Pauline Peters may have
considered the character tapestry of Prince Effiong Etim Abia when she
stated thus: “The greatness of a leader is in his humility before God,
not in his eloquence before man”.
This
submission does not devalue the value of the latter but insists that
the former holds a place of incontrovertible precedence. It is why the
simplicity of the serving Commissioner for Rural Development who is wont
to refer in very seductive tone to people he comes across as “my
brother” or “my sister” depending on the gender, must form the framework
of any discourse that pertains to him. The warmth he radiates during
such exchange reinforces the fact contained in Psalm 25:9 that “God
guides the humble and teaches them His ways”.
Humility is a rare commodity amongst people who deemed themselves to be successful or accomplished. We live in a stratified society where wealth and position define relationships with the culture seeping down to offsprings and spouses.
