“NA WA OOOH!” — DAVIDO’S LOGISTICS MANAGER QUESTIONS FORMER EDO REP’S CALL FOR EFCC ACTION AGAINST ATIKU
BENIN CITY, EDO STATE — Davido’s logistics manager, Israel Afeare, popularly known as Israel DMW, has taken a swipe at former Edo State federal lawmaker Ehionzuwa Johnson Agbonayinma, following his reported demand that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar be prosecuted and his threat to commence legal action if the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission fails to act within 14 days.
Israel DMW, reacting to the development, brought up the previous controversy involving Agbonayinma’s daughter, Deborah Ighiwiyisi Agbonayinma, whose employment with the National Pension Commission, PenCom, was terminated in 2019 following a certificate verification exercise.
He also referenced the subsequent declaration of Deborah as wanted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, over allegations relating to the use of fake degree certificates to secure employment with PenCom.
The development has triggered a fresh round of public commentary, with Israel DMW questioning the posture of the former lawmaker in demanding prosecution and accountability from another public figure while his family had previously been involved in a highly publicised government employment and certificate controversy.
In his reaction, Israel DMW expressed disbelief at the development, ending his commentary with the phrase: “Na wa oooh.”
The controversy surrounding Deborah Agbonayinma dates back to 2019, when reports emerged that PenCom had dismissed her following a certificate verification exercise.
The Nation reported at the time that PenCom confirmed her dismissal on February 27, 2019, after allegations that she had presented questionable academic credentials in securing employment with the commission.
The matter later escalated.
In 2021, the ICPC publicly declared Deborah Ighiwiyisi Agbonayinma wanted in connection with issues bordering on the alleged use of fake degree certificates to obtain employment with PenCom. The anti-corruption agency’s official notice identified her as the daughter of Hon. Ehionzuwa Johnson Agbonayinma, who had represented Egor/Ikpoba-Okha Constituency in the House of Representatives.
According to the ICPC notice, the matter involved allegations concerning fake degree certificates used to gain employment with PenCom.
Contemporary reports further stated that PenCom’s verification process raised questions about academic credentials submitted by Deborah, including a purported degree from an institution identified in the reports as Irish University Business School. Reports also stated that another credential attributed to Olabisi Onabanjo University was subsequently questioned by the university.
The ICPC subsequently listed Deborah among persons declared wanted by the commission. The agency’s current wanted-persons records still contain her name and identify the matter as involving the alleged use of fake degree certificates to gain employment with PenCom.
The controversy became particularly prominent because her father, Agbonayinma, was at the time chairman of a House of Representatives ad-hoc committee investigating issues surrounding the pension sector.
In April 2019, Agbonayinma stepped down as chairman of the House committee, saying there was pressure surrounding the investigation. During the controversy, he stated that his daughter was an adult who should be responsible for her actions.
Years later, the issue has resurfaced in a completely different political context following Agbonayinma’s reported demand for the prosecution of Atiku Abubakar.
The former lawmaker is reported to have demanded action from the EFCC and threatened legal proceedings if the anti-graft agency failed to act within 14 days.
That position has now attracted criticism from Israel DMW, who chose to revisit the PenCom controversy involving Agbonayinma’s daughter.
Israel’s reaction effectively turns the spotlight back on the former lawmaker’s own history of public controversy, raising questions about consistency, accountability and the standards public figures apply when demanding investigations or prosecution of others.
The latest exchange also reflects the increasingly confrontational nature of Nigeria’s political discourse, where past controversies involving politicians and their families are frequently brought back into public debate whenever those individuals make fresh allegations or demands for accountability.
However, the circumstances surrounding Deborah Agbonayinma’s PenCom employment and the ICPC’s subsequent declaration remain matters distinct from the current demand involving Atiku Abubakar.
There is also no basis to automatically attribute any alleged wrongdoing by a relative to the former lawmaker himself.
The central issue raised by Israel DMW is therefore one of political consistency and public accountability, rather than proof of personal wrongdoing by Agbonayinma.
The former lawmaker has the right to make his case concerning any alleged offence by Atiku or any other individual, just as those criticised have the right to respond and defend themselves.
As the political argument continues, attention will now remain on whether the EFCC will respond to Agbonayinma’s demand and whether the former lawmaker will take the threatened legal action if the 14-day period expires without the action he is demanding.
For Israel DMW, however, the message was much simpler:
“Na wa oooh.”
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