Celebrating Hon. Godwyn Mense @ 50

BY ANNY MICHAELS  

It was Charles spurgeon who first wrote ‘feel for others in your purse’ and this has been Hon. Godwyn Mense’s philosophy. Always creating ways of adding value to people he comes across whether they are from Ata Ediene or elsewhere. He does this passionately. In fact my first encounter with him was one that generously cleared some of my bills even without asking. 

For a young man whose father died while he was eleven and he was left to face life the hard way to navigate to success is worth celebrating. Born on 8th of august 1965 to Monday peter Umonyem family of blessed memory of Ata Ediene in Abak Local Government and has grown to become one of the political leaders of Abak.

He shares a weird story of how her mother got married alongside her sister to two brothers and one of which was his father ‘it’s a story of sisters marrying brothers which I don’t think is bad, it was a kind of omen to us, not just that if you look at the history, my grandfather married the first daughters of Umondak in Ikot Nsung Ikono in Uyo Local Government area and his brother late Abraham Umoh took the second daughter of Umondak.

Mense is a fellow of Institute of Corporate Administration of Nigeria, a fellow of chartered Institute of Human Natural Resources, a former transition committee member and supervisor for Agriculture and Environment in Abak local government area. He is the immediate past Special Assistant on Political Matters to the former Deputy Governor.

He is one politician that has greatly affected the lives of his people in Ata Eidene and indeed Abak people. The village head of Ata Ediene, Obong Okon Thompson Akpan recently got sentimental and said that ‘Godwyn Mense is a son they are very proud of having deemed it necessary to relate closely with the people. We only hope we have more of his kind’. He feels more comfortable with his people perhaps what has informed his staying in Ediene while going to work throughout his stint at the office of the former Deputy Governor.

He is a man not given to doing things in half. More spirited than ever, ever determined to register his name in the good book of history, he along with his kinsmen in Ata Ediene have made frantic effort to bring to the attention of government the deplorable state of Abak-Etinan road linking the about to be revamped Peacock Paints industry at Ikot Ekan to ease movement of the people between the two local government areas and will also lead to the improvement in the quality of lives of the people. One aspect of Mense that is clearly noticed is his detribalized nature. In fact most of his friends come from other local governments other than Abak. This speaks volume of the quintessential politician cum businessman.

It was in recognition of his outstanding empowerment and lifting of Ata Ediene people that the custodians of the traditional laws of the area deemed it fit to celebrate the man with a chieftaincy title of ‘Uyio Ediene’  meaning the voice of Ediene people at a well attended ceremony. It is instructive to note that Mense is the Obong Iberedem of Ukpom group of villages in Abak, an indication of the fact that he is highly dependable.

His thought on Abak-Etinan road is that ‘if the road is fixed, it will be accessible to all for investment, commerce and improving on the welfare of the people through creation of jobs and safe neighbourhood then something drastic has to be done! Obviously the bad state of the road of course had its damning impact on activities resulting in high cost of vehicular movement and wanton waste of time on most occasions. Mense has been a rallying point for Ata Ediene people.

He is a man who believes in hard work and this has greatly helped him achieve his goals. When his father died he was only eleven years of age he had to fight on. He talks about times when he had to work on the bush for people to make ends meet. He broke firewood and sold to people just to survive, still exploring ways of making money to keep body and soul together. Mense started a real estate agency firm in Abak helping people get houses for rent, taking up estates of people and managing it for them in terms of renting out, collecting the rents and vacating people where necessary. Come to think of it, Mense has been a Disc Jokey before. In fact if he wasn’t at your party to play for the show it was not worthwhile but he has settled now for integrated farming as a means of livelihood. He is into poultry, fishing and growing of crops of all kind among others. He has been able to generate employment for at least fifteen persons within his community and that is a big contribution to reducing the unemployment figures in Nigeria.

When he ventured into politics which he has come to enjoy, he first contested for a councilor seat in Abak. Even though he did not succeed he has kept fate with the game. He even contested for the office of Chairman but again did not succeed but never left politics. Just last year during the primaries he aspired to serve the good people of Abak State Constituency as a lawmaker that someday his people in Ediene clan of Abak will also be given an opportunity to serve since they have never been to the House of Assembly. Since Mense is involved, the people are more conscious of government’s effort at improving the lives of his people. Mense I know will stop at nothing to attract government presence to Ediene people. That’s how the people see him. No wonder his influence in the area delivered a good number of votes for his party- Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the last general elections because of his influence. 

A loyal party man who has refused to switch camps despite all the frustrating attempts at serving his people, it is gratifying that he was made Special Assistant on Political Matters to the Deputy Governor, a position in the words of her Boss, Noble Lady Valerie Ebe ‘he did his job very well and assisted me creditably in political strategies that helped me to succeed in office’. He is one of those politicians that could be listed in the reliable ranking.

Several people around his community have continued to extol the good qualities of the voice of Ediene clan including the spokesperson of the Clan Head of Ediene, Chief Sunday Umoh who doubles as Chairman of Ekpuk Family Heads in Akwa Ibom. He says ‘Hon. Mense has succeeded in exposing Ediene people politically, not to talk of his empowerment effort on the people, we are very happy with him’.

As Hon. Godwyn Mense Umonyem clocks 50, I join well meaning Akwa Ibom people and associates of his in praying God to grant him more wisdom, knowledge and understanding in the years ahead for the good of humanity. I must say happy birthday to a resourceful icon and worthy leader. I wish him a fruitful and more purposeful life. May you witness more years of sound health, may you attain the grace to record more indelible achievements. Mense believes so much in the words of Lucky Dube, the legendary reggae star who says ‘if you have nothing good to say about someone then shut up. That’s just apt to end this piece. Congratulations Hon. Mense on this Golden Jubilee, you deserve all the Champagnes.