July 24, (THEWILL) – The beautiful thing about Akwa Ibom State is that God decided to bless them with good leaders, and they have come in successive administrations in the State since 1999.
How do we know a good leader? Good leadership is reflected in the policies and programmes of the administration, especially when they are targeted at the well-being and prosperity of the people. These are often more pronounced in the projects envisioned for the people. Most times, these projects meet the bricks through unnecessary criticisms from a segment of society.
Today, Akwa Ibom State can pride itself on becoming the destination of choice in Nigeria, and indeed, the world. But which of these projects by different administrations did people not criticise? Therefore, Governor Umo Eno will not be an exception, but that cannot deter him from carrying out the bright vision for his people.
That is why the criticism of plans by the Akwa Ibom State Government to build a 19-storey ultra-modern commercial tower to replace the old and dilapidated Governor’s Lodge in Lagos, Nigeria’s economic nerve centre, need not give anyone a sleepless night. If anything, Akwa Ibom State should even rejoice because every criticism of government projects in the State often signals that such will turn out to be a game-changer for the State and the people.
Indeed, there has been no worthwhile development effort of the government of the State that has ever been spared the arrows of blind shooters who often put the cart before the horse, being blinded by pettiness and other mundane impediments that they allow to put a wedge between them and the development and prosperity of the people.
There has been a long list of criticisms and condemnation for projects carefully planned and clinically executed by the different governments of the State. But the good thing is that they have always taken the path of tragicomedy. In the end, Akwa Ibom State wins. In the end, Akwa Ibom smiles and prospers.
When Arc Obong Victor Attah came on board in 1999, he had lofty plans for the State. When he started to embark on such projects and investments like Econet, airport, Le Meridian, plaza and others, some people described such projects as white elephants and misplaced priority. For instance, they said Akwa Ibom State does not need an airport since there were airports in Calabar and Port Harcourt (Maybe Rivers State should not have also built the one in Port Harcourt because there was one in Enugu).
They also said embarking on the Le Meridien Ibom Hotel and Golf Resort will make Akwa Ibom State have prostitutes. One wonders whether those cities with prostitutes built a hotel for them.
But today, the airport people criticised is now the toast of the aviation sector, and redirecting the world to Akwa Ibom State. The same thing with the hotel, now Ibom Icon hotel where every event in the country is hosted. If Attah bowed to pressure and jettisoned the idea, what would have been our fate today?
Fast forward to the time of Senator Godswill Akpabio as governor of Akwa Ibom State. They also criticised the plan to build a stadium. Today, that is the only stadium in Nigeria that has met FIFA standards to host matches in Nigeria. That is the power of vision over emotions.
Did they not also condemn the building of the Government House? Not even mentioning the Tropicana Entertainment Centre and others. But Akpabio saw a greater picture ahead and went ahead to do his best for his people.
Just recently, the administration of Mr. Udom Emmanuel came under fire for the vision of Ibom Air. They said it would be a waste and all of that. The same set of people often resort to protesting government plans, ostensibly from the pains of losing elections by those they supported. But today, Ibom Air has hoisted Akwa Ibom State on the firmament of greatness and prosperity.
Ibom Air is now the most preferred airline by air travellers, and the same people who condemned it are enjoying its services and sharing in the glory of the story because they are from Akwa Ibom State.
Of course, they also criticised the 21-storey smart building, the International Christian Worship Centre and even the expansion works on the airport road, now Udom Emmanuel Boulevard among others.
Thus, the condemnation and criticism of the proposed building of the Ibom Tower in Lagos by Governor Umo Eno’s administration is a jingle from a familiar bell. The cockerel will not crow three times before they fizzle out. One cannot stop the power of vision.
Governor Umo Eno has a great vision for Akwa Ibom State to play a prominent role in real estate investment in Nigeria, which one is safe to say has its capital in Lagos, as the economic capital of Nigeria.
With its growing population, rapid urbanisation and flourishing economy, Lagos is the best place to invest in the real estate business, and Governor Umo Eno has seen ahead. It is good that the Governor has taken the bull by the horns, planning to prepare Akwa Ibom State for the future of abundance through the expected income from the investment. Is that what people should condemn? There are some things we do, and just inadvertently give ourselves out; this is one of them. Why do we weep for prosperity and foresight? And we should not be termed enemies of progress?
The real estate market is a money spinner for investors and residential real estate holds even greater prospects. Akwa Ibom people should be grateful that the Governor is putting the State on the front seat of this emerging opportunity. Or would Akwa Ibom have preferred to lose the golden opportunity today and lament in the future? Penny wise and pounds foolish, you would agree!
If we have seen a leader who is taking us from the flanks into the midfield of economic viability, let us celebrate him and grab the opportunity with both hands.
This feigned story of hunger at home does not hold water. Everyone knows Governor Eno is an advocate of the downtrodden. He has done that in different ways. He has given the vulnerable food and shelter. What else is expected if not to also invest in their future, and the opportunity beckons!
The intention of the government is to tap into the ever-growing real estate business environment of Lagos so that when the investment matures, the government will have where to fall back on and complement statutory allocations and deploy same into bettering the lots of the people.
Whoever is against this is equally standing on the progress of the people. Judas did not talk about the cost of the oil because he loved the poor, it was for his selfish reasons. That is not different from what is happening in Akwa Ibom today.
But the beautiful thing is that Akwa is blessed to have a leader who is focused and never deterred. He cannot be discouraged by the call of those criticising the building of Ibom Towers in Lagos. Since the days of the founding fathers, what have they not criticised? Yet, they have lived in that same Lagos since graduation from the university. Who is fooling who?
*** Richard Peters writes from Uyo.
