RE: ALPHA MAY CLUB BOOTS OUT ALEX EYENGHO. HERE'S WHY

PRESS STATEMENT 

 *RE: "ALPHA MAY CLUB BOOTS OUT ALEX EYENGHO. HERE'S WHY"*

1. My attention was drawn on September 20, 2021, to the above-captioned report written by one Emmanuel Onminyi in a so-called online medium that styles itself *thegistday.com* Normally, I don't join issues with, or dignify reports in obscure and unprofessional online media such as this but had to do it in this instance because this particular report quoted an unnamed source in the Alpha May Club (AMC). It is also important to state that since this childish online report on September 20, 2021, I had maintained my cool, giving the AMC enough room and believing that it would issue a counter statement dissociating itself from the *thegisday.com* charade. The fact that the AMC failed to do this over three months after, confirms to me that some characters in the club were behind the online report for reasons best known to them. Because the Internet does not forget, this press statement by me, therefore, is to set the records straight and allow the reading public hear from me.

2. Let me make it clear that at the general meeting of AMC held via Zoom and physically on September 19, 2021, with me in attendance via Zoom, the current Chairman of the club, Brigadier General (rtd) Emico Eruwa announced that after a meeting of the current Executives with some Elders of the Club, it was resolved that I, Alex Eyengho be removed forthwith as a member of the AMC. Part of the reasons alluded to for this weird and unprecedented decision in the about 35 years of the existence of AMC was the point of order raised by Mr Aji Rone-Orugbo during the  AMC meeting of August 2021 and my role as the Spokesperson of the Ologbotsere Descendants Worldwide, which in the view of some of the Elders and Executives was conflicting with the position of the club to fully support the new Olu of Warri. This bizarre pronouncement by the Chairman was supported by Chief Jemine Akpieyi-Otuedon and Mr Isaac Sobotie. 

3. It is instructive to quickly state at this point that even though I was in attendance at the said meeting, I was not given any opportunity whatsoever to defend myself. It was like a military pronouncement after a court marshal. It was more or less shaving my hair in my absence. No fair hearing whatsoever before, during or after the said meeting. No Committee was set up by the club to look into the matter (if any), neither was I invited to appear before any such Committee to defend myself. It was like a decision fully signed, sealed and delivered in the coven by the wizards, haters and envious few in the club against me, particularly the likes of Mr Aji Rone-Orugbo, Mr Isaac Sobotie, Mr Tsola Aragho, Dr Michael Ugbeye, Chief Jemine Akpieyi-Otuedon and two or three others who are too inconsequential to be mentioned in this press statement.

4. What exactly was my sin, one may ask? My sin was simply because I refused to join some members of AMC who are rabid haters of Chief Ayirimi Emami, the current Ologbotsere of Warri Kingdom, in hating him! They simply wanted me to make their common enemy my enemy too. Not only that, these haters within the club were very uncomfortable that I was doing a damn good job as the Spokesperson of the Ologbotsere Descendants Worldwide. Some of them even reached out to me on phone, urging me to backpedal in the defence of the Ologbotsere family over the manifest divide surrounding the succession to the Warri throne. Because I disagreed with them point-blank, they hated me the more and started their evil plot against me in the club.

5. Let me make it very clear that I did not break a single law of the AMC as enshrined in its Constitution and or Rules & Regulations. My initial reaction was to challenge the despotic action in court but on second thought, I resolved to let it go but issue this press statement for record purposes, particularly to establish the fact that I did absolutely nothing to be ashamed of or against the extant laws of AMC. I can walk very tall today vis-a-vis my over 16 years as a financially responsible member of the club. I also make bold to say that I added as much value to the club as those who joined the club at the same time as me or after me. I served selflessly as an executive member of the club for many years under at least three Chairmen, apart from serving as a member of several other ad-hoc committees of the club. I can say very boldly that I paid my dues in the AMC and it was only unfortunate that the current executives allowed themselves to be used by some old horses in the club who are full of hate for no justifiable reasons whatsoever. The club has lost some value-adding members due to the activities of these few old horses who think they own AMC. This was how Engr. Alex Neyin walked away from the club some years ago as a result of the biasness of these same set of persons in the club. Suffice it to say that it is the same Engr. Neyin who brought me into the club over 16 years ago. Perhaps I should have walked away with him when he did!

6. It is most embarrassing and indeed unfortunate that instead of AMC to always play the role of unbiased mediator when there are internal issues in the Warri Kingdom and Itsekiriland generally, these same old horses in the club almost always influence the sitting executives to throw the hat of the club into the ring! The AMC would always take sides with one divide against the other in Itsekiriland and most times end up losing out! This is why to the larger Itsekiri, the AMC is just like any other obscure social club in Itsekiriland. The AMC has so much to learn from the Itsekiri Leaders of Thought (ILoT) if it cares about redeeming its obscure image in the scheme of things in Itsekiriland. 

7. Let me end by saying here and now that I shall continue to maintain my robust relationship with some elders and members of the club, some of whom I have known long before joining the club. For the haters in the club, I will always pray for them to have a change of heart and know that life is just too short for them to carry the burden of hate in their daily life. They know in their inner minds that they wronged me by treating me unfairly and unjustly. Be that as it may, I have forgiven them and since moved on. The membership of AMC is based on selfless service to Itsekiriland using personal resources and scarce time. I did this with AMC for 16 years, unblemished. I have several other platforms with which I am doing this before and after joining the AMC. I shall continue to add value to the Itsekiri People, Land and Crown (Itsekiri PLC) in my own little way, using other platforms available to me.

                  SIGNED

Alex Oritsegbeyiwa EYENGHO

(Dated December, 27, 2021)

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