“I came with a vengeance to undo the wrongs of the past. Since the creation of the State, Ibibio people have been in control of power, and by the time I finish being the Governor, there won’t be anything like Ibibio, Oron or Annang…” – Chief Godswill Akpabio.
The heart is indeed very deceitful and full of ambiguity; no one knows its intent and content until they are made manifest through actions and utterances. Even the cutest of faces and smiles are often bewitched by a poisonous heart, filled with unimaginable venom that would be showcased in the fullness of time.
A venomous heart is both blind and destructive; it does not recognise relationships or remember the past, let alone have an iota of conscience. Its primary aim is to completely destroy its target, irrespective of those involved around it. Like the biblical serpent which deceived the first woman on earth, Eve; it begins by conceiving a plan and goes on to look for an ally to help in the fulfilment of that plan, using tools such as deception, false humility and the likes, to curry favour from those concerned.
It is perhaps, for this reason, one of Akwa-Cross’ son and a renowned singer, Uwemedimo, warned thus in one of his songs “kpeme idem ye owo, ererimbot ami ifonke; kpeme idem ye owo, koro ama owo anam owo; kpeme idem ye owo, ererimbot oyoho ye ibak; mme owo ema fi ke iso, enwonode edem eting se mmo emade” (be cautious of humans, the world isn’t good; be cautious of humans, those who cause harm are people you love; be cautious of humans, the world is full of evil; people love you to your face but go behind you to defame you). This wise saying is absolutely true and has been made manifest in the story of the Ibibios in recent times.
A historian and worthy son of Ibibio, Thomas Thomas, in one of his works published, (https://theinknewspaper.blogspot.com/2013/11/vengeance-why-ibibio-people-suffer.html) some 10 years back, describes Akwa Ibom as a State with 31 Local Government Areas, shared between 3 Senatorial Districts: (Uyo, Ikot Ekpene, and Eket); and comprising the majority Ibibios; the minority Annangs, Oron and others consisting in 16,8, 5, and 2 LGA’s respectively. His argument on the underserved attack by human elements including the then Governor of the State and current Senate President, Obong Godswill Akpabio will make a greater part of this discourse.
“By virtue of their size, the Ibibios have had a numerical advantage over other ethnic groups within the Government. This advantage does not however constitute a “wrong of the past”; and should not inspire “vengeance”. The intent therefore, behind the threat “By the time I finish being the Governor, there won’t be anything like Ibibio, Oron or Annang”, could be clearly presumed to represent Akpabio’s track record in office thereafter”, Thomas noted.
He explains that a careful study of the politics of the State would easily debunk Akpabio’s misleading insinuation of Ibibio’s ‘suppression’ of other ethnic groups. It would expose him as a disgruntled ethnic warlord; establish his pre-conceived grouse against the Ibibios as predating his bid for the Governorship; and presume the bid an opportunity to wage war against the Ibibios.
Nine Military and Civilian Governors have administered Akwa Ibom State since its creation in September 1987. Three were Ibibios: Wing Cdr. Idongesit Nkanga (an appointed Military Governor); and two elected Governors, (Obong Akpan Isemin, and Arc. Victor Attah). The only Annang Governor (at that time) was the elected Godswill Akpabio; while the other five Governors (Col Jonathan Tunde Ogbeha, Col. Godwin Abbe, Lt. Col. Yakubu Bako, Navy Capt. Joseph Adeusi, and Grp. Capt. John Eyepeiyah Ebiye), were non-indigenes appointed Military Governors. Seven Deputy Governors served in Akwa Ibom State including Amb. Etim Okpoyo (from Oron); Obong Ufot Ekaette (an Ibibio man), Engr. Chris Ekpenyong and Sir Michael Udofia (both Annangs); and the trio of Engr. Patrick Ekpotu, Obong Nsima Ekere, and Lady Valerie Ebe – all from Eket Senatorial District (and not Uyo) all of whom served under Gov Akpabio.
Similarly, Eight Military and Civilian Governors administered the defunct South Eastern and old Cross River States (before the creation of Akwa Ibom State). Three were Ibibios: Brig UJ Esuene of South Eastern State; as well as Navy Captain Edet Akpan Archibong of Cross River State, were all appointed Military Governors; while Dr Clement Isong was elected. An Annang Governor (Chief Don Etiebet) was also elected, while the three other Governors (Lt. Col. Paul Ufuoma Omu, Navy Capt. Babatunde Elegbede, and Navy Capt. Ibim Princewill) were non-indigenes appointed Military Governors. The two Deputy Governors who served in the old Cross River State were Dr Matthias Offoboche from Ogoja, etc). It is, therefore, clear that Uyo Senatorial District (the Ibibio heartland) has produced 4 Governors and no Deputy Governors; Eket Senatorial District has produced 2; while Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District (the Annang heartland) has produced 2. Clearly, therefore, all ethnic groupings in the defunct South Eastern, old Cross River and present Akwa Ibom States have enjoyed a measure of relevance with their indigenes occupying prominent positions in government. Under all Ibibio Governors, there were several Commissioners, Special Advisers, Heads of Boards and Parastatals of different ethnic groups in the State. Governor Akpabio’s claim therefore to Ibibio suppression, is not only false and misleading but also obscures the fact that his ascendance to the governorship was founded on Ibibio’s magnanimity.
Arch. Victor Attah, (an Ibibioman and Akpabio’s predecessor in office), single-handedly instigated a power shift to Akpabio’s Annang ethnic grouping in 2007. Although Akpabio was not Attah’s preferred candidate, several influential Ibibio politicians and leaders of thought, adopted him against Attah’s choice (and son-in-law) Dr Udoma Ekarika (an Annang man). Such influential Ibibios included Senator JJ Udoedeghe (Akpabio’s Campaign Manager in 2007, who introduced him and sold his viability to then-incumbent President Obasanjo). Obong Ufot Ekaette (the 8-year Secretary to the Federal Government, reportedly always spoke to his boss ‘Obasanjo’ about Akpabio in a favourable light. Amb. Sam Edem (the influential NDDC Chairman at the time) also played a lead role in Akpabio’s emergence. Almost all the Ibibio traditional leaders backed Akpabio, along with countless Ibibio Youth Groups. These swayed the grass-root voters in Akpabio’s favour. Of a truth, Akpabio rose to the crest of power on the wings of massive Ibibio support. He acknowledged in the following speeches:
“In our election, you buried tribalism and ethnic sentiments. You spoke with one voice from the shores of Mbo to the fertile soil of the Ini Local Government Area. Our detractors thought we would continue to remain an ‘atomistic society perpetually at war with itself’, but you proved them wrong… in the said elections, Akwa Ibom witnessed unprecedented unanimity in political decision-making. From the youths, the elders, the traditional fathers, to our sons and daughters in Nigeria and in the diaspora, you spoke with one voice … let God’s will be done…” – IN AKPABIO’S INAUGURAL SPEECH DELIVERED ON THE OCCASION OF HIS SWEARING-IN ON MAY 29, 2007.
“By my election, you captured the noble spirit of co-existence and unity. The uniqueness was demonstrated in the fact that for the first time in the politics of Akwa Ibom State, all the component linguistic groupings buried clannish sentiments and voted as one people for me and our great Party, the Peoples Democratic Party …” – ON THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CREATION OF AKWA IBOM STATE ON SEPTEMBER 23, 2007.
“I note with delight that for the first time in the history of Akwa Ibom State, the people surmounted the odds, buried ethnic sentiments and dialectical differences, and embraced the generational power shift which I represented …” – ON THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF HIS ADMINISTRATION AND DEMOCRACY DAY, MAY 29, 2008.
“But the days of disunity are past; consigned to the dustbin of history. The election of 2007 was a unity anthem orchestrated with symphonic tribal harmony. From that electoral ballad, you entrusted me with the sacred mandate of the office of Governor; and this administration was born …” – ON THE 21ST ANNIVERSARY OF THE CREATION OF THE STATE, SEPTEMBER 23, 2008.
Akpabio made similar speeches after winning his second term, but these only truly acknowledged his first term mandate, and not the second, which he obtained at the cost of sorrow, tears and blood. In a speech to mark his conferment with an award of Doctor of Management Science (Honoris Causa), by the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), on December 3, 2011, Akpabio said: “… I would not have been here if Akwa Ibom people did not allow principles to triumph over politics and vote for virtue, not clannishness …” In another speech on May 29, 2011, he said: “… I am happy for the great honour of this hour, and this great opportunity to keep serving you as your Governor. I am not unmindful of the fact that you made the choice against the backdrop of the most pernicious campaign of falsehood, ethnicity, hatred and blackmail in the chequered history of mankind …”
Akpabio, who spoke of falsehood, ethnicity, hatred and blackmail, despite acknowledging Ibibio support in his countless speeches, was not, however, deterred from manifesting the same vices subsequently. He turned against the same Ibibios who catapulted him to the Governorship; became extremely intolerant of opposition.
By 2010, Akpabio had earned enough infamy to discourage any Ibibio support for his second term, and to actualise his bid, he was forced to initiate a campaign of undisguised brutality against the mainly Ibibio opposition. In May 2010, (fully aware that he was executing his long conceived plot against the Ibibios), ‘democrat’ Akpabio called on his supporters to annihilate any who opposed him in these words: “… You must rise up with anger and crush anybody who wants to bring down the government … you must crush any opposition against this government with fire. You must show anger because we are developing the State and nobody should stand against the development of the State…” Although no local media (print or electronic)reported this call, except GLOBAL CONCORD, it was gratefully reported in the national dailies. SEE P10 OF DAILY INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER OF MAY 4, 2010.
Akpabio’s “… development of the State …” must have meant empowering his kith, kin and loyalists while prosecuting his ethnic cleansing agenda against the Ibibios, because that was all that was going on in the State. Shortly after Akpabio’s charge to his supporters, the State slid into an era of absolute barbarism and lawless brutality. Kidnappers and hired assassins went on rampage, targeting Ibibios, who suffered the greatest wave of persecution in their entire history. Hundreds were kidnapped for ransom (presumably to break their financial strength); others were killed, and their women kidnapped and often sexually assaulted by their captors. This was under the administration of the same Godswill Akpabio who in a speech entitled: ‘THE NIGER DELTA CRISIS AND THE CHALLENGES OF LEADERSHIP; THE GODSWILL AKPABIO MODEL’ said: “… people need to be free from threats such as political repression and sudden harmful disruption of their lives…” Even those Ibibios who played prominent roles in Akpabio’s emergence were not spared persecution, and include:
ARC (OBONG) VICTOR ATTAH: His predecessor in office, and a man Akpabio himself often acknowledged as laying the foundation for the development of the State. Attah however suffered relentless abuse and insult including false allegations of embezzlement. His woes under Akpabio’s government reached a crescendo when his wife’s health deteriorated and Akpabio’s government paid a deaf ear to calls for the State Government’s intervention. The former First Lady died. This was how Akpabio paid back Attah who took him from nothing to something (appointing him Special Adviser, then Commissioner, and even nominating him to serve as his Deputy Governor).
SENATOR JJ UDOEDEGHE: (the then ACN gubernatorial candidate, and a man whose deft political strategies gifted Akpabio with the Governorship) was soon perceived ‘too big a threat’ to Akpabio’s re-election bid. He was framed for a series of high-profile crimes including arson, murder, treason, etc, believed to have been committed by government agents, but in evidence of his innocence, was after severe persecution, absolved by competent courts, of all the charges slammed against him.
AMBASSADOR SAM EDEM: (the influential NDDC Chairman at the time), also considered a threat, considering his rumoured bid for the Governorship was framed and relieved of his lucrative office.
HER EXCELLENCY, (MRS) COMFORT EWANG: Wife of a former Military Administrator of Ogun and Rivers States, (Group Capt. Sam Ewang, the ANPP governorship candidate), was abducted by kidnappers who reportedly demanded that her husband rescind his decision to contest the 2011 elections. She was released after her abductors had secured a heavy ransom.
MADAM PHILOMENA UDONWA: A retired civil servant; a grandmother of over 70 years, and mother of a Singapore-based Marine Engineer and governorship hopeful, Iniekong Udonwa, was kidnapped. Her son was shot at, in a failed assassination attempt, but escaped with bullet wounds. Once again, the kidnappers allegedly demanded that Engr. Udonwa rescinded his bid to contest in the 2011 Elections as a pre-condition for his mother’s release. Madam Udonwa was not lucky after all. She was abused, murdered, stripped naked, and abandoned on a lonely rural road (even after a ransom had reportedly been paid); only to be discovered by early morning risers on their way to the stream the next morning.
MR MIKE EDUOK (the brother of the former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Nsikak Eduok), was kidnapped, possibly over his brother’s perceived opposition to Akpabio’s tyrannical governance.
BARR UMO UDOUNWA: Slated to take over as the State PDP Chairman, was murdered in shrouded circumstances. He was a close ally of prominent members of the opposition to Akpabio.
ELDER PAUL INYANG: A PDP stalwart also billed for the State PDP Chairmanship, was shot dead in the premises of his church. As Secretary of the Wakili Adamawa-led Screening Committee for the 2006 Governorship Primary, he supported Akpabio’s candidacy. In December 2009, along with other party bigwigs, he endorsed Akpabio’s second term bid in a caucus meeting.
UMANA OKON UMANA: Akpabio’s former Secretary to the State Government who facilitated his emergence as Governor. Umana had his office sealed up by Akpabio’s wife’ Ekaette Unoma for daring to run for the office of Governor with Akpabio’s choice successor, Mr Udom Emmanuel.
DR IME UMANAH: Another opponent of Akpabio whom he unjustly subjected to persecution over a trumped-up charge of ‘terrorism’, with a threat to sustain the trial forever. As Chairman of Champion Breweries in the 80s, Akpabio had met him for employment as a clerk. “I advised you to go to the University. When you told me you couldn’t afford it, I gave you money to go to the University to study Law. Before then God had also used me to bless another member of the Akpabio family- Late Senator Nsima Akpabio—by sponsoring his University education. Today you have paid me back with evil and there is a conspiracy of ungodly silence by the Akpabio family”.
Ime Umanah who wrote an open letter (https://media.premiumtimesng.com/wp-content/files/2014/11/Dr-Ime-Umanah-Writes-Gov-Akpabio-1.pdf) to Akpabio in 2014, when the latter threatened to torture him for 70 years, after more than 5 years of persecution, had among other things recalled that Akpabio had in 2011, “appealed to the people of old Abak Division to forgo their right to produce a Senator and wait till 2015”, to appease the Ibibio and get them to support his second term bid.
He, however, returned to “usurp what, on the basis of justice and equity, belongs to the people of Abak Division. This is after your own Ikot Ekpene side produced two deputy governors and a governor in the last 16 years while the Abak axis produced nothing. Is it also justice and equity that you want to impose yourself on the people as a Senator after your clan and family already produced two senators – Sen. Nsima Akpabio and Sen. Raymond Umoh”.
He further revealed Akpabio’s venomous heart against other ethnic groups and chided him for putting them against each other.
“When a few years ago, I suggested to you that Oro should produce the next governor, you angrily and derisively shouted that you will never support an Oro man because they were too clannish and could not be trusted… Ironically, you have humiliated and despised the Ibibio, especially the Ibibio of Uyo Senatorial District on whose back you rode to the Governorship in 2006/2007. The people of Abak Division, as well as those of Ikono and Ini have also been thoroughly humiliated and marginalised.
“As Governor in 2007, you met a State which was united and the Ibibio majority willingly supported you to become governor. Today the State is sharply divided because of your arrogance, nepotism and insincerity. How can a leader who means well for his State promise the governorship position to Ibibio and Oro at the same time? This act of uncommon nepotism and corruption did not happen during the governorship of Obong Victor Attah”, Umanah’s Letter states.
It is evident from the foregoing that the man who sits as the Senate President has no recourse to brotherhood or the course of humanity. It is therefore not surprising that his avowed bid to tear the State into shreds has been flamed by the passing of the TRC Bill into Law. His sponsorship of the dissenting voices which have trailed the coronation of Oku Ibom Ibibio as President-General of the State Traditional Rulers Council is nothing but another button pressed to play his hate game.
Or how can one who has no regard for the fingers that fed him, fear a body of traditionally constituted authority whom he should naturally revere? Obviously, his famous mantra that “what money cannot do, more money can do”, has erased his sense of propriety and decency. As such, he sees the Traditional Rulers as tools for the planting of contempt against themselves.
It, therefore, behoves those dancing to his tune to be wary. Akpabio has a history of embarrassing abandonment. He delights in using people as a means to an ugly end and while it lasts, he’ll pay the bills but when he’s done; the victim is completely finished.
In the end, no one can play God. Even if they do, God is supreme and will never share his glory with anyone.
This too shall pass away!
***Written by: Chief Eyo Dickson, a titled chief and a Businessman in Akwa Ibom*
