Raymond Okpo
One outstanding and most concise definition of the word “Loyalty’ that I’ve ever come across is that offered by The Urban Dictionary. According to the lexicon, loyalty means, “Making something or someone a priority; staying true to someone or something even when other things call attention”. In further elucidation, the dictionary dignifies loyalty as “Standing by the people and the things you love even in the darkest times because you are willing to brave the dark shadows and the monsters in darkness; and even in the greatest of times, because you are not afraid to let them shine with an intensity so bright it scorches the ground they walk on”.
Although I perhaps stand the risk of being unjustifiably hated by typical fair-weather politicians and their gullible sycophants for daring to state the obvious in an environment of acrimonious politics and dearth of ingratitude, the above definition, in all fairness and utility, aptly captures the character,, political philosophy and support dynamics of the incumbent Commissioner for Culture and Tourism in Akwa Ibom State, Rt. Hon. Victor Antai. To say the least, contrary to the obtrusive cynicism of incorrigible critics, Hon. Victor Antai’s towering antecedence and inexorable commitments to the growth of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and cause of good governance in Akwa Ibom State are self-evident and worthy of commendation.
It must be emphasized that the intention of this article is not to praise Hon. Victor Antai but to draw the readers’ attention to his iron-brand loyalty, self-sacrificing commitment and creative management of the political dynamics and grassroots’ support base that have served as incentives and reinforced Governor Udom Emmanuel’s confidence in the Oro Nation. In decent logic and practical terms, political vibrancy is not measured by how much you have talked or can talk but by the positive impact you have created on the electorate with the opportunity entrusted to you, and doing so with obedience and forthrightness than by sycophancy and cowardly subservience. Those who may still be wondering at the moment what Hon Antai has done to merit these fair encomiums may be those who have been misled by insidious insinuation by bad-blood media propagandists in the journalism profession and social media who vaingloriously always aim at poisoning the collective psychology and image of the State.
Politics being what it characteristically is, not everyone in the nuclear family has been endowed with the rare quality of total loyalty that has been demonstrated in proportionate ramification by Rt. (Hon.) Victor Antai in his many years record of public service. He is unarguably and deservedly the flag-bearer for those who see loyalty as an article of faith in the socio-political narrative of Akwa Ibom State, and by extension, any other altruistic endeavor in the emancipation of humanity. Some others simply join the bandwagon mainly for what is at stake or the sweetest parts of the bargain, and never to support any obvious, sustainable people-oriented cause that would do greater good to the greater number. They are best described as fair-weather politicians who see loyalty and commitment as conditional paraphernalia of opportunism. To them, provided ends were met, loyalty is an obsolete word and they are wont and quick to suspect every genuine intention of those who are committed to a leader, followers and party ideologies like Rt. (Hon.) Chief Victor Antai.
Hon Victor Antai has clearly proven that one can stay steadily in one political family and does all he could to keep the boat afloat against the storms. With loyalty, he has vaccinated himself from the cancerous infection of defection to parties whose members still anchor their survival on the PDP. Could this be the reason every successive administration in the State has always found a dependable ally in him without any reservations, irrespective of how often the cabinet is being reshuffled? Could this be the reason the Oro Nation in entirety today has found a sense of direction and is singing the symphony of total support for the Divine Mandate of Governor Udom Emmanuel beyond 2019? Maybe, just maybe, this is also why a few disgruntled and pitiable elements who are pathologically averse to positivism have been trying in vain to undermine Hon. Antai’s sterling performance and inimitable credentials of loyalty to His Excellency, Gov. Udom Emmanuel, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and indeed any worthy cause aimed at the betterment of the Akwa Ibom State. Hon. Antai constantly reminds us of Woodrow T. Wilson (1856-1924), the 28th and two-term President of the United States of America (1913 -1921), who said that “Loyalty means nothing unless it has at its heart the absolute principle of self-sacrifice”.
One of the most memorable high points of Victor Antai’s sincerity of purpose was noticed in the bravery and political sagacity with which he mobilized support across the five local government areas making up the Oro Nation as well as in the entire Eket Senatorial District for the momentous second term victory of former Gov. Godswill Apkabio. When another very challenging opportunity came again in 2015 for the two-term Chairman of Mbo Local Government Area to further prove his quality of loyalty and capacity to deliver, he did not disappoint Mr. Udom Emmanuel, the PDP Governorship candidate and the generality of Akwa Ibom people.
Necessity, Trust, Responsibility and Discretion first beckoned on Rt. (Hon.) Chief Victor Antai, a highly successful entrepreneur, to serve as Chairman of Mbo Local Government of Akwa Ibom State in the celebrated uncommon phenomenon of former Gov. Godswill Akpabio. Because, he diligently served with unprecedented footprints, breaking existing record and setting new ones in all critical sectors of the Mbo economy in his first term, he automatically and necessarily had to return for a second term, which expectedly proved to be better than the first in terms of democratic dividends to the people. All these could not have gone unnoticed. Because Gov. Udom Emmanuel needed trusted and capable hands to drive his emancipative vision for the State on assumption of office, he immediately spotted Rt. (Hon.) Chief Antai and appointed him as Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs. And he did not disappoint. Otherwise, Governor Emmanuel who is known for taste and finesse would have seen no justifications in re-appointing and redeploying him to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Recall that in the waves of sophistry and agitations for the governorship slot to go to Oro Nation or the APC in the 2015 elections, not a few Oro personalities had declared Hon. Antai a public enemy and were determined to ostracize him for supporting Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel and the PDP. In certain instances, it cannot be forgotten that some among his kindred even threatened his life with diabolic means including traditional injunctions. But what happened? Rt. (Hon.) Chief Victor Antai saw beyond the agitations and firmly stood his ground. He foresaw in Mr. Udom Emmanuel a visionary with the innate capacity to redefine the philosophy of governance and leadership in the corporate interest of Akwa Ibom State. So Antai keyed in with all his might and strategy and ensured that PDP faithful were not deceived into making wrong decisions. Governor Udom Emmanuel won. PDP celebrated. Akwa Ibom jubilated – largely on account of a certain man’s steadfastness to that cause. I vividly remember how in many instances, Chief Antai had cautioned the Oro Nation not to be complacent or too hesitant with their hopes, but to wait patiently for the right time. Without sounding panegyric, it is modest to infer that the remarkable and consistent success stories of both Senator Godswill Akpabio and Governor Udom Emmanuel in the Oro Nation cannot be justifiably told without loud mention of that name - Rt. (Hon.) Chief Victor Antai.
As Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Chief Victor Antai has brought in innovation and excellence that have proven that this ministry, which many normally see as “dry”, can actually be the cynosure and seductive lady of tourism ambassadors, with concomitant multiplier effects. Colour Me Orange, his brain-child and novel initiative, truly added hue to the 30th Anniversary Celebration of the State that won deep appreciation from the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo who had to be physically present to witness the grandeur and luxury of a rare and phenomenal idea. Sequel to that event, Chief Victor Antai had mobilized over 10, 000 supporters across Eket Senatorial District for a Unity Rally in Uyo where Governor Udom Emmanuel was unanimously endorsed for 2019 an event that sent signal to idle politicians in the area.
Rt. (Hon.) Victor Antai’s altruism and benevolence are not limited to friends and political allies, but extended to the wider society. Recently, the Akpakip Oro Ministers’ Forum, an assemblage of clerics, honoured the distinguished gentleman with the “Oro Redemption Ambassador Award”. It goes without argument that, the few ill-informed journalists and hypocritical beneficiaries of Hon. Antai’s magnanimity at the whims and caprices of pay-masters and mistresses who have abused the liberty of the social media to question the essence of the award, were unfortunately shy of exponential evidence to the contrary.
Today, the entire Oro Nation talks and experiences peace and progress because they listened to rt. (Hon.) Chief Victor Antai as the centre-piece of diplomatic policy and grassroots development. Today, the size of PDP family in Mbo and the entire Oro Nation keeps enlarging because of Hon. Antai’s positivist perspectives on issues. Today, as a trustworthy Oro ambassador in the State cabinet, he is seen as Governor Udom Emanuel’s reliable megaphone for his immediate Constituency and beyond. Today, he is amongst eggheads who speak last with pride and definiteness at occasions in the Oro Nation and nobody has the moral justification to impeach his motives. That is why he is being celebrated by all who love good things, to the effect that the Oro Nation is already rooting for this great son of proud accumulative antecedents to scale up for higher responsibilities at the national level, only if his abiding love and concerns for Akwa Ibom State will persuade him to oblige.
Governor Udom Emmanuel does not work with mediocre class. He always goes for the best among the available best. Although rt. (Hon.) Victor Antai never claims to be indispensable in the mechanism of the State’s administration, he knows that Gov. Udom Emmanuel would always need his patriotic services more than his personality. He is not a chameleon. He has passed all integrity tests. Like Josiah Royce, Antai believes that “Unless you can find some loyalty, you cannot find unity and peace in your active living”. That, for sure, is advanced guarantees that Oro Nation and the entire Eket Senatorial District will, come 2019, once again, make the Right Choice by queuing behind RT. (HON.) CHIEF VICTOR ANTAI, the enigma and magnetic field of loyalty and progress.
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