Politics 2015: Reasons Why Bishop Samuel Akpan should be Akwa Ibom State Governor – EDET EDET

Whether on the battle field or in the boardroom, the best leaders inspire greatness in others through their words and actions. Through the problems faced by Nations and companies, and their inputs to arrest such challenges. In time recent, the qualities that make an effective leader haven’t.

I have collected some motivating words on what makes a great leader from some of history’s most influential people.


“Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel, if people believe in themselves, it’s amazing what they can accomplish – Sam Walton”

“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail- Ralph Waldo Emerson”

“Leadership is unlocking people’s potential to become better- Bill Bradley, former U.S. Senator”
Driving through Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District of recent, I was perplexed due to the in-depth definition of leadership, practiced by Godswill Obot Akpabio. I was mystified by the massive developmental innovations completed and ongoing that cuts across the Akpabio’s region. From the inception of human race, many have been endowed intellectually, politically etc. and some exhibits ignominious and unpatriotic attributes on the course of delivering dividends of the endowment, which sometime brings ruin to themselves, where he comes from, and the essence of the capability and position he finds himself.  Every gift, position and knowledge is given by God. His crux for arming one with such abilities is anchored on a particular aim, but all the aims leads to posterity.

Many neglect the true essence of their capabilities, but Akpabio didn’t. Imagine a man who is a carpenter and has no door in his house, or a billionaire who has no route to his house,  but acquires an helicopter for use each time he visits home; this and many attributes in men are cowardice, murder and intentional assassination of  a chain.

Although critics will not dance with Gov. Godswill Obot Akpabio on the platform of achievements’, although they will still resort to castigate his efforts, I will salute Akpabio for his courageous and unalloyed pursuit to finish; his instituted projects especially Ikot Ekpene Central City and the Uyo metropolis. Akpabio’s insertions in his senatorial district indicate an outlived characteristic of the archaic lives of mediocrity.The fact that I applaud Akpabio does not portray my love for him. Akpabio has invested all the resources generated from the oil rich region to beautify his home, and has in turn mistreated the carrier of Akwa Ibom golden egg (Eket Senatorial District) to whither with no hope of revivifying except a proactive artist from the region succeeds in 2015. Even when I don’t like Akpabio for this nefarious act of developmental exclusion, the stature of Akpabio that has been erected in the hearts of his people can never be erased or demolished; those seeable inventions will live for posterity to emulate.  He has really done it for his people. As an observer whose interest is reserved in equal right and social justice for my people, Akpabio has done so well for his people and will forever live in their lives as a king who came, saw, dared and conquered. His legendary lyrics will remain a chant on the lips of all who saw and those who will come to hear.

Considering the fact that it is Eket Senatorial Districts turn to produce Akpabio’s successor, it will be travesty to let people who have no courtesy for posterity succeed Akpabio. It will be suicidal for Eket Senatorial district to sacrifice her only opportunity of siting at the apex of Akwa Ibom governance on the altar of greed, selfishness and mediocrity. This singular act of monetized politics will leave us in despair.

As Akwa Ibom rumbles ahead of the 2015 gubernatorial election, the decayed structures and despondent people in Eket senatorial district are begging for a Governor who owns a broad heart that is able to contain criticisms than Godswill Akpabio, a governor with procreated figments of artistic projections capable of changing the facet of the neglected polity. For us to achieve these, we must look beyond the shores of Akpabio’s anchor.

I would have loved to exaggerate over Bishop Samuel Akpan if he was a puppeteer in Akwa Ibom politics, but since he is known in the state political murky waters, it is of great importance to keep aside the encomium of credibility and digress to the conundrum faced by the people; which is poverty, joblessness and the perception of the Bishop in this regards.

As Bill Bradley has it in his motivational piece above, for leadership to be practiced, a leader must be a great listener, a good learner and a researcher to enable him unlock people’s potential to become better.  The essence of listening as a leader is to empower himself with varieties of ideas, knowledge; weighing them on the crucible of fairness, justice and intellectuality, for viable and positive results. His attitude towards learning should be passionate, and must study to get himself approved just as the Bible puts it in 2 Timothy 2: 15. if a leader who’s resolve is to lead lacks any of this features, his intent has magnitude but no direction. Poverty, the major problem in Akwa Ibom has eaten deep into the fabric of our state and senatorial district, the roads are flooded because of blocked drainages, and unemployment is a looming epidemic. People’s potential is still locked inside, and some truncated because leadership that was meant to be responsive to societal needs has been neglected.

Bishop Akpan’s view of the enormous challenges facing Akwa Ibom “Eket Senatorial District” as a man of the grassroots is wrapped in the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson above. As a great listener, good learner and researcher, Bishop understands the path every Akwaibomite will love to tow; the path that leads to the satisfaction of the people and creation of wealth for generations unborn. Akwa Ibom people are tired of eating the crumps from the table of those that were supposed to be their voice; they are tired of losing their brothers, sisters to sweeping flood that brushes the streets each time it cats and dogs. They are tired of a government that will keep their children on the street as an instrument of violence, instead of molding them as assets to this generation. It is indeed obvious, that Akpabio has built an admired structured Akwa Ibom; it is time for Bishop Akpan to create an Akwa Ibom where there will be no lack. An Akwa Ibom where everybody will be an investor in state projects for all family name to be laudable.

Bishop Akpan took time to figure clandestinely the major problems of his people; he knows that the problem of his people is of poverty, hunger and starvation, that is why he has come as a man that have tasted poverty, lack and starvation to curb the menace. Akpan understands the need of emerging the people’s choice than out of imposition. A man imposed upon the people has already mortgaged the future of his people for the portfolio he is to occupy.

The propensity of criticism to mar the emergence of Bishop Samuel Friday Akpan as the next governor of Akwa Ibom State on grounds not constitutionally justifiable is an indication that there is something more to Akpan in person than his aspiration. Firstly, he is a member of the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star. Secondly, he is uncontrollable; these and many more are criterions set in the minds of mischief makers to deter the aspiration of Bishop Akpan.  Should one decide to step into the ring of religion criticism, will it be fair for a member of the Rosicrucian Order (AMORC) or that of Ogboni Confraternity to be a governor? Will it also be fair to tag a man a true Christian because he is a deacon or pastor in his church, which might be discovered as a smokescreen in time? Everyone vying for the office of the governor directly or indirectly belongs to somewhere not glare in the eyes of electioneers; it is on this note that many should leave the tantrum of religious speculations and opt for the content than the container.

We must drop biases engendered by our greed and perceived comparative advantage like why should an Olumba man be governor (which add no values to the growth of our dear state) and give deep thought to an Akwa Ibom that will equally be good to and for every one of us under the leadership of Bishop Samuel Akpan. He is the best content with a new style of governance that will leave trail at the expiration of his tenure.

***Take money and give us Bishop, you better take money and give us Bishop, no matter what you say, na Bishop we want***

Sources: IRPR