Tuesday, 14 October 2014

Integrating Akwa Ibom into national politics BY JOE INIODU

Integrating Akwa Ibom into national politics BY JOE INIODU

Akwa Ibom State created 27-years ago is today basking in maturity that suits its age, temparent and development status. Thanks to Governor Godswill Obot Akpabio, CON, who has used the last seven and some fraction years to rewrite the Akwa Ibom narrative. The story of the State elicits both national and global attention which often times record as a fiesta of reckoning. The State today is not only a recurring decimal in national politics, it has joined in serving as a leading pack among the Comity of States. There is an undisputed and noticeable difference in both mental and physical infrastructure resulting in high value and worth of the new Akwa Ibom and its people. The hitherto misperceived Akwa Ibom person is today a diametrical departure and a confounding statement of change and transformation reiterating that the mantra of uncommon transformation is not a ruse. 

Akwa Ibom State has an interesting history of struggle. Its people were in the forefront of agitation for COR state which is still acknowledged as holding the primacy of self determination in Nigeria. Even though that attempt yielded no immediate dividend, the flame of consciousness had been lit. And so when Eastern Nigeria came into being, our people enjoyed reasonable reckoning despite being one of the minorities dominated and overwhelmed by Igbos who are widely said to be extremely domineering. The people of Akwa Ibom extraction whose record of unbridled loyalty is summative enjoyed the confidence of most of the Igbo elites. 

The results were that some positions of authority were conceded to them as reward to their inherent honesty, loyalty and sincerity. We had the likes Prof. Eyo Ita, Barr. Ibanga Udo Akpabio, Chief Okon Udo Afia, Chief Ikpe Umoh Ime, Chief Nyong Essien and Chief O. E. Eyo holding high positions in the government of the then Eastern Nigeria. However, despite the high offices the held, they were still subject to the control and dictates of the ever domineering Igbos who held firmly to the reins of government of that region.
The subtle but vociferous protest raised intermittently by our people over their sustained subjugation by the Igbos may have contributed in the creation of South Eastern State in 1967. However, the principal reason was to reduce the size of Eastern Nigeria which was already spoiling for war and consequently its sphere of influence. That strategic decision paid off as our people who were already wearied by the Igbo domination and subjugation heaved a sigh of relief. At least the development produced a political space of our own which vouchsafed us the opportunity to determine our political destiny. South Eastern State recorded great achievements under the then governor, Brigadier-General Udoakaha Jacob Esuene. The Calabar Stadium, Calabar-Itu Road, Cultural Centre, South Eastern State Radio that has transmuted to the Cross River Radio of today etc are some of the legacies that government sired. When the government was eventually ousted in a palace coup in 1975, it had a robust score-card of achievements to flaunt. With a change in government, South Eastern State also changed in 1976 to Cross River State. 


But in 1987, the long nights of agitation which record as the earliest gave way to a bright new dawn as Akwa Ibom State was born that fateful day of September 23. The joy of the people knew no bounds as the then military President General Ibrahim Babangida announced the creation of Akwa Ibom and Katsina States. The daunting reality of managing a new State in a dire-strait economy soon forced the joy of the people to peter out. There was a dearth of infrastructure like office facilities, houses for workers, operational vehicles, office equipment and power supply to ease the take-off of the State. Above all, finances from the federation account came in trickles. But the State had come to stay and willy-nilly it had to be managed. The pioneer governor, then Colonel Tunde Ogbeha did his best in the face of the many difficulties he encountered. Akwa Ibom people showed passion and affection for the new State and were willing to invest the most dire sacrifice for their brand new State to take-off. 

In the last 27 years, Akwa Ibom State has been midwived by about nine different governors, each giving his best and recording achievements. But giving the social structure of the State which is largely civil service driven, very little was known of Akwa Ibom State. Its lean finances and perhaps lack of robust vision to husband what was available may have been part of the reason why the State remained in the back waters in its social and economic fronts. The State was considered pedestrian and its people seen as the fetchers of wood and drawers of water. The Akwa Ibom man was seen as timid, colourless and only suited for house chores and other sundry menial engagements. Even the well educated ones were given scant regards wherever they were found. 

The struggle of our people to reinvent themselves as God’s creation capable of self assertion actually started in 1992 during the era of the late Obong Akpan Isemin. The then governor had reasoned that as a man thinketh, so shall it be. He repudiated the “etok syndrome” – the mindset of tokenism that had become the trait of Akwa Ibom people and charged them to rise to the occasion of thinking in huge measures. It was an advocacy that lent credence to the assertion that what the mind can conceive, the man can achieve. The advocacy motivated our people to begin to think out of the box. Even though the advocacy suffered stillbirth because of the abortion of that democratic regime by one of the incessant military incursions that had become the norm then, it made great impact by way of revamping the self esteem and worth of our people. 

The Obong Victor Attah era also fared fairly well in terms of galvanizing Akwa Ibom people towards self assertion. Blessed with a towering frame, resourceful communication skills, he was representative of that decent stock of Akwa Ibom people that have been liberated from the embarrassing first language interference which some indegenes of the State are victims and which makes nonsense of communication in English. Obong Attah in his speeches demonstrated eloquence that was rich in elocution and diction. Perhaps his zenith in self assertion was his dogged agitation for resource control. He mounted that campaign in a manner that made Akwa Ibom people proud with national perception towards them taking a different turn. But there was still work to be done to give the people a respectable place on the national spectrum. 

The coming of His Excellency, Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio, CON, in 2007 and which subsists till date has been the crowing glory of our quest for selfhood and unique identity. The governor had arrived the seat of power with buzz words that were to repair and shore up our psyches. He had also conceptualized  turning Akwa Ibom from a transit State to a destination. To give impetus to his vision, he conceived of a confidence building buzz word, “Akwa Ibom Ado Oke” and allowed it to serve as the vehicle to drive his milestones. The phrase is loosely translated as “Akwa Ibom is Okay”. But he knew that the State cannot be okay with decrepit or dearth of infrastructure. He knew that the State cannot be okay with ignorant and illiterate population that can neither produce competent manpower nor have ones that can compete favourable in the employment market. Encouraged by his well articulated motto, he set about to make the State okay. Today, the rest is history. 

The idea of turning the State into a destination was also pursued with messianic zeal. He built infrastructure and is still building quality infrastructure that would attract tourism. He has also provided adequate security and rid the State of criminals. Access to the State has been easy through the airport while street lights still keep our nights as day to encourage activities. In response to these efforts, Uyo Capital City in the last three years has played host to conferences, workshops and seminars than any other city in Nigeria except Abuja Capital Territory. And these events are often of either national or international status. The events bring a throng of people to the State at frequent intervals truly turning it into the destination Governor Akpabio conceived at the onset of his administration. Further more, the events have hoisted Akwa Ibom on a national flag and carved a place for her among the Comity of States. Akwa Ibom State is no longer that colourless State that enjoys mention only as an after thought. 

The other noticeable impact of Akpabio administration’s uncommon transformation is on the mental infrastructure of Akwa Ibom people which late Obong Akpan Isemin started in 1992. The Akwa Ibom man is longer that supine, helpless, timid fellow that served as the butt of jokes for people of other regions. He is an assertive character with unimpeachable presence. He is a voice that craves to be heard and respected. He is a man who knows his worth and value. Thanks to Governor Godswill Akpabio who currently leads the charge in this journey of self reinvention. Akpabio has not only brought Akwa Ibom to the national podium, he has taken the State to the international arena. News of the uncommon transformation of the State reverberates globally attracting attention; visits, investments and other sundry facets of development that would add value to Akwa Ibom State and its people. Governor Akpabio has indeed taken Akwa Ibom into Nigeria and even the international community.

Joe Iniodu is a public affairs analyst

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