“Your behaviour reflects your character.” ——-Anonymous

Whether in Rivers State where he hails from and served as two-term governor, or in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT ), where he currently holds sway as the political numero uno; and even in his ‘claimed’ political party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Barrister Nyesom Wike’s footprints are replete with conflicts, confrontations, and controversies.

Truths be said: Rivers is yet to fully recover from his tempestuous politicking-it may never be for a long time to come: PDP is inexorably heading to the political graveyard at its ongoing high speed of self-immolation; the FCT, for good and for bad, will never forget Wike’s so far tumultuous reign as minister.

Generally, this man with the sobriquet: “Mr. Projects” is known more for needless political drama. Early this week, he came up with another refreshingly needless drama. And the social media feasted intensely on this as it went agog with the viral video clips of Minister Wike’s indecorous dramatic encounter with Lieutenant A. M. Yerima, a brilliantly young military officer who led, on superior instruction, other naval men to guard Plot 1946 in the Gaduwa area of Abuja. The plot of land in contention is reportedly owned by retired Vice-Admiral Awwal Gambo, a former Chief of Naval Staff.

Though yours sincerely is not really a social media person but was compelled to watch and rewatch, with dismay, Wike’s unnecessarily bullish disposition to the young naval officer. The boyish-looking officer exemplifies the quality that Wike lacked as a public officer as he remained calm in the face of the minister’s verbal assaults on his person and the institution he represents in his fitted and well-starched military uniform.

In the heated brickbats, Wike, obviously thinking, even though erroneously, that the best way to do a job reserved for enforcement officers of the FCT was to unleash an uncouth and unsparing confrontation, labelled a uniformed military officer guarding his superior officer’s parcel of land, *“stupid”* *“foolish”* and yelling at him to *“shut up.”*

Whoever advised Minister Wike to embark on this misadventurous voyage deserves official reprimand or does it mean that the man probably listens, only to his own riotous instincts and not any reasonable counsel-and not even from his office’s Permanent Secretary, believed to expectedly be the repository of service procedures and actions.

Rather than show executive maturity through exploration of laid down administrative channels of resolving issues, he resorted to an undignified approach of publicly querying a military officer to: *“Show me the documents. You have no documents…..”* He continued: *“…..You send soldiers to intimidate who?…..”* The officer courteously dispelled his superfluous assertion: *“On the contrary, sir, we’re not trying to intimidate anybody…”*

While maintaining his admirable composure, demeanor and professionalism, Yerima respectfully tutored Minister Wike without allowing anyone to cow him when the FCT minister, out of ignorance, tried to talk down on his boss, the retired Vice-Admiral by referring to him in the past tense, to wit: *“Sir, let me enlighten you; there’s NO such thing as a FORMER Vice Admiral. A Vice Admiral is a Vice Admiral.”* The minister shamefully retorted: *“Okay, thank you very much”* but continued to make God knows what point.

The hallmark of Wike’s verbal diarrhoea at his venue of shame was when he harassed Yerima by yelling *“Shut up! You are a very big fool. As of the time I graduated, you were still in primary school.”* But the gentleman officer, maintaining composure, repeatedly replied, *“I am not a fool, sir. I am acting on orders….. I will not shut up.”* This further infuriated Wike, the king Kong when he fired back: *“You’re a very big fool…..”* He continued, *“…..You must kill everybody here…”* with Yerima replying with admirable equanimity: *“I won’t kill anybody.”*

This uncouth behaviour, undeniably quite belittling, from Minister Wike should be expected, being reflective of the irrational way and manner he has been treating his political subordinates including the current governor of Rivers State, Sim Fubara, and his ‘PDP’ members.

Wike left the scene of his shame after reportedly calling the Chief of Defence Staff and Chief of Naval Staff, both of whom he claimed had assured him the matter would be resolved. The question: Why did he not toe the path of administrative action of talking to these two highly-placed military leaders before choosing to embark on his needless display of vain power on this poor but unshakably young naval officer?

The biggest disservice any public official can do to self and their family is to overestimate his/her importance because of currently held position. Regrettably, this is what Minister Wike has, over time, been doing to his person. The issue in contention is not whether he’s right or whether the naval officer is wrong: The point is that madness can not be deployed to cure madness. Just as impunity cannot cure another impunity. His, Wike’s executive impunity of going to the site where a naval officer is carrying out the orders of his superior, in line of duty, to create his routinely disgraceful scenes has overshadowed whatever mischief he is purportedly trying to cure. His conduct denigrates the office he occupies, and this happens because he’s fond of wallowing in inconsequential positional self-importance.

Wike displays power and arrogance at will. The president needs to redeploy, remove or call him to order. Because Wike is in power, his power-induced courage shall be tested one day after leaving power. Otherwise, why will he say to the young officer: *“If not for the CDS who spoke to me now, you would have to kill everybody here. I’m not one of those that you can intimidate.”* Hmmmm!!

Wike’s heated encounter with this refined officer reminds me of the routine admonition of Nigeria’s democratic martyr, Aare MKO Abiola, during his life time under the military rule that he lived to wit: “Only a fool argues with a man wielding the gun.”
Wike might argue with a gun-wielding fine military officer on Tuesday, November 11 2025. His real courage would be duly appreciated if he attempts this after leaving office.

More importantly, his last action, if not correctly addressed officially, might cause ill-feelings amongst the military against we bloody civilians. It might even lead to disaffection towards this administration. Wike by this act is obviously insensitive to happenings around him, in view of recent speculations. Wike has done enough damage to ongoing democratic dispensation and someone, somewhere has to curb his undemocratic excesses and impunity.

Yours sincerely has an admonition for Wike: And this is for him to stop attracting negative energy to the administration of President Bola Tinubu, GCFR. He should stop generating undesirable and avoidable hullabaloos to this administration through his hypocritical eye service to the president. What he did in his puerile encounter with the young naval officer is antithetical to common sense. After all, a saying in my Yoruba ethnic group says that when one is sent the errand of a slave, he should endeavour to deliver the message of a freeborn. Wike has failed the test of this Yoruba proverb.

History will forever be kind to fine officer Yerima for reminding Minister Wike on that Tuesday of the importance of integrity when he said: *“I am an officer, and l have integrity.”* Can Minister Wike boldly tell Nigerians and the world today, in all conscience, that he’s a certified politician with integrity: If not, he should apologise to the military and more importantly Yerima; else, he resigns forthwith for embarrassing the government of our president that graciously gave him this high profile appointment. Enough of Wike’s uncommon garrulity…..

•Sanusi, former MD/CEO of Lagos State Signage & Advertisement Agency, is currently the managing partner at AMS RELIABLE SOLICITORS.