African Development

Lessons to be Learnt from the Recent Attack on IrokoTV

By admin

June 21, 2021

So I just learnt that there was an attack on IrokoTv App in the form of attempts to have it delisted on both Google Playstore and iOS store. This move by some in the North was  in “retaliation” for the delisting of Adamu Garba’s Crowwe from Google Play Store.

Last I checked, retaliation meant “to hurt someone or do something harmful to someone because they have done or said something harmful to you”.

Based on the definition above, I fail to see how a mass action by the North to have IrokoTV app delisted by Google and Apple because Crowwe was delisted can be called retaliation. Was it Jason Njoku (owner of IrokoTV) that delisted Crowwe?

Interestingly, it was the people he made fun of some years ago that came to his rescue. Ndi Igbo and the rest of Southern Nigeria galvanized into action to counter this move. They ensured that the IrokoTV app got massive positive reviews, obscuring the negative reviews from the North.

Here is what the victim here had to say “The last few days has renewed my faith in Nigeria. I know the support wasn’t just about @irokotv but more broadly about self determination, press freedoms & a collective yearning for Flag of NigeriaRaised fistto be a great secure & happy nation. North/South I truly believe we all want that #KeepitOn”

The last few days has renewed my faith in Nigeria. I know the support wasn't just about @irokotv but more broadly about self determination, press freedoms & a collective yearning for 🇳🇬✊🏾to be a great secure & happy nation. North/South I truly believe we all want that #KeepitOn

— JasonNjoku (@JasonNjoku) June 20, 2021

His faith in the Nigeria that tried to kill his business is amusing. Of course, he was trying to be politically correct. Though he also apologized for the old tweet in which he made light (even fun) of his Igbo origin (see now deleted tweet below), he still appears to not have completely learn his lesson. Maybe he has but is just trying to be careful.

Separately I want to take the opportunity to apologize to Ndi Igbo for my glib, immature and unnecessarily hurtful comments a few years back. I am Igbo, I don't think I would ever nor ever attempted to deny that (all my kids bear solidly Igbo names which I personally chose).

— JasonNjoku (@JasonNjoku) June 20, 2021

There is a line that has been in existence from when Nigeria got its independence. People try to ignore this line and even deny its existence but it continues to deepen and become more difficult to ignore with each passing day. This present administration has been the most active in etching deeper, the contours of this line, making it more pronounced.

I think we must all know who is on our side and who our foes are. The likes of Hope Uzodinma, governor of Imo State and Umahi of Ebonyi are on this table. The guys at Abuja are not your friends; you are simply tools. Tools get discarded when they stop being useful.

Personally, I don’t see a “One Nigeria” happening. It has never happened and does not look like every happening. The forces that benefitted and are still benefitting from the chaos are very strong and will therefore require a total break to dislodge them. I see any move to simply whittle down their power and influence (which is what restructuring seeks to do) as an attempt in futility. These forces will always want to find a way to retain their power. It is therefore in the best interest of the rest of Nigeria to have a clean break.

Like the LNC (Lower Niger Congress) would say, “you either save Nigeria and destroy the people or you destroy Nigeria to save its people”. What’s the reasonable choice to make?

We can keep trying to be politically correct or we can tell ourselves the truth and be set free.

An Opinion post by Chimerenka Odimba