Princess Felicia Bassey: Taking Okobo to greater heights BY EDET OKPO

There are leaders whose preoccupation finds expression in blind indulgence in self-aggrandizement and pursuit of personal interests to the detriment of the well-being of the led who have helplessly entrusted their collective fate into their heads. These leaders constantly inflict pains on the masses from their failure to meet the yearnings of the people. 

Hence, they aggregate the sufferings of the people they are supposed to put smiles on their gloomy faces fractured by crushing poverty. They are apostles and personification of everything the masses should repudiate as they preen themselves in affluence while the society lies crooked and groans under the yoke of failed promises.

On the other hand, leaders exist with human face; the emancipation of the masses from the merciless jaw of biting poverty remains their fulfillment and joy in life. They hold public offices in trust and float schemes designed to advance the cause of humanity and bring about positive changes in the lives of the people. 

They are permanently disturbed and distressed at the alarming and growing rate of youth unemployment rocking our society leading to the upsurge in social vices. To these leaders, negative comments cast in acerbic invectives to run them down by persons who are largely ill-formed, only embolden, stiffen, strengthen and goad them on to pursue the cause of humanity. They refuse to be distracted because virulent media diatribe, only manures their political trees to yield more fruits of democratic dividends.

Expectedly, Hon. (Princess) Felicia Bassey, the Chairman of Okobo Local Government Area squarely fits into this category of leaders. No wonder she evidently exhibits qualities of a true, selfless leader captured above and appears unperturbed in the face of media diatribe to portray her result-oriented administration in bad light. Hon. (Princess) Bassey, very unassuming yet focused, doggedly determined to spread dividends of democracy to all the nooks and crannies of Okobo Local Government Area.

 Her role model is Her Excellency, (Mrs.) Ekaette Unoma Akpabio, wife of the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State whom she has effectively supported in the area of women and youth empowerment evident in the empowerment of several women and training of about 280 youths in skills acquisition programmes, ICT and manpower within a short period in office. Beside human empowerment, Hon. (Princess) Felicia Bassey has given the Council Headquarters a face lift by renovating and furnishing dilapidated offices, and constructed the collapsed perimeter fence, among other achievements. 

Because of her transparent and open door administration’s policy, the Legislative Council, in one its sessions unanimously passed a vote of confidence on Hon. (Princess) Felicia Bassey. 

Hon. (Princess) Felicia Bassey has carefully avoided media war with persons whose stock-in-trade is to sow seed of discord, acrimony and disaffection in Okobo Local Government Area in order to paint a picture of a government which has failed the electorate. She is permanently aware that performers are never celebrated by the enemies of progress. Therefore, as an astute administrator with a fecund sense of administration, she has ignored persons with mouth diarrhoea who do not mean well for the growth and development of Okobo Local Government Area. Her rising and intimidating political profile evidently haunts idle politicians in the area who are fruitlessly struggling to clip her political wings, whereas her people-oriented administration is constantly frustrating their ignoble moves.

The people of Okobo Local Government Area are not yet through with Princess Felicia Bassey and they are more than ready to entrust her with higher responsibilities in the area. Hence, attempts by few disgruntled individuals to cast a slur on her administration using a section of the media have been exposed and are mere futile exercises as Hon. (Princess) Bassey is determined to prove die-hard critics wrong in sealing up their mouths with more and more democracy dividends. 

God chooses leaders from time to time; He entrusts power unto whoever He wishes. Therefore, persons driven by greed to grab power to expand their wicked, but frail kingdoms, should rather join forces with Hon. (Princess) Felicia Bassey to develop Okobo Local Government Area. 

Born some years ago, Hon. (Princess) Felicia Bassey’s foray into politics was informed by the desire to serve her people, having found no fulfillment in the Nigeria Police Force where she voluntarily resigned to offer herself in the service of humanity, but not until she cut her teeth in the private sector where she served as the Managing Director of J. A. Bassey Enterprise. 

Having been found a thorough-bred politician with uncommon zeal for excellence in her capacity as Akwa Ibom South-South Senatorial District Woman Leader, between 2008 – 2012 as well as a great woman mobilizer and a cross generational bridge builder, , Hon. (Princess)  Bassey was rewarded with an appointment as Okobo Transition Committee Chairman between September 2011-March 2012.

As a golden fish which has no hiding place, the people of Okobo, having been convinced by her competence and capacity to deliver dividend of democracy, within a short period she served as a Transition Committee Chairman, collectively and unanimously elected her the Executive Chairman, Okobo Local Government Area in July 2012.

 So far, she has maintained a robust relationship between the Executive and Legislative arms of government. Hence, there has been relative peace in the Council. She has been widely celebrated and honoured for effective leadership and excellent performance evident in numerous awards including Mbawa Community Award of Excellence bestowed on her as first female Chairman, Okobo Local Government Area; Community Development Award by Lion’s Club; Ambassador of Peace and Unity Award by Committee on Police Affairs, House of Representatives; Commonwealth Leadership Prize, Nigeria Best Performed Local Government Chairman, Akwa Ibom State, and award as Pillar of Democracy in Okobo by National Coalition for Jonathan/Sambo Presidency South-South Zone.

Other awards Hon. (Princess)  Bassey has attracted on account of good governance are award of Excellence, selfless service to Akwa Ibom State by Annang Peoples Congress; National Association of Okobo Students Merit Award, UNICAL Chapter; among others. 

Hon. (Princess) Bassey is a member of many associations including Consensus Forum Oro, (COFO) immediate past Chancellor Worldwide; Unique Women Association, Secretary; Oron Union, Calabar Branch, Member; Niger Delta Peace Movement, Vice President; Mother and Daughter Association, Coordinator; Women in Politics, Member; Women in Leadership, among others. 

It was James Barrice who said that “those who bring sunshine into the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves”. Truly, Hon. (Princess) Bassey has brought sunshine of growth and development into the lives of others, and no wonder she is a leader with fertile sense of administration. Again, it was Arthur Ashe, Tennis player, socialist, first black winner of a major men’s single championship, who said “true heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost”. 

It is obvious that the cost Hon. (Princess) Bassey is paying for diligently serving her people is the barrage of media diatribe planted in the social media and pages of newspapers to discredit her administration. However, she is burning with the urge to serve, even in higher capacity as she is steadily climbing her political ladder laced with rising and intimidating democratic credentials.