By EMMANUEL OGEBE

I awakened to the rude shock of the passing of quintessential Nigerian diplomat, erudite scholar, passionate patriot and activist Dr Obadiah Mailafia.

A humble, modest gentleman of giant intellect, the former CBN deputy governor’s loss comes at a time when current CBN officials have abrogated Adam Smith’s law of supply and demand in our forex regime and replaced it with “report rate and be banned.”

At a time when politicians are acquiring fraudulent professorships from public institutions, his scintillating brilliance will be missed.

Dr Mailafia’s voice is silenced not because of greed, need or misdeed. He stayed committed and true to the very end. Truly it is better to die with honor than to live with dishonor.

It is truly tragic that one of Nigeria’s topmost global diplomats and brains returned him and invested his intellect in enlightening and inspiring us to greatness.

Yet his last year on earth was spent being hounded by the Nigerian state which forced his resignation from the nation’s highest policy institute simply for crying out against insecurity.

At the time I lamented, “I am gravely concerned at the naked repression and blatant oppression I continue to see in Nigeria today.

Dr Obadiah Mailafia, a distinguished international academic and retired multilateral diplomat is currently being interrogated by the DSS in Jos for an interview he gave about the killings of his people in Southern Kaduna. Yet not one but at least three APC governors have admitted paying off and meeting the killers.

Sundiata, an academic and social commentator, was also abducted from his home and family and has not been seen again since last year.

It is not well with Nigeria where victims are victimized for crying out and perpetrators are pampered for perpetrating.”

However, a year later a website operator who merely reports daily exchange rates Abokifx.com has been criminalized by the government even though he is not from the region/religion that dominates and monopolizes the forex trade.

A year ago this month, Dr Mailafia warned thus:

“Please, pray for me. I have reasons to believe that my life is in danger and that some powerful political forces want to silence me forever for speaking the truth.

“For speaking on behalf of the Holy Martyrs — of thousands of innocent children, women, elderly and youths that have been killed in our beloved country,”

- Dr. Obadiah Mailafia 11th September, 2020

Truly Nigeria is a land that devours its inhabitants. Our hearts go out to the widow and family of the beloved diplomat. Nigerians should stand by them as they have stood and sacrificed for us.

I will heed his advice and publish my memoirs in due course. May he rise in glory.

The labours of our heroes past shall never be in vain.

•Emmanuel Ogebe is an international human rights lawyer based in Washington, DC, USA.

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