By Imoh Etimudo
He may have ticked all the boxes of human capital development, pitched his tent on the side of the masses, and record unprecedented accomplishments for Akwa Ibom people but the truth has to be told.
It would have been sacrilegious, unthinkable and unprintable to overlook that; not when he is a pastor. How on earth would one have explained that! Hence, the truth must be told!
No doubt, with his recent approval of additional 6.43 Billion Naira for payment of gratuities and other entitlements, which brings to over 28 billion Naira the amount so far disbursed for the payment of gratuities and other entitlements since he assumed office 15 months ago, the people are rejoicing but that is not enough reason to compromise.
Yes, he has attended to and wiped the tears of the vulnerable and poorest of the poor, constructed and handed over 36 fully -furnished and fitted 2-bedroom bungalows under the ARISE Compassionate Homes, thereby making the people to rejoice, yet it is not enough reason to be carried away.
Not even the fact that more people are on queue to rejoice because 164 of such homes are currently ongoing and that the governor will hand over 400 of the homes by the end of his first term, should change the minds of the people. What should be avoided needs to be avoided.
It is not that one is not aware that the civil servants in the State are at the centre of the rejoicing galore in Akwa Ibom State for many reasons. 150 units out of the 236 units at the Grace homes Estate, are to those of them from grades level 1-8 free of charge through a raffle draw selection process. That cannot be the reason to accept what should not be.
They have a million and one reasons to rejoice. Governor Umo Eno has cleared five years of leave grant arrears (2012, 2013, 2014, 2020 and 2021) and they are indeed appreciative but conscious of what must be avoided.
Not even the payment of two years salary arrears (2012 and 2013) to nine local government councils or gratuity payment to local government retirees (2012-2015, and still counting), or the 2023 Christmas bonus to civil servants and the 2024 civil service day bonus by the governor, which made them to ceaselessly rejoice can dissuade them from what they are determined.
Through the ARISE Care Initiatives, N50,000 is given out monthly to 600 elders throughout the 368 wards in the State, and the elderly citizens rejoice every month. Yes, they rejoice but the position remains.
Students from secondary school level to tertiary institutions are not spared by the wind of rejoicing blowing across the State. Why do they rejoice? WAEC fees are paid for those of them in secondary schools while bursaries and grants are given to the students in tertiary institutions.
In fact, their rejoicing deserves louder drumbeats considering the fact that Governor Umo Eno had upon assumption of office instituted Education Trust Fund for physically challenged students in the studying in tertiary institutions in the State, irrespective of their States of origin. While they rejoice, they know that, like Nigerians would say, there is something on ground.
In fact, the rejoicing in the State is even orchestrated more by the Governor’s establishment of the Bulk Purchase Agency, distributing staple food items directly to the most vulnerable in the State, in addition to multiplying the the palliatives given to the people of the State by President Bola Tinubu. However, Governor Umo Eno may not be tolerate being addressed “righteous.”
When he campaigned, he sent a message to the youths of the State, literarily saying that his predecessors had built the youths but that he will come to “roof” the youths.
Governor Umo Eno has not only figuratively”roofed” the youths, he has done an aesthetic interior, decorated the building and equipped same with state of the art facilities.
This manifest through the various empowerment programmes the governor has initiated such as 400 Million Naira empowerment programme for 400 youths through the Ibom Leadership and Entrepreneurship Development programme (Ibom LED).
And if that made the youths to rejoice, the mother of rejoicing is holding today, the empowerment and support to 5,000 youths from across State, at a rally where 200 youths will attend from each of the 31 local government areas of the State.
The governor has hinted that programme will feature the empowerment of small and medium enterprises, different from previous empowerment programmes his administration has been doing. Deservingly, the youths will rejoice, and typical of them, they will add energy to their celebrations but at the back of their mind, they will not derail from the instruction on the governor.
No doubt, one can say it is Akwa Ibom’s season to rejoice – there is the ARISE park which is a modern miracle. If it were to be in the days of Peter and Paul as recorded in the bible, it would have been written: And Eno turned an erosion-ravaged site into a tourist site, then the “Israelites” marvelled and worshipped his God.”
Air travellers are to rejoice at the plan to acquire two brand new CRJ-900 series Bombardier jets to expand the fleet and routes for Ibom Air. The list is endless. There is an aggressive rural revolution and the people rejoice with the new roads and other infrastructure as the governor continues to open up Akwa Ibom State.
With the model primary schools and primary healthcare centres sprouting like mushrooms across the State, why wouldn’t the people rejoice? Who wouldn’t rejoice at the peace and security sustained in the State by Governor Umo Eno?
Meanwhile, secondary school students of Akwa Ibom State origin are presently living a dream they did not have because their governor is visionary. Straight from rural schools, they are savouring the United Kingdom courtesy of an educare programme approved by the Governor. And you will tell those lucky children, and even their happy families not to rejoice? Impossible!
All of these rejoicing upon rejoicing in Akwa Ibom State is not surprising. That is why the Scriptures say when the righteous is on the throne, the people rejoice.
However, the challenge is that Governor Umo Eno is a pastor, and one cannot possibly be more Catholic than the Pope. Hence, if one quotes that and conclude, the governor will be quick to make another biblical reference that the Scripture says “None is righteous.” No one wants to be seen as being blasphemous before a pastor Governor, or even being misquoted and misunderstood by the audience.
That is why it is safe to say that Governor Umo Eno would have been righteous because he is doing everything right. He is exalting Akwa Ibom State through good governance and sterling leadership.
But let’s stay with the bible, even if not in the saintly sense of the word! One thing is sure, Governor Umo Eno has made Akwa Ibom State to continuously rejoice!
Imoh Etimudo writes from Itu Mbonuso in INI Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
