By Idang Alibi
Almighty Father, it is you who commanded us to pray. You said that since
we cannot help ourselves and there is nothing that is impossible for you
to do, we should learn to address our petitions to you over any matter
that we ourselves and others cannot help us to solve. It is in obedience
to that command that I have decided to publicly talk to you over a matter
that threatens the very destiny of the over 3 million children of yours
domiciled in Cross River State.
Abba Father, the matter has to do with the plan of Governor Liyel Imoke to
go to what they literary and metaphorically call the bond (slave/ servant)
market to raise a loan of 40 billion Naira on behalf of the beleaguered
people of Cross River State. What the man wants to do with that money for
the people of the state is not very clear to all well-meaning people. He
says it is for ‘’on-going projects’’ but many are skeptical. They
think it is actually for ‘’on-going political project’’ or for
‘’impending send-forth party’’. But what is very clear to all is
that if Governor Imoke succeeds, it would spell monumental disaster for
the good people of CRS.
First consider this fact, Lord: CRS is the third most indebted state in
the federation after Bayelsa and Lagos. While the other two have the
ability to discharge their obligation to creditors over a course of time,
CRS does not seem to have any such ability. Its oil wells have
inexplicably been given to its well off neighbour. And then there is no
indication of any creativity on the path of those governing the state to
have any regenerative investments to enable the state to pay off its debts
and meet other governmental obligations. For the state to now borrow more
money looks to some of us like compounding a very unpleasant problem. How
will CR get itself out of this morass, if Imoke’s plan is not urgently
frustrated and rendered naught?
Second, we hear that the governor is so bent on getting that humongous
loan that he has been desperately persuading members of the state house of
assembly, local government chairmen, councilors and other opinion leaders
to support his plan. They say he is inducing them with promises of money
and other good things. Lord, this makes some of us the more suspicious of
his intention and the more desperate that his plan fails. If his motive is
noble, will it not be clear to all? Will he need to persuade people with
money or promise of it to see the rightness of his cause?
Third, and more disturbingly, we also hear that the governor said he came
into office and inherited a huge debt from his predecessors so it will be
okay if he also leaves a huge debt for his successor. Ancient of Days,
even if the man did not voice out this sentiment and is only a concoction
from the imagination of his ‘detractors’, his intention fits perfectly
that thinking. Baba, Governor Imoke has been in power now for seven years,
seven months and seven days. What plans does he have to change the
fortunes of CRS that he could not think of and act on for those many moons
that he now thinks he can do in the remaining five short moons of his
tenure?
The governor is now a lame duck. And we have entered a critical election
period in which governance has taken a distant back seat while politics
and endless politicking has taken a front seat. It will be so from now on
until after elections in February next year. Even after elections,
incumbents like Imoke whose tenures have expired will be busy preparing
handing-over notes to successors. When will Imoke have time to use that
money well for the present and future glory of CRS? If there is a felt
need which Imoke has identified which requires borrowing money to finance,
why not leave it for his successor? Why try to tie the hands of a
successor and mortgage the future of 3 million CRSriverians? Lord, you are
a God of love and kindness. Is what Imoke planning for (against) CRS
wickedness or love?
The I Am that I Am, I am taking this my heartfelt petition to you because
we are a docile and a largely self-seeking people. In other lands,
Imoke’s questionable plan is the type that will cause hundreds of
thousands of concerned and discerning citizens to pour on to the streets
in sit-tight protest until the plan is announced shelved. But here, even
those who know the evil that Imoke’s plan portends for the good people
of CRS will not even volunteer a feeble opinion against it for fear of
jeopardizing their own personal political or economic survival. We are a
people who keep silent even when a noose is being maliciously tied round
our necks. Like lambs to a slaughter, we bear every threat to our lives
with some kind of strange equanimity.
Jehovah Rohi, our shepherd and guide, and Yahweh Shofteinu, The Impartial
Judge, please note this and guide us and also judge between the people of
CRS and Governor Imoke: Imoke’s immediate predecessor Donald Duke
created a sort of Sovereign Wealth Fund to safeguard the future of
CRSriverians. A law was made forbidding the spending of monies accruing to
this Fund unless members of the state house of assembly and other
stakeholders agreed. But when Imoke ran into a tight corner with regard to
finance, he railroaded (induced) the legislators to amend that law to
enable him to address an immediate challenge with funds meant for the
future generation of CRSriverians. By this singular act, Lord, I do not
think Imoke is a fit and proper person to take any loan on behalf of Cross
River State because he is not likely to do anything meaningful with it in
this short period available to him.
Jehovah Melpati, The Great Deliverer, please consider my plea and repair
urgently to the help of helpless CRSriverians. Deliver us from what many
people regard as evil plan on the part of a man you ordained to govern us.
I call you a Godipulator because I cannot bear to say that you can
manipulate things to frustrate evil or wicked plans. It is only men who
manipulate things. Therefore, Godipulate things in the way only you can do
and thwart the plan of Imoke. His plan may be noble. But it is clearly
mistimed and if he succeeds the money will be misapplied and leave
CRSriverians worse off than when he happened on the throne.
Jehovah Addonai, The Sovereign Lord, you said in your word that the heart
of kings is in your hands and you can turn it any which way you like. That
is why I have come to you on behalf of all CRSriverians to touch the
hearts of all those who may facilitate Imoke having his way and Godipulate
them to soundly frustrate his plan. Touch in particular the heart of Dr.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala or any other Federal official who is in a position to
lend approval to that loan bid. Cause them to take pity upon the people of
CRS and politely steer Imoke out of that path of people destruction.
Jehovah Jireh, The Great Provider and Yahweh Ori, Our Light, you have
provided bountifully natural resources for harnessing for the glory of
CRS. Cause your ray of light to shine on our leaders to know what to do to
make CRS economically viable without recourse to mindless borrowing and
frittering away. I thank you in advance for hearing my prayer and free the
people of CRS from the debt noose because I know from your word that the
fervent prayers of the righteous availeth much.
Jehovah El-Gibbor, The Almighty God, I know that some men who are embarked
upon taking the path of perdition are not easily dissuaded. Peradventure
you choose for your own reason not to answer my prayer and Liyel goes
ahead to take the ruinous course, this public petition of mine will stand
as a witness in my favour to future generation of CRSriverians. When years
later one of my children says, ‘’but daddy, you surely understand
because you are a prophet, a town-crier in the order of Elijah, Amos and
Jonah combined. When a man at the twilight of his reign took a loan that
has mortgaged our own wellbeing, what did you say?’’ I will present
this written petition and say that I spoke when men better placed that
myself to say something kept mute.
But Jehovah El Nose, The Forgiving God, full of forgiving charitableness,
forgive me if the preceding lines contained any hint of my fear that this
prayer might not be answered. Why will it not be answered when I know you
as one who satisfies the good desires of his saints? Save your people Lord
from an ill-advised step that will consign them to slavery and penury.
You frustrated the wicked evil plan of Haman the Agagite against your
children the Israelites in the days of King Ahasuerus of Babylon several
millennia ago. Now your children in CRS are confronted by a plan that is
similar in intention- their social and economic annihilation. You who
wrought a great deliverance of the children of Israel, do a similar thing
for the people of Cross River State today.