Newsfront Online …Telling the Public as it is
In certain circumstances, human beings at the age of 31 years find it difficult to develop or shine in his or her field of endeavour. Usually in case of opposite situation, the parents mentor or an institution must have sunk in fabulous amount of money to ensure the development of the one concerned. In the case of Akwa Ibom State at the age of 31 years, her sources for development cannot be farfetched. The state is rightly blessed with several natural resources particularly oil and gas which had made her number one producer of oil in the whole country.
Kudos to the past leaders particularly Obong Architect Victor Attah who, like a wounded lion fought for the abolition of the obnoxious on-shore off –shore oil dichotomy. The 13 per cent derivation from the exercise did not however come to Governor Attah until after he left office as the Chief Executive Officer.
His successor governor godswill Obot Akpabio being in position to receive the money on behalf of the state made sure he left no stone unturned by making sure that the state be greatly illuminated.
Though a lot had been said about injudicious use of the money but Akpabio made use of his position to build flyovers, international stadium and hospital of international standard in Uyo among others like construction of Uyo Nung Udoe road with what people describe as the largest round about in Africa at Nung Udoe. Having left for the Senate in 2015, Governor Akpabio handed over power to Deacon Udom Gabriel Emmanuel where the process of illuminating the state continues.
At the age 31 years under Governor Udom Emmanuel, the state continues to shine with years of touching lives like job creation, poverty alleviation, wealth creation, economic and political inclusion as well as infrastructural consolidation and expansion. Other governors whose contributions to the development of the 31 years old Akwa Ibom State include the pioneer state Chief Executive Officer, Colonel Tunde Ogbeha, Godwin Abbe, Yakubu Bako, Joseph Adeusi, John Ebiye all who were alien military dictators.
Group Captain Idongesit Nkanga, an indigene of the state who made sure that the state is blessed with a secretariat where before his tenure government offices were operating in rented individual offices while Obong Akpan Isemin, the first democratic elected governor fought to stop the Etok (small) syndrome that was prevalent among the citizens while Attah, a visionary leader worked tirelessly to draw the plan of the state created on 23rd of September, 1987 by Gen. Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida.
Having come this far, the century Newsfront Newspapers while wishing the state and her leaders happy birthday use this medium to caution her citizens not to allow present day politics to damage the hard earned project which the forbears fought for, posterity would not take it kindly if that should be allowed to take place. Going by the slogan by the Udom administration, “Akwa Ibom dakkada” and sure the state is rising higher than her contemporaries in the country and beyond.
