Cry, My Beloved Akwa Ibom
predecessor Mr. Udom. That one looked around him and did not see what to do with money in a state with one of the most horrendous poverty levels and decided that he needed to build this place as a panacea to all the problems in the state. The other day, his “boy” declared a full public holiday so that we can all go and pray at the humongous thing that looks like the whale that swallowed Jonah. As if that was not enough bad news coming out of my state, the news that the state generated only $65,000 as capital importation hit the newsstands and drove me mad. This cannot even really cover three trips on the state private jet. Mbok, if you see how these things are annoying me, you will worry about my BP. The sad thing is that our democracy is skewed towards incompetence. It throws up only the bullies, those who understand the process of manipulation of the vast mass of people, weaponising poverty and getting them to do their biddings. Or how can you explain an Udom in power for eight years and as if that is not enough, this Pastor whose two pronged approach to governance is happy hour and prayer time. My brother, the great Ide, in trying to mute my attacks, sent me some information with the proviso: “Duke, please see so you can see the governor’s actions in true perspective.” I look the thing and all I see are very opaque expenditures and almost meaningless policy drives that do not even begin to scratch the surface. Building another 20,000 Amphitheatre for Christmas carol? Release of N10billion to contractors on projects started by his predecessor?
Construction of one primary school in Wellington Bassey way in Uyo and payment of bursary to just 106 students in tertiary institutions? Ideeeeeeee !!!!! Ideeeeeeee !!!!! Mbok, don’t let me come at you o. I respect you o, you are my big brother, mbok leave me o, let me be shouting o…. our common heritage is being frittered away by average people who have found themselves in power o, so Ide leave me, let me cry my cry o. If you don’t know, Akwa Ibom is crying, tears are all over the place at such humongous misplacement of priority at a time of massive economic dislocation. Mbok, let us even declare a day of massive crying in the state. Let us all go to that massive ugly church and stand around it and just cry, yes all six million of us. Tears beget us. Akwa Ibom has finally fallen. Shame.