By Uwakmfon Dan
The Speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Barr.) Onofiok Luke
has celebrated his 39th Birthday Anniversary with Secondary School
students in the State, with a charge on them to cultivate the habit of
humility, as a virtue to a successful destiny. Read and see pictures after the cut...
Barr. Luke gave
the admonition, Thursday, at a one day symposium for Secondary School
Students in the State, tagged "The Making of Godly Champions", organised
by the Office of the Special Assistant to the Governor on
Reorientation, at Community Secondary School, Aka Offot, Uyo.
Delivering a Lecture on "The Falling Standard of Secondary Education and
the Challenges of Future Leadership: Moral Etiquette as a Case Study",
the legislative helmsman harped on the need for the students to remain
forthright, honest, trustworthy and focused, saying such virtues are
essential in attaining a successful destiny.
The Speaker who used
the opportunity to share his life experiences with the students
described himself as a beneficiary of humility and urged them to remain
visionary, and always acknowledge God as the only one who can elevate
them in life.
"It is not easy for you to leave the comfort of
your survival zone, It takes courage and sacrifice for you to be
humbled, especially, in a world that has been overtaken by survival
tendencies.
"I advise you today, to have a vision, attach passion
to that vision, subject it to God in prayer and ask Him to help you
realise your dream.
"To become a Godly Champion, you must make
sacrifices; you must be trusted, brave and ensure you stand by your
decisions, politely", Luke added.
He noted that man is naturally
wired to be proud, but however stressed that humility remains a value
that can take one to the zenith and thanked organisers of the programme
for their foresight in investing positively into the future of the
younger generation.
In his Lecture, titled; "Peer Pressure and
the Challenges of Future Leaders: Discipline as a Case Study", the
Commissioner for Housing and Special Duties in the State, Mr Akan Okon
charged the students to have a clear cut plan for themselves so as to
avoid peer pressure.
Mr. Okon listed drug and alcohol addiction,
unethical relationships, indecent dressing, cultism and poor academic
performance as products of peer pressure warned the students against
keeping bad companies, but to always look at the background of their
friends, as they (friends) can either make or mar their future.
While advising the students to cultivate self belief and confidence, the
Housing and Special Duties Boss said; "Peer influence is not bad, but
has positive angles too, your success in life is dependent on the type
of friends you keep.
"As students, you have greater opportunities
now and you must decide what you want to be in the future, I charge you
to be focused because it is very difficult to influence people who are
focused."
In his exhortation, the Senior Pastor and Founder of
Holy Ghost Ambassadors, Uyo, Apostle Nyeneime Andy, said Nigerian
leaders should secure the future of the Nation by learning to have the
future of the younger generation at heart.
The Man of God who
captioned his message, "Arrows in the Hands of a Mighty Man", drawn from
Psalms 127: tasked the students to be studious, so as to make
successful warriors and expressed optimism that the programme will go a
long way to moulding the students for a brighter future.
Earlier,
the Managing Director and CEO of Akwa Ibom Transport Company Limited,
Mr Nsikan Jonny had delivered a Lecture titled "Raising and Sustaining
our Cultural Values to Deepen Good Morals" and prescribed the inclusion
of cultural training programmes in the school curriculum, so as to
educate the students on sound cultural and moral practices.
In his address, the Chief Organiser and Special Assistant to the Governor on Reorientation, Mr Ekpeno Gold thanked Barr. Luke, Mr. Akan Okon and other guests for their presence and contributions to the successful hosting of the event.
While appreciating his team and participating schools, the Governor's
Aide said the programme will help lay a strong foundation for the
students and maintained it would be extended to other Senatorial
Districts in the State.
Highlights of the well attended event
included a welcome song by the host School, Community Secondary School,
Aka Offot, recitation of the Dakkada Creed in Ibibio, as well as the
cutting of a Birthday Cake, to mark Barr. Luke's 39th Birthday
Anniversary.
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