The birth of a child necessarily brings celebration and shared love. Tuesday, June 13, 2023, represented yet another joyous birth – the historic election and inauguration of His Excellency, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, (GOA) GCON, as President of the 10th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Indeed, the threshold-crossing event similarly brought unity and love to the people of Akwa Ibom State. And l will continue to relish the display of brotherly love inherent in His Excellency, Governor Umo Eno’s gesture of taking the lead in moving a cross-section of Akwa Ibom political leaders across party lines to rally round and celebrate the man of the moment: Nigeria’s Senate President of Akwa Ibom State extraction.
Before this point of celebration – except for those whose optimism was not strong enough, who therefore doubted the sincerity of fellow Nigerians and that of the ruling party – conversations among the greater number of Akwa Ibom people, including their prayer points, consisted in wishing and looking forward to GOA’s success.
We have to thank God that this great thing has happened to us. Of course, it has been a long and tortuous journey. The sacrifices made by certain categories of people must be appreciated – groups and individuals such as the entire Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District, the ADFs, AACs, the Ekperikpe Ekpos, the Ekpoudoms, APC leadership and membership, members of other political parties in the Senatorial District and all men and women of goodwill.
We must commend the man himself for developing himself to such a high level of visibility and marketability. His profile, sagacity, charisma, reach, sense of humour and skill were intimidating. Luck merely came to meet those infrastructures on ground. It is the Lord’s doing.
What is left now is for all of us in the state to key into this unity dance, give support and continue to pray for the Senate President, the Governor of Akwa Abasi Ibom State, our National/State Legislators, including those that will soon be appointed to serve. In turn, these leaders should see the entire state as their constituency, putting election cleavages behind us and burying the hatchets firmly in the head of our common enemy; namely: poverty and disease.
May God bless us all. May the Unity and Love we experienced at GOA’s election and inauguration in Abuja continue to be our guide.
–Dr. Emmanuel Akpanobong, a medical practitioner is the Chairman of the foremost socio-cultural organisation, Ibibio Elders Forum (Adaha Ibibio).
