Ndanti Ekuh in the legislative Chamber: A prayer point for Uyo State Constituency

Suffice it to say that hardship and means of survival has coated the mindset of many on what legislative representation is, forcing them to believe that legislative representation is simply an employment opportunity and a means of livelihood. They subject aspiration for legislative representation to an application for employment with the sole aim of earning a living. Little do they know that legislative representation, if poorly represented, can stall or jeopardize development and the future of entire Constituency and its constituents.

It must be understood that if it was possible to build a legislative chamber that could accommodate the entire Constituents, then there wouldn’t have been anything like representative. But since it is not possible to have the entire Constituents sit in a legislative chamber for legislative business, a Constituency, therefore, must have to choose among themselves one person to stand in for them as their representative. This imply that the representative is the voice of the entire Constituents. Once he says yes, it means the entire Constituents are saying yes, once he says no, it means the entire Constituents are saying no, if he remains silent in the legislative chambers for lack of competent to deliberate, it means the entire Constituents are silent, when he stays away from plenary fraternizing in drinking palour and hotels to eat, drink and ‘tatatatatata’ in the name of being in the ‘Street’ while plenary is ongoing, it also means that’s what the entire Constituents subject themselves to. This therefore is the reason a Constituency must look beyond any sentiment in choosing who represents them in the legislative chamber.

Constituencies must not reduce their Representation in the legislature to a mere political compensation or poverty alleviation programme. It is ridiculous and embarrassing to reduce legislative representation to ‘street rascality’ and slot for thuggery and confraternity. From the word go and from the days of Late Nyong Essien Akpan who was the first representative of Old Calabar Province in the Legislative Council in Lagos and later 1st President of Eastern Regional House of Chiefs, Eastern Region, Nigeria, representation was base on ability to stand in outstandingly and speak for the entire Constituents. Nyong Essien was found fit to sit (on behalf of his Constituents) with the best at the table on which Nigeria’s nationalism was being deliberated because he was fearless, vocal, persistent, broad minded and nationalistic in his approach, a complete replica of what Ikono Clan born Elder Ndanti Ekuh is, hence, was able to intellectually fought for the enhancement of the traditional institutions of his people. This should therefore top the premise upon which Uyo State Constituency must base their choice of representive in the upcoming 2023 State House of Assembly election and the prayer point for all Constituents of Uyo State Constituency as they commiserate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ should be that God should grant them the grace to produce Elder Ndanti Ekuh as their representative in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly come 2023.

Like Nyong Essien, Elder Ndanti Ekuh’s boldness and vocal quality garnished with his journalism background have been proven over time such as in 2016 when he seized the slightest opportunity he had during a Media Chat marking the 29th Anniversary of Akwa Ibom State with the State Governor to make case for the entire people of Ikono Clan which resulted in the Governor’s instance directive for the construction of Roads in Ikono Clan captured in the Completion Agenda as 29th Anniversary Road. The reason for delay of the execution of the road project will however remain a story for another day. That’s the vocal and advocacy qualities Uyo State will enjoy from Ndanti Ekuh in the floor of the legislative Chamber.

Elder Ndanti Ekuh, long before his appointment as the Special Assistant to the Governor on Research and Documentation, had recorded an excellent strides in his journalism profession which impacted hundreds of lives within and outside Uyo. Having rose through the ranks of journalism profession over a decade, from page planner to news reporter, from Editorial Board secretary to Features Editor, from Sunday Editor to Editor-in-Chief and climaxing as the Chairman/CEO of the New Detail World Company Limited, publishers of Daily Detail Newspaper and owners of Detail TV, Ekuh has empowered and employed many within and outside Akwa Ibom State. With the Presidential endorsement he secured for Daily Detail Newspaper circulated across the country, he employed dozens of people, empowered many and assisted hundreds of students in both secondary and tertiary institution with payment of school fees, WAEC Fees, JAMB forms, project assistance etc within Ikono Clan and across the entire Uyo.

Ekuh’s impact in Ikono Clan and his people oriented disposition signals a new dawn in Ikono Clan and a clear departure from the usual. With his developmental ideology and love for his community and his people, he made history as he hosted the first ever Ikono Clan Youth Summit organized by his advocacy group, Think Ekuh Initiative – TEI where thousands of youths in Ikono Clan gathered to reason as true and patriotic sons and daughters of Ikono, chatting a new course for the development of Ikono Clan. With a football tournament wrapped with cash prize, trophy and medals to mark the summit, Ekuh foisted unity and love in Ikono Clan.

Back home, his kinsmen has defiled the notion of “a Prophet is without honour in his home” because of the illustrious and sterling impact their son has made in his village and family. Similarly, Ikono Clan Traditional Rulers Council has felt the impact of Elder Ndanti Ekuh in many ways and unanimously described him as the “little David of Ikono Clan”. Just like biblical David, he has the voice, he has the boldness, he has the Love for his community, he has a human heart, he understands the plight of his Constituency, he knows the shortcomings and the many mistakes that dwarfed his Community and his Constituency as well as approach to effecting a positive change. These are the representive attributes Uyo State Constituency can not afford to miss, hence, the massive Support he enjoys from home front to his clan and from the entire Uyo State Constituency and beyond.

Away from Ikono Clan, his popular mantra – FOR THE LOVE OF UYO has been realistically practicalized by Elder Ndanti Ekuh. His love for Uyo birth his sponsorship of Essay Competition with the theme – “For the Love of Uyo” with winners bagging cash prize and certificates. His love for Uyo was felt when he donated Signpost, party Flags and other insignia to the Uyo PDP Chapter Office. His love for Uyo was instrumental to the donation of building materials to the Uyo Local Government Council in Support for the construction of the administrative block built and commission by the Executive Chairman, Dr. Uwemedimo Udo during his first hundred days in office.

Ekuh’s humility, accessibility, respect and Godly life outstandingly shape his leadership quality as a born and certified Leader with UNESCO authorized certification in Leadership and a trained Transformational Leadership expert of Leadimpact University, Colorado, United States of America as well as a certified Member of Institute of Corperate Leadership and Mentorship.

A representative in the likes of Elder Ekuh will not only be a prayer answered for Ikono Clan, he will also be a complementing factor for the prevailing peace, unity and Love in Uyo State Constituency, hence should remain the number one prayer point for the entire people of Uyo State Constituency as we mark the 2022 Easter.

Being a noiseless catalyst in the Completion Agenda team of Governor Udom Emmanuel, Elder Ndanti Ekuh is versed with Governor Udom Emmanuel’s vision for Akwa Ibom State and will therefore be a perfect consolidation agent from Uyo State Constituency that will help interpret and harness the consolidation agenda of the successive government for an excellent legislative backing in the 8th Assembly of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly come 2023. Therefore let’s make ‘Ekuh for Uyo 2023’ a prayer point ahead of the PDP Primaries; Let’s pray for Elder Ndanti Ekuh as the next House of Assembly Member Representing Uyo State Constituency.