Did you mention Mohammed Abacha as one of
those who tortured you? Hmmm... No. Because I had been warned that if I did
that, I could be killed in prison. They would just come to your room at
night wearing mask and do anything with you. So, I could not say that because at
that point in time, they could come to my room and do anything to me. If you
die in prison, Nigerians would just make noise, the international community
would just make noise and I wasn't a politician. I am not someone who was known
like Abiola or Yar'Adua. And even as Yar'Adua died in prison, Nigerians made noise
and so what came out of it, let alone a university professor? So, it's like I'd
been warned that there are certain things you do not say other wise you'd pay dearly
for it. SO, it was not in my statement. By the time they finished reading the
fourth statement, my bladder was almost at the point of explosion.I signalled
to my lawyer that I wanted to pee. He said,"Pee? Never!"(Cuts in) Ehnn?!It's
not that he was being wicked. Rather, he said I could not interrupt the court's
proceedings and more so the case was going on so well. So,why should this distraction
come from the apparent winner? I was in a serious dilemma. My what ever[bladder?]
had swollen yet I was soon to be called into the stand to be cross-examined
maybe for an hour or two. I said, "Jesus!" How do I geto ut of this?
I was feeling it. I was uncomfortable and I started blaming myself and cursing
my bladder. So, I devised a means. I pretended as if I was about to vomit and
at the same time raised my hand to the tribunal chairman. That one came to my rescue.
He said, "Take him out,take him out." he showed very human and humane
concern.You know, he has known me as a professor for many years,approximately.
I had taught for about 24years. Many people are my ex-students.
[Senator]Iyorcha Ayu, for example,was my student. I have about two or three
directors-general in the federal civil service who were my students. It's like
I'm generally known in thatpart of the country. For example, even Lieutenant-Colonel
Omenka had said he knew me as a professor in the 80s. So, when I went out to
ease myself, the pee [urine] would not just come. I said, "Mogbe"
[I'm finished].I don't know whether you've experienced this kind of thing
before. When you delay too much before going to the toilet the bladder would
swell so much that even the surroundings of your upper aperture would swell too
and thereby making the urethra almost blocked because of these uper-imposed load.
Thus, urine will hardly come out not to talk of when you are supposed to do it
in a hurry. Under my kind of situation, you need to relax before you could pee.
SO, I had to rush back but the tribunal chairman insisted I must see a doctor.
Remember, I had pretended to vomit. I eventually met a doctor who treated me for
stomach pain. I went back to the tribunal but my lawyer was angry. "Prof.,
why now? And the case was going well for you.what happened?" I said he should
not worry.Sorry to cut in.Time is fast gone and we still have a lot of questions
to answer.
Can you tell us a little bit about
the judgment day? Okay. Before we go to the judgment day let me briefly conclude
the last question I was tackling.My lawyer asked that apart from the memo which
I had written and which the prosecution was harping on,were there no positive
memos at all from my office? Why should the prosecution take one out of
hundreds of memos written over the years as an evidence that I was involved in the
alleged coup plot? I even helped myself by shouting that the document being
labeled anti-government was even positive. By the time I finished explaining the
circumstances surrounding the writing of that memo, it was as if I had made my
case. I talked for 30 minutes non-stop. When I finished, I said,"What have
I got for all my contributions to the government? Chains!" I held up my
hands to show the handcuff.I said, "This is all I have got for all my
efforts to improve the lot of my country. I didn't mean to be emotional but the
effect was not lost on the court. After this,we started waiting for the judgment
day.
...to be continued
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