It’s not stunning that profitable individuals and specialists of their fields are sometimes targets of assaults, criticism and slander. However what’s most regarding is when the media turns into the prepared platforms for sponsored assaults. That is clearly the case of Norman Bwuruk Didam, the CEO of Viva Atlantic and Know-how Home restricted.
Few weeks again, reviews have been revealed throughout varied information platforms, referencing a World Financial institution announcement in regards to the debarment of Mr Didam and his firms. Sadly, many Nigerian media retailers reported this with out verifying the info, failing to conduct due diligence, elevating issues in regards to the motive behind this sort of publicity. It seems to me as a gang-up by each opponents; rivals and entities who wish to rating low-cost recognition and by those that wish to create the impression that some persons are really doing their job.
Primarily based on my analysis of the matter, in 2018, a World Financial institution financed contract was awarded to Didam’s company-Viva Atlantic restricted by the Nationwide Social Security Web Coordinating Workplace, after it efficiently certified because the successful bidder. The contract was formally awarded on December 20, 2018 and was accomplished on April 30, 2019 – inside simply 5 months. A letter of job completion was issued indicating satisfaction with the standard, specs and velocity of execution.
Virtually six years later, on the fifteenth of January 2025, the World Financial institution’s resolution banning Viva Atlantic and Know-how Home for 30 months was revealed on its web site, accusing these firms for using insider data, collusive follow and corruption. I searched and researched to seek out if there was a earlier publication about this matter however discovered none.
However in a stunning twist, events waited for a few week, twenty first January 2025 exactly, earlier than sponsoring the extraction and large publications on varied native platforms in Nigeria. This delayed launch is questionable and ostensibly aimed toward undermining a younger and promising entrepreneur. This has left the general public to invest on the true motives and timeline behind investigating a contract awarded and accomplished six years in the past.
Many crucial minds have questioned why the CEO and his firms have been subjected to this sort of publicity having satisfactorily accomplished the job with none criticism on high quality, specification or velocity. No allegation of corruption beforehand reported or siphoning of funds nor inflation of contract sum in addition to breaking of any regulation and order. I’d have thought that the financial institution ought to have been concentrating on those that deserted or failed to finish initiatives based mostly on specs and timelines as an alternative of blacklisting and shaming those that accomplished theirs. Would the media react to information of debarment for firms that failed to finish or deserted their contracts? Ought to the accused be the one goal? I discover it fairly surprising, damning and bias. The report talked about inducement however failed to say the names of the individuals who have been induced.
From my analysis, it was a token of appreciation which was executed after the venture execution. It’s akin to the follow of taking hampers and even money equal to purchasers after offering companies which is commonly seen as public relations or appreciation, as is widespread follow in lots of organisations in Nigeria. However then, if the financial institution should punish the giver of, “objects of worth to public officers “why not equally punish the general public officers that acquired the “objects of worth”? As an alternative the financial institution conveniently shielded them from the publication. Are they not culpable?
From my findings and observations, it additionally seems that an occasion (ies) and enterprise rivals could have orchestrated the entire course of and waited for the information to interrupt after which sponsored the viral publications in Nigerian newspapers, concentrating on him and his firms. The intention appears to not enhance the system, however to frustrate the entrepreneur, block his entry to initiatives and contracts, tarnish his picture and destroy his enterprise goodwill. It’s a very sadistic strategy and a “crab mentality” to successful in enterprise.
One can solely think about how this report could have subjected the entrepreneur and his firms to a helpless state of affairs of getting no alternative or the platform to current their very own facet of the story. Because of this as journalist we should always not fold our palms and watch after we really feel an injustice has been dedicated, regardless of the entity that dedicated the injustice. As a result of such publication is able to subjecting the people to psychological trauma and have an effect on their future enterprise dealings with potential purchasers. To wish to run down a person merely due to a contract that will not be too vital to a corporation such because the World Financial institution is petty.
Does the financial institution take into account the impact of such unfavourable report even on the psyche of people? Why publish on its web site within the first place when it’s primarily a few suspension for a time frame? One would marvel if the financial institution is an infallible group that has the proper and the jurisdiction to be prosecutor, choose and jury with out giving truthful trial to these it accused. If you would need to ban an organization publicly after which invite the corporate again to enterprise after a interval, then why hassle? Why not merely inform the person or the corporate that their companies are not required because it applies all over the place fairly than damaging their status publicly and inflicting them to lose different potential purchasers and partnerships? Are debarred firms by the financial institution entitled to compensation after being launched from debarment? If not then it’s a grave injustice to the entities. Does third occasion shopper have unique ethical and authorized proper to debar their suppliers and contractors publicly with out trial after completely benefiting from the companies supplied?
From my viewpoint, an injustice has been dedicated to a helpless and innocent particular person who appears to haven’t any energy or means to reply and this can be the truth of many different people and entities who are suffering the identical destiny. I’d have thought that it’s within the curiosity of human and capital growth (as being championed by so-called growth companions) that younger individuals who enterprise into companies, and commit their vitality, assets, mind, and improvements to such, be inspired to thrive, to not be suppressed by envious entities and the may of this world.
Ali Adoyi writes from Abuja, Nigeria.
