For personal reasons, I refused to write or comment on the Mmesoma Ejike saga because as far as I am concerned, Mmesoma is a product of our society, and her fake jamb result is not the problem of Ndigbo or Nigeria.
After all, our society has since been involved in all kinds of academic fraud. So why should the case of Mmesoma be different?
But I was provoked to write this when I saw the view of my elder brother and senior colleague, CKN on his Facebook wall.
He wrote with disdain: “Shame to Anambra girl Mmesoma Ejikeme and all those that supported her and encouraged her deceitful act.”
Another respected Igbo social media influencer, Okey Adibe immediately commented thus: “CKN correction: She is not from Anambra; she is originally from Enugu but currently resides in Anambra. Therefore, she is an Enugu-born girl. Please adjust your statement accordingly.
Just because Anambra used to be called the state for all, doesn’t mean you should label her as an Anambra girl. Don’t you see our own Miss Ume? Thank you.”
When I read the above, I said to myself, suddenly, Igbo social media influencers, have left and abandoned Mmesoma Ejike, the Jamb victim of fraud, to face the music of her action. She has been profiled. She has become a pariah.
All along, we associated her with Anambra State. When the news of her emergence as the best jamb candidate broke, Anambrarians were proud to carry her on their shoulders. They were even robbing it on the faces of other Igbo, that they are the best, yes they did. Mr. Innocent Chukwuma, Chairman of Innoson Group, appreciated her handsomely with a huge amount of money.
Even all of us, Igbos were happy and proud to call her our own. A lot of us were using her to prove that Igbos are better than others.
Now, Anambrarians abhor her. They have finally profiled her to be a native of Enugu. Anambra people do not want her to be associated with them anymore. Their shoulders are not available for her. That is a great lesson of life. Nobody wants to identify with fraud, especially when it does not bring money.
Whether she is from Anambra or Enugu, she is an Igbo. She is one of us. We must condemn her for doing this, but accept her as one of us.
Maybe, she must have observed that our society applauds fraud and worship those who cut corners to be noticed and she decided to join the bandwagon. Mmesoma can now be likened to an Anambra drug dealer who was arrested and sentenced, in Malaysia, he was condemned by all. But the one who succeeds and returns with the proceeds of the drug, without being caught will become ‘Ome-Ego La Malaysia”
Mmesoma Ejike is our younger sister, who must have been aided by some other of our people to cheat. We must accept this and stop profiling her.
As Igbo, we must learn from this and be more careful about everything. We must never allow emotions, tribal or religious bias to occupy us, anytime issues arise. No matter the provocation and who is involved, let us double-check and analyze every conversation. Let us not be quick to speak or throw punches. We must listen to all sides, eschew a single narrative, and allow a fair hearing. Ask questions, investigate, think, and rethink before we conclude. What we think is right, maybe wrong after all.
We have a bigger problem in Igboland that all of us must condemn. The killing of Igbos by Igbos in the name of enforcing sit-at-home order is enough problem for us.
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