A well deserved honour for an illustrious son

The people of Ibibio nation in Akwa Ibom State put their cultural heritage on display to honour Governor Udom Emmanuel in a carnival-like atmosphere, reports ANIEFIOK UDONQUAK.

The crowd was large and huge. To say that it was unprecedented would not be far from the truth. Asan Ibibio, the expansive venue of the event, regarded as the traditional ancestral home of the Ibibios, was like a crusade ground. In fact, it seems as though all roads in Akwa Ibom State on July 10 terminated at Asan Ibibio.

It was the grand reception for Udom Emmanuel by the people of Ibibio nation. The Ibibios have a rich history and cultural heritage. They have been at the forefront for the agitation of state creation and through communal efforts were the first to send their sons and daughters abroad to acquire western education. They have produced prominent sons and daughters who have distinguished themselves in various fields of human endeavour. Among the notable personalities from the Ibibio stock include late Justice Udo Udoma, reputed to have served as the chief justice of Ugandan whose son, Udoma Udo Udoma, a two-term senator is currently serving as minister of budget and planning; late Clement Isong, whose portrait adorns Nigeria’s one thousand currency note and Obong Victor Attah, the irrepressible  former governor of Akwa Ibom State who led a successful campaign against the Federal Government’s obnoxious offshore/onshore oil dichotomy and demanded resource control and the payment of 13 percent derivation to the oil producing states, among many of others.

This is not to say that it is only the Ibibios that have produced people who have distinguished themselves in various sectors in Akwa Ibom State. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The point is that in Akwa Ibom which is made up of other ethnic groups, notable individuals could be found in all other nationalities.

Coming few months after the Annangs, the second largest ethnic nationality in the state, found in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial district had organised a similar reception for the governor and which turned out to be a platform for giving recognition to the governor for his achievements while in office in the last two years, the reception by the Ibibios who are found in the three senatorial districts of the state was expected to be the talk of the town.

True to expectations, it did not disappoint. During the reception organised by the people of Ikot Ekpene senatorial district, the people had made a statement on who should be supported in the next governorship elections. They did not make any mistake as to who that should be. So it was expected that when Udom would be received by the Ibibios, a categorical statement about their position in respect of the 2019 governorship election would be made known. So the reception served two purposes, first as a cultural carnival and a platform for political statements.

Since 1999, when the country returned to civil administration, the governorship position in Akwa Ibom has rotated among the three senatorial districts in an apparent move to ensure that the diversity in the state is upheld as well as promote fairness and equity.

Before now, many had expressed misgivings over the delay in organising the reception for Udom Emmanuel by the Ibibio nation, one of their own who rose to the enviable position of a director in one of the foremost banks in the country before becoming the governor but the wait without doubt appeared to have been rightly justified after all.

As the day finally came, the reception attracted who is who in the state and has continued to elicit comments from people of the state as it turned out be “the mother of all receptions.’’

As expected, the crowd came in various attires depending on the status and members of groups, associations and affiliations. For instance, while socio-cultural organisations like the Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio, and Esop Imaisong Ibibio came in their distinctive attires with caps, the various women groups as well as men from many socio cultural  associations came in their brightly coloured uniforms thus giving the assemblage a remarkable glow of a coat of many colours casting a lovely shadow  under the humid weather.

Indeed, it was a cultural carnival of the Ibibios as the people decked in various attires danced to the rhythm of songs and music by various cultural troupes. There was the well known Ekpo masquerade, those on tilts and young maiden dancers. Apart from the traditional songs, there was also music blaring from large loudspeakers mounted on an elevated platform which served as the stage for dignitaries to deliver their goodwill messages.

Udom was gaily dressed, decked in a white top and a cap with long tail and beads around his neck on a blue velvet lace-like material around his waist, his wife wore long sleeves light green satin blouse with same colour of headgear on a blue velvet-like material like that of her husband.

The event was chaired by Nsikak Eduok, also an illustrious son of Ibibio nation, a  one-time Chief of Air Staff and currently a private citizen. It attracted notable personalities including governors Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, Ayo Fayose of Ekiti and Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, among other top dignitaries and members of various political parties.

And when it was time for speeches and good will messages, they were not in short supply, from rib-cracking remarks to written words; the common thread that pieced them together was the need for unity, purposeful leadership and good governance as aptly exemplified by the governor.

For Idongesit Nkanga, chairman of the Central Planning committee, the industrialisation effort of the state government led by “the great ambassador of Ibibio people” has resulted in the establishment of viable industrial concerns by private investors. These include the St. Gabriel Syringe factory, the coconut refinery, electric metering factory, pencil and toothpick factory and a flour mill company.

According to him, the emergence of these industries and other positive developments accounted for the findings of the National Bureau of Statistics that Akwa Ibom received the second largest Foreign Direct Investment in Nigeria in 2016.

“We must not forget that under the watch of our illustrious son, the development of the Ibom deep seaport in Ibaka, Mbo Local Government Area of the state has remained firmly on track even as he continues to pay the salaries and entitlements of public servants despite the challenges of a receding economy,’’ he said.

Nkanga was not done yet until he hit the nail pointedly. “If we supported Obong Victor Attah and Godswill Akpabio to steer the ship of our state for eight years each, Akwa Ibom people, Governor Udom Emmanuel deserves same. We declare that Ibibio nation hereby endorses Udom Gabriel Emmanuel for a second term in office and assure him that we will work assiduously to realise his return as governor of Akwa Ibom State come 2019,’’ and the message was well taken in by the people.

There were speeches by various speakers including Godswill Akpabio, Senate minority leader and Ayo Fayose, Ekiti State governor and other governors, but the most striking was that irrespective of political affiliations, there was the urgent need for peace and unity in the country as well as the imperatives of good governance and leadership.

According to Akpabio who is Udom’s predecessor, “he who walks on the bush track escorted by a lion cannot be afraid of goats,’’ which could be interpreted to mean that the coast has been made clear for Udom to complete his God-given mandate to the people.

Udom, feeling overwhelmed by the show of love and the crowd, could not but thanked the people for the honour done to him and his wife and pledged to work more for the unity of the state.

“I must confess that this is an unprecedented reception by my people. It is very encouraging and it will spur me to do more in the state. God brought me here to serve my people irrespective of political party, I remain committed to serve the great people of Akwa Ibom State,’’ he said.