Udom Emmanuel: Beware of Evil behind the smiling eyes

BY JOSEPH OKON

With the current situation of things in our country Nigeria, and the  extremism by which our political actors have deployed into the game to ensure that they get into power, it has therefore become imperative and duty bound to remind our dear and amiable Governor of Akwa Ibom state, Mr Udom Emmanuel, the chief pilot of our divine mandate to beware of the impending evil behind some smiling eyes.

Both within and outside the state, the governor must be consistently watchful, and should understand the kind of politics being played in advanced world where he is used to that may not be obtainable here. Although some people may pretend to love and smiles at him, but inwardly they mean a different thing from their facial expressions. Unfortunately these are the same people the governor may think they love him. He should understand that Nigerian politics can best be described as ‘survival of the fittest’. It’s only the strong and fearless ones can survive the political on-slot and scheming’s.

This short story fits perfectly into the current quagmire situation in Akwa Ibom. This may help His Excellency the governor to understand why he must be extra careful, and know that it is not all those who smiles at him wish him well or are his true friends.

I’d like to use the experience of a faithful Latter –day Saint who worked as a special agent for the FBI. He was assigned to investigate an organized crime groups transporting illegal drugs into the United States.

On one occasion, he and another agent approached an apartment where they believed a known drug dealer was distributing cocaine. He gave the following account of what transpired: “we knocked on the door of the drug dealer. The suspect opened the door, and upon seeing us, tried to block our view. But it was too late; we could see the cocaine on his table.

“A man and a woman who were at the table immediately began removing the cocaine. We had to prevent them from destroying the evidence, so I quickly pushed the drug suspect who was blocking the door to the side. As I pushed him, my eyes met his. Strangely, he did not appear angry or afraid. He was smiling at me.

“His eyes and disarming smile gave me the impression that he was harmless, so I quickly left him and started to move toward the table. The suspect was now behind me. At that instant, I had the distinct, powerful impression come into my mind: ‘Beware of the evil behind the smiling eyes.’

“I immediately turned back toward the suspect. His hand was in his large front pocket. Instinctively I grabbed his hand and pulled it from his pocket. Only then did I see, clutched in his hand, the semiautomatic pistol ready to fire. A flurry of activity followed, and I disarmed the man”.

Later, in another case, the drug dealer was convicted of murder and boasted that he would have also killed the LDS man had he not turned around at that very moment.

This scenario occurred in the life of the present administration of Governor Udom Emmanuel recently which he has to be aware of, and should wakeup to the reality of the fact that there could be evil behind the smiling eyes of the ruling All Progressive Congress APC Federal Government against him.

The governor should realize that this people will stop at nothing to prove their powers, and are plotting day and night, secret and in the open to truncate his government and the divine mandate he was freely given by Akwa Ibom people on April 11, 2015 as they want to takeover power from him by force. The opportunity to choose good over evil is precisely why he was elected the governor of Akwa Ibom state. It is true that the governor will not want to choose evil, but will always choose right. However, he must understand that the choice of good over evil is not always easy, because evil frequently lurks behind the smiling eyes.

How else will anybody explain the recent rape action by men of the Department of State Services DSS who invaded the Akwa Ibom State government house? This did not just happened at any other time than when the state governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel is in political honey moon romance with President Muhammadu Buhari. It is not possible that the rape assault was unleashed on the state seat of power without the knowledge of Mr President. Anybody that believes that may be thinking stupid.

As a secret police, DSS does not carry out such raid operation on its own without orders from above and detailed intelligent information. There are so many informants claiming to work for but rather against the governor within the government house. Probably they may be the first to see the governor and smile at him, but inwardly are backstabbers. To further complicate the issue and leave people speculate for a long time, the DSS has not yet thought it wise to come out and make an official statement on their mission to the government house and what they discovered.

With this, it therefore seems to suggest that there is something fishy they want to cover-up or use it to blackmail the governor, God forbid. This is a high level conspiracy by the opposition against Akwa Ibom state and the leader of the state. The continuous silence by the DSS on this matter despite the global condemnation it attracted has brought up a lot of wicked and malicious speculations, and spreading of falsehood all over the state and country at large which is at the verge of denting the good image of the governor and the state.

It was actually an attempt by the ruling APC to implicate the governor and his predecessor, Akpabio since they have searched everywhere and has not found anything to indict them. This has proved that the much celebrated political romance between the governor and Mr President is nothing but a window-dressing. President Buhari may just be smiling at the governor, but his intentions are more wicked and devilish than the governor can see with euphoria of romance.

They have their foot soldiers in Udom’s government which the governor has to be very careful and watchful about these men and women who pretends to be for him but are secretly working against him. The governor sound more civilized, and as one that respects lines of authority who desire things to be done orderly. This was portrayed in his recent comment on the incident at the airport while answering questions from journalists. He said he has accordingly reported the matter to President Buhari, and that the President is his President and the President of Nigeria not that of APC. He further maintained that politics was over with the election, and this is time for governance which he expects the president to understand same.

That sounds logical from a governor who came from an orderly and well-disciplined professional background where truth and honesty radiates from the heart to the facial expression. But he must also understand the dynamics of Nigerian politics which is a direct opposite of the one he knows. That unfortunate rape on the state seat of power may not have happened in states like Rivers and Ekiti governed by the PDP, probably because those governors have made known their position and stand.

In Nigerian politics, people do not smile at you because they wish you well, some of those smiles could be to clear suspicions and make people think that all is well, or to make you lose sight of doubts in order for them to fulfil their selfish and inordinate ambitions. This is the more reason Mr Udom Emmanuel must be very careful and beware of the perceived impending evils behind those smiling eyes. His new found romance with the opposition elements in the country will put him at risk because their secret agents in the state are all out to rubbish him. Most members of the G22 who are now his best friends are also romancing those that are seeking to dethrone him from UOU’s camp. In politics, it’s always a permanent interest that is jealously guarded but no permanent friend like Ita Enang did.

This is not in anywhere suggest that the governor should start fighting the President or antagonize the Presidency, but while the romance lasted, he should be careful about some evils that may associate with his new found political romance. After all, it is not true that President Buhari has the power to deny the governor what is right for the state or put spinner on his wheel of industrialization through federal might. So what then the governor is afraid of? The earlier he defined his position on what he stands for and focus, the better it becomes for him, because that will save his government from unnecessary harassments and intimidations.

Reporting the matter to President Buhari though it’s the right thing to do, but it appears more of AMMOR EUNAM, AMMOR KE ATANG AWROD. The governor must understand that in Nigeria Politicking does not end with the election, it continues throughout the administration. In fact, a more serious and deathly politics are played after the election. This is why some times if such politicking dominates the activities of government, governance suffers.

While this political romance with President Buhari is going on, Mr Udom Emmanuel should look very well before he leaps, and should beware of the possible evil behind the smiling eyes of his APC and G22 new found friends who may be plotting to disgrace him out of office.   

The governor should therefore take heed that he does not judge that which is evil to be of God or good. He must watch and pray always lest he enter into temptation; for Satan desires to deceive him. Satan hath sought to deceive him, that he might overthrow him. Your Excellency; Beware of the evil behind the smiling eyes!