Governor Udom Emmanuel has hit the bull’s eye. He has lived and acted the dictum of having square pegs in square holes.
While not pooh-poohing other appointments by the state chief executive, to hand Ini Ememobong the Information Ministry is, at any rate, a masterstroke.
One may say it’s long overdue that the Useh Ndon, Ibiono Ibom-born highflyer stepped into that office, but then it’s better late than never.
There is not a scintilla of doubt that the information wing of the Udom Emmanuel Administration yearned for a person of Comrade Ini Ememobong’s stature.
His incredible and unprecedented outing as the spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state was crystal clear for even his staunchest critic or foe to see and admit, even grudgingly, that indeed he is a great chap who knows his onions. His raft of press releases in the run-up during and after the contentious 2019 polls, most of which reeked with intrepidity, earned him the sobriquet of “Mr. Press Release” among a litany of his followers and admirers alike.
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No time did he put his foot wrong. Each press release trumped the one before, whether in content, points raised, issues addressed, not to say the manner, tone and tenor of presentation. In all of those press statements, one denominator that always defined them was courage, the sheer boldness to call the bluff of those who were considered “untouchable”. Though some found his effrontery acerbic, he had little or no choice but to do his work. And he did it to devastating effect.
During his time as publicity secretary of the PDP, Comrad Ememobong built a network of followers and disciples with his excellent man-management skills. His manner of approach, mixing with all without recourse to name, colour or other unhealthy posturing that draws a line between him, his position and those he relates with.
That’s truly the kind of person the information wing of the government needs. Because, among other things, he’ll use his goodwill among a broad spectrum of people to attract rave reviews to the current administration. His presence in the executive council of the Udom Emmanuel Administration will, without any shred of doubt, boost the image of the government before a disparate public, among whom unrepentant critics number.
To show how prepared he is for the task ahead, barely a day after being appointed as commissioner for information and strategy, Comrade Ememobong, characteristic of him, visited the NUJ Secretariat where he rubbed minds with the leadership of the union.
It was not surprising that those managing his media unit tagged the session “a good start”. That, to put it as it is, is how to strike partnership and not a situation in the recent past where the union and the Information Ministry gave each other the cold shoulder.
So, the NUJ led by Amos Etuk aptly described the appointment of Ini Ememobong as “Udom’s gift to us”. No sane mind can contest the above statement given how friendly the former special assistant to the governor on political matters has been with members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm, and indeed the media community generally.
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A public relations expert, fine linguist and lawyer, Ememobong comes into the job with a cognate experience needed to drive the information machinery to its desired level. He is armed with the competence, good temperament and intellectual stamina to run the affairs of the ministry and positively project the good works of the Udom Emmanuel Administration.
Let it be stated here that if there is one man who has made the current administration have a good stance with the media community, it is Comrade Ini Ememobong. This is without prejudice to the efforts of other appointees in maintaining a good working relationship with the media. While it is in order to commend them for their efforts, one man that went the extra mile to ensure that the government was/is always projected in good light is Comrade Ini Ememobong. Whether it was in personally reaching out through phone calls or calling for meetings to calm frayed nerves and all that, he always did all he could to “tame” some folks in order to have them see and write about the government in favourable light.
Comrade Ememobong has an aura that, without compelling people, he gets maximum cooperation and support. He is humble, unassuming and is gifted in the rare art of grooming others. He spots stars, works with them as a father as opposed to a boss dishing out orders with reckless disregard. He guides and supports them to mount leadership positions without nursing any fear about the rise of those he projects. He gives them a pedestal to discover their innate potentials, and magnanimously provides them with a ladder to climb and achieve their goals.
Ini is a gift to Akwa Ibom State. Udom has certainly discovered this, hence his decision to bring him into his team. It is a felicitous decision that will rub off positively on the government of the day. He’ll add value to the administration with his natural ability to make good of any responsibility given him. Ini is not given to low standards, hence he’ll certainly plant the seeds of excellence in running the Information Ministry. His impeccable communication skills will equally come handy in his new assignment.
Comrade Ini Ememobong, needless to say, knows that serving as commissioner for information and strategy is poles apart from his previous beat as publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He knows he has to draw a thick line between the two. While one was speaking for a party, projecting its image and literally going after opponents of the party hammer and tongs, his new job is to project Akwa Ibom State to the world without pandering to party lines. He now speaks for the government and people of the state and not a section of it. The tone of his communication should be moderately mild, not abusive, yet not seen to be cowering under the weight of criticism or scrutiny from a very curious and active public.
Heads or tails, Comrade Ini Ememobong has proven that he has the capacity to deliver on his new assignment. He has shown in many instances that he has the Midas touch, not to talk of the magic wand to bring innovative ideas and distinctive creativity to whatever task he is given.
His managerial skill which is rated topnotch by those who should know, organizational acumen, simplicity and attention to details will no doubt bring the much needed fresh air into the Udom Emmanuel administration and add pep to the governor’s Completion Agenda.
