When freedom of speech is expressed with malice and no care is taken to ensure truth, conscience and rights of others, I begin to wonder “if speech is truly free”. Worse still is when such speeches are made in total disregard of possible realignment considering change as a constant variable.
Some people say its democracy and I ask why we have refused to imbibe other positive virtues that democracy presents rather than live to make true the postulation of the Late Afrobeat icon Fela Anikulapo Kuti who described democracy as “a demonstration of craze”, no wonder President Idia Amin Of Uganda once said “there is freedom of speech but your freedom after the speech is not guaranteed”. Certainly people may feel they are free after a speech because they are not held behind bars but it is true that no injustice done to man shall go without redress, if not by man then certainly by God.
When I get to read about sustained media attacks on the persons of Chief Godswill Akpabio (CON) the Governor and Mr. Udom Emmanuel, The Secretary to Akwa Ibom State Government. It makes me ask if people ever care about the feelings of their fellow men. Obviously if they do, they would have cared enough to know that these men have families who may stumble on some of these publications and feel heart broken at the negative publicity ascribed to a loved one by people who have chosen to make an enterprise from the destruction of humanity.
I think that the National Orientation Agency should do more at educating the public on freedom of speech and its boundaries. I also would plead that The Rotary International should do more at educating the public on their Four- Way- Test concept. This concept holds that before an action, one should ask the following questions:-
1. Is it the truth?
2. Is it fair to all concerned?
3. Will it build goodwill and better friendship?
4. Will it be beneficial to all concern?
This would make people come to realise that humanity needs to be preserved than destroyed, defamation must be discouraged in its totality calling to mind the adage that “ he who destroys in order to succeed shall meet destruction amidst his success”.
If the attack on these men is about the 2015 Gubernatorial race in Akwa Ibom then I may not be saying everyone’s mind but I’m sure not alone in this thought. I am sure that the generality of the unbiased Akwa Ibom people are already perplexed at why people would not wait for Mr. Udom Emmanuel to say that he wants to be Governor in 2015 or is the pre-declaration attack on this man by people a ploy to prevent him from joining the fray? We ponder on why people should attack a man who is yet to declare his ambition. Ironically these attacks have endeared him to me and other critical minds. Not because I enjoy controversy but because this man has the substance to stir these controversies and get people jittery after all stones are always thrown at “fruit bearing trees”. This is the kind of situation I call “rat race” truly they were sleeping before this man arrived. Those who call themselves politicians describe Udom as a political green horn, the question therefore is, if he is a green horn then why the fret?
Most attacks on this man stems from the shallow reasoning that:-
1. He can not reap where he did not sow.
2. He is not a politician.
3. He is a new comer.
I often make out time to give the following responses to these book makers:-
1. He is already reaping because he had sown. How can people say a man who has been a key player in the international business and investment community did not sow? Are his years of commitment and dedication to the Nigeria’s economy not enough proof that this man has given his best at enhancing livelihood and growth of humanity? I definitely won’t put forth his résumé but it is to everybody’s knowledge that this is a man whose mind has been liberated by education, exposure and passion for excellence. Let’s be reminded that it was Sir Harold Klemp who said “....I am guilty of war when I think that the land of a man’s birth must necessarily be the place of his livelihood”. Udom Emmanuel’s land of birth is Akwa Ibom but with gratitude to God, this man has made his livelihood from the World thereby taking Akwa Ibom to the World.
2. Yes he is not a politician and as of when I last checked the dictionary a cyclist was an profession while a politician wasn’t. We have been so bullied over time to accept politics as an occupation and I often imagine how doomed the World would have been without professionals. Since in the Nigerian context a politician is “a man who tells lots of repeated lies over times and bullies the people who have been obviously robbed of their humanity to accept same lies with applauses”. Let’s be reminded that were things to be done the right way, most people we celebrate as politicians would not even be leaders in a witchcraft association. At this level it can only be advised that a man who has shown professional leadership should be encouraged to offer himself for political leadership. A recent research has established that good leaders are never professional politicians but people who have been distinguished in their various endeavours. A short list would suffice here, Barack Obama is a lawyer and former professor at Harvard law school, Angela Merkel is a leading World economist, Chief Godswill Akpabio was a strong telecoms lawyer in Lagos before becoming Governor.
3. How do you call a man who is above thirty-five (35) a new comer? A man who has sat on boards that took decisions which globally enhanced the world’s economy can never be a new comer. I make bold to ask, what people who left long incarcerations to assume leadership positions would be called when a man who has always been active at delivering his quota to Nation building is called “a new comer”. Yes if truly he wants to be Governor he can be called a new comer because he has never been a Governor but I’m sure no Ex-Governor will be contesting for Governorship in 2015 and this makes everyone with gubernatorial ambitions in Akwa Ibom new comers as well, since none of them has had an experience at being a Governor. Though being new to Governorship by the fact he hasn’t been one before does not make him new to governance, he is also not new to having the passion for his people, delivering on his mandate at any level attained.
Without any fear of contradiction, I will state here that I am old enough to discern between what is good for my people and the wishes of a few greedy folks. I am of the firm believe that anyone who is progress minded and committed to the Akwa Ibom project will stop at nothing to pray that God sends a man in the ilk of Mr. Udom Emmanuel to Akwa Ibom as Governor in 2015. This may sound weird, but permit me to share my personal experience about this man.
I attended the South-South public hearing program on the Review of Revenue allocation Formula an event which was organised by The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission and held in Yenegoa the Bayelsa State capital. At that event, Mr. Udom who represented the Akwa Ibom State Governor made the most professional and plausible presentation. His presentation was so comprehensive and encompassing those other presenters had to rely on his submissions.
At that point I saw in Mr. Udom Emmanuel a man who pays mind to details and is patient enough to ensure maximal result is achieved in anything he ventures into. Truly governance as an art needs more of his kind. At the Youths end of the year get-together, I listened to Udom Emmanuel speak extempore and took home his transitional gospel of sustainable development trailing uncommon transformation, I was convinced that the man had much more to offer than meets the eyes.
If despite my peripheral exposition on this man, people still hold their prejudices against him, then just like in the creed of peace which states thus:- “....I am guilty of war when I distort others’ opinion which differ from my own....I am guilty of war when I show disregards for the rights and privileges of others.....I am guilty of war when I covet what another has honestly acquired....I am guilty of war if I think other people must think and live the way I do....I am guilty of war if I think the minds of people should be regulated by force, rather than reasoning....I am guilty of war when I believe the God I conceive must be the one others must accept....”. Definitely people will be guilty of war not to know that Mr. Emmanuel Udom has all the constitutional and moral backing to give a shot at the Hiltop mansion come 2015, if it is Godswill for him.
For all those who are against my convictions and position on this matter, you have a right to your belief including a rebuttal but while I await the rebuttal, I would plead that this peaceable man (Mr. Udom Emmanuel) be allowed to concentrate on his job as the Secretary to the State Government. And our worries on who will keep the ship of the uncommon transformation on course in 2015 should be guided by David’s proclamation in Psalms 62:11 “once God has spoken, twice I have heard; that power belongs to God”. We should know that there will be a Governor in Akwa Ibom come 2015 even if everyone goes to sleep and nobody bothers to aspire, this knowledge should bring to nought the unnecessary clamour of interests and agitation which will only widen the already existing boundaries instead of enhance our unity as a people under God.
If I had all the prayers to say, I would pray that “Godswill be done in Akwa Ibom even beyond 2015”.
Ayara wrote in from Ibong Otoro, Otoro in Abak LGA and can be reached on 08032129388
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