The Akwa Ibom story isn't a pleasant one. It's a tale of misery and anguish. The one that speaks no volume of our existence. Where brothers exist in isolation. Become enemies overnight.
Yes, we came to see our leaders behave this way. And we probably can't use the same path. We came to see leaders with crazy minds. Leaders with funny characters.
Making life miserable for their followers. Or have we forgotten. That we've crawled over mountains of death in times past? And then watched corpses roll down like stones.
We've been cheated and beaten countless times by our so called leaders. Have we forgotten that many have lost their fractions? Just because of selfish political office seekers. It's a wicked scene not to be remembered.
In 2007, a man called Godswill Obot Akpabio emerged from nowhere. He said he was the will of the Most High. Manoeuvred the steering of Akwa Ibom with carelessness. Eight years later.
We discovered how far we've been defrauded. How the whole state had lost it pride through a single individual. We thought of many solutions. But it was too late. Then, we had to move on.
After eight years of wastage. He felt so reluctant to leave the number office. If there was a third term. Akpabio would have lobbied. I trust our professional sycophants.
Hungry and disrespected elders. They would have collected peanuts. And then gave him a green card. What a society of endless wonders.
Even though Akpabio had left. His evil spirit is still roaming far and within. That's why things are not different from what it used to be.
We see and hear the same lies. The same crocked stories. The same deceit and forging of figures. The same patterns of leadership. The same manner of wickedness. The same page of family governance.
Or are we not aware that the Udom's brothers are reportedly building estates and hotels in Calabar? Wasting our resources at their wills. The same story that played its way throughout Akpabio's eight year tenure. Where public funds were shared amongst the Akpabios.
Currently, they're complaining of 'no money.' No money to pay pensioners and workers' arrears. No money to fund capital projects. That's why he chooses to borrow every month.
Could it be that Udom's brothers are also using their personal money to acquire those properties? Because our governor said his mansion at Onna was funded by his personal income.
How come? Why now? This is the same lies we heard between 2007 and 2015. Now again? We pray it end soon.
Just to jump bars in 2019.
Udom Emmanuel is launching attacks on the NDDC boss. I mean Obong Nsima Ekere. The only man he perceives as his worst enemy. For whatever reason. For whatever purpose.
We're yet to know. The reason for these frivolous attacks. Where everything is turned into politics. Nsima had accident. It's being used against him. He initiates projects in Akwa Ibom through NDDC.
It's used against him. Court never seized Nsima's house, they took it upon themselves to deceive the masses. And whenever there's nothing to exhume against Nsima, they fabricate stories.
All in their bid to score unnecessary points. Meaning that this government has no brand. No identity. No image and no direction.
When people say Udom Emmanuel was forced from Lagos to become governor. It's not only truth, but a fact. We can see in his character and ways of running government. Maybe he has never been told.
That trying to discredit others with selfish reasons does not change the minds of the masses towards him. Rather, it's a simple way of revealing the extent of his ignorance. Accident could happen to anyone. Why then used it against Nsima Ekere.
Trying to score unnecessary point out of one's misfortune. Meaning that the governor is cruel. Selfish and indecisive in his activities. Why take pleasure in the suffering of your people?
And besides, the governor's utterances these days are worrisome. Last week, he was quoted as saying, "We hear that NDDC is planning to open more roads, if they do that we would resist it because that would distort our development plan. We have a structure and systems that are running.
Let them come under that structure so that we can anchor development together." Why this? It simply implies that Akwa Ibom has no governor. Apart from the one programmed by others. It’s a serious wahala.
Initially, when Udom was sworn-in. He copied Akpabio's lifestyle. The way he speaks, walk and operates governance. He came to see Akpabio wearing agbada. Without knowing why.
He’s now using it like a uniform. With that, we can say that Udom is still learning. And it won't be wrong to say that he does not know what he believes on. Rather he only knows what he wishes to believe.
Now, we just wish the governor could receive this signal. That Nsima isn't his problem. But those who seat in the comfort of their homes to remote his government. Nsima is only a single individual.
Who believes in the liberation of his people. He should leave the NDDC boss to execute his ideas for Niger Deltans. They're the ones that need government attention.
They're the ones that require emergency and developmental plans. Not like ours who brought his development plans from Business school. Wrong formula in its totality.
We've heard severally. This ranting and complains. I mean by Udom aides. That Nsima has visited other Niger Delta states to partner in development. But yet to visit his own state.
Could that be real. At least we now know. That these people has no conscience. The same Nsima you called kidnapper, armed robber.
The same Nsima you attack with your last blood. The same Nsima you never wanted to see. You abused him at ease.
Used all kinds of foul words on him. Your own brother. Your flesh and blood. Meaning that you never wanted him progress.
But one thing is certain. Whether he visits here or not. It's no big deal. This is where his root is. His knows the peoples' problems. What they want.
And how to solve them. There's no need visiting the governor whose agenda is synonymous to evil. Nsima knows Akwa Ibom people. And the people know him.
We want to believe that all these attacks are because of 2019. But come to think of it. Nsima Ekere is yet to declare and there are these kinds of trembling. Even though Udom does not really know Nsima. We believe he has gone through his pedigrees and experiences.
And that might have sent shocking signals into his spines. That’s why he feels so uncomfortable with Nsima’s achievements as NDDC boss in less than one year. But one thing is sure.
No matter the attacks. Akwa Ibom people know who they want in 2019. Because this state is too large for a single family to decide what comes in. And what goes out. This nonsense must stop!
Even though we know. That our governor is confused. But he shouldn't forget. That the world is full of confusion and contradiction. From where he came from. We cannot expect him to do anything that is absolutely right.
We can only measure rightness by the truth within his administration. And our own truth will never be quite the same as somebody else's. Udom should try his best.
And never to compete with someone that is beyond his reach. He should be different. He should be original.
Because nobody will remember a specific flower in a garden filled with thousands of the same yellow flower.
But they will remember the one that manages to change its colour to purple. It's a time to deliver. And not time cry over spilled milk.
God Bless Akwa Ibom State!
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