Using Okonjo-Iweala for cheap publicity

“How much easier it is to be critical than to be correct.” – Benjamin Disraeli, former British prime minister.
“When your success hovers from one person to another, it will definitely get to someone who will regard it as failure.” – Michael Johnson, Nigerian penman.
In a publication titled “Those Calling for Okonjo-Iweala’s Sack Are Detractors” the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations for Transparency in Governance described her critics as people who do not want Nigeria’s economic good.
They are not just detractors; they are popularity seekers. Since Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former Nigerian finance minister, left office over a year ago her name has remained visible across local and international media.
While Nigerians and the world still celebrate her, armchair critics, seeing that stories about her generate huge readership, devise a means to gain cheap publicity. They earn copious mention in the media by linking her name to allegations, even those with little or nothing to do with her.
These detractors disguise as accountability and transparency advocates, flood the media with press releases, interviews, and stories of lies, false allegations, sentiments, and defamation.
From dragging Okonjo-Iweala to court, calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to probe her, they escalated their drama to asking her to apologise, requesting documents which she no longer has access to, and even accusing her of ‘no answers, no apology’.
Their allegation of “missing N30 trillion” and other unfounded accusations have made them one of the popular groups in the country.
Their like-minded and myopic followers have increased. Maybe they are even up for potential grants – there is always that possibility.
In this day and age where every group or organisation must do everything to stay ahead, it appears that Okonjo-Iweala’s detractors may have struck gold by using the age-old gimmick of defamation.
But despite their best and most desperate attempts at ruining her name, she always rises out of the ashes of their lies and slander like a phoenix.
• Uzoma Ngozi, social commentator, Lagos.
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/uzoma.ngozi.52