by
The Duke of Shomolu
For those of you who do not understand the Akwa Ibom challenge, let me explain. The Akwa Ibom challenge in my mind is the dearth of principled centred leadership eschewing sycophancy and standing tall amongst the committee of leaders in Nigeria
Governance of my state since the emergence of the present governor has been characterised by brittle policy making, less than average capacity in policy execution and exactly no capacity in social cohesion and mobilisation. We have been inundated by pedestrian leadership taking us back into the backwaters of national leadership.
Then, as expected, our leadership, unable to put up a fight, falls into the overarching embolism of the ruling party by not only falling into their trap but ‘mandating’ his cabinet to follow him or resign.
Such rudderless understanding of leadership, where pragmatism, freedom of choice and charismatic appeal should be the ingredients of followership instead of a primitive John Locke type admonition of brutish and compulsive culling of followership is the folly in our state.
But like a lone voice in the wilderness, Ini Ememobong a fine specie steps aside
Ini Ememobong is a fine tapestry of new leadership in our state. Holding two strategic portfolios, Ini comes across as debonair, elegantly sophisticated and not sewn from the cloth of the average Akwa Ibom politician who is imbued in selfish and narrow-minded politics – a special genre of politics stymied in crass opportunism and avarice.
I met Ini during my search for support for my play – Ibiom.
I had met with a litany of commissioners and top state government officials, but was most impressed by him. We had a long discussion in his office on our state, Nigeria and other such leadership issues, and his clarity, boldness of mind, and new age approach to issues left a mark.
We became friends too. To the extent that we met up in London to continue the discussions over well-made plates of Afang and fufu.
So it was not surprising to me that Ini was the first and probably would be the only member of that cabinet who would turn his back on such an anti-people decision.
Akwa Ibom is a natural centre of Right State. Its people have always played their politics that way, and that was why even the more popular and better-experienced Akpabio couldn’t move the state to the APC during his own betrayal.
Immediately I got the message, I placed a call to him – “my brother, well done. You are a man, you are a man, I hope the persecution will not start”.
“Duke, persecution na for man. I no do, abeg I dey church, I go call you back.”
Church? That is another favourite pastime of Akwa Ibom people.
Almost every family has a pastor, deacon or deaconess. Our last two leaders were pastors and elders but you see nothing Christlike in their approach to governance and leadership and also same for the general population who run around with their hands on their head afraid of witchcraft instead of facing the lacuna of leadership that has kept the state one of the least developed despite its huge resources.
Our state is faced with a devil and a deep blue sea scenario as both major parties have nothing to offer, and that is why heroic gestures like that of Ini can only be celebrated on their symbolism and not as a trigger for any kind of reformation.
This is a classic case of a tree not making a forest but if for nothing else, let’s celebrate him for at least making his point.
A very strong point that has been recorded and would be a historical antecedent that one time in the history of our state, a John the Baptist stood out in the wilderness and cried.
Ini is that John the Baptist.
Thank you, brother.
Views expressed by contributors are strictly personal and not of Thefrontrank
