We all know He, who knows the end of a journey from the beginning. We know also, that the journey of a thousand miles, begins with just one step.
We know again, HE who directs and establishes the steps of a good and righteous man, and also delights in his ways and blesses his path.
That said, it is two years since the governor of Akwa Ibom, Pastor Umo Eno, began the journey of his stewardship in the State. In these two years of his stewardship, Eno has clearly chosen his path and his style. Of course, no two persons are or can be the same; talking about individual differences.
Yes, two experiential years down and it has been a wonderful one for the Akwa Ibom people.
First, on the ‘go’, came the governor’s prioritisation of the low, poor and less privileged population in the State. Referring to this as a bottom to top approach. With this, the word ‘compassion’, and it’s manifestation, took the center stage, as empowerment and succour began from the bottom, touching on the most vulnerable indigenes.
From the case of a 14-year-old boy who caught the governor’s attention for using a street light to study in the middle of the night, a situation which moved the governor to immediately order the installation of solar lights in the boy’s house, as well as providing a solar borehole and a total renovation of the boy’s house, to the construction of free 174 compassionate homes across the 31 local government areas in the State for the poorest of the poor, to the increment in bursary payment and grants to undergraduates; then to the disbursement of billions of Naira to develop farming, by supporting farmers, boosting entrepreneurial initiatives and other human capacity developments in the State.
And, as clear as the focal point of the government is, as captured in the acronym A.R.I.S.E (Agricultural revolution, Rural development, Infrastructural maintenance and advancement, Security maintenance and Educational advancement), the ARISE Agenda of the government has been, and is still being executed to the letter.
For want of space, the list of the numerous projects of the governor across the State and across all the pillars of the ARISE Agenda would be excused, but not without mentioning the broad area of infrastructural maintenance and advancement which has seen so many healthcare, security, education, humanitarian and tourism infrastructures being built, renovated and equipped; almost 200 kilometers of roads completed; all of these and many more ongoing, even beyond the shores of Akwa Ibom, like the Ibom Towers in Lagos and Ibom Hotel in Abuja.
Need we mention the significance and impact of the governor’s ‘Town Square’ meetings across the federal constituencies in the State, where he physically connects with the grassroots in real time, feels the pulse of the people and does the needful, irrespective of party lines.
Always quick to make known his penchant for politics of inclusivity, reiterating this at almost every stakeholders densed event in the State, the governor has had to admonish politicians against conflict, but to instead, join forces with him to show Nigeria that Akwa Ibom people can work together for a common good.
This clarion call by the governor, is not unconnected to his respect for constituted authorities, with particular reference to the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and as well with the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, both of whom are members of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
Describing the occupation of the exalted seat of the Senate President by Senator Akpabio, as the Lord’s doing for Akwa Ibom and which must be allowed to be, the governor harped on the path of negotiation, rather than muscle flexing, so that in the end, the needful is achieved and the government and politics of inclusivity, which is key, is continued.
According to the governor, the much ado about opposition party in the State are distractions and not necessary. In his words, “If you don’t like the way I play my politics, then you wait, when it is your time, you go for a fight. And, after you go to fight with all of the State’s money, the State will ask you what you have done with their money.
“Just honour people, be humble, greet people and where you have to kneel down, you kneel down, where you have to stand up, you stand up and you move on. Before you know it, your time is up and you go”.
With the superlative performance of the governor in two years, and his spirit led wisdom as a man of God, need Akwa Ibom people find it difficult to submit to the leading of the spiritual and political leader and father?
Remember, if the steps of the righteous are directed and established by God, who also delights in the way and path HE so directs, then, we say to Governor Umo Eno, “Abeg, carry us dey go”.
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