By Akaninyene Christopher Amanam
According to Abraham Lincoln, ‘nearly all men can stand adversity but
if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.’ The foregoing
quotation describes a certain Miss Otobong Akpan (Aquila) who is the
Special Assistant to Governor Udom Emmanuel on Student Affairs.
Prior to becoming a governor’s aide, Aquila was just a normal lady. She
was sociable and humble, but since being appointed as SA, her head
swelled thus becoming intoxicated with power.
To say that Aquila
has raped the conscience of Akwa Ibom students is an understatement.
She acts with impunity and spares nothing to unleash terror against
anyone who refuses to dance to her evil tune.
She diverts
yuletide gifts from governor, imposes leaders in the students community,
disburses government’s scholarship funds to non-students and few close
persons, romances with dropouts and cultists who are giving her the
false belief that she can get away with any impunity, threatens to deal
with anyone who frowns at her misdoings, insults her superiors etc.
Knowing that her acts of impunity have backfired, she is now running
helter skelter looking for cheap bloggers and journalists to launder her
image. To be frank, Akwa Ibom journalists are very funny. Aquila, who
Linda Ikeji can employ as cleaner, is being viewed as a rich lady by Uyo
bloggers and journalists.
Recently, she suffered huge
embarrassment when journalists snubbed her media chat which was slated
at an eatery along Oron Road. After waiting for hours, she
disappointedly changed venue and took the few bloggers and facebook
reporters who cared to turn up to an eatery at 100 units.
It did
not stop there, Aquila stooped so low to cough out 10,000 Naira to a
certain Edidiong Udobia to write an article captioned ‘Aquila and the
lost tribe.’ So many journalists declined to collect the money for the
write-up but one facebook reporter, Evelyn Affia convinced Edidiong to
collect the money.
The writer went as far as describing students
as a ‘lost tribe’ because of N10,000. Shame! Is it a crime for students
to reject an SA who has so far betrayed them?
Apart from
that, Aquila owes so much. There is an upcoming musician who is into
graphics design. His name is Yung Swag. Aquila is refusing to pay him
for Graphics work done for several months. She 'sacks' aides in her
offices without paying salaries. Nobody works with her for more than two
months. Should I mention more names?
Aquila is invariably
becoming Governor Udom Emmanuel’s number one enemy because she openly
boasts that the governor will not hesitate to ‘deal with’ anybody who
opposes her. Does it mean that the governor is a governor of impunity?
Contrary to what Aquila and his cheap facebook reporters allege, as
students, we demand that Aquila must obey the laid down constitution of
students unions in Akwa Ibom.
For Aquila to go the maniacal
length of recruiting dropouts who masquerade as students to be
witch-hunt students leaders shows that she can do and undo. Aquila, you
are fast becoming a persona non grata in students circles.
Now, that
your sands are sinking, I wish the facebook reporters well in their new
adventure of maligning sane students for peanuts. When their actions
backfire on the personality, they will know that Aquila is a demon with a
human face.
Before I conclude, let me tell Udom Emmanuel that
we have lost confidence in Aquila. We are tired of the fact that she is
hiding under government’s protection to disparage us.
If the
governor cannot call her to order, we will equally assume that you have
endorsed her actions and inactions. Sorry to say this, we will reject
you alongside her.
Mr. Governor, none of your appointees deserve
to pooh-pooh on our sensibilities. Not least Aquila, who has a very
inglorious record including being expelled from UNIUYO for examination
malpractice amongst other ill acts.
Mr. Governor, we are tired
of Aquila. Caution her, if you know her. If you value her much, assign
her another portfolio. We cannot cope with a lady of impunity as our
representative.
*Unlike the Aquila’s writers who use fake names,
I am Comrade Akaninyene Christopher Amanam of the Department of
Political Science, Akwa Ibom State College of Education, Afaha Nsit*
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