“LET THERE BE” as the good book tells us, was the pronouncement made by the Creator at creation and is in a nutshell, how all we see around us today came to be. For us humans though, the process of bringing new things to fruition is a bit more complicated. First we need to come up with the idea, then the string of experts are commissioned to plan, design and fashion the implementation methodology, then we worry about the technical and financial feasibility, then the sourcing of funds, etc. in which ever order they come, before attempting the actual execution of the project.
Akwa Ibom State, being relatively new on the national plate, has had to play catch up in many areas of its felt needs, and would, if given the choice, have preferred the divine pronouncement of ‘LET THERE BE’ to get things done instantly. Being human, the usual trend sees a government come in, enthusiastically embarks on projects it considers relevant at that point in time, makes a spirited effort at implementation and often too soon another government is at the door. Consequently, development efforts were slow, inconclusive, uncoordinated and made very little impact on the lives of Akwaibomites.
The advent of the current Government of Akwa Ibom State, spearheaded by His Excellency, Chief (Dr) Godswill Obot Akpabio, the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, the architect of the UNCOMMON TRANSFORMATION initiative and development in Akwa Ibom went into overdrive. Somehow the gestation period between generating the basic ideas through the planning phase to the implementation of the project shrunk dramatically. Under his watch Akwa Ibom has seen an avalanche of people oriented, mega infrastructure projects with multi facetted, deep seated, positive impact on the people and generations to come.
Perhaps it is pertinent to mention a few of these projects in order to put the enormity of these accomplishments in proper perspective;
· A robust network of superbly tarred roads with bridges and drainage systems and street lighting in tow. These criss-cross the entire state linking hitherto isolated communities and enabling persons, goods and services to move freely and quickly thus allowing the rural communities, the real wealth creators, to participate in and contribute their quota in the development efforts of the state.
· The Ibom International Airport has been the yearning of Akwaibomites for several years. That this gargantuan project could be up and running within such a short span of time is a truly remarkable feat. Then there is the extra bonuses of cargo and aircraft repairs and new state of the arts terminal building that sends the added value to the project through the roof while enhancing both intra nation and international linkages.
· Completion of the first phase of the Ibom Power plant and the mass electrification project aimed at linking every Akwa Ibom community to the national grid. A veritable tool for the enhancement of production and productivity in a wide range of human endeavours and in every nook and cranny of Akwa Ibom State.
· The Tropicana Entertainment Centre and five star hotel currently being built to augment the thriving Le Meridien Ibom hotel and Golf Resort is part of a readying process to receive the imminent tourist boom.
· A brand new state-of-the-art Government House befitting of the new Akwa Ibom State is also in place. The twentieth Anniversary hospital, the rave of the moment Ibom Stadium, the Inter- Ministerial renewal of education infrastructure and the free and compulsory education program, the list is unending.
The blitz in infrastructure provision also had a rippling effect that puts Akwa Ibom and Akwaibomites in good stead. Tourism has increased a thousand folds perhaps to underscore His Excellency’s promise to make Akwa Ibom the preferred destination for travelers. There is a positive feel about the state, as Akwaibomites are not lost to these developments, there is a change for the better in pulse and the psyche of a people that are proud of their heritage. ‘AKWA IBOM AYAIYA’ the local parlance for ‘AKWA IBOM IS BEAUTIFUL’ is the toast of the day. That the UNCOMMON TRANSFORMATION is a resounding success is a fact that even the most ardent critics accept.
This feat would not have been easy by any stretch of imagination and only His Excellency and members of his team that can say just how much sacrifice and courage was needed to stay true to the cause. Maybe because Akwa Ibom is the LAND OF PROMISE, the ‘BIG MAN’ upstairs may have put in a little ‘LET THERE BE’ on the behalf of Akwa Ibom State. It suffices to say that His Excellency, Chief (Dr.) Godswill Obot Akpabio and his team have done exceptionally well for Akwa Ibom State and we join the teeming well wishers at home and abroad to say a big thank you for a job well done.
SUPERLATIVE POTENTIALS
Until recently, Akwa Ibom, and its capital city Uyo were out of reckoning. Neither was thought to possess any distinctive potentials or attributes, perhaps due to its comparison with rather older and better established neighbors. Today, Uyo is the envy of many neighboring cities with a new can-do attitude that brings hope and the audacity to dream big dreams. When His Excellency, Chief (Dr) God’swill Obot Akpabio, made his much publicised promise to make Akwa Ibom the preferred destination for travelers and Uyo the ‘DUBAI OF AFRICA’ nobody gave the statement any serious thought.
Today, Akwa Ibom has not only substantially increased its visitors quotient, the demographics of the area shows that Uyo has all the trappings to metamorphose into something even more momentous than a ‘Dubai of Africa’. As things are currently panned out, the choice of what or where to be rests entirely in the hands and imagination of Akwaibomites. After all, as reiterated, Akwa Ibom is the ‘LAND OF PROMISE’, and Uyo, its capital city, must be ‘PARADISE’ where the land flows with milk and honey and the streets are paved in gold.
This wave of optimism is not without cause, economically. Akwa Ibom promises awesome prospects that make the ‘Dubai of Africa’s idea very feasible. Oil revenue aside, Akwa Ibom is a littoral State that is poised to exploit the full benefit of its proximity to the ocean. It is also home to the deep sea port site at Ibaka, Oron. Akwa Ibom should make haste and bring this project on board because it will bring unlimited mileage to the State economy. The largest ships will berth here and ensure a cheaper landing costs for goods, thus creating a comparative advantage for a truly international market. This is not to mention the main line port businesses such as imports and exports, haulage and other port activities, warehousing, etc. There are new skills that have to be developed, new vested interests the State would have to take on and the generation of millions of private sector driven employment all with bright prospects for the Akwa Ibom economy.
How about tourism? Perhaps the least tapped resource by a mile. The Ibeno beach, the meandering rivers, best appreciated from the air, as one flies into the state via the Ibom International Airport. Recently the centenary anniversary celebrations drew our attention to historic buildings like the Lord Luggard residence and the building where the Nigeria amalgamation document was signed. Even the Uyo ravines could be a money spinner as tourists will throng to see such spectacles. Two five star hotels and counting, means the state government is on track. This needs to be followed up with the development of more tourism sites and the guided tours that would optimize tourist appreciation of the artifacts. One could go on about the Akwa Ibom and Uyo potential for ever and those familiar with the Dubai beginnings and challenges would know that Uyo has a running start.
Akwa Ibom is further blessed by the contiguity of the state, all the major towns are within one hour of the state capital, thanks to the dual carriage roads produced by the UNCOMMON TRANSFORMATION. Consequently, Akwa Ibom can pursue a truly inclusive development model knowing that the progress of a few that takes place at the expense of many would eventually come to naught. With Uyo as the hub, all major towns will serve as satellite extensions and would thrive in their own right.
A cursory look at the South East and South South geopolitical zones of the nation shows that the region desperately needs a business hub which will serve as a nucleus which the fiscal, economic and socio cultural activities will revolve. A role of socio economic leadership similarly played by Lagos and Abuja is highly beneficial for a city because amongst other gains will encourage the relocation of the headquarters of businesses to the city and attract the crème de la crème and captains of industry to come and invest in the city and state economies. Presently, the much larger cities in the region appear fixated in their traditional roles as capital cities of their respective states seem ill disposed to play this leadership role effectively.
Uyo, on the other hand, suffered neglect in its early days, and is still relatively underdeveloped, fresh and malleable. In fact the Uyo city center, arguably the most valuable set of properties in the city, is largely populated with shanty structures and fast deteriorating into a slum. Akwa Ibom could easily undertake to relocate the city center inhabitants to better more humane accommodation and environs and with the same breadth establish a modern vibrant Central Business District complete with a planned mass transit system, central pipe borne water, storm water and sewage systems, state-of-the-art ICT system, uninterrupted power supply and a skyline of tall iconic buildings that will attract and hold the attention of the world.
VISUALIZING THE AKWA IBOM OF TOMORROW
As reiterated, there is a need to determine today where Akwa Ibom is headed tomorrow. If the choice is to shoot for the whole nine yards, then we need to embellish our cities and state with the things that are needed the world over. The proliferation of crises spots and the unnaturally low temperatures recorded during the last winter season suggests that any warm and peaceful tourist haven would be a huge success. Akwa Ibom as reiterated already has the comparative advantage for a truly competitive international market and the establishment of such a market could add real value to the attraction of tourism. Thereafter, Akwa Ibom only needs to show commitment to bringing the new Masterplan to fruition and external funding will do the rest. We would in fact be building our state and first class capital city with other people’s money.
The proposed master plan has to be home grown and uniquely Akwa Ibom, taking cognizance of our strengths and weaknesses, our resources going forward, our culture and peoples while also reflecting the current thinking in city planning, architecture and engineering and technology. Furthermore, the plan needs to be realistic, technically feasible and financially viable yet retain a contemporary and futuristic outlook that makes it distinctly modern in appeal and relevantly deep into the foreseeable future. Thereafter, the business of selling the plan to major stakeholders such as the Akwa Ibom people, elder statesmen and leaders of thought, the Federal Government, the local business and international communities through advertorials, negotiations, and meetings would commence. Once these buy into the plan, the dream city of our lives is as good as built.
Everyone is familiar with the Dubai experience which grew from nothingness to become one of the most sought after destinations of the world on account of a simple idea of making itself a market place for the entire world. Nearer home, many may not be aware of the Lagos Atlantic City project being built on reclaimed land. As the story goes, the Atlantic City project is already sold out, well ahead of the land reclamation process. In a nutshell, there is enough funds in international coffers to build one more city. The hurdles Akwa Ibom and Uyo need to contend with are small in comparison to those of Dubai and Lagos and my vote, without any reservations, is to go for it.
Uyo needs to metamorphose, in a hurry, into a cosmopolitan city with an international appeal. Uyo must provide the grounds for the showcasing of the distinctive architecture of today and help mark and celebrate the ‘renaissance’ a la Akwa Ibom. In order to jump start the process, Government could undertake to build ten iconic structures in the region of ten to twenty five stories within the next twenty years and if trends observed the world over are anything to go by, the private sector would outperform government by quadrupling any such investments. This kind of presence and the economic activities that would be drawn in as a matter of cause would ensure that Akwaibomites are gainfully employed and help release their energies for enhanced productivity and enter Uyo into the race for the top city in Africa.
To further underscore this point, all one needs to do is observe the picture content of the world class cities. Through time, great architecture has been used for the long term definition of the character of cities and nations. The pyramids of Egypt (3rd millennium BCE), the Eiffel Tower, for Paris and France, the Sidney Opera House in Australia, the London bridge, the Empire State building in New York, the Burj Al Arab in Dubai, etc. All these buildings made long term positive statements that drew world attention to their various locations. Presently, Uyo needs all the attention it can get, investors are ready to come in once they know there is money to be made and the local professionals (architects, engineers, planners, etc.) in collaboration with their foreign counterpart where necessary are willing and able to contribute their quota in the development initiative.
Furthermore, there is a need to be mindful of the sprawl. With the UNCOMMON TRANSFORMTION roads stretching for miles there is a strong tendency for development to be strung along these fingers in a linear fashion and bypass otherwise developable areas. Thereby rapidly expanding the city and creating the need for additional infrastructure when the existing ones have not been put to optimal use. Therefore, a medium/high density model would most probably be best suited for the New Uyo Metropolis.
Opting to undertake, and following through this gargantuan, people oriented and life changing project can also attract deeply seated multi facetted benefits, some of which includes;
· Uyo will become a modern, first class metropolis and a befitting capital city for the great state of Akwa Ibom.
· A vibrant Uyo Central Business District will attract well tested and successful brands and captains of industry, from international and local fronts, to invest in the Akwa Ibom development process.
· The project will create millions of private sector driven jobs over a wide variety of disciplines and skill levels. Certainly more job spaces than Akwaibomites can fill.
· The huge investment required to bring the project to fruition and the sheer volume of business activities would create boundless opportunities for wealth creation and there will be prosperity in the land.
· Uyo and indeed the entire Akwa Ibom State will be firmly implanted in the world’s tourism map with the attendant benefits in tourism revenue.
· There will be sustained trade and cultural exchanges between the peoples of Akwa Ibom State and the rest of the world that will create a new synergy for improved productivity and self worth and impact positively on the lives and culture of the Akwa Ibom peoples.
Yes, the day is far gone, but there are many aspects of this initiative that can become today’s front burners. Examples include;
· Planning the Uyo new Masterplan with a view to lifting Uyo to the very top with respect to cities in the continent and the world.
· Leaders of thought and key stakeholders would be sensitized so they can buy into the general direction intended growth and see themselves as part owners of the new Akwa Ibom dream.
· The Akwa Ibom House of Assembly would deliberate on the new direction and give legal backing to the initiative and long term goal for Akwa Ibom, which would also serve as guide to future Governments.
· An Akwa Ibom Economic Summit, would drive home the intents of Government and endear the initiative in the hearts of all Akwaibomites.
· Government could commence worldwide publicity and put international investors and interest groups on notice of a new and emergent investment platform.
Rome, they say was not built in a day, but building ‘Rome’ is very much like the journey of a thousand miles, it starts with the first step. His Excellency, Chief (Dr) Godswill Obot Akpabio, the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, under the UNCOMMON TRANSFORMATION program has not only commenced this journey but has bitten off a substantial part of the trip. Nevertheless, there is a yawning gap between where we are and where we intend to be. With all hands on deck, there is the need for the adoption and institutionalization of the UNCOMMON TRANSFORMATION approach to facilitate getting things done as an intrinsic part of Akwa Ibom Government performance culture and the promise land would be reached much sooner.
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