By Osondu Ahirika
"So Ephraim Inyangeyen wept! How? Why? What happened?" This is the question my brother and friend Atuekong Paul, asked me because he couldn't believe his eyes.
Folks ', if you know the persona of the man in question, you may well be pondering if it is for real that Mr inyangeyen, the no-nonsense, unsmiling Honourable Commissioner for Works, Akwa Ibom State can break down in tears.
Shedding tears in public by the men folk is something that shocks Us. By common admission, men, like ambition should be made of sterner stuff. Even more so, if the subject is not a bloody civilian.
What will make a paramilitary officer like Commissioner inyangeyen weep openly?
Here is a man who, it is now apparent, is the most misunderstood public servant in Akwa Ibom State. I have heard some critics labelling him as too arrogant, headstrong, bullish, unfriendly and very delicate.
The problem is, he indeed is all of these but none of them. How do I mean? Maybe this isn't making any sense.
Okay! Let me play us a few tales about our man. Appointed Commissioner for Works by His Excellency Governor Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, Mr inyangeyen, I imagine, didn't know what he was up against if he had to deliver on the governor's promise of world-class road network across the state. A day came and he faced the acid test.
It was at his hometown of Onna Local Government Area, where he was distraught at the site of so many illegal structures, including, shanties, tombstones, kiosks, shrines, fences and what have you spring up over night on the wings and right of way of roads under construction.
The dilemma was how to handle such illegality in the most fair, just and appropriate response.
The bottomlline was that, he had to give orders that the illegal structures which were constructed in a bid to draw compensation from Government coffers be pulled down.
An obviously pained Inyangeyen took the tough call and after explaining the implications of the erection of these structures in undermining development and governments efforts to offer much needed service to the people, the structures were demolished giving way to good roads that are either completed or nearing completion. At one point, a lady approached him(inyangeyen), exchanged friendly banter and tried to introduce herself.
Commissioner inyangeyen saved her the trouble. He called her by first name and mentioned her father's name and extended family name. She wanted to lobby him for favour not to pull down her husband's kiosk which blocked the drainage.
But Ephraim inyangeyen declined and insisted he owed the state a duty to discharge his assignment, honourably and with integrity. The structure was brought down and the drain constructed.
That same difficult terrain is what he has encountered in many other parts of the state. He has been left with no choice than to put the interest of the state above other filial or primordial sentiments.
For such tenacity and uprightness which is decidedly unbending and uncompromising in the discharge of his brief as works commissioner, some people assume he is mean.
Another area he remains unyielding and firm is in transparently paying compensations to property owners whose structures are to give way for roads.
This he maintains without bulging, must be done openly without cutting corners, or the muddling up of the process with third parties or middlemen who seek rents, bribes, percentages and inflate figures.
I have been with the media crew that gives live coverage of these events at every juncture and can honestly attest to its zero tolerance for graft of any kind. The property owners are paid directly with biometric capture of their full profile.
Again, such sticking to details and perfection pisses some persons off. He will not apologise for entrenching standards and etiquette of accountability in doing his job. So, they call him names
Truth however is, to the just, Inyangeyen shows himself just. To the tough, he proves an unwavering and stubborn public servant. One thing he is never committed to, nor persuaded by, is mediocrity. Mr inyangeyen I have come to know, respects intelligence, faithfulness, loyalty, due diligence and rewards hard work.
For him, it is merit not nepotism. That's where, and quite infrequently so, a few people step on his raw side and don't like the experience.
Fast forward to what I elect to call,' the week of his passion,' and Ephraim Inyangeyen unravelled before our watching eyes buckling down under the intense pressure of emotions.
It was the week the final journey of the late Paramount Ruler of Onna and Oku Ibom Ibibio III His Eminence, Akwa Edidem Akpabio Udo Ukpa, to his resting place.
On Saturday, April1, Inyangeyen led a team, including his wife and a strong delegation to commiserate with the family of the deceased traditional ruler.
Received by the Paramount Ruler of Ikot Abasi HRM Edidem Ntuk obom and wife of the late Oku Ibom III, Her Eminence, Akwa Obonganwan Patience Akpabio Ukpa, he bared his mind in tribute to the king who he revealed was his foster father.
Inyangeyen revealed how the late Ukpa drove him as a kid to The great Etinan Institute and registered him as a student. He recounted how he cut his teeth under the roof of the departed king and was treated like a prince all his early life.
Inyangeyen expressed gratitude to God Almighty for granting him the grace to be alive to pay his last respect and farewell to his benefactor and foster father.
He thanked Governor Udom Emmanuel for the landmark assistance accorded the bereaved family to give their patriarch a beffiting burial and made his contributions in cash and kind.
Thereafter, he stepped out to sign the condolence register and the tears trickled down. Hard as he tried, I caught him on this. So, he had his very ordinary side and isn't superhuman after all.
Almost by impulse, he moved straight and joined a troupe of women doing their thing with uta and Itembe traditional dance, and wait for this, Ephraim Inyangeyen was dancing with them. So, he could dance and mix so freely with the people too?
As he co-ordinated the entire Operations to ensure success of this huge event, I saw the real man. A great mobilizer of youths and very courteous with elders.
To all and sundry who thronged the burial ceremonies as tourists, spectators, mourners, participants in one area or the other, Inyangeyen was accessible, welcoming, responsive and played a kind host.
Folks', believe me and not what detractors may say or have you believe. Behind that reserved exterior of Ephraim Inyangeyen is a soft spot and a lovable disposition which is unexplored.
His many acts of kindness which I have witnessed have largely gone unrecorded while we are fed with the rant of those who want to continue the business as usual culture. That is where you will meet the other side that wouldn't entertain fake games and suffers fools gladly.
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