David-West and the Amanyanabo Stool

Since he was dethroned as the Petroleum Minister under a military junta, which was perhaps due to his still soaring infamous stubbornness, the famous Professor of Virology, Tam David-West, has been doing everything humanly or spiritually possible to be relevant, especially by being in the news. He is known for his doggedness and always challenging opinions – state or national – that he perceived are not in line with his views. And that was good, as all are entitled to their opinion.

But his recent views about Prince Tonye Princewill birthday invitation published in the form of an advertorial in the Daily Sun of 12th January 2008, has downside David-West. Truly speaking.

David-West went berserk and exhibited the mind of a fading professor by publishing an invitation from Princewill inviting him for his 40th birthday in the newspapers which took place on the 4th of January this year.

David-West said in that article that his reason of not honouring the invitation was that Tonye Princewill's father, King TJT Princewill, the Amanyanabo of Kalabari, the Amachree XI, was the one who signed the invitation and addressed himself as the Amanyanabo of Kalabari Kingdom, a dukedom, according to David-West, has not yet been occupied by anyone in the kingdom. He said that King TJT Princewill was acting as a king of the kingdom on falsehood.

But whatever the case with their Amanyanabo tuzzle was does not warrant David-west to wash his ignoramus before the public, that signing of an invitation has nothing to be advertised for.

One baffling thing was how a birthday invitation which was not extended to David-West through the newspapers would be replied through the newspapers. He forgot that generalization mind is not an analytical mind.

Did David-West publish that deteriorating advertorial in the newspapers to show to the world that he knows the history of his area or what? Perhaps he is also interested in the Amanyanabo-ship, since he said that there are four princes who are enthusiastic of the kingship, and he was a scion of one of the Amanyanabos.

His publication is not how to reply an invitation from a son like Tonye Princewill who calls him dad. David-West, in that advertorial, literarily, is inviting people to the airport without telling them if they are to board the plane or to jump the parachute.

He sounded in that advertorial as one of those traducers behind the scene trying to bewitch Tonye Princewill because of his soaring profile. Since David-West and TJT Princewill know each other from the infancy, what one expected David-West to do than bringing himself to the public for people to laugh at was to call Tonye and tell him his reasons of not hornouring the invitation than prolonging issues that only required only a clandestine letter or just a phone call.

It is not good that when in some tribes, elders try to be peaceful and loving people, the likes of David-West preferred to be bickering and tinkering over matters that do not require any for of anxiety or panic.

If he had published in the newspapers the reason why he might or would not honour any of Yar'Adua's invitations, it would be understandable because Mr. President in the eyes of the people is still a president from the back door.

David-West should be cautioned by his mates that he is relegating himself to the background by that single act of going to publish Prince Tonye Princewill invitation just simple because it was signed by his father.

Men are respected when they know when to quit a fight, but David-West seems to be a clown yet fighting as though he was wise.

Ikenga Igbo writes from Orumba, Anambra State