By Omen Bassey
I can't explain exactly how I felt when I recently stumbled on an
article captioned "Governor Udom Emmanuel takes development to Oro
Nation" authored by one Emmanuel Nicholas Okokon, Special Assistant to
the Governor on Research and Documentation. The heading was as
misleading as it was offensive.
I have had reasons to complain
that the fact that this guy is the one who undertakes research for this
government speaks volumes of its attitude to service delivery.
On reading the article, I was filled with a sense of relief, disgust,
anger and amusement combined.This was possible because the author, I
understand made an unusual metamorphosis from an entertainer to a top
government functionary.Curiously, he wasn't asked to oversee
entertainment or any of its variants.
First, in an attempt to
launder the image of his current boss, the author who was one of the
prominent court jesters during the Akpabio administration unwittingly
confirmed that indeed, his former boss, Senator Godswill Akpabio rode a
roughshod on Oro people.
I could see the author struggle to make
Governor Udom Emmanuel a super performer without exposing Akpabio's lies
on the performance of his administration as it concerned Oro Nation. I
have a feeling that the guy isn't smart enough to successfully handle
such an arduous task.
So, he ended up demystifying and exposing Akpabio without canonizing Udom as he obviously set out to.
For the sake of those who either didn't read his article or read
without giving attention to certain important details, I hereby quote
the following excerpts :
"In the past, most Local Government
Areas in Oro nation were left out by successive administrations- from
military to democratic rule in the spread of developmental projects...
It was not intentional as assumed by the masses.
Rather, it was mostly
out of economic constraints, though most victims of the marginalization
feel it was an intentional plot to keep their locality undeveloped...."
Mr Emmanuel Nicholas Okokon completed his disingenuous and ridiculous defense by stating thus:
" I take exception from such faulty perceptions as one government
cannot develop the entire state in its tenure, even if the
administration has all the funds in the world to do so".
This is a
futile attempt to make Akpabio's marginalization of Oro look natural
and inadvertent. But did Akpabio admit that his notorious Uncommon
Transformation excluded the entire five Local Government Areas of Oro
Nation? Have we forgotten the much publicized 34 roads in Oro which
government couldn't measure in kilometres as it did in other places?
What of the longest bridge in Mbo Local Government Area which featured
prominently in the Uncommon Transformation series in both local and
national televisions?
Didn't Akpabio, during that state
organized and controlled Town Hall meeting stand right in the Oro Civic
Centre to claim how good his government was to Oro Nation? What is
Emmanuel Okokon trying to say now?
To complete his unwitting
exposure of Akpabio, he quoted Governor Udom Emmanuel as stating the
following after his first visit to Oron town as Governor:
"I
didn't like what I saw on one of the days I came here and it was
raining. Oron used to be one of the ancient cities where visitors
preferred to live because of its economic and aquaculture life.
We want
to restore the lost glory of Oron.Once we finish with the drainage
system, we will rehabilitate roads and install street lights".
Wow! So, is it true that Oro was a shadow of itself throughout the 8
years of uncommon transformation? Didn't Akpabio and his supporters
attempt to portray Oro people as ungrateful and irritating?
Between Senator Godswill Akpabio,Deacon Udom Emmanuel and Mr Nicholas
Okokon, who should the world believe on the true state of affairs in Oro
Nation?
AKPABIO'S GOVERNMENT AND THE LEGACY OF LOPSIDED INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT.
I agree totally with Mr Okokon that no government can develop the
entire state in its tenure. But does that also imply that government
policies and projects are impulsive?
Is there any justification
for one Local Government Area to have almost all its roads tarred to the
farms and streams while others don't see a single kilometre tarred and
are completely cut off from the rest of the State because of poor roads?
Is this act of marginalization, neglect and exclusion inadvertent as he
wants us to believe? Since he was a functionary of the previous
administration, Mr Emmanuel Nicholas Okokon can help us with the
parameters employed in determining which parts of the State to be
completely turned around while others waited in dehumanizing conditions
and abject squalor.
What model of development would give
abundant roads, a 3 or 5 star hotel and other luxuries to one part while
others were being washed away by uncontrolled erosions?
Maybe Mr
Emmanuel Okokon Nicholas has forgotten that government claimed to have
devoted over 70% of its total budget to capital projects.
How could that
have been the case in 8 long years and four out of the five Local
Government Areas of Oro Nation, just like some other equally
marginalized parts of the State never saw a single capital project?
AKPABIO AND THE EMPOWERMENT OF SUPPORTERS.
Hate or love him, nobody can sincerely dispute Akpabio's generosity
which was even stretched to the ridiculous. That era witnessed the
emergence of several overnight millionaires and billionaires in Akwa
Ibom State.
In fact, in response to criticisms which greeted the
commissioning of his multi million naira personal duplex in the early
days of this administration, Mr Okokon had stated that the house was
built and cars bought by him before the advent of the present
administration. In other words, he achieved all that while working for
Chief Godswill Akpabio.
Question is, which Akpabio's supporter of Oro
extraction at his level and beyond could boast of anything near that?Was
it also a coincidence? At least, it was okay because he was a
beneficiary.
Would anybody say that the Akpabio and Udom
administrations can pass the test of fairness, broad mindedness,
sincerity and objectivity ?
CHIEF GODSWILL AKPABIO -Oro Nation has been uncommonly transformed.
GOV. UDOM EMMANUEL- Oro has lost its glory.It has lost its economic and aquaculture life.
MR EMMANUEL OKOKON NICHOLAS -Oro was marginalized because of financial constraints.
Who do I believe?
TO BE CONTINUED.
No comments: