The Amazing Bad Belle of Onyeka Onwenu – Tony Okoroji

There's a battle currently going on between ace musician, Onyeka Onwenu and Copyright Society of Nigeria, COSON, boss, Chief Tony Okoroji over the N3 million donation made by the Cross River State Government to facilitate the burial rites of late Christy Essien-Igbokwe.

Onyeka Onwenu asked Tony Okoroji to give account of the N3m donation, in a letter she sent to the COSON boss and also published in the newspapers. Tony Okoroji has responded to the letter via the media. See it below...

The amazing bad belle of Onyeka Onwenu - written by Tony Okoroji

Onyeka Onwenu was never elected Chairman of the Christy Essien-Igbokwe Burial Committee. She is not Chairman of the sub-committee on finance. Throughout the burial activities, she was chairman of nothing and made little positive creative contribution towards the organization of the events that I can remember. Onyeka was never appointed auditor to the committee. 

Indeed, she did not attend any meeting of the committee until the events had been designed and the activities had gathered momentum. Then, she surfaced and the great camaraderie we enjoyed in the committee disappeared. Onyeka found faults with everything.  At one point, she wanted to be the only speaker at the symposium. At another, she wanted to be both MC and performer at the tribute night and must sing last! She fought in vain to stop the musical stampedes that took place very successfully in Akwa Ibom and Anambra and tried to truncate the special rendition of the national anthem done by a younger colleague, Eva Ogoro at the tribute night. Of course, everyone saw her in Lagos wherever the cameras and bright lights were on but when in my opinion, it truly mattered, “Madam Probity” was nowhere to be found. Onyeka Onwenu who suddenly loves Christy more than anyone else in the world never attended Christy’s burial in Awka.  

I do not recall that Onyeka was at any time appointed spokesperson by the committee. Sadly, my dear sister who likes to talk about democracy and the will of the people nominated and elected herself to the position and set about to drag the widely celebrated burial of our colleague, Christy, into unnecessary controversy and to tarnish the image of the good people who labored so hard to make it succeed. 

I have read Onyeka Onwenu’s tirade against me spread over the internet and published in Vanguard Newspaper of October 14, 2011. I have wondered why with her experience and a few months to her attaining the age of sixty, she would embark on this reckless and self destructive journey. Onyeka never spoke to me nor did she seek any clarification from me before spreading her venom. I am not quite sure but I have a few guesses as to what she is after and why without any provocation, she is so trigger happy and desperate to shoot my reputation down. I have had great patience with Ms. Onwenu. This time, she has crossed the line and I have asked my lawyers to take appropriate action and I will defend myself like I have done many times before. 

Having briefed my lawyers, I would have chosen to keep quiet. I have decided to issue this detailed statement because of the nature of the spread of misinformation in the digital age and because of a serious concern for the feelings of the different persons who kindly gave us badly needed assistance, the thousands who happily participated in the events and those who prayed for our success. It is also important that I reassure the many young people in our industry who look up to me. I want them to know that despite the madness in Nigeria, some of us strive to live up to the values that we preach. I am also giving these details because there are those who know the truth and who owe it to me and to posterity to timely speak out and lay this matter to rest but have chosen not to. For obvious reasons, I am deeply pained to have to join issues with Ms Onwenu in public but if I do not do so now, many may say, “there is no smoke without fire” I did not start this and have no interest in seeking vain glory and would have had no need to discuss these details if the present circumstances were not foisted on me.

1 hereby state categorically that I do not have one naira belonging to the Christy Essien-Igbokwe Burial Committee. In all, the sum of thirteen million naira was passed through me to the committee: a ten million naira cheque from Akwa Ibom State Government and three million naira in cash from Cross River State. Both were handed over to the committee. I did not demand neither did I receive any commission, honorarium, token or compensation for obtaining the money. I was not paid a penny for the over two months of back breaking work that I did to make sure that we kept the promise I made on behalf of the committee that Christy Essien-Igbokwe would be buried like a queen. Indeed, I spent substantial amount of personal funds to ensure the success of a project which I believed in and which despite the attempt to stain it will remain a watershed moment in the history of events organization in Nigeria. I never was a signatory to the Committee’s account and was not even a member of the finance committee and there was no key decision I took without obtaining the authorization of the Chairman of the committee, Dr. Austin Izagbo. At the end of the burial, I submitted very comprehensive financial reports on behalf of the two sub committees that I headed.

I was only drafted by the committee to help with fund raising when it became clear that the entire project was about to collapse because the Contact Committee of which Ms. Onwenu was a member, had failed to raise any money. At every meeting all I heard from Onyeka was how she was ‘in touch with the First Lady’ A good number of us including Austin Izagbo and Bisi Olatilo put in significant time and personal funds towards the success of the burial. I do not know of any money that Onyeka contributed towards the project. When Onyeka Onwenu sings I celebrate her because she is a very good singer but being a good singer is not a licence to act without self control and without any consideration for the consequences of your actions on others.    

I am a very busy person and did not seek to be part of the Christy Essien-Igbokwe Burial Committee. I was invited to the committee by Christy’s husband, Edwin. Despite the size of the committee and my protestations, I was requested by the members to head two key sub committees: the Ceremonial sub Committee and the Publicity sub Committee. The ceremonial committee was charged with designing and executing the events and the Publicity Committee with promoting the activities. I was warned by friends of the high risk of my name being tarnished.  I ultimately agreed to undertake the assignments because I believed in the cause but I warned everyone in the committee that I did not want to be part of any scandal. 

The committees worked for weeks without one naira from anywhere. As Chairman of the Publicity Committee, I tapped on the substantial goodwill I enjoy with the media and I was answered positively and comprehensively. As a result of the work of my committee, over one hundred million naira in direct advertising was given to the burial activities by diverse media institutions in Nigeria free of charge, not to speak of the massive amount of editorial support, something that had never happened. I will never stop expressing my gratitude to the Nigerian media for their generosity. Among the several media friends I personally pleaded with on the phone were Mr. Tony Onyima, Editor-in Chief of the Sun; Mr. Sam Amuka Pemu, Publisher of Vanguard; Mr. Demola Osinubi, Managing Director of the Punch; Mr. Kunle Bakare, Publisher of Encomium Weekly; Mr Azuh Arinze, Publisher of Yes Magazine, Mr. Olisa Adibua of Beat, Classic and Naija FM; Mr. Lekan Ogubanwo, the Permanent Secretary in charge of LTV, Mr. Bola Agboola, the FRCN Director of Marketing, etc.  I personally went to plead with the leadership of TVC, met with Chief Steve Ojo, owner of Galaxy TV and spoke with my friends at NTA, AIT, Channels, etc. 

At the editorial and reportorial levels, I continuously spoke with countless journalists. Those I could not speak with, I wrote letters to. I invited a number of crack journalists to join the Publicity Committee and was constantly on the ‘neck’ of friends like Nat Biefoh Osewele of the Sun, Nonye Ben Nwankwo of the Punch, Charles Okogene of Independent, Kabir Garba of the Guardian, Fred Onyeka Nwalue of Metro FM, Patience Okeafor of Galaxy, Alozie Uzoukwu of STV, Ifeoma Oti &Jasmine Egeonu of AIT, Hazeez Balogun of Compass, Azuh Amatus of Entertainment Express, Ayo Lawal of PM News, Tunde Laiwola of LTV, Emeka Nnamani of Ray Power FM, etc. 

While I had a number of good journalists on the Publicity Committee who had been asked to write stories to promote the events, it was clear that many of them were busy especially as there was no honorarium for the work they were asked to do. Ultimately, I had to write most of the press releases that drove the events. At the end of the day, I had written about 71 press releases which were circulated and published daily across the length and breadth of the nation. I once mailed a press release on the events to Ogbonna Amadi who is credited with the vile article published in Vanguard seeking to destroy me. A few minutes after receiving my mail, Mr. Amadi replied, warning me not to send any such “trash” to his box. 

Because of lack of funds, I had to personally write the advert copies for radio, print and TV and supervised their production and syndication.  I coordinated the organization of two major and very successful press conferences, one at Niteshift Coliseum and the other at Teslim Balogun Stadium. As a result, the Christy Essien Igbokwe burial became the talk of the nation and everyone wanted to be part of it. While a good number of people in our committee commended the pain staking work we were doing to celebrate our colleague, Ms. Onyeka Onwenu sent out text messages to all and sundry complaining that Tony Okoroji was engaged in self promotion!

As Chairman of the Ceremonial Committee, I worked with a fantastic group to design the seven different events of the burial. With the kind assistance of the Lagos State Commissioner for Sports, Barrister Waheed Enitan Oshodi, I got Governor Fashola to allow us the use of Teslim Balogun Stadium, free of charge. I pleaded on the phone with the General Manager of the National Theatre, Malam Kabir Yusuf and a hall was given for the Symposium free of charge and the VIP foyer given for the Lying in State also free of charge. I drafted in  Segun Arinze, Baba Dee, Fred Edore, Azuh Amatus and Yinka Davies and I spoke with each of them several times every day no matter where in Nigeria I was. That was how the entertainment industry and the media were mobilized and the four teams that played the celebrated Match of the Stars in honour of Christy and the cheer leading ensemble were formed. Through Felix Awogu and Fred Edore, both of whom I will remain ever grateful to, the teams were fully kitted like professionals free of charge by Zenith Sports. With the approval of the committee, I invited Lagos lawyer and former police officer, Mr. Victor Eiremokhae to join the committee and to head the security team and without any compensation, he did a first class job.  Without asking how the Match of the Stars was conceived or put together, Ms Onyeka Onwenu arrived at Teslim Balogun Stadium on match day, smiling from cheek to cheek, to do the kick off, jumping around the stadium and posing for photographs everywhere.  

I assembled the artistes that gave the wonderful performances at the Red Carpet Tribute Night. When rehearsals could not begin because there was no money, I provided personal funds to the band to start rehearsals at African Shrine graciously made available to us by Yeni Kuti who showed great commitment to the success of the event. I was convinced that Frank Edoho of Who Wants to be a Millionaire was the right compere for the Tribute Night. I spoke with Frank countless times. It became clear that while Frank wanted to do the show, he had already been paid to do another event that night. Between Frank and I, we agreed that the only way that he would make the Coliseum event was to give a refund to those who had previously paid him. Frank will bear witness that I made significant personal contribution towards this refund. Nowhere in the financial statement to the committee did I mention this or seek that I be repaid. Indeed, the only person I informed about this was Dr. Izagbo after the event.

I was aware of the well known dispute between the Igbokwe family and Governor Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State. There was clear agreement between me and the Chairman of the Burial Committee, Dr Izagbo that we owed a duty to Christy to attempt to resolve the dispute. Consequently, I called a contact in Uyo who helped set up a meeting with Governor Akpabio. I invited my very good friend Bisi Olatilo who was then in Abuja and he graciously cut his trip to join me in Uyo. Ms. Onwenu was asked to travel with me. The two day meeting in Uyo with the governor was a turning point as it helped to clear much of the clouds that hovered over the entire project. Governor Akpabio showed the kind of simplicity, maturity and forgiving spirit not usually associated with people who occupy such positions in this part of the world. He went out of his way to help douse whatever tension existed between the Igbokwe and Essien families. Let me say that without Godswill Akpabio, the Christy Essien burial would have ended differently.

I have heard that a rumour has been activated that Governor Akpabio gave me millions to do the documentary on Christy. I suspect that this is a key reason for the long brewing hyper ventilation of Ms. Onwenu to boil over. I state categorically that The Story of the Lady of Songs which has been broadcast by several TV stations in the country was funded entirely by me and has financially set me back significantly. Contrary to Ms. Onwenu’s assertion, nowhere in the financial report sent by me to the Christy Essien- Igbokwe Burial Committee was one naira requested as cost of the documentary. I did the research and wrote the script and within two weeks, in the midst of the mind boggling challenges of organizing probably the most elaborate burial in Nigerian history, I traversed the country with a film crew led by an incredible Nigerian known as Razak Izebe, and day and night we shot the visuals across several states, edited on the road and produced the first ever cradle to grave story on any Nigerian artiste. Austin Izagbo and Bisi Olatilo will bear witness that Ms Onwenu was repeatedly requested to participate in the documentary and she declined. 

It may be sour grapes or bad belle but Ms. Onwenu has set out to rubbish The Story of the Lady of Songs describing it in her internet and newspaper tirade as ‘substandard’ I have however received commendations on the work from several professionals whom I have great respect for. The so called “substandard” documentary has been seen by millions of Nigerians on several TV stations like AIT, Channels, TVC, Biscon, Galaxy, NTA, etc. It is arguably the most broadcast documentary in Nigeria in recent times. Many people have told me that through the documentary, they have learnt so much about the life of Christy Essien Igbokwe that they did not know. The documentary is today a national resource and an everlasting legacy to the memory of Christy.  It does not matter to me if Ms Onwenu develops a headache each time The Story of the Lady of Songs is broadcast but someone should remind her that Nigeria is a free country and that she has every right to do her own documentary on Christy or anyone else and get it shown wherever she may choose.

In the tirade in which Ms. Onwenu could not find one good thing done by me towards the Christy burial, she also complained about the use of COSON staff in the burial arrangements.  I am Chairman of the Board of COSON which is a non-profit making organization. Until her death, Christy Essien-Igbokwe was a member of COSON. I owe no apologies to Ms Onwenu for requesting the hard working staff of COSON to participate in the burial arrangements of our member. Indeed I commend all the COSON staff who made valuable contribution to the success of the events:- Vincent Adawaisi, Elizabeth Ike, Isa Haruna, Benice Eriemeghe, Yemi Oyerinde, etc. To the staff of COSON, Ms. Onwenu’s complaint would be a joke especially coming from ‘Madam Probity’ who regularly demands that the staff of COSON come to her private office to do her private work. Ms Onwenu likes to complain about everyone’s leadership but I am not aware of any complex organization that she has handled or any serious group that she has successfully led.

A few days to the commencement of the burial events, it was reported at a committee meeting that the only drinks that had been mobilized by the welfare committee apart from the Ragolis water kindly donated by Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi, were a few crates of Seven Up! I was alarmed and requested that I be allowed to intervene. I then called my friends at Nigerian Breweries Plc: Tony Agemonmen, Edem Vindah, Sampson Oloche and Ngozi Nkwoji and Nigerian Breweries stepped in and donated much of the drinks we received for the events.   

What I truly do not understand is how I could have taken the many wrong decisions which Ms. Onwenu alleges and yet the organization of the events of the Christy Essien Igbokwe burial have been widely acknowledged to be masterful and Onyeka Onwenu has basked in the glory of the success of the events. It beats me how she cannot see the contradiction.

Despite the fact that, I live in Lagos, for several weeks, I did not go home because of the Christy Essien burial. Home and office were a room in a modest guest house in Ikeja which I shared sometimes with four other persons, several laptops and internet modems. While Lagos slept, we were deep at work. It was from this room that 24 hours a day, we mobilized Nigerians and did the important organizational and media work that drove the celebrated events of the Christy Essien burial which Nigerians witnessed. Some of us went for days snatching fifteen minutes sleep here and there. Austin Izagbo visited Room 302 at least 25 times. Ken Olumese was there and so were Yinka Davies, Eva Ogoro, Kaka Igbokwe, Chika Okpala, Lemmy Jackson, Pal Akalonu, Cornel Udofia, Victor Eiremokhae, Kunle Akintayo, Aladave, Aniekan Umanah - the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information and many others whose presence inspired us to successfully wrestle with the many challenges and tie together the hundreds of different elements that made the grand idea a reality. Onyeka Onwenu never came.

After Ms. Onwenu joined the committee and the atmosphere became soured, I realized that a concerted attempt was being choreographed to smear me. I had seen this happen before and I did not want to be part of it. Unknown to most members of the committee, on August 14, I wrote to Chief Edwin Igbokwe informing him that I had decided to quietly withdraw from the committee. I immediately commenced arrangements to travel with my friends, Patrick Doyle and Mahmoud Ali Balogun on an important business trip to South Africa from where I would proceed to the United States to join my wife. My plan was to remain in the US until the burial activities were over. Upon receiving my mail, Chief Igbokwe who was in Anambra, sent a mail pleading that I rescind the withdrawal. He followed it up with phone calls. (My mail and Chief Igbokwe’s reply are hereby forwarded)

On the prompting of Chief Igbokwe, Dr. Izagbo rushed to Room 302 where he found me at a meeting with Patrick and Mahmoud planning our trip. For several hours, we argued back and forth on the effect my withdrawal would have on the burial arrangements. I told Dr. Izagbo that I could no longer operate under the atmosphere that had developed. Dr. Izagbo who shares a common ancestry with my wife pleaded with me and prevailed on me to reverse my decision in the interest of the committee, assuring me that he would take charge and ensure that my name was not dragged to the mud. 

Once again, I have to pay lawyers to clear my name for doing massive unpaid work in furtherance of the beliefs that I hold. I have travelled this road before.  I thank God that each time, He has given me victory.  By His grace, it will happen again.      

Chief Tony Okoroji

Lagos – October 18, 2011.


Onyeka Onwenu's letter to Tony Okoroji

Dear Tony Okoroji, I write this letter with a pained heart, one full of disappointment at the news that you pocketed the N3 million donation made by the Cross River State Government to the Christy Essien Burial Committee for use towards her burial programme.

I understand that you took this decision because you claimed you were owed certain amounts for “unauthorised” expenditures made by you during the burial week. Unauthorised, because you did whatever you wanted and undertook actions against the decisions of the committee as a whole.
Actions such as the making of a documentary and the commissioning of satellite musical stampedes in other States. You headed sub-committees assigned to you but handled everything to the exclusion of other members and then you took over other sub-committees and insisted on imposing yourself on everyone else.

I know you like to say that others were not up to doing the work but that is a misinformation that suits your imagination. How could they when you wouldn’t let them. How many meetings did you have with members of your subcommittees?

How many remedial meetings were called by the committee to redress some of your mistakes did you respect? You took delight in presenting us with a fait accompli, in setting programmes for events that were even outside your purview and jurisdiction. You even dared to impose pre-printed programmes that went against the committees decision.”

We tolerated all these just so we can protect the integrity of the burial programme and protect all our reputations. You believed your own hype and thought that you were smarter and more cunning than anyone else. Did you not inform us that you made that substandard documentary on Christy with your own money, therefore, we had no right to complain.

Yet you have now turned around to charge the committee for it.  Let me note here that you used COSON staff, paid by copyright owners, something you have done, consistently over the period of your chairmanship and which you know or should know is patently wrong.

You also said that the MCs you brought in for the tribute night at the NiteShift, against the committee’s decision had offered their services free of charge.

But now you are charging for their services. During our last committee meeting and in response to my objection to your “one man, devil may care” decision taking, your inability to be a team player and total lack of regard for the people you are supposed to work with, you accused me of having the capability of sending hired assassins after you.

What a reckless thing to say and how irresponsible are you. I decided to ignore you but on a second thought, you had projected onto me something that you were considering doing yourself. I have taken note of it.

I would have been very happy to see you prove me wrong by doing the right thing. But what did you do, you confirmed our worst fears by taking money which did not belong to you. My dear brother,
Tony, I wish that you would have a rethink and return the money.

It is blood money and would do you no good. You make us wonder if the reason you were part of Christy’s Burial Committee was to help give a befitting burial rites or to rip it off. You have an opportunity to prove your innocence.

I understand that the first thing you said at the first committee meeting was that there must be no financial impropriety and now, you have eaten what you vomited. If indeed you are being owed, why not let the committee decide. What are you afraid of. It is not too late, you can still do the right thing. God bless you as you do so.
Onyeka Onwenu