Today, it is only fitting and proper that the people and residents alike of Akwa Ibom State roll out the drums to mark the 39th state creation anniversary. This is not 39 days, 39 weeks, or 39 months, but 39 years! No mean feat, if you ask me.
Truly, at 39, Akwa Ibom State is no longer a toddler; it is a full-fledged adult with all faculties reaching the zenith of reasoning and responsibility. Already, the state government has rolled out a long list of events lined up to commemorate the state creation anniversary under the administration of Pastor Umo Eno.
From projects commissioning to an inter-ministerial church service held last Sunday, the anniversary celebration has been in full throttle with residents, willy-nilly, having a feel, in some way, that something is in the air.
As Akwa Ibom marks yet another anniversary, it is pertinent that one commends Governor Umo Eno for, if anything, efforts at uniting the state across party lines?
The question mark comes because a lot of people are seriously wondering if this alignment or unification of political parties is real or merely a plastic arrangement designed to ensure the governor has a leeway devoid of any shred of opposition to the Hilltop Mansion come 2027.
But whether it is designed to sow seeds of peace across the state and within the ruling and opposition political parties, one certain thing is that, in politics, the only one thing that truly matters is permanence of interest.
If, as some keen watchers of the political space argue, that Governor Umo Eno’s peace mantra or unification of political parties is merely a cosmetic fabrication invested with interest in 2027, where, they insist, he doesn’t want any opposition so that he’ll have a smooth and unfettered return to Government House with little or no obstacles, then it will not take long before the feeble pillars of the deal come crashing down.
But if the peace and unification mantra are all geared towards having a state where peace and unity are not only mouthed but also seen to be in practice, then it is in order and should be applauded by all statesmen and well-meaning citizens of this state.
Read Also: Echoes Of Tributes, Ecstatic Celebrations As Akwa Ibom Marks 39 Years Of Statehood
If that is truly the case, then there is no point in the internal squabbles or much ado about the location or name of the proposed seaport that all hands should actually be on deck to see that this mega life-changing project comes to reality.
The verbal slings and tongs thrown in recent times by the Ibibio and their Oro counterparts have, to say the least, cast an unfortunate shadow on a project yet to fly. The end result of this internecine war is that it has the potential of causing an extended delay in having this project take off. The reason is simple: when brothers fight to death, their property, another takes. While another—hopefully—may not take this project, truth be told, investors may be stiff-scared or cautious to commit their resources to a project where the host state is at daggers drawn, throwing barbs and cudgels at one another with reckless disregard.
While one is anxious to see this project materialise, it is expected that the infighting should take a deserved back seat and, in fact, retreat into thin air in the hope that the approving authorities and all those interested in investing in this project hold back nothing, but come out fully and expedite action on this seaport that will, on seeing the light of day, change and reposition the fortunes of the state in ways that will leave many startled if not befuddled.
Akwa Ibom is a blessed land flowing with plenty of natural resources, especially oil. Little wonder the state receives huge resources from the federal government as its statutory monthly allocation. So, for a state among the A-listers of states that receive so much from the Federal Government, coupled with its internally generated revenue, it can surely do more. Despite the many projects in infrastructure, health, tourism and health that this administration has taken a bit seriously, there is still room for bigger things to be done to match the huge resources the Umo Eno administration has raked in within three years.
The people desire better living conditions. Thankfully, there is a better electricity supply currently in the state. This is good, as it will boost small- and large-scale businesses that rely heavily on power. Let this be sustained beyond the electioneering season. So, the government must at all times put the welfare of the citizens on the front burner. The times are tough for many, especially with the high cost of fuel taking a toll on the lean pockets of Nigerians who are equally grappling with the harshness of daily survival in a distressed economy.
At 39, Akwa Ibom State is marching forward, and this journey must not be truncated by war drums, divisive chants and scathing verbal tribal punches. The fact is, no one tribe is simply an appendage to the other. While one lives, the other should live too.
The recent exchanges between Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio and the people of Oro stand in contrast to the peace and unity promoted by the Umo Eno-led administration. Rather than banter endlessly, there should, in the alternative, be a roundtable of discourse where both warring ethnic groups talk about these issues of interest, iron them out peacefully with brotherly warmth and forge a common front for a cause that will benefit the entire state and not a section of it.
Let those beating war drums stop forthwith. This 39th anniversary of state creation should be a moment of sober reflection, rethinking of strategies that verge on bitter squabbles in embrace of better and peaceable avenues that will further strengthen the bond of unity among the three ethnic groups in the state.
Akwa Ibom today has been blessed with governors who have given their quota to the development of the state, but as with human nature, the quest for growth and betterment of living conditions remains a constant phenomenon. And so, beyond the infrastructure renaissance, road construction, and efforts in reviving the health sector, amongst others, the state must look at ways of making the informal economy thrive. Uyo, as of today, goes to sleep quite too early. While it may not compare to Lagos, Port Harcourt or Aba, it will be a big leap for the state if small-scale businesses are thriving.
House rents have hit the roof today. Additionally, there is a shortfall in housing. People pay through their noses today for decent accommodation. While agents are smiling, house hunters are groaning. The government should prioritise a low-cost housing scheme that will benefit low-income earners. While there is no crime in building houses for lawyers, commissioners and the like, it is in order to equally factor in the hoi polloi.
Here, most politicians are okay with hospitality businesses. This itself is not bad given its tourism effect, but we must begin to think in the direction of companies and industries that can employ our roaming youths who become easy prey in the hands of desperate politicians for untoward ends.
We do too much of politics here. Let those who have access to the state till think of how to light up the local economy. How can we encourage entrepreneurship? How can we redirect the minds of our youths from going cap-in-hand to politicians to doing something permanent for themselves? While there is nothing wrong in working with a politician and possibly learning the ropes, we must not be so consumed in it to the point of thinking that there is no other life outside politics and all its perks.
Again, let us be less “churchy” in looks but high in doing the little things that matter, the little things that aid growth of not just one family, but a higher population, of the little things that lift a distraught soul from distress, of the little things that unite rather than divide. Akwa Ibom must be great because it has it all.
Sadly, some politicians who are running around the seat of power like bees on nectar have refused to either intentionally empower the younger generation or leave the stage as their age dictates. They have continued to uphold and elevate the virtues of sycophancy, kowtowing and falling prostrate to any governor in power for survival and funding of their extravagant lifestyle.
So, while a microscopic few continue to feed fat on the till without pointing to/or anybody they have supported to excel, whether in education, handcraft or business, the larger population swim endlessly in the cesspit of lack and deprivations in the midst of plenty. We can do better. Let the democratic gains spread to those that truly need them. We have taken much coal to Newcastle.
Again, as the state marks this momentous occasion, there is a need to be tolerant with opposition forces. The truth is that the beauty of democracy is having an opposition party that helps keep the ruling party on its toes. Without prejudice to the “Akwa Ibom United Mantra” promoted excitedly by Governor Umo Eno, it is important that we allow opposition parties to exist so that even the government in power can do more for the people.
Suppressing and making opposing forces look evil is off it. In a plural society as ours, it is impossible to have every single person in one political party or promote one ideology. Humans are free beings who love to explore and be independent-minded. Opposition, when done with decency and criticisms done on facts without bitterness, helps the government in power keep the development engine revving and running in the direction it should. You may not know how good or bad you dance if there is no one to tell you so.
So, on this auspicious occasion of the 39th anniversary of Akwa Ibom State, one looks at better days ahead where the general economic outlook of the state will take a leap from a purely civil service state to a commercial hub where trade and commerce hold sway audaciously, thereby making the state a viable economic entity where youths are empowered to go into different businesses of their choice, where people travel from other states to – ultimately lifting up the economic ecosystem of the state beyond politics and civil service.
With the state undoubtedly rich, let us equally have rich and economically empowered citizens. Let the general economic weather of the state beam with life. We have it all; let us make hay without any ado. Let us see the dividends of this democracy in the lives of citizens who have no direct connection to Hilltop Mansion.
Let the local government chairmen roll up their sleeves and provide good leadership at the grassroots. They get so much now in allocation; hence, they should live up to expectations and uplift the lives of the people in their localities. Enough of empty talks and shows. Well-developed local government areas is a precursor to minimising rural-to- urban migration, with the state capital suffocating.
Let us build a state that our forebears will be proud of and not shrug their shoulders in disappointment given our deliberate missteps.
Let the greatness of Akwa Ibom steam to life as we look forward to its 40-year anniversary next year.
Happy anniversary, Akwa Ibom!
