2019: BETWEEN UDOM'S WARNING AND MISCHIEF MAKERS.

By: Uduak Nseabasi

I have never seen Governor UDOM Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State speak so profusely as he did on Monday, 2nd January, 2017 during an Inter-Denominational Solemn Assembly at Ibom Hall packaged to 'rededicate the land and people of the State to God'. A Governor Emmanuel known for his charisma, diplomacy, extreme humility and finnese of a thorough bred leader had to literally abandon all those virtues to sound a strong note of warning to those he described as 'mischief makers working to cause disunity in the State'. 

A visibly angry Governor UDOM had warned 2017 won't be business as usual, perhaps as his 'simplicity' must henceforth NOT be taken for granted, else with unpalatable consequences and utter rejection by the youths and students who have not hidden their admiration and support for his cardinal objective of diversifying the State's economic and resources base for the purposes of  sustainable wealth and decent jobs creation. 

In his rather New Year Message of Hope, streaming live across a wide spectrum of web and terrestrial broadcasting platforms on/off line, Governor UDOM Emmanuel said, "Let me warn every Akwa Ibom person...don't take our Christianity for granted. Don't take our humility to God's glory for granted. Any Akwa Ibom son or daughter that has been given appointment anywhere should thank God for such appointments. To take your appointment and come into the State to cause disunity, I have the assurances of youths that such persons won't be allowed to go. Such act would not be tolerated".

But why would he fire so confidently? Why is he so concerned about the development of the State ahead of political maneuverings? Or better still, why is the man who said he spoke as the 'Oracle of God' be so angry over attempts to misinform the people and lead them to the wrong direction?- He needs to be, he definitely must feel bad, and as a sensitive leader, rise to the occasion as the 'political and spiritual' leader of the State. He feels unappreciated for his passionate commitment to turn around the fortunes of the State. He's grieved that men who have benefited from the votes of the people, though with almost nothing to show for it in terms of dividends of democracy are the ones mobilizing to cause instability in the polity. 

Before that speech, those who share different political leanings with the Governor have effectively employed high wired propaganda and obsolete tactics to spread falsehood and incite the peaceful people against their ordained and constituted leadership. 

The fortunate appointment of Akwa Ibom indigenes into federal parastatals which should ordinarily call for bipartisan development frameworks for the benefit of the State and iys citizens, has rather been negatively orchestrated as a declaration of war on the State by the central Government. The youths have again been waylaid by men who should rather be giving accounts of their previous stewardships across various rungs of elected and appointive positions since the return of democracy in 1999. The benevolence of federal appointments has shamefully been preached as a supposed effective ambush for the Governor in 2019. 

A lot of lies have been told. The media has become a tool of misinformation by men who are desperate to advance selfish intents and era of nothingness.

The intent of this treatise is not to join issues with any of the contending mischief makers, nor help rehabilitate anybody's fading political influence, but I feel inclined for the sake of posterity to disagree with the argument of a politically exposed person that Zenith Bank PLC has taken over the government of Akwa Ibom State. 

 The Governor's warning had become apt, when considering the personalities, exposure and status of those who are spreading false information. Or how do we reconcile the fact that those who are supposed to be community opinion leaders are the very ones blatantly telling lies all in the name of politics. Recently, a Senior Presidential Aide, a man blessed with the education of noble men and highly privileged to have strode through almost all Parliamentary Chambers in the land, carrying the toga of a 'distinguished' was the very one who misinformed people that 'Zenith Bank has taken over the State Government. This man has on many occasions been caught in the web of incitement through the mass media.

Besides the warning from the Governor, those who differ politically with him should not goof, the Government of the Federal Republic from the berth of the fourth republic has benefited immensely from the manpower contribution s of financial services institution s across the world. 

I should remember Mrs. Menu Adeosu, the Minister of Finance, and her predecessors Dr. Ngozi Iweala, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, Dr. Kali Idika Kali and many others all had robust careers in financial institutions before joining Government. I also know that Zenith Bank PLC is a reputable and responsive Private Sector institution operating on a global scale, therefore for any of its staff to be drafted, sometimes with relative sacrifice and passion to serve the Government of Akwa Ibom State should be both a worthwhile and prudent thing to do. 

I have known and interacted with renowned people within that institution: that they one of the most up to date Human Resources Management system who would always scout and attract the best hands into its employ is not in doubt. This is so even as the 'Senator' betrayed his motives when he failed to rather query such appointees qualifications based on their intellectual, social and emotional capacities, but rather on unsubstantiated primordial sentiments which borders solely on Government system of administration. 

Again, even the cerebral Governor UDOM Emmanuel is a product of that refined man management system at Zenith Bank, and has so far proved his mettle as consummate financial technocrat and personality collateral for Private sector investments, who reserves the freewill and constitutional authority to engage the services of any person from any chosen endeavor to assist him articulate the visions of a new Akwa Ibom economy beyond oil, provided such persons possesses the commensurate charisma, commitment and poise required for such assignments, and has sufficiently furnished the attendant constitutional requirements. 

Till now I can't fathom how a body corporate regulated by extant laws of the land can usurp the primarily security and welfare functions of a State administration in the light of our constitutional democracy. Must we play politics over very sensitive matters all the times?. Of course No, yet we can cooperate unceasingly if the subject matter is the welfare our the people.

All stakeholders in the Akwa Ibom project must heed and propagate that Governor's 'right on time' warning with the importance it deserves. 2019 should not ginger desperation. Though Governor UDOM Emmanuel has not yet indicated interest, but from the feedbacks generated across the polity, and expectantly, and has pressure from his political party and other interest groups shall later become unbearable, He will present himself for the race. But the good thing is the man is not bothered about 2019, he is concerned about affecting the lives of people. He knows and is happy the opposition party are not blessed with people  who can match his impact or give him sleepless nights over the race. The opposition party has failed to mentor new leaders, banking rather carelessly on men whose unelectability has recently been given more visibility through the 'motor park tout and adulterous' bitter media altercations of two of its supposed leaders whose only pedigree perhaps for the 2019 election is their toga of 'career politicians' and or long years of involvement in government.

Unlike Governor UDOM Emmanuel who would be campaigning in 2019 on the basis of his work in the State, and the discipline, prudence and responsibility with which he has set off the State's post oil industrial economy, those opposed to him should know that rightly as the youths have noted, it is unthinkable to continue to imagine that mischief, falsehood and propaganda will be beneficial in 2019. We are eager to see the Deep Seaport and it's attendant economic Windows, the Liberty Free Trade Zone proposed for Ikot Ab axis, the Coconut Refinery, Armoured Personnel Carrier/ Other Security Vehicles Assembly plant and the LED factory at Itu, other  monumental infrastructures that forms the UDOM Signature projects are successfully completed and handed over before the Gentlemanman leaves Hilltop Mansion. 

Irrespective of political party leanings, we are of the considered opinion that UDOM as our leader for now deserves the support and cooperation of all true Always Unlimited, more so when he is capable of creating sustainable wealth, meaningfully engaging the youths and even exporting job opportunities to other States of the federation.

Nseabasi, a social entrepreneur wrote in from Lagos. Feedback: pansafnigeria@gmail.com or 07012169898.