Magu: A Misfired-hunter -By Tife Owolabi

Communication is key to every thriving phenomenon. The tone of the message and how it is laid to the audience will determine the success of the message. Often times people have this misconception that a good message can sell itself without it been decently packaged. No, it can’t. The content can be good and the packaging is right, but  if it is not well-tailored out or placed the product is dead on arrival. So is the case of Ibrahim Mustapha Magu, the embattled, ex-chair of Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC.

Muga deficiency is  not about the results because as we have known and seen some achievements with some politicians convicted while some ”yahoo-yahoo boys are  behind bars. His record of achievements said he convicted about 1200 suspects and recovered 8 billion naira looted funds yet he was caught up in some webs of allegations of corruption based on his present predicament occasioned by Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation (AGF), who had put forward petition and accused Magu of gross infractions.

Though, a source within the presidency said there are  “weighty” allegations, including the diversion of recovered funds against him. We await the final outcome. 

According to the source, the ongoing investigation of the EFCC boss reinforces Buhari’s commitment to transparency and accountability.

He said it shows that nobody in the Buhari administration is above scrutiny.

Back to the subject, Magu is a misfit misfiring hunter who often spoke  off points each time he has the floors to comments on things pertaining to affairs at the EFCC and I won’t be surprised if that contributed to his present ordeal. He lacks the artistry of words and communications which can complicate matters. His oratory is very poor and in communicating he could have complicated himself.  Give for instance as painted by Olawale Olaleye, an editor with Thisday, ” Channels Television’s Maupe Ogun once asked Magu about efforts being taken to institutionalize the fight against graft. Coming at a time the EFCC was inaugurating its new headquarters in Abuja, Magu said by successfully completing the edifice, he had begun the moves in that direction. Can you beat that?

Also, recently, he was asked in yet another interview on Journalists’ Hangout, aired on TVC, the kind of support he had been receiving from the banks. His answer, again, was too embarrassing. He completely had no idea what the thrust of the question was and retorted never to have anything to do with the banks, because he hated them. But the question was about the cooperation he was getting from the banks during investigations.”

Magu once gave a his own theory that Covid 19 was invented in order to perpetuate corruption but sooner we have it at our doorstep and I thought he would  have rose to the occasion to defeat corona-virus ,an invisible enemy killing thousands across the world. 

Poor communication can cause hiccups and upheavals and with an egocentric personality as Magu, falling was just a matter of time.

A corruption czar who cannot manager his utterance, because he thought he has the power to influence, persuade and coerce actions, he would have mis jabbed and misfired while trying to defending himself at  any allegations thrown at him.His exist episode isn’t over yet but this is how power is decaying. He woke up as a czar , he slept in a cell (or still sleeping in a cell ) ,next he was suspended and just as the saying goes, heading a top official position is a thankless one .Just do it with utmost patriotism because only posterity can judge you.

However, the truth about the Presidential Panel investigating Magu is that he is still innocent until a court of competent jurisdiction pronounce himself guilty. No panel has such power. Theirs is a quasi power  but the court has the final say to convict any man of a crime. 

Tife Owolabi+2348064698045Journalist Niger Delta@tifeowolabi facebook.com/Tife Owolabi ” if it bleeds it leads”…