22 February 2020
Gaius Chibueze
(A.K.A Bitcoin Chief)
Founder, ABiT Network (Tatcoin)
Block 68, Plot 17 Abike Sulaiman St,
Lekki Phase 1, Lagos
Dear Mr. Chibueze
Open Letter to “Bitcoin Chief”: Within 48 hours, publicly retract your death threat on Ophi Rume, a SiBAN member, and your unwarranted statements about SiBAN.
The attention of Stakeholders in Blockchain Technology Association of Nigeria (SiBAN) has been brought to the several public statements you made about one of our esteemed members and about us on Friday 21 February 2020.
Considering that you are supposed to be a leader and a role model in the Nigeria blockhain & cryptocurrency community, your unwarranted statements are worrisome, disappointing, and quite embarrassing. It is not in the character of a leader with your status, especially one who is running a project in our community. Indeed, you make us have a cause to worry about your leadership ability and capacity as a Founder/CEO in this typically unstable industry which requires responsible and ethical leadership.
Your statements are unwarranted, uncivil, and unacceptable.
In your unwarranted statements, you did as follows:
- You threatened the life of Ophi Rume, a SiBAN member, a partner at Vorem, and active stakeholder in the Nigeria blockchain and cryptocurrency community, an illegal, criminal, and unethical act which violates the right of the individual involved, the code of conduct of SiBAN, and the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Below are your threatening words as delivered through your WhatsApp account to Mr. Ophi Rume:
- You called SiBAN, an association of stakeholders in blockchain technology in Nigeria with over 250-member community, unprintable names referring to the body of blockchain founders, leaders, experts, and enthusiasts in the space, as “fools”, “useless”, “mad”, and other unprintable names, thus showing utter disrespect to SiBAN with its members. Below are your insulting words as published by you on your WhatsApp status:
Your attacks are impetuous and uninformed.
Your unguarded words are totally unwarranted, uncivilized, and unacceptable. We make two clarifications below:
- A Legitimate Concern May be Raised by any member of the community about any Project: Mr. Rume, whose life you threatened, only asked that SiBAN should look into the affairs of Tatcoin, therefore whether Tatcoin was a questionable product or offer or not was absolutely left for SiBAN to decide, if SiBAN decides to look into it; and
- SiBAN is not one man, but an association of hundreds of stakeholders in Nigeria’s blockchain space: SiBAN is a body comprising of independent individuals and organizations in the blockchain and cryptocurrency. Each member is independent-minded and democratically entitled to his or her individual opinion on the online platform on any issue. Therefore it is completely illogical, unjustifiable, and unwarranted to equate the opinion of one or more members on SiBAN platform to the opinion of SiBAN as an association or body.
Our Demands and 48-hour Ultimatum
Having established the above, on behalf of SiBAN Committee and its members we hereby demand that you must do the following three (3) things within 48 hours from now:
- Publicly retract your death threat on our esteemed member, Mr. Ophi Rume or be prepared to face the legal consequences of your action;
- Publicly apologize to Mr. Ophi Rume for your unwarranted attack on his person over a matter that he has a right to legitimately raise on SiBAN platform;
- Publicly retract your unwarranted and insulting statements against SiBAN and issue a public apology to SiBAN.
In the unlikely event that you fail, neglect, or refuse to meet the three (3) demands above within ultimatum, be prepared to face the legal consequences and administrative actions (which may include a Vote of No Confidence on you and Tatcoin management). You are strongly advised to comply within 48 hours.
Yours sincerely
Senator Ihenyen, General Secretary
Download PDF version here.
