By Inyang Akpan
When in 1975 Elder Aniekan Akpan passed out with Grade I Distinction from the prestigious St. Augustine’s Secondary School, Urua Inyang in Ika Local Government Area, little did the school authority know that his passing out with distinction signified that he has distinguished himself and stood tall among his contemporaries.
Recently, in a summit to stem the tide of climate change which coincided with the coming together of the old students of the college, the great Elder provided twenty (20) cocoanut seedlings for planting in the college compound to protect the environment from degradation. He also provided three thousand (3000) customized exercise books to the school to aid teaching and learning. Not done, he promised to identify with any development in the school and called on cooperate organizations, Non-Governmental Organization and able to do indigenes of the society to assist in building the school. He appealed on the students to take their studies seriously, do away from cultism, drug abuse, examination malpractice as well as refrain from crime and criminalities, but look unto successful old students of the college as their role model.
By this gesture, the State PDP Chairman has saved the school from a global or regional climate patterns apparently from the mid to the late 2Dth century owing to the increase levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide produced by the use of fossil fuels. He has also bailed out the school compound from a geographic area were plants, animals and other organisms as well as weather and landscape, work together to form a bubble of life. The long term heating of earth surface observed since the pre-industrial period due to human activities primarily fossil fuel burning, which increases heat trapping greenhouse gas levels in earth atmosphere is hereby dealt with. Elder Aniekan Akpan is a blessing to his Alma-mater St. Augustine’s Secondary School, Urua Inyang, hi party the POP and every other person who comes across him as attested to by many including Arch-Bishop Samuel Akpan who when declaring back to his root the POP said that he is returning to the party which he assisted in building because his passionate brother and friend Elder Aniekan Akpan is the State PDP Chairman and because of his willingness to contribute his quota in installing Governor Udom Emmanuel’s Successor. This is unprecedented. Many have attested to Elder Akpan’s unparalleled concern to his people and the State. As Secretary Ukanafun Local Government Council, an office popularly known as the clearing house of any organization, he was handling the bulk of the jobs to the satisfaction of his boss and the admiration of all. When he indicated interest to contest Chairmanship election in Ukanafun his Local Government Area of origin all others who were interested in the same office dropped their aspiration confessing that since the Aniekan Akpan had shown interest there was no need for any other person to aspire for the position as his representation is often all embracing. Again, when he was appointed Commissioner into the state executive council, in his reception after his swearing-in into office, the great Elder alerted his guests that he was coming in as commissioner to represent the entire Akwa Ibom State and not Ukanafun alone as Ukanafun is just a fraction of the State. That statement spoke volume of Elder Aniekan Akpan. In his days in the State House of Assembly he contributed his quota by making good laws for the good governance of the state which was satisfactorily attested to by his constituents. At the Local Government Service Commission where he saved as commissioner I, despite the fact that he was not the chairman, staff of the commission relied and trusted in him to a point that when news of his possible assumption of office as the state PDP chairman went out, staff of the commission wept saying that they were going to miss a very reliable and trusted commissioner.
Today, as state chairman of PDP indelible footprint has been stamped on t e sands of time for all to witness in just within 365 days of his leadership, defectors from the PDP to other political parties are proudly returning to the fold. He has pulled down iron walls most chairmen built around themselves and relaxed protocols for free flow of communications. As a result, there is a complete turnaround in the administration of the party. No wonder recently all the state executive members alongside chapter executive members down to the ward levels passed vote of confidence on Elder Aniekan Simon Akpan.
The unprecedented examples of Elder Aniekan Akpan to his Alma-mater is worthy of emulation. He has set the pace for others to follow. It behooves of other well to do citizens to go back to their alma-mater and generously contribute to its building.
To the great Elder, more are still being expected of him as the public is looking forward to a day, the authority of his Alma-mater will name a classroom block or any other infrastructure in the school after him.
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