09 Jun 2009: Israel Umoh
It was a big outing. The teeming crowd, array of cultural troupes, elevated dais adorned with red carpet and the people resplendent in different attires painted the town red. Exotic vehicles of assorted sizes and makes wove around the sideways of Ikot Ekpene Sports Stadium, venue of the ceremony.
A cacophony of voices and sounds drowned the near serenity of the environment on a less busy day. It was in all honour of scholarship awards to some deserving students in the tertiary institutions and donation of one million exercise books and computers to public schools in the state by Ati Annang, a frontline socio-cultural organization.
Ikot Ekpene, the oldest local government area in the Country played host to the grand event. Saturday, May 30, this year was the day. Elaborate programmes were packaged for the big event. Governor Godswill O. Akpabio's arrival at the venue electrified the ceremony and sent sparks down the spines of the audience. He went about acknowledging cheers from different groups, personalities, supporters and party faithful. For more than 20 minutes, the governor moved around and the crowd became uncontrollable just to catch a glimpse of a performer. This outpouring of affection underlines the achievements the man has made in the life of the people.
They thronged behind and the security men sweated profusely to keep the surging crowd at bay from ambushing the man, who in two years of his administration has constructed more than 40 federal and state roads worth about N180 billion. Before that day, the governor had commissioned the hitherto deplorable but macamised Cardinal Ekandem Avenue , Market, Chubb, Umobot Roads as well as Queen Street , among other roads in Ikot Ekpene. On that day, Chief Akpabio commissioned Ekereuwem and Usung Inyang Roads in Eket and Metro Road in Ikot Ekpene as part of the activities that marked the 10th Democracy Day celebrations in the state.
The prayers over, Abak Choral Voices and Real Brass band differently thrilled the expectant crowd. The tone of the occasion was set. And the seated guests listened attentively. Atuekong Don Etiebet, Chairman of the Occasion and Board of Trustees member of PDP apologized to the people for the inability of PDP National Executive Council (NEC) led by its Chairman, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor to attend the ceremony due to bad weather hindering flight.
Etiebet, a one-time Petroleum Minister in the Country declared "To win life's battles, you have to be daring. Ati has dared by supporting the vision of Chief Godswill Akpabio in declaring free, compulsory education from primary to secondary school levels in the state". He traced real development in the Country to declaration of free education by the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the Western Region more than 50 years ago, a situation responsible for most Yorubas occupying strategic positions in different sectors today.
"Education is the most intrinsic investment. Education is proportionate to real development", Etiebet noted. "Is an educated person not doing better than an uneducated person financially and status wise?" he queried, enjoining the scholarship beneficiaries to reciprocate the gesture by studying hard to become useful citizens in the future. The speech elicited a thunderous applause.
The thoughts generated by Etiebet had hardly died down when the master of ceremonies called for goodwill messages.. Utuenikang Ibibio led by its Chairman, Captain Iniobong Ekong (retd) said the socio-cultural organization which is an elite body has been endorsed by Ifim Ibom Ibibio and pledged their readiness to partner with Ati and Akwa Ibom government. Ekong recalled that the body donated 150,000 exercise books worth about N12 million to students in secondary schools in the state and embarked on an eight-week computer training of people. What tickled people most was "We came to hand over you (the Governor) as a true Ibibio son to Annang people..." a statement that portrays Akpabio as a detribalised person.
Afigh Iwaad Ekid, another socio-cultural body whose address was read by its President, Obongiwaad Ibanga Etang commended the Ati for the feat which is in line with government's vision for improving the lots of its citizenry educationally. Etang told the state chief executive "If your executive in two years can put these infrastructure on ground, what about three, six, seven or eight years?" alluding to the governor's second term bid. He quickly negotiated a bend of argument thus "I want to be particular about Eket Federal Constituency: it was as if producing oil was a crime, but today you have put smiles on our faces. From 1999-2007, we prayed and eventually God answered our prayers." He assured "In 2011, we'll give 100 per cent". The band stand rendered Akwa Abasi afo omodot ubong... meaning God, you deserve honour to give verve to the speech.
It was the turn of Mbek Oro led by Barrister Ekpenyong Ntekim, who lauded Ati for shouldering the responsibility of sponsoring the scholarship scheme. He observed that the body has complemented the government's effort and has indeed in two years surpassed the achievements of other democratically elected government in the state. Ntekim, however, ventured into the political waters "In 2011, no one in Oron would be allowed to commit either personal or communal suicide", a caveat to any person from that tribe wanting to take a premature shot at governorship slot. A gust of laughter erupted.
The President of Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio, Dr. Sylvester Akpan posited "I stand tall that the journey we started 22 years ago (referring to the formation of the group) is yielding fruits referring specifically to the peaceful co-existence among the component tribes and the communal spirit among them."
Akpan appreciated the unity drive of the various socio-cultural organizations which is to make way for progress. On Akpabio-led administration, he stated "In two years, we have seen 88 per cent success recorded by the government". The President tried to douse the acerbic criticisms against the administration thus "If you are not criticized, then you have no business leading the people. You have to absorb every criticism and move ahead in the interest of the masses who voted you into power". A song was rendered to soothe frayed nerves and parched throats caused by the agonising sun. The atmosphere came alive once again.
Elated members dressed in a traditional attire of the body- green wrapper emblazoned Ati and a native-woven cap to match from all nooks and crannies stood in the audience. Others swarmed around the Engr. Etido Inyang, the National President of Ati Annang at the dais. Inyang clutched a three-page welcome address entitled "Keep the Banner Flying" He showered praises on the Akpabio-led administration in what he painted as "The whirlwind of development you have unleashed on our suspecting people have us breathless." According to him "Today as we made our way to the venue of this event we witnessed your imprints in the newly tarred roads, in the bright and shinning new primary school buildings, in our new health policies, in the free education policies and a lot more".
"Men of vision do not need wings to fly; they fly on the wings of their faith and good intentions. People who dream in the night wake up in the morning, but men who dream in the day wake up the world. Your Excellency, you fall into the category of those who dream in the day and your have woken up our state", tall Etido philosophically declared. He continued "Today, we donate one million branded exercise books to our secondary schools' students, 32 computers to schools and award of 50 scholarships to students in tertiary institutions."
Time for the long-awaited speech came. Air of expectancy set in. All eyes fidgeted at the dais to behold the Special Guest of Honour. Excited Governor Akpabio waving an immaculate, furled staff of office at the hilarious crowd danced majestically to the rhythm of music. Pleasantries over, the governor, thanked the body for supporting his administration. "You have gone back to the days of Ibibio Union by awarding scholarships to students in the entire State. By this, you are joining hands to engender unity and brotherhood among our people to become the fourth largest ethnic group in Nigeria ", Akpabio who hung Ati's wrapper as a sign of solidarity declared.
The governor turned the heat on his critics. "It is disheartening to hear people telling you that you do not have a right to undertake some projects at a particular place. Well, we have to prepare for the rainy days by building projects we know would uplift our standard in the future. For me, I have forgiven my critics for they know not what they do..."
Formed 17 years ago with Sir Emem Akpabio as its pioneer president, Ati fosters unity and a sense of togetherness among Annang people and their tribal cousins as well as help to impact on the lives of people educationally.
Charles Alfred Esu, a political analyst described the gesture of the body as "a bold step towards uniting the dialectal groups in the state. In so doing, the body has provided the state with a launch pad of economic, political and social growth to compete and overtake other groups in the Country in the nearest future". Kufre Valentine, a youth activist applauded Ati for seeing the vision of the governor of a free, compulsory education for a better and greater Akwa Ibom and the Country at large.
Some critics doubt the ability of the body to sustain the multi-million scholarship programme. A member of Ati Education Committee, Engr. Nsikak Afia disagreed with the view. "It is not a new thing to us. We have done it over the years particularly at the secondary school level. Last year, the body awarded scholarship to more than 50 students in the secondary schools. Doing this is one of the goals of the body. We have the financial capacity and muscle to sustain the programme. In fact, we hope to increase the number to enable many people to benefit from it".
Afia who is also the public relations officer for Ati in Uyo Metropolitan explained that the beneficiaries were selected on merit in that the body conducted competitive examinations and aptitude test for them, noting that "Education helps to train leaders of tomorrow". His message to other socio-cultural organizations in the state "Invest in the education our people. Emulate the gesture of Ati by awarding scholarships to many to complement the vision of Chief Akpabio". To the beneficiaries, he advised them to utilise the award well, adding that "It would be a thing of joy for them to qualify as professionals and be useful citizens to the society in the future".
Indeed, it was Ati Annang glorious day and a big outing. The body showcased its hidden potentials, organizational prowess and mobilization clout. The challenge is for the body and similar bodies to work towards the ethnic cohesion, economic emancipation and peaceful co-existence of the State and the Country at large. |
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