The Akpabio I never knew

Akpabio has raised the governance bar a notch. Last Friday, when the hard working governor bequeathed “the nest of champions”, a 30,000 seats stadium, to the people of his state, many, including Presidents Alassan Ouattara of Ivory Coast, John Dramani Mahama of Ghana and Goodluck Jonathan who attended the event were awestruck. Ghana’s former president […]

Akpabio has raised the governance bar a notch. Last Friday, when the hard working governor bequeathed “the nest of champions”, a 30,000 seats stadium, to the people of his state, many, including Presidents Alassan Ouattara of Ivory Coast, John Dramani Mahama of Ghana and Goodluck Jonathan who attended the event were awestruck. Ghana’s former president Jerry Rawlings was also in attendance. Akpabio disclosed that other sectors of the state had enjoyed his administration and that it was the turn of sports. The magnificent edifice is its share.
They named it a “nest” but to many people it is the world. There is none like it in Africa. When people give out gifts in Africa, tradition says it is the intention that counts and not the size of the gift. But by far bigger than any intention is this arena, which the governor intends, to groom Akwa Ibom youths into becoming world champions in different sporting endeavour.
How did he perch at this nest? Nigeria used to be great in sports. It was feared in many events. Slightly over a decade ago Nigeria defeated Spain in a keenly contested round of sixteen soccer encounter which the former world champions will never forget. Our athletes were also dreaded; our sprinters were frightening; But today our football teams are an unpredictable mess, always more likely to lose than win. While Nigeria once considered qualification for the cup of nations a walk in the park, today our national team stumbles in the qualifiers. Our runners hardly reach the starting blocks. As a sporting country we have become a footnote and people wondered for a long time who would bell the cat until Akpabio came along.
When Akpabio narrated the amount of money made from sports by Floyd Mayweather in boxing, LeBron James in basket ball, Ronaldo of Real Madrid in football and Serena Williams, who he said God built to look like an Akwa Ibom indigene, in tennis, he showed that he wants the best for his people. He reasoned that the only difference between Serena and his “girls” is her exposure to world class infrastructure and challenged Akwa Ibom girls to use the infrastructure at their doorstep to beat Serena. Akpabio has fulfilled an integral covenant in grooming future champions.
His call on Akwa Ibomites is a modest challenge. The governor has indeed done his part. He has, by this dignified performance, shamed most governors in Nigeria. Many people, including the current president who commissioned the “nest” have handled public resources of equal or even greater volume and had wasted the opportunity to bequeath to their people an edifice of this monumental standard.  To the disappointment of their electorates, many of them have displayed utter lack of initiative, absence of character, paucity of concern and deficiency in the will to raise governance to the next level. That Akpabio christened his administration as the fulcrum of uncommon transformation is gracious. Like none other in this democracy, he has put his right foot forward.
I am obliged to write this piece because several years ago a politician who was not exactly happy with events in his state invited me to Akwa Ibom to do a critical analysis of the “fluke” that was being heralded as giant strides. Akpabio was only a year in office. There were widespread allegations of squandermania by his detractors. After extensive discussions and copious insidious disclosures I took off for Uyo from Lagos. In the three days I spent there I saw the future evolving. The people I talked to exuded hope that they would arrive at the Eldorado if the trend of events that were unfolding continued. Their feet were no longer held to the fires of underdevelopment. I didn’t have to talk to Akpabio to notice that the development curve was progressively looking up. I simply flew home. Today, 350 kilometres of urban roads have been completed in Akwa Ibom, power supply has improved in ninety percent of the state, churches have been empowered with on-lending facility for their members, hospitals have been upgraded and social life and the economy are both booming. I realized years down the line, that If I had allowed myself to be used I would have hated me.
I had always argued that most achievements by public officials be classified as statutory. Not worth any chest beating. But the erection of this showground is uplifting. Governance is acquiring its true meaning. Akpabio is doing it!