides of the Governor and his wife living in quarters very close to the Governor’s mansion. The matter appeared to be settled as the unsuspecting wife accepted his explanation.
However the bubble bust one day when the wife went away on an official trip with the wife of the State Governor. Quickly, an excited Emeka Ananaba quit office early that day to have a long sumptuous taste of the honeypot of his lover. It was in the early evening and they had retired to the large kingsized bed he shared with his wife. Unknown to the two love-birds a six year old child who was part of the Ananaba household but not his biological child had noticed the furtive moves. Out of childlike curiosity went to check up on why an office staff would be tiptoe-ing into Madam’s bedroom only to find the two seriously engaged in the act. Sources have it that the little girl did catch them unawares on several occasions.
On an evening a few days after Ananaba’s wife return from the official trip, the little girl told the lady of the house what she had seen. All hell was let loose. The madam was so furious she quickly summoned her sons who came and helped her throw out the belongings of the lady from the room she had occupied on the grounds. In retaliation, the Deputy Governor instantly ordered his most trusted staff, a driver to pack up the few belongings of the little girl who exposed him and drive her back to the village. The little girl is said to be without a father and no one to take care of her. Ananaba’s wife had picked her up to help the family. Ananaba’s lover was not that unfortunate. Again the Deputy Chief of Staff came to the rescue and quickly posted out the husband snatcher.
Investigations further reveals that this is not a first occurrence amongst the Ananabas. Frequently, encounters with womenfolk is said to be closely monitored by his wife. Sometime at the beginning of his tenure Ananaba was rumored to be dating a former female Commissioner in the state, and would often ensure she got juicy committee assignments as much as his influence with the Governor could allow. The lady was a constant visitor to his office. They would lock the door and ensconce themselves in intimacy while he ensured they were safe from the sudden arrival of his wife or surprise visitors by keeping a watchful eye on the close-circuit television camera CCTV in the office.
On another occasion, Ananaba is said to have seduced and had carnal knowledge of a crippled female NYSC member who had come to him for assistance to finish her community project.
Further checks showed that others working with Ananaba have been a victim of his amorous escapades from unusual dimension. In order to safeguard his secrets, he is known to sack almost anyone who per chance sees him in a compromising situation, or any one he suspects may have an inkling of what he is up to. This is said to be what is behind the constant removal of several of his personal drivers, domestic staff as well as administrative and security aides. The situation has wised up the rest of the staff, making the “wise staff” to quickly duck and take cover anytime it appears “oga” is about to do his thing. Woe betide you if he was to catch sight of you anywhere closeby when his “sexual deals” are about to click.
Another issue troubling Ananaba is his rapidly deteriorating relationship with his boss Governor T. A. Orji.
When Chief T. A. Orji, governor of Abia State, went shopping for a Deputy ahead of the 2011 elections, he probably wanted someone who would complement his Government. This was at a time when Orji was facing battles on several fronts. He was trying to clean up the security issue plaguing Abia State, he was facing severe criticism from and apathy from the city of Aba, who felt neglected and rightly so. He was also battling to save his administration from his fellow journeymen, Chris Akomas, Paul Ikonne, Stanley Ohajuruka, Regan Ufomba who were all very strong gubernatorial candidates flying the flags of different parties. He was also locked in battle with his estranged political Godfather, Orji Uzor Kalu. Common political sense made it right for T. A. Orji to align with any one that would bring strength to his campaign.
His choice of Emeka Ananaba in 2011 obviously was informed by the fact that Ananaba brought two advantages. One, Ananaba was from NgwaLand and so his selection would pacify the aggrieved electorate of that zone. Two, Ananaba had been a strong member of the old structure of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) before Governor Orji eloped with the PDP after falling out with the PPA on whose platform he came to power in 2007. Thus an Orji/Ananaba guber ticket was supposed to strengthen the marriage between Orji’s followers and the members of the old PDP, and at the same time create a formidable force to fight the challengers.
Whether the political calculation worked effectively and if Ananaba ultimately would have become an asset to the election was not clear as eventually Orji’s election in 2011 turned out to be a walkover as all the major political gladiators and stakeholders across the breadth and width of the state stood behind him. Thus there was little or nothing for Ananaba to contribute to the election than to make sure his immediate family came out to cast their votes on the Election Day.
What became clear after the election was that Ananaba was a liability.
Barely two months into office as Deputy Governor, Emeka Ananaba was guest to a thanksgiving of Senator Nkechi Nwogu at the Anglican Church Abayi Aba, where he stood in for Governor T. A. Orji who was outside the country on a working leave. At the ceremony which was attended by top politicians from all over the country, he was called upon to speak as the Governor’s representative. Emeka Ananaba told the gathering that he is not aware of anything the Governor his boss is doing. He passed on the impression to people that Governor Orji is totalitarian and does not tell anyone what he is doing. Excepting for the fact that governor was outside the country and none of his closest and trusted aides were at the ceremony to give him a report, the Governor would have been vexed and that event would have marked the beginning of a frosty relationship. When he came back to the country, Orji did hear about his deputy’s faux pas but benevolently dismissed it as hearsay and rumours. He was later to regret it.
Several other matters began to unravel. Whatever may have informed Orji’s choice, he began to have a rethink when the health of his Deputy began to affect the job. The Deputy would collapse at public function much to the chagrin of the Governor. He has collapsed at several state events. At one occasion he collapsed at Aso Villa where he went to represent the Governor at a Federal meeting and had to be given CPR before he could recover. That incident became an embarrassment to Orji as his fellow Governors cracked jokes at him during the next Federal meeting he attended.
Ananaba is known to ramble anytime he is asked to make a speech. He would often rattle about his Civil War escapades for long minutes in an issue that had nothing to do with it, until his audience will begin to fidget and to leave the venue.
Recently at a church event in Isiala Ngwa North Ananaba lifted his walking stick to hit a Bishop on the pulpit simply because the Bishop remarked that he came late to represent the Governor at the function. It took the intervention of other VIPs including commissioners to quiet him down. Ananaba later snatched the microphone from the Bishop and berated the man of God to the hearing of the entire congregation.
Another aspect that has affected Ananaba’s relationship with his boss is his inability to weld together the people of UkwaNgwa political block in support of the Governor. He also failed to market the Governor in the city of Aba. His inability to mobilize support has been a factor against him. Recall the numerous embarrassments the Governor has suffered at the hands of the Aba people.
Rather than do his bit, Ananaba has emerged with his own political Agenda. He has indicated interest to run for Governorship by 2015 and is secretly holding meetings, acquiring campaign vehicles, and stashing away funds towards his ambition. He was quoted as saying at a public event that Martin Elechi, Governor of Ebonyi State is older and frailer than him. To add salt to injury he has begun polarizing the Ugwunagbo Chapter of the PDP with the intent of ensuring his first son who currently lives in the United States goes to the House of Assembly by 2015. Major stakeholders in the area have sworn to frustrate him. His people have complained that he has failed to bring home any democratic dividend and have even failed to assist anybody personally. Whenever he comes home to his Obegu Ugwunagbo village which is rarely, he ensures his gates remain locked and does not respond to requests from his kinsmen. Ananaba is described by his people as being very selfish and self-centered. They often wonder why a man who is just a few days to his grave will not show his people a little magnanimity in view of the fact that he goes home with N35million every month as security vote from the Government.
He is accused of constantly stepping in to interfere or to stop the meritorious appointment of any Ngwa person who he thinks may ruin his chances or that of his son at the 2015 elections. Those who supported him with cash, cars and gifts towards his 2011 elections he has pushed away. Those who helped in selecting and bringing him to the limelight for Orji to notice him, he has abandoned them. The old PDP party faithfuls he has totally ignored. There is a huge dissatisfaction surrounding his continued stay in office by all Ngwa politicians. And the import of this is not lost on Governor Orji.
Governor Orji still walks a tightrope with strong opposition from his former Godfather and other contemporaries and as such would not want to spoil his goodwill with his supporters. Thus he is considering changing Ananaba.