RIVERS CRISIS: Nigerians Besiege YouTube For Video

Nigerians have besieged various YouTube channels to catch a glimpse of
what transpired on the floor of the Rivers State House of Assembly
when the lawmakers were embroiled in a fight.
photo
Five members of the House opposed toGovernor Rotimi Amaechi had
engagedabout 13 of their colleagues in a fight shortly after the
pro-governor lawmakers resisted their move to impeach the Speaker of
the House of Assembly, Mr. Otelemaba Amachree.
In the mayhem, the Leader of the House, Mr. Chidi Lloyd; Michael
Chinda and Martins Amahule sustained seriousinjuries.
As at the time of filing this report, three major video clips of the
incident had gone viral on YouTube with many users of the social
network sharing thevideo on their respective channels.
On the YouTube channel of SaharaTV, for instance, the video had
attracted over 43,000 views when our correspondent visited.
On another YouTube channel belonging to Israel Ibeleme, 6,777 people
had viewed the video, with many of them describing the development as
shameful and embarrassing in the comments they dropped after watching
it.
Many of them stressed that it was unfortunate that the lawmakers were
fighting over personal interests adding that it would have been a lot
better, if the energy wasted in the brawl had been channeled into
fighting for the progress and development of the country.
On the YouTube channel of SaharaTV, one Michael Eseigbe, who observed
one of the lawmakers shouting "Arrow Mates", described him as a
cultist.
According to him, the chant he screamed was a slang expression used by
a cult group known as "Supreme Viking confraternity."
Eseigbe said, "Did any one hear the lawmaker screaming Arrow Mates?
That is the chant of a cult group known as the "Supreme Viking
confraternity" and we call him a honourable member?
"This is why we will never achieve anything in this country when power
have been given to cultists who terrorised their mates back in school
and have now brought that wayward life to bear on our socio-political
sphere. What a travesty!''
Another visitor to the YouTube channel, with the name Besty Large,
called for the immediate removal of those lawmakers chanting the
slogan. Large adds, "It's a big disgrace to note that a Nigerian
lawmaker will be chanting 'Aro Mate." If this man shouting that slogan
is not brought to book, that means there is no law in Nigeria. He is
promoting cult activities. How can a cult member fight for justice?
"This man must be removed as a lawmaker. It's a big shame and disgrace
to a system of government in the country. The man is a member of the
Viking confratanity). They are the ones who use Aro mate. The laws of
the land forbid members of the legislature and executive arm from
belonging to any cult group.''
But as many Nigerians condemned the lawmakers for the brawl, others
called on Nigerians to vote for responsible politicians to pilot the
affairs of variousarms and tiers of government.
A visitor to one of the YouTube channels, who identified himself
simply as Magic, said it was not enoughto condemn the act but that the
ultimate power belongs to the electorate to vote irresponsible leaders
out of office.
Magic stated, "We come here to condemn this shameful act but by
nextelection we would not come out and vote for the right people. It's
high timewe rose up to our civic duties of votingfor the right people.
"It's about time we took our rights to vote seriously so that we do
not face such embarrassments again. If not, thiswill just be a tip of
the iceberg.''
Corroborating Magic's position, another commentator, Mayaki,
encouraged youths to come out enmasse and contest elective positions
to bring about change in the Nigerian polity.
Mayaki says, "Why we leave our future in the hands of these hooligans
is beyond me. Seventy per cent of this country's population is under
35 (67% under 25)!
"We are not too young to claim control of our destiny, after all, we
cannot claim that the wisdom and maturity that comes with old age
makes our politicians deserving of their positions."
A cross section of those who dropped comments on various YouTube
channels also called for the meting outof appropriate sanctions on the
policemen who joined in the fracas as well as those who failed to
intervene during the crisis.
James Cliif noted, "The Commissioner of Police in Rivers State (Mr.
Joseph Mbu) should be dealt with for the failure to arrest that
cultist who claim to be an honourable member of that House of
Assembly. Shame on men of the Nigeria Police and all the security
officials who were there but simply looked on.''