A new re-awakening for Akwa Ibom at 28

Emmanuel

LAST month, Akwa Ibom clocked 28 years as a state in the Nigerian federation having been created from the old Cross River State in September 1987. Since its creation, the state has passed through the leadership of many administrators, each of them coming with initiatives aimed at transforming the state.

At creation, Colonel Tunde Ogbeha became the first Military Governor, he was there till 1988 when another military officer, Godwin Abbe took over from him and was succeeded by an indigene of the state, Idongesit Nkanga.

In 1993, following the annulment of the June 12, 1993 Presidential election and the subsequent dissolution of all democratic structures, the then civilian Governor of the state Obong Akpan Isemin, was replaced by Police Commissioner Pius Ahoukhai as acting governor and later replaced, in December of that year, by Colonel Yakubu Bako who ruled the state till 1996.

The next administrator who took over from Bako was Navy Captain Joseph Adeusi who steered the affairs of the state from 1996 to1998.

The last Military Administrator was Group Captain John Ebiye, who handed power to Obong Victor Attah on May 29, 1999 who was on the saddle for eight years, between 1999 and 2007.

Chief Godswill Akpabio who presided over the affairs of the state from 2007 to 2015 took over from Attah and was succeeded last May by a banker-turned politician, Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel.

Worthy of mention too, is the fact that, between 1999 and now, each administration has initiated programmes and projects which successive ones built on.

Launching the dakkada initiative during the celebration of the state at 28 years, the governor said, “Dakkada captures, expresses, articulates and meaningfully thinks of the possibility of re-awakening the psyche of an average Akwa Ibomite. It is not just about standing up. It is about going higher and of course conquering oneself for the world, it is nothing but a reflection of our thoughts and feelings.”

In his determined drive to continue to build and sustain the laid down structures, and in line with his policy thrust of diversifying the state economy, the governor has come up with a spiritual rebirth, moral transformation and re-orientation campaign, known in Akwa Ibom as DAK KA DA (Stand Up) meaning “rise up to your responsibility for the betterment of all irrespective of political, religious or ethnic leanings.”

According to the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr.
Aniekan Umanah, the dakkada initiative is a call to rise to the faith that we can grow beyond biases, ethnicity, religion and gender;
“Dakkada is a call on the people to rise to greatness, because Akwa Ibom is destined to be great”.

Since Emmanuel took over the mantle of leadership in the state, his actions has shown that he meant business as he has been initiating programmes and projects within his short time in office.
Among such projects that have impacted very well on the lives of the people in the state are the newly constructed Dr Ann Ward Gynecology Block, intervention in the gully erosion at School of Nursing and rehabilitation of children and male wards at St. Luke’s Hospital in Anua, amongst others.

Launching the dakkada initiative during the celebration of the state at 28 years, the governor said, “Dakkada captures, expresses, articulates and meaningfully thinks of the possibility of re-awakening the psyche of an average Akwa Ibomite. It is not just about standing up. It is about going higher and of course conquering oneself for the world, it is nothing but a reflection of our thoughts and feelings.”

According to the governor, the initiative is not about his party, any political party, himself the governor, his predecessors or President
Muhammadu Buhari, stressing that, the campaign goes beyond politics or individuals. He said the goal of the initiative is a call to rise to greatness, which is all about moral and spiritual, re-birth, “Dakkada invites us to shun ethnic chauvinism and tribal bigotry. Perhaps, when Dakkadaism is fully appreciated, Akwa Ibom shall not only be growing but shall be developing tremendously, if not now, later, and the later, soonest.

“The campaign is a clarion call to all Akwa Ibom people to rise to their true potential of greatness, spiritual rebirth, moral transformation and re-orientation. The campaign is a call to the faith that with God all things are possible, that we can rise above our primordial biases, ethnicity, hatred, anger, bigotry and the exclusionary tendencies. The campaign is a call to all Akwa Ibom people at home and in Diaspora to deepen their value – sets; to re-invent the spirit of creativity and chart a new course for the present and future generations”.

During his governorship campaigns, Emmanuel had told the people, of his intention to industrialize the state if given the mandate and that objective, he has been pursuing vigorously. No wonder his predecessor Godswill Akpabio admitted that, what he could not do in eight years, Udom has used only hundred days to reactivate industries in the state and even performed ground-breaking for many others.

“The campaign is a clarion call to all Akwa Ibom people to rise to their true potential of greatness, spiritual rebirth, moral transformation and re-orientation. The campaign is a call to the faith that with God all things are possible, that we can rise above our primordial biases, ethnicity, hatred, anger, bigotry and the exclusionary tendencies. The campaign is a call to all Akwa Ibom people at home and in Diaspora to deepen their value – sets; to re-invent the spirit of creativity and chart a new course for the present and future generations”.

“We have spared no efforts in our drive to industrialize our state. Peacock Paints has been revitalized and re-commissioned. We have performed groundbreaking ceremonies for the car assembly plant in Itu LGA as well as the Low Energy Display (LED) manufacturing plant at Itam.

“We have brought the Shoprite Mall to the Tropicana in Uyo. We have also performed the groundbreaking ceremonies of the Fertilizer
Plant and the Daar Communications Broadcast complex at Abak. At the same time an Electric meter assembly and clay processing plants are underway in Onna LGA. Our foreign direct investment committee is on a road show attracting investments from over fifty countries that have indicated interest to invest in Akwa Ibom.

“The Ibom deep sea-port project is on course. We have built more substations and this has improved electricity supply significantly. We have invested heavily in skill and manpower development for our teeming youths. In this wise we are training a thousand youths in oracle technology. We also sent our youths to acquire skills in agriculture in Israel, while another set will be sent for power sector training.

“At the moment about 329 youths will soon commence training in photography and film production. Compatriots, we have spared no efforts in attracting foreign direct investment.”

Most of the people that spoke with The Guardian commended the governor for lunching the initiative, noting however that, the rebirth campaign would only succeed when everybody in the state irrespective of position submits his or herself to the tenets of the campaign.