By
Ofonime Honesty
We
are living in interesting times. And what a time to be alive! Only that we
(masses) are the victims, but truth is, the Akwa Ibom polity is at best a farce
and at worst a discomfiture. And that boils down to the fact that we have found
it hard to eradicate the longstanding culture of wrongdoings.
Yours
truly does not subscribe to warped politically motivated views presented as
truth. However, the school of thought that the state has had the misfortune of
being run by square pegs in the proverbial round hole, is a fact that must be
accepted by all irrespective of political affiliation or whatever.
The
curious case of movie honcho cum aide to Akwa Ibom Governor on Agriculture,
Moses Armstrong, summarizes it all. While being quizzed by members of Adhoc
committee set up by the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly to investigate alleged
discrepancies in the Anchor Poultry Borrowers Scheme, he confessed that he knew
nothing about agriculture prior to his appointment as SA on Agriculture.
I
have resisted the temptation of joining the mob in the rather premature decision
of accusing Armstrong, who was invited alongside the SA on Due Process and
Technical Matters, Engr. Ufot Ebong as well as a consultant, of fraud, but hear
me, Armstrong told us what we knew and what we should know.
It
wouldn’t have mattered much if the confession was vomited by an appointee of a
different administration. Coming from an aide to a governor who talks copiously
about industrialization makes one question the sincerity of the much chorused
industrialization policy.
For
the state to attain sustainable development, the agricultural sector must be
vigorously boosted. However, when the sector is manned by persons who know
nothing about agriculture, your guess is as good as mine. Ofonime Honesty is
not a pilot, if I am ordered to fly an aircraft, only one result is feasible –
crash. But Armstrong did not see it that way when he rushed to his facebook account to post this: “When you work so hard and deserve a pat on
the back as the case may be, (sic) and it seems nobody really cares…then you
realized (sic) that you are being haunted, betrayed and blackmailed by the same
people you put so much efforts to serve.”
Dear
Armstrong, you don’t only deserve a pat on the back. Sir, you deserve more
because this is where ineptitude is celebrated in the corridors of political
power. This is where never-do-well public office holders are celebrated and
worshipped by the abused masses.
You
deserve an award, chieftaincy title too. The polity has made it possible. Insinuating
that you are being ‘haunted, betrayed and blackmailed’ speaks much of crude
arrogance and belief that the stakeholders in sector and the generality of Akwa
Ibom people do not really matter nor do their opinion count.
For
revealing to us that Udom is working with square pegs in round holes, you
deserve to be given kudos for being honest.
The
onus is now on Governor Udom Emmanuel. For the policies of his administration
to achieve desirous effects, foolproof strategies must be brought to the table
for appraisal and implementation.
Also,
governor’s aides must realize their status as key players in this
administration. Aides shouldn’t lack the pedigree and know-how to drive
government’s policies to fruition. Yes, Governor Emmanuel has some competent
aides but there are others who are black sheep. They run down government at the
slightest opportunity. They won’t mind telling lies against the governor. If
need be, yours truly will expose these disloyal aides. I have more than enough
information on them!
And
I have come to the rather sad but true conclusion that if concerted efforts are
not channeled towards reversing this negative trend, generations born centuries
from now (if Christ tarries) will suffer from the blunders of today.
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