Akwa Ibom @29: There is hope for the next generation

My respect to the  elders of Akwa  Ibom and all of us gathered here this afternoon to celebrate the 29th anniversary of our great state. We are here complete on behalf of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly- 26 of us, spiritually and physically. We are here to celebrate the anniversary of the state. We have three things to state here clearly,  and we urge you to please listen to us.

Number one is that we appreciate God Almighty who, after so many years of struggle, came to give us a state and at the appointed time. And not only giving us, but sustaining us as a state even against manipulations by the Nigerian nation. God has made us to survive, even against every scheming to take away our God given resources. God has sustained us in this 29 years.

Secondly, we want to appreciate the founding fathers of this state. Those who paid the supreme price to advocate and struggle for the creation of Akwa Ibom State. And today, we ask that may God bless them both dead and alive, and we promise that their efforts will not be in vain.

Now, 29 years ago, because of the foundation of the founding fathers of the state, a barefooted young boy then, on his way to a public primary school- St Theresa’s Primary School, Use Abat heard the announcement and ran back home with all the people who went to school on that day; because of the foundation laid the leaders of this state, that young boy today is standing before you, addressing you as the Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly.

What then shall we do? We will ensure that we build on that foundation, so that the next generation will continue to have hope; so that the next generation would achieve the greatness that His Excellency, the governor is preaching.

Thirdly we want to say here, we had set in place a motion- that was yesterday in the house of assembly, that we are going to honour those who fought for the struggle of this state; that we are going to honour those who have been leaders, and who have paid one price or the other for the development of this state... and we are going to do that in conjunction with His Excellency, the governor,  to immortalise the names of those who in one way or the other, contributed to the development of this state.

As a people, we have fought ourselves for too long and we have suffered for it. God has given a man today the mantle of leadership to become the governor. I want to urge the political class, I want urge the elites of this state... if we were to have the intellectuals, the business moguls coming together to support government, we would have, at least, moved a little further, and not where we are today. So I want to urge those in the business sector and those in every other sector to come join hands with His Excellency, the governor so that we can together build an Akwa Ibom for the next generation. 

Finally, and pay attention to this: There is a saying that a friend in need is a friend indeed. Because of recession in Nigeria today, we have become a people in need, and the only man who has shown that friendship now, is the governor, Deacon Udom Gabriel Emmanuel. Please, others are waiting and accumulating their money to bring to you in 2019. Please, somebody who never remembered you in recession should not remember you in 2018 or 2019. Let only those who remembers you today - that you are in hardship because of recession in Nigeria - be the one to remember you then, because that is the person that has love and sincerity in his heart for you.

Before I exit this podium, I want to also state that we support the Dakkada initiative of the governor and we will do our best to make sure the envisioned aims of this initiative is realised. To this end, we say to His Excellency, happy 1st anniversary of the dakkada philosophy. And to Akwa Ibom people, we say congratulations to you on the 29th anniversary of the state. May God bless you all? Thank you.