Writing on Hon. Godwyn Mense excites me so greatly. There are no shortcuts to his profile in national and state ethos. Driven towards achieving something finer than the ordinary by an ardent believe in something, and to which he has always stuck, the fine politician know a thing or two about perseverance and hard work. The last three decades of his life and more to his life and more to his political, physical, spiritual philosophies of life. He has kept his focus. And his results are the testaments of the reality of his kind-an awesome phenom in our socio-political skies. Mense rich and inspiring pedigree, a life of significant milestones, can be encapsulated in a few words - A father to many, a political icon; an exemplary administrator; a youth leader; a technocrat; a worthy democrat and above all, a unrepentant patriot.
As leader of his generation, his exemplary trail in Akwa Ibom State is unparalleled. As a patriot, his voice of reason resounds with the force of substance that’ awe-inspiring in state and national psyche.
Mense myth is enshrouded in his consistency and power to reinvent self time after time- like the mythical firebird, the phoenix, which burns itself in a nest of cinnamon twigs at the end of life cycle but spring forth from same tepid ashes of time as a new and inspired phoenix.
His life has shown that whatever a man sets his eyes on, so shall he achieve. He came into spotlight as a student leader and shone brightly on his generation, alight that has never gone dim. Nigeria felt the warmth of his leadership flame. And the people of Abak State Consistency have been privilege to won and possess this rare gem as their representative.
His kind comes once in a lifetime .Every generation must out of relative obscurity discover its mission either to fulfill it or betray it.
Hon. Godwyn is out to fulfill his mission and to make a bold and challenging generational statement. From the cradle of Abak comes this vivacious, united and spirited mouth piece for the oppressed people in the society; farmers, traders, artisans, academia, market women and youths to champion their struggle and give them a voice to rely on. Although the Nigeria political terrain is fully of mischief, malice and falsehood, the character of Hon. Godwyn Mense has assured that honest, dependable and trustworthy personalities who are deeply rooted in grassroot politics and human justice and integrity exist, Hon. Mense has made his representational platform for the people to find justice in most peaceful and civilized manner; a non-violent but progressive movement bringing succor to the subjugated populace, fighting for their infringed rights and bringing justice to the people who hitherto cannot find justice anywhere. Representing them and bringing the goodies of democracy down to the grassroot.
Godwyn Mense is an exceptional gift to the state. His valuable weapon towards target objectives is the functionality of his intellectual power. Every reformer must be gusty enough to dare to cleanse the Augean stable. While his intellectual station proffers a sense of social responsibility, his gut to r=try the extraordinary underpins his impulse as a crusader for change. A deeply humble young man who covers it all with the force of a brainwave that’s capable of the unexpected. A man that is naturally loved and admired by people; a democrat and pivot of mass mobilization; a man who achieve greatness through sheer determination; a good listener; a man that remains unruffled even at the height of unwarranted intimidation and provocations; a man with critical thinking skills. He reminds me of hope. A hope for a generation direly in need of inspiration. The skies are his marks from where he’ll run the race of life to the end, touching and inspiring lives. I will end with the words of scripture – “I will satisfy him with a long life and show him my salvation, ‘(Psalm 91:16)”.
Our subject today is a man who took notice of his destiny early in life, when he lost his father at a tender age. This disadvantage would have meant many things to many kids of his age, but he had a mission in life to fulfill. He tool up courage and gave life the push that cleared a path to who he is evolving into today. Where other children would have recoiled into their shell, he challenged his circumstances with a n uncanny spirit of self-resilience.
His mother taught him respect and he is still holding unto it till date, but he taught himself the virtues of courage in the face of danger; he imbibed the ethos of standing up when it mattered most and the heart to question the ubiquitous man-made obstacles that daily harass the youths of his time. He had the additional garb of linguistic eloquence that stirred the fire of aluta in the students. He became their rallying point; the one who spoke when others were retreating: guy who knew the students and their concerns on campus. His election as the SUG-Executive Member was the turning point of this man’s political career. He confronted the system in a way that was alien to both the students and the authorities. He had the power of elocution and could draw diagrams of students’ plights with words.
Hon. Godwyn Mense is a man who understands the language of poverty; the rhythm of want and the agonizing music of going to bed at night in an empty stomach. He is a Christian, whose religious piety with the saintly Mother Theresa (not the imposturous Mother Theresa of this world), who admonished that some people can only see the image of God in the bread you have to offer them. As a leader, he walk the streets and hamlets of his constituency in pain, feeling, as it were, the nudging hunger etched in the sad faces of the deprived. In 2012, he decided to make a difference. He understood that it was practically impossible for him to take care of the entire community, but again, like Mother Theresa, he decided to just “do” for a few. He gave seed money, ranging from N50,000.00 to N100,000 to 40 Abak people made up of market women, widows, youths, the handicapped.
His investments in the lives of these men and women did not come because he had too much on his own, but because of his abiding love for his people. To youths of Akwa Ibom State, Hon. Godwyn is gradually creating an image of the pathfinder, one they could look up to when the chips as they say, are down. He is a model for youths in the state and become pawns, he says his mind at every critical situation, his recent brush with some element in the state is a testimony of the awe and selfish jealously harboured against him by some political hawks. These political predators would stop at nothing to ensure that he is brought down. But he has continued to enjoy the overwhelming support and rapid loyalty of the broadest spectrum of youths in the state.
Hon. Godwyn Mense if voted to represent Abak State Constituency in 2015, one can be rest assured, he will bring a fresh mind looking at the problem of his constituents, and have a clearer understanding of new issues and how they come about.
As a youth, Hon. Godwyn Mense will no doubt be a motivational experience for other youths to join and become part of community development.
For the unemployed, Godwyn Mense is there for Abak people to analyze jobs and future financial state of the country for the betterment of Abak people.
The hopes and aspiration given to youths by our politicians, if eventually comes to limelight, youths will have nothing to bother about while the country will experience the dawn of a new beginning, as a youth and a Nigerian, we are appealing to our political class to prove themselves worthy of the crown given to them by the electorate to rule, dish out the dividend of democracy and make our youths a prospective leaders of tomorrow.
We believe that youths can be assisted to rediscover their potentialities. Youths need be taught what to do through small-scale industries; and empower them through soft loans to start off business. They are not lazy; an average Nigerian youth is an enterprising fellow. They are ready to work but there is no sense of direction. There are lots of ills in the society that need to be corrected, the citizens needs to be assisted, the poor, the aged, the hopeless, and infact, every member that constitude the citizenry of the country. There are so many children out there roaming the streets, the need to be taken care of. It is not just about being in government, it’s about a mother’s heart with the instrument of office.
With Hon. Godwyn Mense, Abak will be a dawn of a new beginning.
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