Date Published: 12/24/09

Does Akpabio Deserve His Several Awards

How happy it is to identify with success! Sometimes, unconsciously you applaud a footballer who even scores against your favorite team. You are not wrong; the mood of success is infectious. That is what we saw at UNIZIK on 21 st November 2009, when distinguished Nigerians were honoured for their outstanding performances. As part of that university’s 8 th Convocation ceremony, these Nigerians including former Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekweme; Senate President, David Mark; Akwa Ibom Governor, Godswill Akpabio; Dr. Andy Uba; Chief Arthur Eze were invested with various honorary doctorate degrees.

In what would be better described as height of ignorance and perfect display of colonial mentality, oiled with tribalism Emmanuel James, in his letter published in Daily Sun of Monday December7, 2009 myopically singled out the Governor of Akwa Ibom State , Chief (Dr.) Godswill Akpabio for criticism. The Governor’s crime? That his kinsman, Chief Senas Ukpanah is the University’s Pro-Chancellor; that his entourage to the event was thicker than those of other recipients hence attracted the greatest attention of the media and consequently; “dwarfed the rest that day.”

 This is an obvious infamous display of lack of information? Anyone who comes to Akwa Ibom today can easily see and tell others that these awards fit him like a second skin. The whole world cannot be wrong.

What has Chief Senas Ukpanah’s position in the University got to do with the award? In fact, your diatribe would have been appreciated more if you said that because of UNIZIK’S Pro-Chancellor being Governor Akpabio’s kinsman, honorary doctorate degree that were meat for Dr. Alex Ekweme, Senate President David Mark, Dr. Andy Uba and Chief Arthur Eze, have all been given Governor Godswill Akpabio. If you note that, then you would have also been qualified for a PhD in tribalism. What a shame.

I don’t know how little you know about the media. Who determines what the media should carry, the newsmaker or the news media?

Governor Akpabio does not blow his trumpet. But if it is a crime in your court that he provides the air with which others blow the trumpet, then you are modern enemy of progress but you would not succeed because our Akwa Ibom Airport is already busy for business as well as Ibom Power plant, while the Ibom Tropicana Entertainment Centre is already on course. I don’t have space to tell you all but come to you and take a look our digitalized Government House; ask about our free and compulsory education for primary and secondary education. Create time and travel to villages in the state and you will be force to kneel down and kiss the road.

With all these, you will start begging other institutions to dole out more awards to a governor with a human face administration. If awards should be a measure of one’s achievements, I say it again; they fit Chief (Dr.) Godswill Akpabio like a second skin. Light kept on the mountain top, can never be hidden. We can’t change that.

Abasianam Uma writes from 27 Iboko Street, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State

By Abasianam Uma