Udom Emmanuel: The invention of credibility BY SAMUEL AYARA

“...can any good thing come from Nazareth?...come and see”(John 1:45-46). That Pedestrian Nazareth heralded the emergence of a man, Chief Godswill Akpabio (CON) who has turned around fortunes to a choice destination. Just about when he is winding up, another voice has come, this time with a loud yell “...But thou Bethlehem, though you be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth he who is to be a ruler in Israel” (Micah 5:2).

Behold Mr. Udom Emmanuel has come  and for those who thought the passion I hold for this man will fade out after a while, I’m sure glad to disappoint such ill feelings though my disappointment this time has come with the blessing of a good offer; an open invitation to all the Thomas’ to join me in exploring the innovation called Udom Emmanuel.

It is often said that “a journey of a thousand miles begin with a step” that’s for a visionless man as I make do to rebut such claims with “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a means of transport and a compass”. Yes! Because it amounts to utter madness for one to trek for a thousand miles. Means of transport and compass signifies preparedness, capacity building, keeping faith and taking a day at a time. These and many more are what my brand: Mr. Udom Emmanuel has done. No wonder people who delight in mediocrity rather wish he never showed up for this clarion call. The countless responsibilities providence has brought his way can only confirm that “who God has blessed, no man can curse”.

Through the board of Directors in different institutions to the board of governance in Akwa Ibom, this man has proven his mettle and one begins to want to ask if Udom Emmanuel has more life lines than life truly offers? Truth be told, he may; or how else can one describe a man who has perfectly fitted into the uncommon transformation team as though he had been on board at inception? The answers to this and more questions are not farfetched, passion had met fire.

In the quest for who succeeds Chief Godswill Akpabio as Governor in 2015, I have always held a strong sentiment for merit and credibility.

 These sentiments were so closely knitted together that I paid no mind to where such person comes from. In my opinion he could be from Ethopia, Greek, Cameroun and I meant anywhere as far as he has all it takes religiously, socially, constitutionally and conscientiously to be a Governor. Development may have been indices, human empowerment could have been my drive but little was known about a man who can give all of these and still walk the street with plausible humility. Of course; I may have been selfish in my quest not to have considered justice, equity and fairness in my sentiments of who should succeed my 5-Star General Governor Godswill Akpabio. Surely “man proposes, God disposes” God never disposed my desire; he rather qualified my passionate proposition of merit and credibility with justice, equity and fairness when he brought Mr. Udom Emmanuel to the picture. His arrival signaled the beginning of an era; lo! merit and credibility is wrapped in justice, equity and fairness.

A can do spirit of resilience, commitment, humility and hardwork stands him out as a true Akwa Ibom man. When next anyone doubts his “Akwa Ibom-ability” same should be reminded how this man left all of the designers suits in the World to be clad in an Akwa Ibom attire for his swearing-in as SSG, how he ensured Akwa Ibom people had a better deal in all of his corporate engagements and the number of Akwa Ibom people that can today elk a living through his benevolent nature of teaching people how to fish and living true to the saying that “charity begins at home”. He probably never would have owed so much to his people and would have considered himself a “self made man” but for his liberal minded disposition which brought him to the knowledge that no man is self made. These realizations gave him reasons to give back in no small measure of gratitude to the society that made him, having long overcome ego, greed and selfishness.

How people lay unfounded claims to Akwa Ibom Governorship often beats my imagination. They tend to forget the role of the masses in their ambitions. Some claim they will be made Governor in Abuja, this claim of making a Governor in Abuja makes me care to ask; if there is an Akwa Ibom voting unit in Abuja? Most of them are people with known antecedents who go about telling lies of how they helped the 5-Star General Governor Godswill Akpabio to electoral victories in 2007 and 2011. It is no more news that it was Akwa Ibom people who wanted Godswill Akpabio while the people who go about pelting rumours of how they helped the Governor’s emergence are only political jobbers who are seen to have even been behind most of the blackmails the Governor suffered because of their penchant for pecuniary gains.

  How they suddenly realized that Brig Esuene who had been Governor in South-Eastern state and Dr. Clement Isong Governor of Old cross Rivers were from Eket Federal Constituency and as such should disenfranchise the people from taking a shot at the Hilltop in 2015 leaves much to be desired. These book makers should seek psychiatrist attention because we can’t be talking Akwa Ibom and they are hearing South-Eastern State and Cross River State. The question again is; why are they afraid?

They lay claims to what feats they have attained politically, forgetting all the masses gets to see from such claims are the level of unjustifiable wealth they have amassed within the period they lay these unfounded claims of heroism. How many of them genuinely with no greed undertake a service in community development? How many of them have honestly awarded scholarships to indigent students who can’t be of help to their political adventures?


How many have helped set up youths in small and medium scale businesses for self sustenance? When next they come we should be bold enough to ask them how many of their children make up the troop of thugs and hoodlums they mobilize with peanuts for political might. Why the only time they ask to see students is when elections are near? These jobbers lay so much claims to ownership of politics and feels everyone should queue behind them. The news I have for this class of people is that Mr. Udom Emmanuel has come and his political progress must be geometrical since he had already done the arithmetic progress in the International business and investment sector.

His success in the investment sector has just won him an accelerated progress in politics. He doesn’t need to learn the ropes, after all what politics is greater than growing through stiff competitions to stardom in a sector as the business and investments world? Where one is made to compulsorily play second fiddle if not intelligent, calculating, intuitive, hardworking and ambitious.

People who dwell in mediocrity often use the Judas Iscariot’s succession precedence as recorded in Acts1:21-22 where Mathias was chosen because he had always been with Jesus. It is worthy of note that; Mathias, though chosen was a dormant Disciple who did no exploit compared to Paul the Apostle. Paul did so much through his life and teachings in bringing people to the likeness of God. This fact makes me wish Paul would have done more if he was close enough to have been chosen as a disciple. 

 

With the exploits of Mr. Udom Emmanuel in the Corporate World and his being chosen into the uncommon transformation team, it can only be said more will be achieved. Little wonders why Garri still sells more than indomie despite the sustained advert on the later and seemingly no advert on the former. It is true, he was not on board the uncommon transformation ship from inception but it is to every believer’s knowledge that “the glory of the later house shall surpass that of the former” (Haggai 2:9) Udom is that perfect peg for the hole.

This man who has kept calm with beaming smiles that portrays hope in the face of criticism has proven “fire as a true test for gold” which gives me the conviction that in the face of all these, my fire brand Goldman Udom Emmanuel shall come out pure to take the uncommon transformation to sustainable development.

Whoever said progress was a slow process wasn’t referring to Mr. Udom Emmanuel!